The History of Wood Green Old Boys Football Club (20/03/08)
Whilst the name Wood Green Old Boys goes back to 1967 , the Club has it’s origins long before that and was formed in 1908 . Wood Green Old Boys F.C. was originally two clubs , Trinity Old Boys and Old Glendalians. These clubs were great local rivals for over 50 years before merging in 1962.
Trinity Old Boys were formed in 1908 by old boys of Wood Green Higher Grade School. They were one of the founder members of the Nemean League. When the school became Trinity County School in 1922 , the Club became known at that time as Higher Grade & Trinity Old Boys, but by 1928 it was simplified to Trinity Old Boys. The school still stands in Trinity Road, Wood Green, behind the Civic Centre, although nowadays it is a local primary school.
In 1911, the opening of nearby Wood Green County School marked the start of 50 years fierce inter-school rivalry. Wood Green County School Old Boys were formed in 1917, and in 1919 were founder members of the Secondary School Old Boys League. In 1922, Wood Green County School became Glendale County School and the Club changed it’s name to Old Glendalians. Old Glendalians were Champions of the Secondary School Old Boys League, the only trophy ever won by that Club at first XI level, although by 1932 they were in the Nemean League. The school today is known as Thomas More.
In 1961, both Glendale and Trinity Grammar Schools were closed and their pupils transferred to the new Wood Green Grammar School, built on the site of the old Trinity sportsground in White Hart Lane, Wood Green. The two clubs faced with extinction decided to bury the hatchet and join forces for the 1962/3 season in the Nemean League as Wood Green Old Grammarians.
In 1967, with the Government changes to the Grammar school system, Wood Green Grammar became Wood Green Comprehensive, merging with the local Woodside Secondary School. Woodside occupied the old Glendale School buildings in Glendale Close, Wood Green. The Club changed its name once more to its present title, Wood Green Old Boys, and by the 1980’s had gone ‘selectively open’ providing football facilities for the wider community and releasing its restrictive ties to the local schools.
In terms of a home, the Club had no clubhouse for many years. In the late sixties however, it shared a fairly new clubhouse in Broomfield Lane, Palmers Green with an organisation called Palmers Green Athletic. The partnership was a fractious one, and in 1972 Wood Green Old Boys moved to their current home in White Hart Lane, Wood Green, joining in a lease with other voluntary organisations. Over the years, the other partners at the Clubhouse left and in 1995 the Club purchased the freehold from Haringey Council. Over time facilities have been provided and there are future plans to extend and rebuild what is still largely a timber structure.
With the demise of the Nemean League in the mid-eighties, the Club joined the Old Boys League and in 1990 were awarded the AFA Wilkinson Sword Fair play Trophy. In 2005 Wood Green Old Boys achieved FA Charter Club status. The period since the Millennium has seen success for the Club with all sides rising through the divisions of the Amateur Football Combination.
Would moving kids' football to a summer game help improve the development of young footballers?
Yes - better pitches mean a better chance to develop technique/skills
No - wouldn't make any real difference to development
Maybe - but I'd be worried about more injuries on firm pitches
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