1 of 1- Plumpton
- Bog End Elite
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Premier Midweek Floodlight League
Now, as Mike Nightingale and I were discussing the other day, DP's programme takes quite some time to read. I never read it on a matchday (which I think is quite common), it gets saved up for a bit of quiet time indoors, normally a few days later, to actually take the information in.
This time round, I got as far as page four. The excellent 'February Through The Ages' by Ian Bullock. Now, this on it's own took me some time to read and digest. So much information and history, and trying to imagine the times and atmosphere the club must have had. February 1951 in particular had some staggering attendances - but I don't want to give too much away as I don't want to reproduce Ian Bullock's work (or that of the Programme Editor) without permission.
However, I do have a question from one entry on the February page - what is known of the 'Premier Midweek Floodlight League'? A search on the net doesn't reveal too much, but another non league forum points to divisions of around eight teams and only playing in the winter months. I take it the league was exactly what it said on the tin? Only comprising of teams with floodlights as an extra event supplementing the main league in the darker months? Also how long did it run for - looking at the limited resources available it appears to have existed from the mid 1960's to the late 1970's. Also, was the floodlight league a first team affair, many other floodlight leagues that I have come across seem to be a junior level? Sorry if this seems a bit insignificant - but these more obscure and long lost elements fascinate me, especially with the T&MUFC involvement. Also, looking at the higher attendances in years gone by, I can imagine a midweek event at Sandy Lane maybe gaining a decent gate.
Well, like I say that's up to page four done - now the rest (!), looks like an entertaining week coming up 
Last edited by Plumpton (13/2/2017 11:21 pm)
1956/1957 season to 2016/2017 season - 60 years of T&M in the Isthmian League, and League Champions
- endofthelane
- Bog End Yoda
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
This competition was about when I first started at Sandy Lane. I didn't really understand it then, and I'm none the wiser now. I think it was treated much like the county cups these days - i.e. a chance to try out new or young players. I don't think we had a reserve team during that period.
We entered it for several seasons, but as far as I can recall, we never seemed to complete the fixtures. Whether anyone ever won this cup, I don't know.
- Mikem
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
The Premier Mid-Week Floodlight League started in the 1965/66 season. Tooting Joined the League in 1966/67 season.Mr Bill Fell Committee Member and clubTrustee wrote " In its year of existence this competition made a sharp impact and went from strength to strength to strength.
The league members when the Terrors joined were, Guildford City , Crawley, Hillingdon, and Wimbledon all professional teams joined by Finchley, Hayes, Chesham, Walton, Kingstonians , Leatherhead , Hounslow and Tooting and Mitcham.
The League was then enhanced with more clubs joining and split into separate sections. Tooting ended up in section "D"
Horsham 3 0 2 4 1 0 28 16 19
Kingstonian 4 0 1 3 0 2 19 11 17
Tooting & Mitcham United 3 1 1 2 1 2 13 15 14
Addlestone 3 0 2 0 2 3 12 16 8
Molesey 0 3 2 1 1 3 11 17 7
Redhill 1 1 3 1 0 4 12 20 6
I think the league finally ended in 1978. When Tooting joined there were only 38 league games to a season, and all major cup competitions (FA, FA Amateur. Surrey and London) were played on a Saturday. So there was space to fit in the Mid-Week competition.
Tooting reached the play off final 1976/77 season losing to Leytonstone. The political and strike actions of 1974, caused a major headache as the use of Floodlights were banned for 4months by the government.
Last edited by Mikem (14/2/2017 11:55 am)
- Plumpton
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
Many thanks to Endo for the memories and Mike M for the information, top stuff
This business of defunct leagues (and many long lost teams as well) is fascinating, names such as the Athenian League, Aetolian League, Metropolitan-London League, and the Greater London League certainly conjure up a lot of mystery and I actually think I have the makings of a new interest/hobby looking at this. They all seem quite short lived and obscure by today's standards, admittedly TMUFC weren't in the Greater London League, but I found this an interesting one as many of the clubs weren't in Greater London (Canvey Island, Epping Town, Tunbridge Wells Rangers and Snowdown Colliery Welfare being in there amongst others)...........
Thanks again for the info 
1956/1957 season to 2016/2017 season - 60 years of T&M in the Isthmian League, and League Champions
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Thread Starter- Bog End Ultra
- Bog End Yoda
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
All I want for Christmas is a Snowdown Colliery Welfare away kit 
- Plumpton
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
Bog End Ultra wrote:
All I want for Christmas is a Snowdown Colliery Welfare away kit
Well, I couldn't find any details on an away kit specifically (you know me Boggs.....I *have* to look anyway) - but they did use a black & white striped shirt........
The stripes seem to be the other way round to ours though.......
Last edited by Plumpton (15/2/2017 2:56 pm)
1956/1957 season to 2016/2017 season - 60 years of T&M in the Isthmian League, and League Champions
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Thread Starter- DeePee
- Bog End Privy Council Member
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
Like this 
:----
[img][IMG][/img][/img]
As modeled at "Chez Plod" sometime in the past.
![[IMG]](http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/david_penn1/media/Hoops_zpsqobycmrr.jpg.html){kind=link}
Last edited by DeePee (15/2/2017 3:24 pm)
I started out with nothing and I've still got most of it left !
- Plumpton
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
Well, we've had a bit of midweek floodlit action in the Ryman South tonight........sadly Dorking have a 4-1 win at Chipstead......it was 1-1 at HT so I was hopeful. Oh well.....the other score was, funnily enough 4-1 (or 1-4 to be precise), Corinthian-Casuals winning against Guernsey........
1956/1957 season to 2016/2017 season - 60 years of T&M in the Isthmian League, and League Champions
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Thread Starter- Wetherby Mike
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
All I want for Christmas is a Snowdown Colliery Welfare away kit
Tooting lost 1-0 to Betteshanger Colliery Welfare in the FA Cup in 1953-54. The only goal was scored by the bow-legged Wally (Cowboy) Tyrell who had played for Tooting the previous season.
- RussellF
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
Now, as Mike Nightingale and I were discussing the other day, DP's programme takes quite some time to read.
Only because the text is so titchy.
- Bog End Ultra
- Bog End Yoda
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
All I want for Christmas is a Snowdown Colliery Welfare away kit
Tooting lost 1-0 to Betteshanger Colliery Welfare in the FA Cup in 1953-54. The only goal was scored by the bow-legged Wally (Cowboy) Tyrell who had played for Tooting the previous season.
My research has revealed that in the 1957/58 preliminary round of the FA Cup Betteshanger Colliery Welfare beat Snowdown Colliery Welfare 2-0 at home. I've no idea what colours Betteshanger played in but I'd like to think Snowdown had to wear their away kit . The year Betteshanger beat us they were knocked out in the next round by Tunbridge Wells United. Where is this thread heading ??? 
- endofthelane
- Bog End Yoda
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
Oh yes - the Colliery Welfare derby.
This forum is a mine of information.
- DeePee
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
Now, as Mike Nightingale and I were discussing the other day, DP's programme takes quite some time to read.
Only because the text is so titchy.
Bigger text = more pages = more cost = bigger cover price - Sorry.
I started out with nothing and I've still got most of it left !
- Mikem
- RH Lord of The Bog End
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Re: Premier Midweek Floodlight League
Have to agree with DP on costs etc. The information, content and news in the programme is outstanding but the programme cannot run at a loss. The contents of the programme deserves a better quality publication in terms of Printed paper and layout. The work which goes into producing a programme on a voluntary and regular basis is very time consuming.
I don't know how many programmes are printed, the actual amount sold each game, and the free programmes which have to be handed out, I suspect barely covers the cost of production. If anyone has suggestions how to create a better quality programme without losing cash, I am sure DP would be really interested.