RW Amsterdam       2   (?? 37, 103)

Erith & Belvedere   1    (Baker 47)

Cheratte International Tournament Final, 3 June 1968

 

The start of a series which should run over the next few years, in which we count down the 100 most memorable games in the club’s history.  I’ve compiled this list myself, though with some help and advice from other supporters and former players.  I don’t expect anybody to agree with the order, but I hope to bring back a few memories and tell a few stories worth remembering.

 

We begin with the end-of season trip to cap them all.  The Deres played a ludicrous 68 domestic matches in 1967-68 – the Athenian League, the Kent Floodlit Cup played on a league basis, and six cups.  We had 12 matches in March alone.  Then at the start of June they flew off for three games in three days, and the Kentish Times told the story like this.

 

DERES GET A BIG OVATION

 

A representative Erith and Belvedere side, together with guest players, returned on Monday from a successful visit to the Continent.  They took part in the eighth international tournament of football in Cheratte, Belgium, and they brought back with them two cups, which they deservedly won during the hectic three-game weekend. 

The guest players were Colin Murphy, formerly with Bexley United, and Albert Thompson, a friend of Bobby Baker.  [the report didn’t mention Murphy was also the Deres’ manager!]

 

The tournament has some rules that may be difficult to follow.  For example, if the teams are drawing after 90 minutes, each side has five penalty kicks awarded to find a winner.  Extra time is allowed only in the “Grande Finale”.  At the same time, goal average plays a large part in finding the finalists.  A team winning their first two matches by the odd goal would be the overall losers to a team which won by larger margins.  There were three sections to the tournament, each containing four teams.  These met to decide the winner, and goal average again put two teams into the final.

 

On the Saturday the Burgomaster of Cheratte, M Lirbain Kowalski, hosted an official reception and said “We welcome Birmingham Alliance and Erith & Belvedere from friendly England, and whereas politics have prevented the unity of the two nations in the Common Market, football brings theh countries together in sporting competition”. 

 

Deres became finalists by beating the home club Vivegnis on their home ground with goals by Ray Radmore and Bobby Grimwood without reply.  Grimwood was appointed captain for the tournament, and Deres showed great spirit and remained calm throughout.  Bob Baker had a couple of nice runs down the wing, and Holman, wearing the No 5 shirt, was strong in the defence; everyone in fact deserved praise.  By ending the match 2-0, no penalty kicks were needed.

 

The second game on Sunday, at the same venue, was against Fremad Amager, Copenhagen.  This was a little more tense, due possibly to there being some knocks and blistered feet among the players.  Deres were given the lead in the 43rd minute by Colin Murphy with a stunning header from a Radmore cross, and Brian Holman headed a Sansbury corner in the 70th.  The Danes pulled one back three minutes later through inside-right Jorgen Anderson.

 

[That evening there was a dance at a local hall, filled to capacity with all the competing teams, that went on until 3am – this on the eve of the final!!  Deres’

opponents in the final were Rood-Wit Amsterdam, who had had no difficulty in disposing of RUS Cheratte and Cologne in earlier rounds.  The match was played in Cheratte on Monday evening, before a crowd of around 500.  The third-place tie was just finishing when the Deres arrived at the ground.  It ended 4-4 after extra time, so the players watched what may well have been the first penalty shootout any of them had ever seen!    This was followed by a marching band and baton-twirling majorettes before the Deres and RW Amsterdam took the field side by side.]

 

Deres chose to kick up the slope in the first half.  Obviously both teams were tired from previous games, but whereas Deres had only 12 players in the party, the Dutch side could make their choice from 22.

 

Deres overcame some early attacks from Amsterdam and began to get a grip on the game.  Then, from nowhere, the Dutch inside-right sped down from a break and put a good shot past Howes in the 37th minute.  Two minutes after the interval, Deres won a free-kick 30 yards from the Dutch goal.  Bobby Baker made no mistake – he slammed a beauty into the top right-hand corner of the net.

 

After 90 minutes of hard slogging, the teams had to endure extra time, and guts overcame exhaustion.  Everyone tried their utmost to score or lay on a pass, but legs would not move in accordance with requirements; no one could have given more.  Courageously, Deres battled on, but the Dutchmen just managed to nod the winner with two minutes of the first half of extra time to go.

 

Deres applauded their opponents off the field, and after having a bath they proceeded to the prizegiving ceremony.  When Bobby Grimwood went up to collect the trophy for being winners of the section, and later to get the runners-up trophy, Copenhagen led the audience in a standing ovation.

 

Deres’ final line-up: Chris Howes; Terry Nelson, Bobby Baker, David Burke, Brian Holman, Bobby Grimwood, Dicky Hubert, Colin Murphy, Ray Radmore, Paul Sansbury, Brian Hilderly (Albert Thompson).