Many things have changed since Saturday 14th November 1987 which was the last time before the 2001 formation of Enfield Town FC that Enfield FC played Wealdstone in a league fixture.
In that GM Vauxhall Conference game a E's side featuring Andy Pape, Dave Howell, Steve Tapley, Nick Francis, Nicky Ironton, Martin Duffield, Paul Furlong, Paul Harding, Steve King with substitutes Dave Jacques and Andy Edmonds won 5-2 at Southbury Road. Steve King scored a hat-trick with Francis and Furlong adding one each in front of 685 people. The game at Lower Mead had taken place on Tuesday 15th September which Wealdstone had won 1-0 in front of 916.
The Stones were relegated at the end of that season to the Southern League Premier Division with the E's following them out of the Conference two seasons later at the end of the 1989/90 season.
They lost their Lower Mead Stadium at the end of the 1990/91 season when it was sold to a supermarket and with the company handling the sale going into liquidation the club eventually only got received a small fraction of the money that had been paid for the land. The Stones, the first club to do the non-league double by winning the Conference and The FA Trophy in 1985, then began a seventeen year period ground sharing at Watford, Yeading, Edgware Town and Northwood.
There are many parallels to be drawn between the clubs who were big rivals in the 1980's - they both won non-league's top division along with the FA Trophy and were both subsequently relegated, both lost their historic and much loved grounds forcing them to ground-share many miles away from their spiritual home.
The one thing The Stones will remind the E's fans who took the heartbreaking decision to break away from the club they loved in 2001 is that they stuck by their club in a time which even saw them take voluntary relegation when moving from the Southern League back to the Isthmian League in 1995. The financially struggling club requested a move to the more local Isthmian League with the FA insisting they join at the lowest level meaning a drop of two divisions from the Southen League Southern Division where they had travelled to Weston-Super-Mare, Salisbury City, Bashley, Weymouth and Newport IOW amongst others.
In 2001 the Enfield Supporter's Trust saw there was no other way or choice to bring football back to the borough with the then chairman, who had overseen the sale of Southbury Road and moved the club a 30 mile away round trip to Boreham Wood, unwilling to sell the club back to the fans after all that had occurred. The bulk of the supporters moved over to Enfield Town and we all know that the club formed in 1893 continued playing until 2007.
Wealdstone gradually moved back up the pyramid eventually winning promotion to the Isthmian League Premier Division in 2004 when they won the play-off game versus Dulwich Hamlet on penalty kicks. This 2003/04 Division One (North) season had seen The Stones play against Enfield FC (post 2001) who finished bottom and were relegated to Division Two.
The club have made Ruislip Manor's former Grosvenor Vale ground their home since 2008 after the club acquired the lease and made ground improvements necessary for Ryman Premier football. Although not perfect with the club playing outside of it's London Borough of Harrow spiritual home (around 6 miles away) it's a place that The Stones fans now call home.
So as you can see it's now Enfield Town of Donkey Lane and Wealdstone of Grosvenor Vale instead of those memorable (and not so memorable) Conference games of the 1980's which were a bit before my time starting to support the E's at the end of 1987.
The two clubs have of course played a few times in cup competitions and friendlies. Probably most famously in the Middlesex Charity Cup Final in Town's first season in 2001 when we won on penalty kicks. Last season they visited Donkey Lane in the Middlesex Senior Cup and thanks to the on-loan Watford duo of Connor Smith and Britt Assombalonga they won 0-6 against a much changed Town side who only included Dave Kendall in the starting XI from the previous league game against Grays Athletic. Smith has made 7 first team appearance for Gianfranco Zola's Hornets this season with Assombalonga banging in goals regularly for League Two Southend United where he is currently on loan.
THE WEALDSTONE TEAM
So what of the Wealdstone team. This is the starting XI and substitutes for their last league game at Lowestoft Town -
Rikki Banks (Goalkeeper)
Started his careeer with Crystal Palace. Has played for Hendon, Lewes, Worthing and Eastbourne Borough.
Esmond James (Defender)
A very recent signing from Blue Square South side Hayes and Yeading for whom he played in the Conference. Also played for Hampton and Richmond Borough and Farnborough FC. Described as a pacey winger/front man when playing for Hayes but down as a defender on The Stones website.
Aaron Tumwa (Defender)
Currently on loan from Championship side Watford and looking to follow in the foot steps of Connor Smith and Britt Assombalonga (as above). Spent some of last season on loan at Wealdstone's local rival's Harrow Borough.
Wes Parker (Club Captain and Defender)
Played in the Football League for Grimsby Town before joining Gainsborough Trinity and Boston United. Been with The Stones since August 2010.
Sean Cronin (Defender)
A Welsh under 18 and 19 international as well as playing for his countries under 23 semi-pro team. Played for Neath FC in the Welsh Premier League as well as Cardiff City.
Alex Dyer (Midfielder)
A full professional with Northampton Town where he made over 30+ appearences. Joined The Stones in September 2010 and has been capped by Montserrat.
Nathan Webb (Defender)
Ex Farnborough and Hayes and Yeading player. Signed for the Stones in August of this year. Was a regular first teamer with Farnborough last season.
Chris O’Leary (Midfielder)
Over 250+ appearances for the club since joining in 2006 from Uxbridge. Left for a short-spell with St Albans City in 2011 but made only two apperaces before returning to The Stones.
Peter Dean (Midfielder)
Was with Wealdstone before moving to Bishops Stortford and Hendon before returning to the club. Also played for Maidenhead United, Hayes and Northwood. Was a youth player at Watford.
Chris Moore (Striker)
Very recent signing from Uxbridge. Also played for Dagenham and Redbridge. Made his debut against Lowestoft Town.
Lee Chappell (Defender)
Also played for Cheshunt and Ware. Made over 300+ apps for The Stones.
SUBS
Tom Pett (Midfielder)
Joined from Potters Bar Town where he always impressed in games against Enfield Town
Kurtney Brooks (Midfielder)
Another ex Watford youth team player continuing the strong links between the two clubs. Was capped by Wales at Under 19 level.
Richard Jolly (Striker)
Scores goals and lots of them. A total of 52 in all of last season's league and cup games. Had a spell with the club between 2003 to 2006 after joining from Hayes. Rejoined initially on loan from Sutton United in 2011. Also played for AFC Wimbledon, Carshalton Athletic and Uxbridge.
Scott McCubbin (Midfielder)
A youth team player with Chelsea. Spent sometime in the USA playing for Baton Rouge Capitals. Joined The Stones in 2011.
Aldi Haxhia (Goalkeeper)
Born in Kosovo. Was a youth team player at Chelsea where he called up to the Albanian Under 21 side in 2010 but never played. Has also played for Hayes and Yeading.
When writing about Wealdstone you can hardly miss out their manager Gordon Bartlett who has been with the club since June 1995. He had had successful spells with Yeading (won the FA Vase in 1990), Hounslow and Southall (FA Vase finalists). Since 1995 he has guided The Stones to four promotions and is clearly an fine example of a club sticking by their man letting him gradually build the club up. Since promotion to the Isthmian League Premier Division the club have finished 18th, 18th, 19th (one season in the Southern Premier), 13th, 7th, 6th, 12th and 4th. There is no doubt in my mind they will probably finish higher than 4th this season. He is assisted by Leo Morris who followed him from Southall and Yeading.
If you fancy a bet on the game it's no surprise to see the home side as strong favourites. They are currently unbeaten in the league at home for over a year! Their last defeat coming on Saturday 19th November 2011 when Canvey Island won 1-2. If it hadn't of been for their record of only three wins in their opening twelve games last season they would of run Billericay Town, AFC Hornchurch and Lowestoft Town much closer in the title race.
BET365.COM rate The Stone's at 4/6 favourites with Town 3/1 outsiders. The draw being 14/5.
STATISTICS
| WEALDSTONE | ENFIELD TOWN | |
| 14 | PLAYED | 15 |
| 8 | WON | 5 |
| 4 | DRAWN | 3 |
| 2 | LOST | 7 |
| 26 | GF | 27 |
| 15 | GA | 30 |
| +11 | GD | -3 |
| 28 (42) | PTS (TOTAL) | 18 (45) |
| DWWWWL | OVERALL FORM | WLWWLD |
| DWDWWW | HOME FORM | LLWWLD |
| LDWWL | AWAY FORM | WDLDWL |
| 703 Home v Thurrock (13/10/12) | BEST CROWD | 511 Away v Lewes (18/8/12) |
| 222 Away v Cray Wand (3/11/12) | LOWEST CROWD | 155 Away v Met Police (27/8/12) |
The Grosvenor Vale ground address is HA46JQ. The nearest tube stations are Ruislip Manor and Ruislip both on Metropolitan Tube Line (short walk away) and Ruislip Gardens (around 1/2 mile walk) on the Central Line.
Admission is £10 for adults, £5 for concessions and £2 for under 16s. If your a season ticket holder at a football league club or another non-league club you can get in for half price on production of said ticket. This offer doesn't apply to fans of the opponents on the selected match day!
COME ON YOU TOWNERS!!!!
The Wealdstone forum are predicting a Town following of anything between 20-120 on Saturday in a crowd of over 600... so let's vote NOT to go Xmas shopping. How sad would that be when there's a great historical local derby to watch! Get along to support the lads, it's less than an hour away in the car....
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