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<\/p>\nA new book dedicated to the vanished football clubs of Great Britain is reviewed by Eric Brown\u2026<\/p>\n
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BY ERIC BROWN<\/p>\n
They say those who lived through it don\u2019t remember the hedonistic 1960s.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t believe it. Towards the end of that momentous decade, I was training as a journalist at a group of seven south London-based local newspapers. A rookie, cub or newbie sports reporter learning every day during a period I\u2019ll never forget.<\/p>\n
One early job was covering matches played by Corinthian Casuals FC, a club of no fixed abode still firmly wedded to the amateur code when times were passing them by.<\/p>\n
This was the era of illegal \u201ccash in boots\u201d incentives, which meant certain clubs that unofficially paid the highest signed the best players and regularly challenged for honours in the \u201camateur leagues.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shamateurism, it was called. Casuals strictly adhered to the rules and, as a result, regularly featured among the Isthmian League\u2019s bottom clubs. They were fun to cover, though, and a rich source of contacts with Alan Pardew, later of Crystal Palace, Charlton and West Ham among former players.<\/p>\n
Casuals played at The Oval before moving to Sandy Lane as Tooting & Mitcham\u2019s tenants and cricket connections were retained.<\/p>\n
Bob Willis occasionally played in goal. He hastily had to abandon football mid-season upon receiving an emergency call to join England\u2019s Ashes tour already underway in Australia. A good story.<\/p>\n
Surrey all-rounder Graham Roope, another England cricketer, also played for Casuals along with several journalists who included future Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler and his ITV pal Steve Hamer.<\/p>\n
They lined up alongside Don Joy, a bulky and rather immobile centre half who once surprised everyone, including himself, by scoring from the halfway line. Don was the son of former London Evening Standard football writer Bernard Joy, the last amateur to appear at full level for England.<\/p>\n
Bernard was one of seven players actually registered to Casuals and also to Corinthians when the clubs were separate. All seven won England caps between 1895 and 1936.<\/p>\n
His full cap came against Belgium in Brussels on May 9, 1936, when he was playing for First Division Arsenal as well as Casuals and Corinthians.<\/p>\n
Corinthian Casuals FC can lay claim to a heritage as impressive as almost any team in the land (Tifo Football, August 2018)<\/p>\n
On 4 January 1939, successful merger talks resulted in the disappearance of Casuals and Corinthians as separate clubs. Corinthians are assured of lasting football fame for their amateur ideals. They could not countenance any player deliberately fouling an opponent in the penalty area in what has become known as those \u201cCorinthian days.\u201d<\/p>\n
Accordingly, if a penalty was awarded against them, the goalkeeper would stand aside while an opponent scored into an empty net. If Corinthians were awarded a penalty, their skipper would deliberately shoot wide.<\/p>\n
Author Philip O\u2019Rourke includes the intriguing stories of confirmed amateurs Corinthians, Casuals and Corinthian Casuals in his new book \u2018Forgotten Football Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n He notes how England\u2019s team that beat Wales in March 1895 consisted entirely of Casuals players, a record unlikely ever to be beaten.<\/p>\n They were football pioneers, too, spreading their philosophy and influence on world tours. It is said Real Madrid adopted their famous white kit in tribute to Casuals.<\/p>\n I was yet to learn much of this as I sat freezing in the wooden stand at the Sandy Lane ground watching the latest hopelessly outclassed Corinthian Casuals recruits try to avoid yet another heavy defeat.<\/p>\n Then conducted interviews in the bar without the benefit of mini-tape recorders or mobile phone recorders. Pitman\u2019s was king, match reports written longhand.<\/p>\n Some 50 years later, the merged outfit which strictly rejected professionalism has managed to survive in the Isthmian League at a time when top English clubs are ruled by sterling or dollars.<\/p>\n Mr O\u2019Rourke\u2019s book is a follow-up to his successful \u2018Forgotten Football Clubs Across the World\u2019. That book and his current offering are both sub-titled \u201cGone but Never Forgotten,\u201d suggesting they no longer exist.<\/p>\n Yet many of the clubs featured do survive, as we have seen with Corinthians and Casuals. Telford, for example, were wound up but later sprang back to life, as did Welsh club Merthyr Town.<\/p>\n There are complicated histories from the likes of Rochdale, Manchester Association, Crystal Palace, Rushden and Diamonds, South Liverpool, Third Lanark, Wanderers and a whole host of Irish clubs.<\/p>\n Surprisingly, there\u2019s no mention of Accrington Stanley, the first of the Football League\u2019s founder members to go under.<\/p>\n \u2018Forgotten Football Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland: Gone but Never Forgotten\u2019 by Philip O\u2019Rourke is published by Pitch Publishing, price \u00a319.99.<\/a><\/p>\n The SJA is interested in your sports media industry news and views. Keen to reach an engaged audience, including over 70,000 followers across social media? We welcome your enquiries \u2013\u00a0contact us here<\/a>.<\/strong>\u00a0We also offer\u00a0advertising and sponsorship opportunities<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/forgotten2.jpg\")
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