History

Chapter Two : Between The Two World Wars

After the Great War, Camberley & Yorktown decided to concentrate their efforts on the Aldershot Senior League due to the lack of funds required to run a side in the West Surrey League. Camberley & Yorktown 1919/1920 squad (pictured below) started the season well, scoring 26 goals in three pre-season friendlies which included a 15-0 win over the Royal Engineers on September 20^th, a record scoreline for the 1^st XI that still stands today.

Another double figure score was achieved in the league when the 52nd Company, Mechanical Transport, Royal Army Service Corps were beaten 12-0 on January 17th, but this result was scratched from the league records when the 52nd Co. MT, RASC withdrew from the league a month later. Camberley & Yorktown had a fine season and finished runners-up behind Thornycrofts.

The good form continued into the following season when the Wright Hospital Cup was won with a 2 -1 victory over the Royal Engineers at the London Road Recreation Ground and third place in the league was achieved.

In 1922 the Club attained senior status and submitted an application to join the Surrey Senior League. The application was duly accepted and Camberley & Yorktown became founder members of the league along with Aldershot Institute Albion, Carshalton Athletic, Dorking, Egham, Farnham United Breweries, Hersham, Leyland Motors, Merton Town, RAE Farnborough, Walton on Thames and Weybridge. Camberley & Yorktown went on to compete in this league for the next 51 years.

St Mary's Hall nearby was made available as changing rooms. In only their second match in the Surrey League Camberley & Yorktown registered a 10-0 win over Merton Town with WIlliam Maycock achieving an individual scoring record by scoring eight of the goals.

Dr Wooldridge and those associated with him never gave up the idea of the club obtaining it’s own private ground. Owing to “The Watchetts” coming onto the market through the death of Mr Hollings and Mr Verran having purchased a portion of the estate on the Western side of the Frimley Road, the Club entered into an arrangement which ensured a ground under a public perpetuity agreement. Through the efforts of Mr. Ferdinand W. Baker a ground was purchased in early 1923, using the winnings of one of his racehorses. The horse, Krooner, was foaled in 1916, and won two races as a four-year-old, both at Haydock Park, As a result, the Club repaid Mr. Baker’s efforts and generosity by naming the ground Krooner Park after his horse. The ground was officially opened on Boxing Day, 26^th December 1923 by the Club President Dr A.T. Wooldridge. In the inaugural match on the same day, William Maycock had the honour of scoring the first goal at Krooner Park. Unfortunately, the visitors Egham did not read the script and beat Camberley & Yorktown 3-2.

In order to develop the ground, in 1925, the Supporters Club was formed with Admiral Sir Frederick Tudor as it's President. One of the Supporters Club’s first actions was to set up a grandstand appeal fund and £50 was immediately donated by an anonymous member and 31 certificates were put up to raise the £500 required to build the stand. Within two years the building of the stand was completed. The appeal had raised £98 in donations, £142 through the £1 share issue and £240 through annual sports, a total of £480 by the time the stand was officially opened on 12 February 1927 at a cost of £525. The difference was soon raised through further donations and subscriptions.

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CAMBERLEY & YORKTOWN 1930/31 CHAMPIONS
Back Row: C Atkins (Linesman), E Lawrence, G Taylor, C Pollard, G Bigwood, H Brock, W Blackburn, J Shaw, A Kemp
Middle Row: E Hunt (Trainer), G Anderson (Groundsman), J Shaw, G Roberts, C Shepheard, W Meekings, A Louch, A Lyford, J Street (Secretary), R Permain (Chairman)
Front Row: W Flanaghan, O Hill, A Goodman (President), H Tribe, Admiral Sir F Tudor, R Hardy, J Lavender

The 1930's saw unequalled success at Camberley & Yorktown as the side won the Surrey Senior League Championship three times in a row. The first of these titles came in the 1930 /31 season with a Club record of 96 goals scored in only 22 league matches of which 17 were won. Free scoring Camberley & Yorktown hit eight goals against Wallington, RAF Kenley and Beddington Corner and a Club record 11-0 league victory over Addlestone on 22^nd November. Top scorer Harry Tribe scored five that day with A.Hardy also scoring a hat-trick, O.Hill scoring twice and J.Shaw also registering on the scoresheet. The league title was clinched on May 2nd, the last day of the season, with an amazing 7-3 win at Dorking. Guildford finished runners-up, just two points behind.

CAMBERLEY & YORKTOWN 1931/32 SURREY SENIOR LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Back Row: A Hardy, F O’Brien, J Shaw, C Shepheard, A Lyford, A Louch, P Marett
Middle Row: O Hill, H Tribe, W Meekings, F Manders, J Lavender
Front Row: G Roberts, W Flanaghan,

The 1931/32 league season was to prove even more successful. The Championship was retained with 39 points coming from 24 matches which included a 9 -0 win at home to Beddington Corner and an opening day 9-2 win at RAF Kenley. The Club (pictured above, right) narrowly missed the record for the number of league goals scored in a season, with a total of 94, but the Club did create a record for goals scored in all competitions during a season, with a total of 148 of which centre forward Harry Tribe beat the Club record for an individual player in a season, scoring 53 times (30 in the league and 23 in cup competitions. Guildford again finished the runners-up in the League missing out by three points. The title was won with three matches remaining following a 2-1 win at Hersham on April 27th. Camberley & Yorktown narrowly missed out on another piece of silverware when they lost 2-1 to Beddington Corner in the Surrey Senior League Charity Cup Final.

Camberley & Yorktown completed the hat-trick of titles in the following season, 1932/33 (pictured below), after a close tussle with Walton on Thames, and only a 2 -1 home win over West Norwood on the final day of the season secured the title. The trophy was presented to Club President A.W. Goodman (pictured above left) after the match.

The season also saw Camberley's have a long run in the F.A. Cup. Home wins over Guildford (3-1) and Wellington Works (1-0) and an away win against Godalming (4-2) saw them go from the 1st Qualifying Round to the 4th Qualifying Round where they went on play Wycombe Wanderers. In front of a crowd, estimated to be around 2,100, Wycombe ran out winners 4 -0. Wycombe went onto play Gillingham in the 1st Round Proper, where they held them to a draw before going out in the replay. The season did have a down side, as they suffered what was then a record defeat, 10 -3 at Kingstonian in the Surrey Senior Cup.

CAMBERLEY & YORKTOWN 1932/33 SURREY SENIOR LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

The1933/34 season saw Camberley & Yorktown match their best run in the F.A. Cup equalled. Entering in the 1st Qualifying round they progressed with home wins over Wellington Works (4-1), Winchester City (5-0) and Egham (1-0 after a 2-2 draw) to the 4th Qualifying Round where they suffered a new record defeat when Northfleet completely outplayed them winning 11-1. Northfleet at that time were a nursery club for Tottenham Hotspur. The Cup excesses took their toll though and Camberley & Yorktown's league form suffered in December and February following cup exits but the side recovered and finished 4th in the league. The club did register another double figure score when they routed Hersham 10-0 in a league match on January 27th.

The Club reached their 40th anniversary in 1935/36 and were intent in proving what a good cup side they were. They celebrated by reaching the Surrey Senior Cup Final for the first time ever. The Cup run started on October 19th with a comfortable 4-1 home win over Aquarius in the 2nd Qualifying Round. Hersham (3-2) and Wills Sports (2-0) were then beaten at home to earn the club a home 1st Round tie against Nunhead. Goals from George Gumbrell and Anthony Doyle saw Camberley through 2-1 in a tough game. Metropolitan Police were beaten 4-2 away to earn Camberley & Yorktown a semi - final tie against Sutton United at Wimbledon. Camberley & Yorktown went on to beat Southern Suburban side Sutton 2-1 with goals from Fred Stockley and Anthony Doyle. Celebrations were short lived as Sutton accused Camberley & Yorktown of playing an ineligible player in E.Britten. The case was proved and Camberley & Yorktown were lucky not to have been thrown out of the competition. The Surrey F.A. ordered the match to be replayed at Kingstonian on May 2nd. Camberley & Yorktown repeated their 2-1 success with goals from George Hankey and George Gumbrell to earn a place in the final against Wimbledon to be played at Dulwich.

A special train had to be laid on from Camberley Station to accommodate the large number of supporters who wished to attend the final. They filled the ground only to see Camberley & Yorktown go 2-0 down in the early stages through goals from H.Barnes and E.Turner after keeper H.Tiffany was unable to hold powerful shots. This sparked Camberley & Yorktown into retaliation and they managed to pull a goal back when G.Hankey scored after a number of chances. They pressed for the equaliser in the second half and looked likely to get it but Wimbledon caught Camberley & Yorktown on the break and H.Barnes added the third to give Wimbledon a 3-1 win.

On the way home it was discovered that a number of Wimbledon supporters had come across unexpected travel problems and as a mark of friendship, space was made on the Camberley train to transport them most of the way home. Camberley & Yorktown' s cup final team was H.Tiffany, G.Roberts, C.E.Piper, J.Payne, A.W. Lyford, P.R. Yeomans, L.A. Leversuch, F.Stockley, G.Hankey, G.Gumbrell and T.Doyle.

Camberley & Yorktown followed up the following season with another appearance in the Surrey Senior League Charity Cup Final where they played Walton on Thames. The game initially arranged for March 29th had been called off a week before it was due to take place but then hastily called back on again with only 48 hours to spare. Camberley & Yorktown struggled to get a team together as many players had made other arrangements and the Club arrived with only ten men, The League Officials allowed Camberley & Yorktown to borrow a player as it was the Final. Their misfortunes continued as they had two players sent off during the match and they slumped to a 5-0 defeat.

In the 1937/38 season they went one further, winning the Surrey Senior League Charity Cup with a 3-2 win over Hersham thanks to goals from A.Robinson, L.Leversuch and J.Hofman. On their route to the final they defeated Brookwood Mental Hospital 11 -0 on December 18th, their biggest cup win to date. That game saw A.Adamson score five goals on his 1st XI debut.

Despite their successes in the thirties the Club still had their financial difficulties .At the beginning of the 1938/39 season, the new Club Chairman, Mr J.R. McLean, offered to take over the payments of a £500 mortgage and advance the club £400 to clear the clubs debts, on the guarantee that the money would be repayable at £50 a year. His offer was accepted but by the end of the season it was decided to sell the Ground to the Frimley & Camberley Urban District Council. This was done for two reasons. Firstly the money raised would allow the club to clear all their debts and have a working capital to instigate ground improvements. Secondly the deal made sure that the Council guaranteed the ground be retained in perpetuity and as so long as the club is in existence the ground would be rented too them in priority to any other body. The ground sale was agreed to, but only just. The Council finance meeting on 12^th June 1939 saw the deal discussed and with the vote standing at 8-8, it was the deciding vote of the finance committee chairman that saw the deal go through.

A few months later World War II broke out. The new season, 1939/40, was only a week old when the Surrey Senior League decided to close down for the duration of the War. Some football did still take place during the season with Camberley & Yorktown entering a team in the Surrey Football Combination. Over 51 players were used in 16 matches as Camberley were able to recruit players from the RMA. The players Camberley & Yorktown were able to call on included the likes of Jim Johnstone who prior to the war had played professionally for Queens Park in Scotland, J McFarlane who had played for Blackpool and C Ray who had been on Aldershot’s books. One notable scoring feat saw C Ray score all seven goals in a 7-0 win at Vickers. At the end of the season, and with no end to the war in sight, all organised football closed down for the duration of the war and Krooner Park was closed down and used for growing food.

Some football did take place in the area. In 1942, England International Tommy Lawton brought his select XI to play the Officer Cadet Training Unit at R.M.A. Sandhurst. Lawton’s XI, which included two other internationals in Cliff Britten and Jimmy Hagan strolled to an 8-0 half time lead before eventually running out 10-3 winners.