Les Constable's report on the season
Going from strength to strength Soham 1 went through the season without
dropping a point by winning all 22 of their games. The following players had
seasonal averages as follows:- Keith Richardson 98%, Mick Palmer 87% and
Steve Palmer 57%. Richardson only lost one game and that was against
NCI 2 who came third in the division. The Soham team was now forming into an
invincible trio although Paul Day was now mostly confined to tournaments and
International matches. Keith Richardson was now a very accomplished player
and the Palmers were excellent "back-up" men. New Chesterton Institute were
still relying mainly on John Thurston who had a 93% average and who was now
a seasoned veteran. Steve Andrews and Ken Green, the remaining members of the
team, both had good performances which enabled the team to take second place
in the league behind Soham 1. Amazingly they were beaten by their second team
in the last match of the season who [NCI 2] had the services of Ron Nunn,
David Tiplady and T.Washington. Washington had the best average with the
other players all contributing to the team with good performances. St Ives
(ex Wilburton), Press and Guildhall all finished behind NCI 2 in that order.
Fisons 1 and University 1 were relegated to the second division and Soham 4 and
YMCA 2 were promoted from the second division. This enabled Soham to have four
teams in the first division - the first time a club had that many teams in
this leading division.
In the Handicap Trophy Haverhill [4] beat Howard Mallett 7-1 to win the trophy
for the first time. The final which was played at Impington Village College
proved rather a one-sided affair and the Haverhill team of Alan and Yvonne
Driver (brother and sister) and Dale Mizon all played well with only Yvonne
Driver being beaten by Colin Benson (Cambridge United FC Secretary). 95
teams participated in the league which had five sectionalised divisions.