Cockfosters

Cockfosters Athletic FC were formed in 1921 and spent many years playing local league football. The club, who are based in the picturesque North London suburb between Barnet and Enfield, moved into the Herts County League in 1968 when they dropped Athletic from their title.

'The Fosters' moved into the Spartan and consequently the Spartan South Midlands League in 1992 after being crowned Herts County League champions on three occasions. The club reached the SSML Premier Division in 2007 before relegation a couple of years later. 

The club returned to the top flight of the SSML after finishing runners up in Division One at the end of the 2012-13 campaign. 

Cockfosters FC will compete in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division in season 2014-15.

 

My visits

I had made my groundhopping known on the Scarborough fans forum, The Surfing Seadog some months earlier. I was asked some questions about certain clubs and one poster asked me what Cockfosters was like? I needed no greater invitation to find out so I emerged from Cockfosters tube station at the end of the Piccadilly line one Autumn Sunday morning in 2007.

I walked up the hundred yards or so up the main Cockfosters Road and found the ground. I couldn't find the entrance as I didn't realise it was round the other side on Chalk Lane. As well as the football club there are the local cricket club and a bowling green alongside.

The ground is neat but pretty basic. High hedges and trees surround three sides with just a little room for spectators. The other side is where all the facilities are to be found. These basically consisted of the changing rooms, clubhouse and a small pair of covers to offer shelter.

Cockfosters 2 Hatfield Town 0 (Saturday 28^th September 2013) Spartan South Midland League Premier Division (att: 36)

It had been my intention to tick off the grounds that I'd previously visited without seeing a game during the 2013-14 season. I had been absent from work feeling quite bad for ten days and I was gradually recovering. I needed a fitness test as I was intending to travel to Scotland for a couple of days. After scanning the fixtures, I decided upon a tube ride to Cockfosters.

Getting to the ground appeared to be a little problematic at first glance as a village fete was blocking off Chalk Lane. However, the ladies on the admission desks were perceptive enough to mark me down as a football ground, so I continued onwards towards the entrance.

I paid £5 admission, plus another quid for a decent enough programme as the teams kicked off a minute or two early. It was blood and thunder stuff from the start. The home team in all red gradually took command, with their no nonsense big goalkeeper taking no prisoners. Looking around, it appeared that the Chalk Lane ground hadn't changed since my previous call.

It was no surprise when Cockfosters went ahead through Stuart Blackburne. The lead was doubled a few minutes later by the excellent Elias Moses who stood out all afternoon with his intelligent play.

I was keeping up with what sounded like an awful Scarborough Athletic performance at home to Penrith in the FA Cup and at the interval I went inside the homely and family friendly clubhouse to catch up with the other scores.  made do with a cup of tea for £1 despite the attraction of Speckled Hen bitter on hand pump at the bar.

Hatfield had a decent fifteen minute spell after the break, but the hosts dealt with the threats. I was amused at the no quarter given game on one side of the hedge, complete with a full lexicon of expletives while a game of bowls involving immaculately dressed older folk went on at the other side.

 

The game gradually petered out with the occasional opportunity at either end, with the end result just about right. At full time I made my escape through a side gate onto the main road and to the tube station. I was back home at just gone 6pm.

It had been an enjoyable few hours out at a nice friendly club at a homely ground with a decent clubhouse.