Erith & Belvedere   7          Young 3, 6, 78, Whiskin 15, Carter 19, Hall pen 80, 82

Wokingham             0                     

Athenian League Div 1, 31 December 1966

 

Continuing the series counting down the 100 most memorable games in our history.  Today, the best managerial debut in the club’s history.

 

The first half of 1966-67 hadn’t been a good time.  Popular and successful manager Frank Reed had been jettisoned and three key players – Colin Johnson, Brendan Greatorex and Dickie Bernard – had left for Tooting and Mitcham.  Jim Townsend, a fine club servant, hadn’t managed to steady the ship, so as the year ended the club went for a big name manager.

 

THE DERES SIGN ROY DWIGHT AS NEW MANAGER

 

After several weeks of discussions, meetings and interviews, the directors of Erith and Belvedere FC announced late on Saturday afternoon that they had appointed ex-Fulham and Nottingham Forest forward Roy Dwight as manager.

 

Mr Dwight is a qualified FA coach with many years’ experience.  Born in Belvedere 33 years ago, he had a yearning to play for the Deres, but his fortunes instead took him to Fulham, where he joined the ground staff at 15.  He graduated to their first XI and was later transferred to Nottingham.  It was while he was with Forest that he suffered a broken leg in their Cup Final against Luton Town in 1959.

 

The injury kept him out of action for about 10 months.  He subsequently joined Billy Gray at Millwall where he had charge of the Colts.  With his younger brother playing for Callenders Athletic, Mr Dwight offered them his experience and advice.  Last March, he and his wife took a tobacconist and confectionery shop in Barnehurst, and living locally gives him much more chance to follow the club.

 

He takes over with immediate effect from Jim Townsend, who asked for his release some weeks ago.  Mr Townsend has been with the club for about 32 years, firstly as player, then as trainer, and more recently as manager.  Still with an interest in the club, he has accepted an appointment to serve on the board.

 

The new manager is looking forward to his new job, but asks that miracles should not be expected too soon.  It will be a hard climb for the Deres to try to regain some of their lost form.

 

And yet the start of his tenure as Deres manager didn’t look too hard…

 

ALAN YOUNG SPARKS OFF DERES’ BEST VICTORY FOR FIVE SEASONS

 

Erith and Belvedere saw the old year out in a blaze of glory by thrashing Wokingham 7-0 at Park View on Saturday.  This was Deres’ best result for more than five years – a wonderful start for newly-appointed manager Roy Dwight.

 

Lowly Deres rocked the visitors with four goals in the first 19 minutes and added three more after the interval.  Yet up to Saturday Erith had scored only 15 goals in 13 league games.

 

Bustling centre-forward Alan Young must take much of the credit for this change of fortune.  Alan thrilled the fans with a brilliant hat-trick and set Deres on the way to victory with two early goals.  He put the home side ahead in the third minute when heh collected a Carter pass and slammed the ball into the net.  Three minutes later Deres were two up: a goal-kick went to Young and his lob from 30 yards beat the goalkeeper.

 

Colin Whiskin nodded home Deres’ third in the 15th minute and Terry Carter headed in the fourth after a bad clearance.  Deres, completely in command on the heavy pitch, never gave Wokingham a chance to settle.

 

Young completed his hat-trick in the 78th minute with the best goal of the game.  In a brilliant solo run from outside the box he beat off a series of tackles and, still in perfect control, pushed the ball into the net from close range.

 

When Whiskin was brought down David Hall made no mistake from the spot in the 80th minute.  Moments later Hall scored his second goal with a shot that gave the keeper no chance.  Deres’ relegation worries will be over if they can keep up this goal-glut.

 

Deres: Chris Howes; Eric Hibberd, John Coombes, Dicky Hubert, Dennis Crawford, Kenny Baker, David Hall, Alan Young, Terry Carter, Paul Sansbury, Colin Whiskin.  Sub: Paul Sheckles.

 

Having been relegation contenders, Deres recovered to finish 6th in Athenian League division 1 (Wokingham were third bottom).  This was due in no small part to Colin Whiskin, a former Spurs reserve who had joined us from Dartford.  This was his second appearance and first goal for Deres, and the first in a scoring sequence of 7 games, a club record until overtaken by Gary Cooper in 1970.  His father Ken later became the Deres’ chairman.