Wivenhoe Rangers Reserves stepped up from the Colchester & East Essex League in the summer of 1973 and, under Manager Peter Boyden, enjoyed a highly successful debut season in the Essex & Suffolk Border League Reserve Section. In addition to the D’Arcy Cup they won the “Double” consisting of the Reserve League Title and the Reserve Division Knock-Out Cup, the latter achieved thanks to a 6-1 victory over Halstead Town Reserves following a 2-2 draw in the initial Final tie. A fourth trophy was also won in the shape of the Walton & District Charity Cup. In total the side played 45 matches in all competitions, winning 39, drawing 3 and losing on just 3 occasions while at the same time scoring 193 goals in the process.
Former Boxted flying winger Dave Keeble only missed four games that season and finished joint leading goalscorer along with Alan Thompson, both of them hitting the net 42 times each. Chris Dines joined the club from Colchester Athletic to begin his almost unbroken 16 year association with Wivenhoe while both Harry Welsh and Ian “Titch” Green went on to serve as club officials in later years.
GOALSCORERS
42 Dave KEEBLE, 42 Alan THOMPSON, 34 Harry WELSH, 28 Mickey SUTTON, 10 Alan BYFORD, 6 Derek FARROW, 5 Don CASTLE, 4 Ian GREEN, 4 Tony PEARMAN, 3 Chris DINES, 3 Leon CHAPMAN, 1 Tony WINTER, 1 Nick HARDY 1 Trevor HOLLINGSWORTH, 1 Johnny HERBERT, 1 Mick TRUBSHOE, 1 Keith GARNHAM, 1 Trevor COCKSEDGE and 5 Opponents Own Goals.
LEADING APPEARANCES
40 + 1 Sub KEEBLE, 37 WELSH, 35 + 2 TRUBSHOE, 33 + 6 GREEN, 32 + 1 CHAPMAN, 32 + 2 THOMPSON, 30 + 1 HARDY, 27 DOBBS, 22 + 1 COCKSEDGE, 21 + 2 SUTTON, 20 + 3 WRIGHT, 19 + 6 FARROW, 15 CASTLE, 14 + 1 HERBERT, 10 + 1 HOLLINGSWORTH, 10 + 1 DICKINSON, 10 + 1 PEARMAN, 8 + 5 DINES.
Rangers Reserves are pictured above with the Tolleshunt D’Arcy Cup after defeating Heybridge Swifts Reserves 1-0 in the Final (see match report and match day programme elsewhere on this site).
Back Row ( L to R) Peter Boyden (Manager), Dave Wright, Dave Keeble, Steve Dobbs, Nick Hardy, Don Castle and Harry Welsh.
Front Row (L to R) Mick Trubshoe, Trevor Cocksedge, Mickey Sutton, Ian Green, Bob Taylor and Alan Thompson.
