Edgware Town

Edgware Town FC is a non-league football club formed in 1939, in the North London suburb of the same name. The club appeared in the Middlesex League before progressing to the Corinthian League for the 1946-47 season from their White Lion Ground home, behind the pub of the same name on High Street.

The league was disbanded in 1963, so Edgware became members of the enlarged Athenian League, with the team being promoted to the Premier Division at the first attempt. However, by the end of the decade they were relegated on two occasions.

The club changed its name to Edgware FC in 1972, but reverted back to 'Town' in 1987 by which time they had joined the Spartan League. Town were crowned league champions in 1987-88 and again in 1989-90.

The second title led to promotion to the Isthmian League Division Two North, which was renamed Division Three in 1991. 'The Wares' won the league in the 1991-92 campain gaining promotion to Division Two. Nine years later they were relegated.

The club were relegated to the Spartan South Midlands League for 2006-07, before winning a final promotion at the first attempt back to the Isthmian League Division One North for one last season, before the end was nigh for the club for a period of seven years.

The problem for the club was the their White Lion Ground had its freehold sold by the brewery to Edgware Developments in 2005, with the new landlord subsequently being granted planning permission by Harrow Council to build houses and flats on the ground in 2005. The ground's surrounding area had been tidied up and never looked better. 

The rent went up to a level the club couldn't really afford (£8,000 a year), and although a sponsor gave them a stay of execution, Town ceased playing at the end of the 2007-08 season. The club name is still registered with the Middlesex FA in case it could continue in the future.

Indeed the club came back to life in the winter of 2014, before being granted admission into the Spartan South Midlands League for the following campaign.

However, the White Lion Ground was by now being built on with new housing. The problem was solved as the club found a new home a mile or so down the road at Silver Jubilee Park; the former home of Kingsbury Town and Kingsbury London Tigers. 

The management team of Dan Manzi and Daren Bloor were appointed to oversee team affairs. The new home was fitted with a new artificial pitch, which meant the opening fixtures of the new era were played at Underhill, the old home of Barnet.

Fabio Valenti arrived from Cockfosters as team manager during the comeback season as the club consolidated its league position before winning promotion as Dvision One champions in 2015-16.

The first season in the Premier Division proved to be testing. For a while the team was threatened with relegation, before a fine end to the campaign saw Town finish in seventeenth spot to retain their status.

In the summer of 2017 Valenti stood aside as manager to join the coaching staff at Hendon, with Fergus Moore taking over as head of team affairs. He led the team to a tenth and thirteenth place finish.

Moore used a mixture of youth and experience to great effect during the 2019-20 season as Wares looked on for a top seven finish until the COVID-19 crisis ended the season prematurely. Despite an improvement on the pitch Edgware changed managers during the 2020-21 campaign, which again ended early, as Rak Hudson was appointed.

Edgware Town FC will play in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division in the 2021-22 season.

My visits 

White Lion Ground

February 1983

I first called in at the White Lion Ground on my last port of call on one of my first ever days groundhopping as a student. I didn't know what to make of the place as it looked pretty basic.

The original Main Stand at the White Lion Ground

There was a small hump of terracing behind the Edgware Road goal which followed the contours before it dipped down to the far side, where there was a low covered terrace. The far end was open where the side at the top of the banking only had a few rows of terracing before the steep slope continued down to the pitch. The rest of the ground was open and was a mixture of hard standing and grass.

After later research it appeared I had visited not long after the original Main Stand had burnt down, which explained the reason for the lack of structures on the main side.

Edgware Town 1 Cheshunt 1 (Saturday 18 December 1999) Isthmian League Division Two (att: approx 100)

I travelled up to this pre-Christmas clash on the bus from home to nearby Burnt Oak Broadway before walking the rest of the way. The ground had changed since my previous with the erection of a superb new Main Stand. It had the changing facilities on the ground floor with a raised seated section giving magnificent views, with the banking adding to the elevation.

Visitors, Cheshunt, were on a bit of a surge having found new benefactors which would continue for a few seasons until the money dried up (a familiar, but sad tale!). The game was not too memorable apart from the fact that my luck was in, and I won a bottle of plonk in the raffle. I stayed behind for an hour to celebrate in the welcoming clubhouse.

Wealdstone 2 Weston Super Mare 2 (Sunday 1st December 2000) FA Trophy Round One (att: approx 250)

See section on Wealdstone for details

New Year’s Day 2005

I can't remember who the opponents were scheduled to be, but I turned up hoping to assist my de-hydration with a few libations in the clubhouse before the game. Two or three other fans were also stood outside when I arrived, but no officials were there. 

At 2.15pm we concluded the game must have been postponed, so I had my way to Hendon FC for their game. It would have been handy for a Wares official to have put up a notice letting people know, especially in an area where there isn't exactly a shortage of choice.

Autumn 2006

In the autumn of 2006, I had started collecting photos of grounds, so I decided to go to the White Lion one afternoon after work. The surrounds were now very plush, with new apartments and a hotel having being built. I entered the ground and took my photos before leaving for the final time.

Wednesday 19th October 2011

Although demolition commenced at the White Lion Ground in October 2010, I decided to walk by a year later to see what was left of the old place.

It was a sorry state with the Main Stand now demolished, and long grass, weeds and rubble on the pitch and the old spectator areas. The new Travelodge extension towered behind the goal, no doubt looking to encroach where many local heroes once displayed their wares.

I left feeling rather sad for the old fans of the club. I know how they felt as a Scarborough fan.

At Underhill

Edgware Town 1 London Lions 1 (Saturday 6th September 2014) Spartan South Midlands League Division One (att: 172)

Edgware had been reformed after a period of seven years away, and were awaiting to move into their new Silver Jubilee Park home in Kingsbury. A new 4G was in the process of being installed so as a temporary measure they decamped to play their first few home games at Underhill.

As I was on night shift I decided to have maybe one last visit to Underhill. I took three buses and saved a bit of time before alighting in Barnet town centre for a couple of excellent pint of Harveys Sussex Best in the charming Mitre at the top of the hill.

It was a bit of a long walk to the only open entrance to the ground behind the South Stand. Admission was a special offer of £3 for Non-League Day. Edgware had been caught out with the interest and had sold all the programmes.

The old place looked a picture. Only the Main Stand side was open. There was a lovely friendly atmosphere with three old boys singing all the match. All the Edgware officials were polite and welcoming. Smiles abounded, which makes a huge difference to my day out. A young girl went round with her Mum selling souvenirs. I bought a key ring for £2.50. A rather ingenious mobile shop!

The game wasn't the greatest but full of honest endeavour on a pristine surface. Lions went up in the local derby after around 30 minutes.

At half time I finally got in the bar which never catered for away fans on my visits with Scarborough. One half time I listened second hand to a radio and won £100 as Amberleigh House won the National and Matthew Hoggard took a hat trick in Barbados.

I got chatting to the gentleman who manages Silver Jubilee Park at the break, and what a top bloke he was. He explained that the lease for the ground has been taken over by two gents, one of whom is a director of Hendon. Hopes were high that Hendon would move there for the 2015-16 season if the ground could be put up to the grading requirements. I was cheered further when he told me that the bar at SJP was be stocking real ale by the bottle.

Edgware equalised straight after the break just as we were going back outside. The fans continued their fine support. It seemed to me on an initial appearance that the club had a real future going forward. It certainly enthused the match secretary Steve Bragg. Well done to those making it possible and offering regular decent football to fans in the Kingsbury and Edgware areas going forward.

I had spent the day in various excellent company, meeting a Wrexham/Clapton fan and talking to many old school Barnet fans after the interval. The irony of Edgware playing a home game in Barnet while Barnet had a home fixture at Edgware wasn’t lost.

I got to learn a lot more about the Underhill situation and the frustration felt by many fans. They had hopes of Barnet returning to their home Borough, but I sensed it was more through optimism than realism.

To cap a smashing trip out Scarborough Athletic came from one down to grab a 91st minute penalty winner against Prescot Cables. The bus rides home seem to go very quickly!

Silver Jubilee Park

Edgware Town 0 Bush Hill Rangers 7 (Saturday 15th November 2014) Spartan South Midlands League Division One (att: 73)

I found myself on early shift at work and my colleague Rob Burton kindly came in fifteen minutes early to allow me to catch the 302 bus to my first visit for a match to Silver Jubilee Park for about ten years. This time it was to see Edgware Town, who had only been in residence at the former home of Kingsbury Town for a few weeks.

I wasn’t left disappointed by the welcome afforded by the reformed club. They had been most amiable at Underhill when I had visited for their ‘home’ game while SJP was being prepared for action. 

The fellas running things remembered me. I don't suppose they get too many Scarborough Athletic fans taking an interest in them! They were most welcoming once again. Admission was also very reasonable for £4, with a tidy programme costing another quid.

An absolute hiding was handed out by a young Bush Hill side who had played together since youth level, and how it showed. They weren't brilliant, but they were organised and knew how one and another played. 

Edgware on the other hand were eleven reasonably talented five a side players with no structure. The defence was all over the place and not particularly rapid.

I really felt for the Greens players, but they had no shape. They created a few chances but a lack of cohesion and communication as well as not releasing the ball when required led to swathes of holes appearing at regular intervals.

Those connected with Edgware remained as upbeat as possible, which must have been difficult after what must have been a horrible afternoon for them to witness. I also met some lovely fans, including the hard core three or four who never gave up singing for their team from behind the goal all afternoon. Their gallows humour helped gloss over their side’s performance.

The bar could have done with a bit of heating, but I was glad to find that there was a fine selection of real ale in bottles. The bar also served food, hot drinks and souvenirs. The new pitch played fine and the ground was still in decent nick, and was about to have some work on it with the stand being extended and changing rooms enlarged in readiness for Hendon's hopeful arrival for the 2015-16 season.

I stayed behind to watch the England game, and then agreed with Mr Collymore on his phone in lambasting the atmosphere at Wembley. It said everything that I had a three or four year spell without missing an England home game, travelling all the way from Scarborough. 

I could now see the stadium from home and I seldom bothered because of the Mexican waving, selfie taking, band playing fans and corporates who wouldn't know how to support a football team properly to save their lives. I knew who had the better value for money on the day.

I definitely knew who was in better company.

Edgware Town 3 Buckingham Athletic 2 (Saturday 10^th January 2015) Spartan South Midlands League Division One (Att: 66)

What a difference a couple of months made since previous game at SJP. Since then Edgware had recruited virtually a brand new team from Cockfosters, and how it showed.

This was a really entertaining game in freezing and windy conditions. It was so cold that my half time cuppa was accompanied by a large scotch. Athletic went ahead following some rather iffy defending from a corner. It seemed to wake up the hitherto dozy defence up. The scores were level at the interval as Edgware forced plenty of saves out of the Buckingham keeper, before one was followed up by Laselle Simon who nodded home.

Buckingham went ahead with one of the best shots I've seen this season; a powerful effort from twenty five yards that bent into the top corner. Both sides continued to play fast attacking football on the perfect playing surface. After continual pressure and more fine saves, The 

Wares drew level with a fine Adem Ali goal before forcing a winner when a low cross was collected and hammered into the net by the unmarked Jay Molloy, who was the star man on the day. The final few minutes saw a few skirmishes as tackles flew in. It was a bit of a shame but it by no means marred a really good game of football.

Top marks  to Edgware for their organisation and general professionalism at Silver Jubilee Park. How nice it is to go to a ground with PAs, music before the game and ballboys by courtesy of the youth sides. The clubhouse was warmer than my previous visit too and was showing Sky Sports.

Edgware Town 5 Hatfield Town 2 (Saturday 7th February 2015) Spartan South Midlands League Division One (att: 55)

Another early shift saw me get to Silver Jubilee Park as quickly as I could. I even bought myself an Edgware Town beanie hat, so I was obviously enjoying things.

On this occasion they hammered a Hatfield side with a stand in keeper. This was proper non-league! I even got chatting to some regulars from the old club who made me welcome.

Goals for Town came from A. Ali with two. D.Maharjan, Molloy and T.Siemienscuk were the other scorers.

Edgware Town 2 Southall 1 (Saturday 19^th September 2015) Spartan South Midlands League Division One (att: 107)

My first visit to Silver Jubilee Park in the 2015-16 and a cracker. Southall were very strong and quick. Town were not quite as physical, but probably more skilful. Wares went in 1-0 up at the break through a fine team move finished by Jack Smith.

Southall pressed strongly after the interval and deservedly levelled as Edison Teberen smashed home. The visitors continued to look like the most likely winners, especially when Edgware’s Bilal Butt was given a straight red card.

A draw would probably have been about right, but in the last couple of minutes Abdul Mansaray scored the winner after home keeper Dominic Cassells had parried a strong shot.

Edgware Town 6 Winslow United 0 (Saturday 3rd October 2015) FA Vase Second Round Qualifying (att: 57)

On nights I had originally bought train tickets to Kidderminster for their game against Welling United, but I was still very tired from my New York trip the previous weekend. Instead I stayed local.

Wares had already hammered Winslow 10-3 on the opening day of the season. Once again the visitors were no match for an increasingly impressive Edgware side. Goals came from through a Stuart Blackburne hat trick and other strikes courtesy of a brace from Abdul Mansaray and Jack Smith. Winslow had a very tetchy midfielder sent off for two yellow card offences.

Edgware Town 2 Wodson Park 1 (Saturday 17^th October 2015) Spartan South Midlands League Division One (att: 66)

The Ware based side gave as good as they’d got with a fine equaliser, but Edgware were once again too strong. The home keeper was sent off for dissent after the final whistle by a poor fussy referee. The following morning I flew to Bangkok for the Thailand International Cricket Sixes.

Edgware Town 0 Ipswich Wanderers 3 (Saturday 12^th December) FA Vase Round Three (att: 137)

Developments at Silver Jubilee Park were moving forward in readiness for Hendon moving in for the 2016-17 season. The programmes were all sold when I arrived, in hope of another Vase win for Wares.

There was a strong wind blowing down the ground towards the park end, with Ipswich having it at their backs in the first period. They took the lead on eight minutes when the home keeper spilled a shot for Billy Holland to follow up and score.

Just before the break he doubled his team’s advantage as Edgware dithered in defence. The feeling in the bar at the break was that it was still very much game on if Town used the weather properly.

As it turned out, a very experienced and competent Wanderers side survived everything thrown at them. There was plenty of pressure but very little effort on goal. A shot hot the top of the bar, but that was about it. I stood with the Dad of the visitors left back and had a smashing chat.

His team broke away near to the final whistle with Ben Deacon finishing with aplomb to make it 3-0. Ipswich Wanderers thoroughly deserved their victory.

After a beer I returned home to enjoy a lovely meal, a large dram of whisky and a good laugh at Bournemouth beating Man Utd in the live game. I was fast asleep by 8pm happy with life.

Edgware Town 3 Hatfield Town 1 (Tuesday 22nd March 2016) Spartan South Midlands League Division One (att: 73)

My brother Nick was staying with me while working in the capital after I had completed my night shifts. After tea we walked down to Silver Jubilee Park in time for kick off. It was Nick’s first time at the ground and he was impressed with the set up, which was nearing completion pending a visit from the FA as Hendon looked to move in.

Hatfield went ahead when they scored following a disputed corner. Points were vital for Wares as they looked to build a lead at the top of the table over Crawley Green. Just before the break they equalised as Stuart Blackburne netted.

We had a beer at the break, but many questioned whether the referee had been on the whisky, judging on his decisions after the restart. I’m hesitant to criticise the officials, but the man in black seemed determined to be as controversial as possible. Maybe his tea was not to his liking.

During the second half he collected the names of eight players from both sides. Most decisions were going against Edgware, with even the away team seemingly mystified at times. Home boss Michael Roche withdrew Blackburne to save him from a likely sending off.

Amazingly the referee gave Wares a penalty with about ten minutes to go. Even that decision was debatable. Bilal Butt smashed home the spot kick. In the final seconds Jack Ward secured the win with a twenty yard shot.

We walked back up the hill at full time and enjoyed a few drinks in JJ Moons in Kingsbury in good company before bed.

Edgware Town 4 Potters Bar Town 4 (Monday 25th July 2016) Pre Season Friendly (att: 77)

I decided that it was time to get back into football once again after a very difficult time when I’d lost interest in doing anything at all, let alone watching football.

I was very pleased that I made the effort. I was joined by two increasingly good pals; Steve Barnes and Steve Speller and we saw a cracker as Wares held their own against higher opposition.

Edgware Town 1 Staines Town 1 – Edgware won 3-2 on penalties (Wednesday 9th November 2016) Middlesex Senior Cup Round Two (att: 59)

Staines Town sent their second string to Silver Jubilee Park for this cup clash, but their youngsters put on a fine show. It really was a compelling tie, which please me as I’d managed to talk some more drinking pals down for their first experience at the refurbished ground.

There was plenty of good football on display but no goals until seven minutes from the end when Kane Haysman scored for Staines. Not to be deterred Wares fought back and equalised with Neiko James first goal for the club.

Stan had spent most of the second half in the bar watching some top quality local super league darts before emerging for the penalty shoot out. Cain Davies in the Wares net was the hero as he saved three kicks before Jay Molloy slotted home the decisive kick to send Edgware through to the next round.

Edgware Town 3 Wembley 3 (Monday 27th December 2016) Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division (Att; 120)

It was back to the theatre of goals; AKA Silver Jubilee Park after the Hendon 4 Harrow Borough 5 match the previous day, for another thriller that would have given the respective managers nightmares.

An excellent attendance turned out, with many using the offer of £1 admission with a ticket from Boxing Day’s game. I joined Steve Barnes and Mick Devereaux after going to the morning kick off between Bedfont & Feltham and CB Hounslow United.

Eliott Braithwaite played for Wares, as a dual registered signing from Hendon to try and gain fitness, and it was his towering header that was forced home by Paul Marks after a couple of minutes. Within sixty seconds the Lions were level from the penalty spot through Yassine Fehmi-Gil.

Now those in attendance the previous day were in agreement that Casey Maclaren's strike for Hendon was a big contender for goal of the season, but we saw an even better one when a superb long range cross field pass from Braithwaite bounced perfectly for Alfie Hill to smash it home into the far top corner on the half volley from around twenty five yards. A minute later it was 2-2 as Joe Wright netted at the near post!

Wembley looked the more likely in the second half once Braithwaite had retired to the bench, despite their own keeper, Craig McCreeth looking vulnerable, especially in the air. Indeed, a pass wide sent the away sides left winger, Calvin Kasirye racing away, and he finished in style to the joy of the twenty or so away fans.

Wares pushed forward with McCreeth somehow keeping out a couple of efforts on goal. Just when it looked like it wasn't to be their day, Jay Molloy smashed home in stoppage time following sustained pressure.

It was an excellent game that could have easily ended 5-5 or 6-6.

It had been dry day for me alcohol wise as I began my spell of night shifts later. You know when you've had a good Christmas when you buy a raffle ticket but pray that you don't win the bottle of wine!

I declared my personal tally at 27 goals in the previous four games over Christmas!

To view further home games at Silver Jubilee Park, please click on the years below for the corresponding seasons.

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19