The Southern League (Part 2) 1981-1982
In 1981 the Southern League was divided into 2 sections, Division 1 North and South. Wealdstone were placed in the Southern division.
In addition to the 10 players retained from the previous season, manager Batsford recruited goalkeeper Ray Goddard from Wimbledon, midfielder John Morris from Hillingdon Borough, young winger Paul Waites from Chelsea, experienced forward Ray Knowles from Tooting & Mitcham United and talented but eccentric midfielder Roy Davies from Hayes.
A master stroke by Alan Batsford was to convert speedy but ineffectual winger Alan Cordice into a free roaming centre forward. It transformed Alan’s career so completely that he went on to become one of the most feared strikers outside of the Football League and who gained caps at England semi-professional level.
Wealdstone won the league by 1 point from Hastings United, achieving 72 points, scoring 100 goals and conceding just 32.
Wealdstone also won the Southern League outright by defeating the winners of the Northern Division, Nuneaton Borough over 2 legs and on penalties.
Wealdstone also won the Southern League Cup, 2-0 over 2 legs against Gloucester City. The first leg at Gloucester was won 1-0 via a Stuart Pearce blast and in which Ray Goddard demonstrated an extraordinary display of brilliant goalkeeping. The experienced custodian pulled off some quite astonishing saves that left the Gloucester forwards, and Dave Lewis in particular, shaking their heads in disbelief.
The team also reached the final of the Middlesex Senior Cup where they lost 2-0 to Hayes at Southall.
The team played 73 competitive matches that season. 6 players made only 14 appearances between them in total. The vast majority of the season was thus completed by just 15 players. Stuart Pearce and Ray Goddard missed just one competitive game each, while Paul Bowgett and Fred Barwick missed just 4 each.
The final month of the season between 1st April and 3rd May saw the team play 12 league matches, winning 9, drawing 2 and losing just the final game at Addlestone & Weybridge, by which time the players were either the walking wounded or simply exhausted.
During the 1 season Wealdstone competed in the Southern League Southern Division in 1981/82:
| Most goals scored: | 6 – 15/09/1981 home v Thanet United won 6-1 [Match Report] + 03/10/1981 away v Newbury Town won 6-1 [Match Report] 20/10/1981 home v Aylesbury United won 6-1 [Match Report] + 27/03/1982 home v Folkestone won 6-0 [Match Report] |
| Most goals conceded: | 4 – 17/10/1981 home v Harrow Borough lost 1-4 [Match Report] |
| Most appearances: | 72 – Ray Goddard & Stuart Pearce |
| Most Goals | 37 – Alan Cordice |
Author: Mick Fishman
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Results and Match Reports can be viewed by clicking on the link below:-
| 1981/82 |