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Westwood Works 1903-2003 |
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The employees of Werner, Pfleiderer & Perkins started a football club in the 1904/5 season. Games were played on the Paul Pry Ground at Walton but in 1910 moved to the G.N. Railway Ground at the bottom of Westwood Bridge. After some difficulties with the Railway Authorities, they moved to the Showground in Millfield. A problem with sub-letting led to the rental of some land next to the Aublet Harry factory across Westfield Road from Westwood Works in 1911. With the acquisition of the Alma Road Ground in 1919, the Football Section had its own home ground at last.
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| 1909/10: Victorious Westwood Team | 1910: Westwood Works Football Team | 1914: Cup Winning Team | 1926: Westwood Works Football Team - Winners Peterborough Senior Cup | 1928: Westwood Works beat Kempstone Rovers in FA Cup | 1929: Drawing Office Football Match | Pre-War Westwood Team |
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| 1930 - Drawing office Team | 1930 - Inter Departmental D/O Team | 1930 - Drawing Office Team | 1931 - Drawing Office Team | D/O Departmental Team | 1933: Apprentices Team | 1934: Westwood Works v The Posh |
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| 1936: Westwood Works Team | 1938: Westwood Works Football Team - Peterborough League Champions | 1930s: Football Team |
In 1952, The Works Managers presented a "Football Challenge
Cup" to be competed for between Westwood and Bedewell Works, Westwood
being the first to win the trophy. Later, Rose Forgrove competed for the cup,
winning it in 1971 and 1972. It is not known whether other Group companies
were involved at any time. Westwood were the last recorded winners - in 1979.
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| 1946: Westwood Works Football Team | 1947: 1st v 2nd team | 1947/48: Westwood Works 1st Team | 1951/2: Knock-out Cup Runners-up Medal | 1951/2: Minor Cup Winners' Shield | 1952: Westwood Works Junior Football Team | 1953/54: Westwood Works beat Raunds in the Northants Junior Cup |
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| 1955: Football Section | 1957: Experimental Department Football Team | 1958: Oundle 1 - Westwood 3 in P'boro League Div.1. | 1958/59: Stamford 4 - Westwood 3 in P'boro League Div 1 | 1959: Westwood Works Team | 1959: Male v Female Football Match | 1959: Apprentices Football Team |
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| Westwood Works Football Team (Late 1950's) | 1962/63: Westwood Juniors Football Team | 1968: Westwood Works beat Bedewell | 1960s: Football Team | 1960s: Mixed Football Teams |
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| 1980: John Peake presents Les Hill with a memento to record 40 years of service to the Football Section | 1980: Bert Bullock receives a memento from Les Hill marking 40 years of service to the Football Section | 1980: Les Hill and Bert Bulloch with the mementos they received at the Dinner & Dance | 1980: 75th Anniversary Team | 1981: Charity Match v ex-Posh Players | 1982: Section Awards Ceremony | 1983: Baker Perkins Holdings Charity Football Team |
1983/84 was a particularly successful season for the Football Section and the following article appeared in the Spring 1984 issue of the group newspaper - "Contact":
The football section of the Baker Perkins Sports and Social Club at Peterborough is enjoying its best ever season, with the first team currently topping the premier division of the Peterborough league and the second team in third place in the first division.
The Premier division of the league is, of course, a very strong regional league attracting the top sides from as far afield as Kings Lynn, Boston and Huntingdon. It is a closed league and the Baker Perkins team was delighted when they got elected to the competition five years ago. In their first season in the league they finished sixth and also reached the senior cup final, but this year the team has only lost three games and stands every change of winning the championship.
Ever since the first team joined the Premier division, the second team has also gone from strength to strength. In its climb to third place in division one it has been promoted four times in the last five seasons.
Chairman of the football section, Derek Gibson, from despatch department, says that the current success of both teams is the result of many years of hard work by people both off and on the field. “Much of the spade work for our current success was undoubtedly carried out by Les Hill and Jim Farrow, who worked hard for the club for many years and still take a keen interest in its activities.”
The decision of the sports club to allow associate members has also enabled the section to strengthen its teams. Its policy is to look initially for players within the company, and then to attract the necessary outside players in order to maintain a high standard of football.
This policy has progressively strengthened the team and with the added confidence that success inevitably brings, both sides have been able to put together an excellent run of good results.
The men behind these successful teams are Ian Day, from the printing products fitting shop, who manages the first team, and Ivan King, from purchasing department, who manages the second team.
The section itself is run by a committee of nine, which is responsible for keeping the club on a sound financial footing and also organising any off-the-field activities, such as fund raising events and the annual dinner dance.
Derek Gibson believes that one of the things that augurs well for the future of the section is that several members of the committee are young members of the club, prepared to play an active role in the running of the section, as well as being players.
With kit and footballs costing so much money these days (a football costs around £30), fund raising is an important part of the section’s activities. Generous contributions come from the sports and social club supporters’ association, but a good deal of money also has to be raised by section members.
A great help in this direction during the present season has been the sponsorship of the team by Gild Tool Supplies of Woodston. One of the partners is this business, Derek Hall, is a keen supporter of the club and is also linesman. Both he and Gordon Liquorish, the other linesman for the section, are former class one referees.
It is this sort of support by non-playing members that has given the football section such solid foundations. Peter Burton, the first team trainer, and Dave Lamb, the second team trainer, are two more people who contribute a great deal of their time to the section.
During the season, another important contribution to the success of both teams has come from Alan Wild, who plays for the second team. Alan is a P.E. teacher and holds a training session for the players every Thursday night, bringing a professional standard of training to the section.
Unfortunately, the section has also suffered a sad loss in recent weeks with the death of Jock Bullock. Jock had been associated with the football section of Baker Perkins for over 50 years and played for the team until he was 46 years old. Right up until the last weeks of his life he was regularly making the half time cup of tea for both teams.
Because of the dedication and work of these people behind the scenes, the club has had no problem in attracting good class players from outside the company. Together with the excellent facilities offered at Alma Road and the first class playing area, it has become a very attractive club to play for. Another nice touch, which is equally appreciated by visiting teams, is that the clubhouse is opened immediately after matches so that players can enjoy a drink and a chat.
Another group of people whom Derek Gibson considers to be equally important, to both players and officials, are the 30 to 40 regulars who turn up to watch the games and give their support to the team. He says that the loyalty of these supporters really gives the team a lift.
In addition to the two senior teams, the company is also represented in the Sunday morning league by an apprentices’ team. The manager of this side is Jim Fountain, and although it runs independently and is responsible for its own finances, there is a great deal of co-operation between the two sections.
The aim of the football section for the future is to maintain the high standard of football which is currently being achieved, and to continue to find as many Baker Perkins people to play in those teams as possible.
Such is the spirit amongst the players this year that the committee was asked if it could arrange a playing tour and, as a result, at the beginning of May a party of 27 people from the section will be travelling to Germany for a six-day holiday during which time two matches will be played.
Note: The football section is the oldest of all the sections in the Westwood Works Sports and Social Club. It was started in 1904, six years before the sports club was formed.
The Accountants' line up for the 1970/71 season included: Kevin Arbon, John Hewerdine, Peter Henson, Ken Owen, Bob Rawlings (Captain), Ken Aldous, Mick Sexton, Roy Greenwood, Peter Shorey, Nigel King, Robbie Brown, Brian Swann, Trevor Ward and Paul Pikett.
The Sunday Combination League continued until 1997 when it merged with another local league - the Mid-Anglia League - to form the Peterborough Sunday Morning Football League.
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| 1970/71: Accountants | 1971/72: Accountants |
For more Football photographs, see the links below:
Staff Thomas joined Baker Perkins as an apprentice in 1951 and participated in many of the activities of the Sports Club. We are fortunate that Staff has made a record of much of his time at Baker Perkins and we are grateful for his permission to use extracts on this website. Here, Staff recalls playing football for Westwood:
“Early on in life, at 12, 13 and 14 years of age, I played soccer for Walton Youth Club. Also, at that age I was made to play for Deacon’s School at Rugby football. W.A.S. Saul, my P.T. teacher threatened me with extra homework if I didn’t play rugby for the school 2nd XI. So, I had to do both as I had enough homework to do as it was. Therefore, my proper soccer career didn’t take off until I got to Baker Perkins.
As a 16 year old at Baker Perkins, I went to training and match trials to get a look in on the soccer front. I happened to get into the 2nd XI as a left back even though my natural foot was my right. However, time would tell that the left was as good as the right. We played in the Peterborough League and learned our football the hard way, wind, rain and even snow. The snow was cleared off the lines of the pitch but after about ten minutes the leather ball became so heavy it couldn’t be kicked 20 yards. The ref carried on, though, and we finished the match. Yes, we played with leather balls in those days, and God help you if you headed it right on that lace! Stars in your eyes! The ball was heavy in the wet and quite heavy when it was dry. It took a good goal kick to pass the half way line with the regulation-sized ball.
Some of the grounds were all right pitch and grass-wise, but a few left a lot to be desired. Elton had an undulating pitch. When you took a goal kick or a free kick straight down the ground if it hit the undulation facing you the ball came back towards you. Even the penalty spot was in a hollow. You couldn’t see the entire goalie. At Stilton football club if you kicked the ball out of the ground, you could have cars running over it. Their bath was a galvanised portable one in the dressing room. At least Alma Road pavilion had lovely showers to clean you off before having your pint. If you played at Benwick, they were a tough side and not many teams won there. We beat them one year and the referee and linesman had to get on our bus to change back into normal clothes and only when the crowd had gone could come out and drive home! They were a rough lot! I remember George Jennings being our centre half, what a commanding player; he was very, very good so he, for one, could lift the team up. Very fast in the lazy style of his, but he was good! My captain in those days was Tom Wilsoncroft, Taffy Goodwin in goal; I was left back and Diddly Driver right back. Fiery Newson halfback, Stonge Clarke and Bob Browning forwards, Porky Johnson anywhere, and big John Winsworth!
By the time I was 18, I suppose I was big enough to join the 1st XI. Some of the 1st XI had retired! In the left back position in the 1st team was a man called Dusty Miller. When inclement weather came – snow, wind and rain, he used to cry off injured. So occasionally, I was drafted in and, being a novice, was helped by the older men.
So, the team as I remember it was – Jim Farrow in goal (I had to take his goal kicks), I was left back, Diddly Driver right back, George Jennings half back, Bernard Coltman centre half, Les Henson half back, Barry Sambells, Jack (Give me the Ball) Larman, Mick Bean, Bob Browning, Les Bennett, Fred Watkins, Mick Bean; Ron Coltman used to play in Peterborough 1st Division and played for Baker Perkins against Forgrove of Leeds Directors’ football match, and also against Bedewell of Newcastle!
I played in that team until I went into the R.A.F. when I was 21. Playing football had a different feel to it from cricket. When a football match was over, then it was shower and off home, ready for going out dancing in the evening, on Saturdays, of course.
Once I was picked for a team that made me quite proud. I was one player chosen for a Peterborough XI to play against Peterborough United Football team! I don’t remember much about our team, only that we played in front of a very big crowd and the money raised went to charity.
I remember some of the Peterborough team – George Swindon, manager and ex-Arsenal goalkeeper; Norman Rigby, club captain; Bernard Shaw, half back; Jimmy Longworth, forward; Andy Donaldson, centre forward; Georgie Haire, winger; Ellis Stafford, and a few county players. I can’t remember the result, but I believe Peterborough United lost to us.”
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