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Local Folk

Lower Bevendean Old Boys FC

By John Sharp

Jog a few memories?

It was very interesting to read the comments here on the site about Lower Bevendean Football Club. I played for the club between 1966 and 1971 and I hope this photograph taken in April 1970, might jog a few memories. The club manager was George Smart and the coach was Frankie Howard. Frankie was an excellent coach and a great character who was always up for a laugh. His training regime was always hard but we never complained.

A winning team

The photograph was taken after the final of the Sussex Intermediate cup played between Lower Bevendean Old Boys FC and Pagham at Littlehampton's football ground. Bevendean won the match 4-1, with Fred Washington scoring a hat trick and I scored the other goal. Bevendean were the first Brighton league club to win this trophy since 1950. They went on to win the trophy again in 1974. In 1970, the club completed a unique treble by winning the Brighton and Hove district league division 1 championship and the college cup.

Can you share your memories?

The players in the photograph are from L-R-,
John Head, Eddie Sandels, Gary King, Alec Sieveyer, Norman Farrah, Allan Clarke, Ian Bowles (capt), Ian Spicer, Dick Williams, Fred Washington, Brian Donaldson, Ken Ades and John Sharp. Happy days with great memories. Do you remember the team? Are you in this photograph? If you can share your memories, please do leave a comment below.

Lower Bevendean Old Boys FC

From the private collection of John Sharp

This page was added on 19/01/2012.

Comments about this page

I was not around at the time of the team, but I remember John Head from my school days.

By Mick Peirson (19/01/2012)

Alec Siveyer spent a life time in the meat trade, has only just retired and is in Australia at the moment. He was a player in the old midweek league (does anyone remember that?) playing for Meatonians. Was Frankie Howard the same person who played for the Albion and later became groundsman at the Goldstone?

By Neil Underhill (22/01/2012)

Frankie Howard did play for Brighton and Hove Albion during the 1950s and early 60s as a left winger. He then went on to be the groundsman at the Goldstone Ground. He was the coach at Lower Bevendean when I was there in 1966 and he was still the coach when I left in 1971.

By John Sharp (18/03/2012)

Alex Siveyer was my mate at Whitehawk School. I was at his house in Woodingdean when we heard JF Kennedy was shot.

By Terry Boyle (30/03/2012)

I played for the Old Varndeans against this side once when they were on the way up! We lost 26-nil. I also lived in Hillside, a few doors away from the Donaldson family.

By Alan Winchester (18/07/2012)

Ian Bowles played cricket with me and my father Ronald Scott. He was a good cricketer.

By Peter Scott (09/12/2012)

Oh gosh, Ian Spicer was my first boyfriend and his sister Christine was my best friend. Lost touch with her when she emigrated to the States. Would love to make contact with them. They had a sister called Marilyn and a brother, Hilary.

By Lesley Miles (nee Goddard) (27/01/2013)

Hi Lesley, I have just read your post. I remember you very well. Chris, Ian and Marilyn all live in the Brighton area. Contact me on my email address and I'll send you their contact details.

By Hillary Spicer (17/02/2013)

I recognise a very young Ken Ades as the keeper.

By Paul Hubbard (10/03/2013)

I recognised Ian Bowles the captain, immediately. We were at Stanmer School in the same class.

By Barbara Knowles (23/03/2013)

Hi to Hillary Spicer, who I remember well from my Coldean days and football on the green. Ironically, I now live in Lower Bevendean!

By Ken Valder (24/03/2013)

As George's son I played for Bev myself, but as a young boy was taken to the games with dad in the back of John Sharpe's Fiat 500 with all the kit!

By Trevor Smart (01/04/2013)

Hi Hillary, would love to make contact, but I don't have your email address and not sure how to find it on this site. Regards, Lesley. [Lesley, Hillary will need to agree to her email being published on the site. Alternatively, you can agree that your email is used so that Hillary can make contact with you. This will, of course, mean that the information is then available to the general public. Best wishes, editing team]

By Lesley Miles (01/04/2013)

I played for Bevendean Old Boys in the mid 80s and my brother played for them in the late 80s, winning their division and quiet a few cups. Our home ground was at the top of Heathill Avenue. Is the club still in existence?

By Andy Crook (16/04/2013)

Anyone who wants to contact me, my email address is pretty easy to find using a simple google search just remember my first name is spelled Hillary double ll not Hilary single. I look forward to hearing from you.

By Hillary Spicer (27/04/2013)