1980

1980

1980 showed a hint of the Welsh with visitors from Wattstown in the Rhondda Valley coming to Sittingbourne and for a change being beaten by the Seniors, whilst the Under 14 and Under 16 Juniors spent a weekend in Wales which all the boys enjoyed tremendously.

The Youth Section had an excellent 1979/80 season. The U. 16, U.14 and U.12 teams played in Swale Sunday League, the U.16 team were runners-up, the U.12's third but won the Sportsmanship Award, whilst the U.15 team finished runners-up in the Medway League, the section also had it's fair share of success in 5 a-side. The section also became affiliated to the Sittingbourne Youth Council, and the new Ken Day Award was presented to David Twyning for his services to the Club over the years. Eddie Pilgrim thanked Steve Tapp for his help training the Under 10 players.

The Football Section saw a rise in fortunes fielding not one but 2 sides in the Rochester and District Saturday League, one finishing third. The section also represented Sittingbourne when the Sittingbourne Twinning Association invited the Club to play a Senior and Under 18 match against teams from Zuidschote, Belguim. The Under 18 team despite playing together for the first time won 10-0!!!!! Eddie Pilgrim became a member of the Management Committee of the Twinning Association, but due to high travel costs it was unlikely that return matches would be played until the following year when the Association agreed to a subsidy.

The year was once again crammed full with social activities. Youth Section put on a very successful Valentine's Disco, all inclusive discos took place in March, July and September, the General Secretary organised a summer coach outing to Butlinland at Bognor Regis costing £4.50 for adults and £4 for children. Gardening went off to the Chelsea Flower Show for the first time and in August the Make, Bake and Grow Show took place, Pete and Maggie Scales organised the Car Rally and it fell to Sandra Tapp to persuade Marion Gunn to help her organise a Beano to Southend for the women, they left at 2 p.m. and were due back at 1 a.m. (Shoe got lost this time!)

The Club Presentation Dinner/Dance in May was very well supported with an excellent turnout. The Club Awards went to: Tony Rees, Member of the Year, Lorraine Ingram received the Ladies Wendy Roberts Trophy , and the Chairman's Award was presented to Peter Wyeth. The Cricket Section held their Presentation in October and the main award went to Paul Jackson. At the Christmas Dance a record 230 tickets were sold and everyone agreed it was a really good “party”.

The pursuit for Land continued and the Club Committee sat waiting quietly in anticipation for the Land Act to be passed which would unblock the red tape with regard to Murston Playing Field; when it was passed in December Peter Scales wrote post haste to the Council.

At the Annual General Meeting, Eddie Pilgrim, Keith Baldock and Peter Scales were re-elected as officers, Sandra Tapp became the 1000 Club Secretary, Mike Beney, Gordon Broughton and Bob Parry were elected as General Committee Members and the committee co-opted on George Gibson as the fourth General Committee Member. Prior to being elected as 1000 Secretary Sandra Tapp told the committee that if she was elected she would walk her feet off and visit all the members, seems her walking paid off as at the end of May there were 141 shares in the 1000 Club and by the end of September 215, she also had three new collectors Wendy Bryant, Tricia Shepherd and Guy Standing, old faithful collectors Janet Pilgrim and Marion Gunn were also there to help.

In September the General Secretary asked the committee for some help, membership rose from 146 plus 4 honorary (150) in May 1979 to 218 plus 8 honorary (226) in May 1980 , a 33% rise, Keith Baldock said that he spent a lot of time organising Social functions and would like to see the return of a Membership Secretary the following year. Sandra Tapp said that she would take the Minutes and her and Eddie Pilgrim said they would help with the newsletter.

Returning to the Annual General Meeting in 1980 the Chairman Eddie Pilgrim referred to major financial problems, the cost of pitches had risen by 50% and the price of kit escalated, the Main Committee was trying to help as much as possible but also trying to keep the costs of social functions to a minimum thus giving good value for money. The Chairman said he could see problems if match fees rose again leading to a loss of sports members and likewise if the cost of social functions rose in order to help sport we could see the loss of social members, it was the old “chicken and egg” situation; consequently he asked the Section Committees to liase closely with the Main Club Committee .

There was an underlying current all year as with the previous year with regard to financing of the sports sections in the club and the options on fund raising. On 10 September 1980 the Club's Treasurer Peter Scales put forward a discussion document “Proposals to Revise the Financial Administration of the Club” as the Sections were finding difficulty in self finance and finding ways of raising funds, leaving sections with a need to seek to run social functions which are the responsibility of the Main Club Committee. Peter pointed out that even where social functions had been permitted this had frequently led to disagreements and frictions between the members. He pointed out that the consequences can be seen as a gradual disintegration of the Club and the non-achievement of its prime objectives as a Sports and Social Club. Options were to centralise finance or form a social section to organise social activities, the “them and us” situation between sections and the Main Club had to be eliminated.

At a meeting on 10 November attended by Main Club Committee Members and all Committee Members of the Sections a solution was sort. The Proposal to Revise the Financial Administration of the Club was dropped and Peter Scales agreed it would be difficult to implement a budget with demands from sections being throughout the year, there were however four ideas put forward:

1. A contingency fund to be set up using profits from the 1000 Club.

2. As all the equipment was the property of the “Club” and purchases on sections was a financial burden it was suggested to keep the sections financially solvent some or all of the equipment be purchased from Main Club funds.

3. Sections should be encouraged to bring to Main Club any unforeseen bills such as fines.

4. Joint meetings of all the committees should take place more often.

As earlier mentioned over 230 tickets were sold for the Christmas Dance a signal that all the membership were trying to pull hard together to solve the differences. Two Santas set off again on Christmas morning due to the high demand and the Childrens' Christmas party was well attended and a great success. Before 1980 came to an end the Video Section was formed by 20 Club Members with the Club's Officers agreeing to run the section with the assistance of Barrie Tapp as the section's purchaser.

There have been many facts and figures so far in the Club's History and little said about the Club's inspirers. When Sandra Tapp joined the committee 2 years previously like other members she joined for the social activities and because her children could join the Youth Section. It was not until after long discussions with Eddie Pilgrim, Keith Baldock and Peter Scales the Clubs' Officers that she realised the dream of many members to have their own ground and Clubhouse was just a dream and many members were just happy with the way things were, however the three Club Officers were not dreamers but believers. Yes there were “dreamers” and “believers” and it was the “believers” who would make it happen.

Sandra Tapp sat at Main Club Committee meetings alongside passed Club Officers who had moved into the Sections, because of their interests, and were helping to develop the Sections, there were some extremely strong personalities all “believers” that we would gain our own Clubhouse and land and like the current officers they would make it happen. Much credit for the development of the Club has to go to Rusty Burgin, Colin Gunn, Ray Oddy, Peter Scales, Eddie Pilgrim, Keith Baldock and Brian Bartlett. Their enthusiasm was like an infectious disease ready to pass on.