Monday 31 January 2011

FOOTBALL FOR FREE IN LONDON - THE GA ROBERTS ENFIELD FOOTBALL ALLIANCE LEAGUE


Where better to start than the GA Roberts Enfield Football Alliance League which is as the name suggests is based in the Enfield area with many Town supporters seeing games taking place on The Down's pitch on Saturday afternoon as they make their way to Goldsdown Road.

The league was founded in 1941 by Mr GA Roberts whom the league is now named and was primarily set up to give returning soldiers from the war some recreation. The first competitive games were played in 1946 when two division were run with as many as five divisions running at it's height the league now for 2010/11 is made up of one division of nine clubs. Somersett FC formed in 1959 played in the EFAL from 1961 to the late 80's, following a merger with local Sunday league side Ambury FC they became known as Somersett Ambury Victoria and Elm FC (or SAVE FC). Now, of course, thay are known as Broxbourne Borough and play in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division.

The league last season was won by Supreme Athletic who along with Edmonton Golazo FC moved over to the Ilford and District League during the summer. Other clubs now not playing in the league that have competed in the last few season's include Chingford Town, Holdbrook United, Santos, The Wheatsheaf, Young Limers FC, Black Horse, Midnight Rangers, Eaton Manor, Haringey Union, and The Lordship FC.

Some clubs have been forced to withdraw due to the lack of players along with the recent cold snaps of 2009/10 and this season club's have struggled to fulfill some fixtures. Chingford Town did start the 2010/11 season but have since been expelled by the league for failing to fulfill sufficient fixtures, Origin who are a new club for the current season successfully appealed a similar fate and have been given one more chance to play all their remaining games.

Current League Table                 
                P  W D L  GF GA GD Pts 
Persian         11 9 0 2  41 16  25 27 
Brimsdown Rvrs. 9  9 0 0  27 7   20 27 
Renegades       12 6 3 3  32 20  12 21 
Broadwater Utd. 10 6 2 2  25 17  8  20 
Crescent Rngrs. 12 5 2 5  25 24  1  17 
Riverside       11 2 4 5  27 37 -10 10 
PERME           11 3 0 8  18 47 -29 9 
Origin          9  1 2 6  11 7   4  5 
Lea Valley Utd. 13 1 1 11 19 50 -31 4 

The league also has three cups which the member clubs compete for being the JJ Kelley Cup, the Enfield Charity Cup and the Enfield Challenge Cup.

PERME have been members of the league since the 1970's and probably have one of the most (if not the most) unusual names for a football club. Known as "Propellants, Explosives and Rocket Motors Establishments" (or PERME for short) since 1977 the original name for the club was "Explosives Research Development Establishment (ERDE) since formation in the 1940s.

The name comes as the club was formed for the workers at the various Ministry of Defence sites in and around the Lea Valley area. Despite their closure the football club continued.

Even the cold end turned out for PERME for one game in the 1990's which was a cup match played on a pitch next to the old Ford United ground at Rush Green. I can't remember the scoreline but it was a double figure thrashing which sort of sums up my short lived Saturday and Sunday football career. Another Town fan and old Enfield FC fan has played for PERME in recent years and his picture can be found on their website.

Brimsdown Rovers also continue to play in the league and they look favourites to win the league with a 100% record with the league so far this season. Rovers won 0-2 at current table toppers (by goal difference) Persian earlier in the season and face them in the return fixture on the 12th February 2011 on The Down's pitch. This game is scheduled for a 2pm kick off so ETFC fans attending the AFC Sudbury home game may like to have a look at the first half of title contender's game.


Forthcoming scheduled league fixtures 

Saturday 5th February 
Broadwater United v Origin  -@ Broadwater Community Centre 
Renegades v Riverside       -@ Tottenhall Rec 

Saturday 12th February
Brimsdown Rovers v Persian  -@ Goldsdown Road/Downs Pitch
Lea Valley United v Origin  -@ Albany Park 

Saturday 19th February 
Broadwater United v Persian         -@ Broadwater Community Centre 
Crescent Rangers v Brimsdown Rovers -@ Goldsdown Road/Downs Pitch 
PERME V Origin                      -@ Enfield Playing Fields Pitch 15 

Saturday 26th February 
Brimsdown Rovers v Riverside          -@ Goldsdown Road - Downs Pitch 
Lea Valley United v Broadwater United -@ Albany Park

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