In 1982 Letchworth Garden City hosted the FA Sunday Cup Semi-Final as The Twin Foxes of Stevenage played Arras who represented the Arras Club which was a Sports and Social club located on the Hertford Road in the Enfield Highway area.
The Twin Foxes was pub in Stevenage not to far away from Broadhall Way where Stevenage FC play. The pub opened in 1953 but unfortunately like so many licenced premises it shut down a few years ago and is now housing.
It was named after the famous twins Ebenezer Albert Fox and Albert Ebenezer Fox who were born in the area in 1857. They were named after the Baptist Ebenezer Chapel on Albert Street in Stevenage where their father was a lay-preacher.
Despite their respectable upbringing they had became notorious criminals in the area with over 200 convictions between them - they apparently never engaged in activities together and were on many occasions able to provide alibis for each other to the local police. This attracted the attention of Sir Edward Henry was researching the fact that individuals could be identified by his or her fingerprints. and that the twins were one of the first criminals to receive a conviction due to the use of fingerprints.
Edenezer dies in 1926 with Albert living until 1937 - Their notoriety and stories continued in the locality hence The Twin Foxes pub opening, as stated, in 1953.
In the nearby village of Woolmer Green there is a housing estate that was even named in honour of them.
The football team has been formed in 1965 with many of the players frequenting the pub with it being a member of the Stevenage Sunday League since 1966 with it being one of the most successful teams - they had reached the 1980 FA Sunday Cup final where they lost to Liverpool based Fantail FC who won the cup again in 1981.
As you'll see from their team pen-pictures both teams had a number of names familiar to local football.
Goalkeeper Keith Allinson had played for Boreham Wood and went on to play for Stevenage Borough. Martin Allinson was playing for Stevenage Borough at the time with Manager Tim Jolly once on the books at Tottenham Hotspur. Danny Dance was also another Stevenage Borough player who spent time locally with St Albans City, Hertford Town and Arlesey Town. He had been an England youth international and had been a youth player with Nottingham Forest.
MICKEY 'THE DROPKICK' HERRING
The most interesting player has to be Mickey Herring who was an "aggressive ball winning midfield player" and "as one stage took up professional wrestling" and had the nickname Mickey 'the dropkick' Herring.
The Arras had players in their team who were playing for Ware, Hertford Town, Hoddesdon Town and Walthamstow Avenue.
They famously won the 1978 FA Sunday Cup (2-1 v Lion Rangers) and a number of the squad in this game were members of the winning team including Dennis Bond who at the time of this game would of been in his early 30s. He had a successful professional career with Watford, Tottenham Hotspur and Charlton Athletic. When he joined Spurs in 1967 the amount of £30,000 was a then record transfer fee received for Watford.
Letchworth Garden City Football Club were celebrating their 75th Anniversary and had some great artwork by 'Kevin 81' on the programme cover. They continued until 2002 (renamed Letchworth FC in 1995) when they very unfortunately folded.
Their ground is still there luckily with lots of improvements and redevelopment taking place over the years - It is the headquarters of the Herts FA and is used by many teams throughout the week including Stevenage Ladies for matches on Sundays.
Twin Foxes won this game and got through to the final again where they lost to Dingle Rail 2-1 who were another famous side to come out of Merseyside.
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