The club entered the 1980s in very much the same way they left the 1970s in dominating the Clark Rural Boys League, with continued league and cup successes. The 1980 Cup Finals Day was no different. Again the matches were played at Lingfield Road Recreation Ground in Edenbridge and here a few photos from finals date, starting with the Under 12s.
Under 14s team below winning again at Edenbridge, a regular occurrence.
1980/81 - New season new challenges
The Clark Rural Boys League continued to the club's choice of junior football leagues for these teams, with four teams Under 12s, Under 14s B team, Under 16s A & B teams. Jean Goss also returned the role as Club Secretary.
To the south of Tonbridge, the Crowborough & District Junior Football League was expanding and introduced an Under 14s age group for the first time for the 1980/81 season. The Under 14s A team along with Westerham Reds and Edenbridge United left the Clark Rural Clark League for a fresh challenge and to play against new teams. The Under 14s team is below with Don Campbell and his wife managing the team.
On the playing front, I have managed to track down the following short match reports from the Courier:
"Against Westerham, the Under 12s with Steven Gerety again outstanding in a good team effort, scored twice through Gunning and drew 2-2 in a fine game".
"The Under 14s went ahead against Westerham with a goal by Green but Westerham broke through to lead 2-1 at half time. The second half was end to end with Blair and Edwards playing well for Tonbridge. Westerham finally made the result 3-1 from a free kick".
"The Under 16s A team scored first against the previously unbeaten Knockholt through Jordan. Knockholt equalised and second half was competitive. Tonbridge defended well and finally scored when a cross Black was put into his own goal by a Knockholt defender."
"Against Farnborough the Under 16s B team fought hard and goals by Marshall 2 and Dwyer produced a 3-2 victory"
The Under 14s A team move across to the Crowborough League did not result in success on the playing pitch in the league or cup, but the team did win the Sportsmanship Award, for their players fair play and conduct. The team also enjoyed success in winning the Under 14s Edenbridge 5 a side tournament.
This Admiral inspired tramline football kit is probably my favourite North Tonbridge Juniors kit that I have seen.
1981-82 season
Don Campbell team's second season in the Crowborough League 1981/82 was as Under 15s, which proved to be more successful, with the team winning the League Championship. The team photo below includes players Martin Edwards, Simon Green, Ross Campbell and John Hardwick. The second bottom shows the team after winning the League with their trophy.
Back in the Clark Rural League, the Under 14s managed by John Sands and Ken Hazel won the Under 14s cup final, again at Edenbridge. Team photos before and after final below.
Photo above: Back row: John Sands (coach), Paul Sparrow, Mike ??, ??, Pete Green, Terry Sands, Alan Barrett, Ian Page, Simon Kiefer, Ken Thomas (coach)
Front Row: Steve Mason, Spencer Hayward, Scott ??, Mick Jones, Tim Curtis & ??
1982/83 season
All the club's teams for this season played in the Clark Rural Boys League, but there was a new club on the scene, as Sevenoaks Juniors were set up in the summer of 1982. The North Tonbridge Juniors years of domination and dynamics in League changed. The club also had a new club secretary in Mrs A Kitchener.
The club's youngest team the Under 12s team pictured below at start of the season. They also played the previous season as Under 11s playing friendlies under Ken Thomas management.
The Under 12s proved to be a very good team as the match following report indicates, followed by top of the table league final standings.
"With a 5-0 win at Kingsdown Racers last Sunday, North Tonbridge Under 12s moved nearer to a cup semi final place, goals coming from David Hoddle (3), Gareth Randall & Ian Soutar".
The players in the photograph are as follows:
Back row: James Bradford, Ian Russell, Dave Hoddle, Damon Burr, Simon Davis, Russell Barton, Paul Goodwill
Front row: Ian Soutar, Martin Craig, Steve Hawkins, Lee Checkley, Ryan Butler, Gareth Randall, Gary Sands
1983/84 - new age groups
After ten seasons of having divisions across two age groups, the Clark Rural Boys League finally moved to offer divisions for every age group.
For this new season, the club had five teams, Under 12s, 13s, 14s & 15s teams all playing in the Clark Rural Boys League, whilst the Under 16s left to play in the Crowborough League.
Short match reports
Under 12s:
Westerham 0 North Tonbridge Juniors 12 - Goalscorers: I Chapman 4, D Kidd 3, M Broad 2, P Garland, A Williams and own goal
North Tonbridge Juniors beat 4-2 Brasted in the cup (A Williams, I Chapman, own goal)
Under 13s:
Played a double header against South Godstone Cup Game - 1st 40 min - North Tonbridge Juniors 8 (S Lark 2, Ian Soutar 2, Lee Checkley, Neil Emblen, Paul Goodwill, A Milton) South Godstone 0 - 2nd 40 min - North Tonbridge Juniors 12 (Ian Soutar 5, Lee Checkley 2, Steve Clark 2, Gareth Randall 2, Neil Emblen) South Godstone 0
North Tonbridge Juniors beat Sevenoaks 5-0 in a cup game (Ian Soutar 3, Lee Checkley, Neil Emblen)
Under 14s:
North Tonbridge Juniors beat Otford 19-0 goalscorers L Underhill 7, Selfe 6, D Tooth 2, Burton 2, S Powney 2
North Tonbridge Juniors lost Borough Green 3-4 goalscorers L Underhill 2, W Burton
Under 15s:
North Tonbridge Juniors beat Snodland 3-2 in a friendly goalscorers Lee Allaway & James Absolon
Under 16s:
North Tonbridge Juniors beat Oxted 4-1 in a cup game goalscorers A Colyer 2, A Barratt and an own goal.
1984/85 season - New home
For this new season, the club again had five teams, Under 12s, 13s, 15s & 16s teams all playing in the Clark Rural Boys League, whilst the Under 14s played in the Crowborough League. This was season that the club also moved to its new home, Longmead also known as Tonbridge Farm Sportsground, which were provided by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council in 1984. The sportsground had half a dozen pitches and a pavilion with changing facilities. Plus right on the doorstep of Tonbridge AFC's Longmead Stadium, which only increased links between the two clubs.
Match reports
Under 12s match report - Tonbridge 2 Sevenoaks 5 - "Tonbridge were the first to settle down in this fast top of table match, with Austin Lewis finding the back of the net. After hitting the post twice and being denied by some terrific saves from Tonbridge keeper Stewart Walters, Steve Burton finally managed to score. Tonbridge's second goal came from a defensive error"
"The Under 12s beat Otford 8-2 away - scorers D Butler, A Lewis, M Davis, R Platt, R Warner and E ???"
"Under 14s beat Bargate Invicta 9-0 away with hat-tricks by Neil Emblem and Ian Soutar and other goals from Steve Clark, Gareth Randall and Shaun Seal."
"Ravens 3 Under 14s 3 - scorers Steve Clark, Martin Craig and Shaun Seal"
"Westerham 3 Under 16s 6 - scorers - Stuart Collins 2, Linden Dobson 2, Lee Allaway, Andrew Lade"
The following photo is from the end of the 1984/85 season for the Under 16s team, which I found a couple of years ago, but can not now recall or track down where I found it! At the end their youth football, the majority of the team went onto form Tonbridge Colts for 1985/86 who won the Fourth division of the Tonbridge & District Football League. The following season they changed their name to Colts' 85 and rapidly rose through the adult Leagues, to reach the dizzy heights of the Premier Western division of the Kent County League by1990. This was quite a significant rise within the space of five years for such a young team.
Whilst the club continued to pick up winners medals in the Clark Rural Boys League, the Crowborough League proved a more challenging competition, with opponents being mainly from towns, rather mainly the village teams associated with Clark Rural Boys League.
The last club standing
During the early 1980s, there was a number of Tonbridge Saturday junior teams that played in the Tunbridge Wells & District Minor League, such as Roselands and handful one of one season Saturday clubs, such as the Gardeners Arms, Stags Head and Tonbridge Scorpions, whilst Tonbridge Sports & Social Club had a season in the Crowborough League on Sundays. By the summer of 1985, North Tonbridge Juniors were the last club standing in Tonbridge.
Football in the mid 1980s was at its lowest point, its image tarnished, associated with the hooliganism, the sport suffered a series of tragic disasters and falling attendances at football matches at the professional level. To put it in context, in the mid 1980s, attendances at matches were half what they where in 2020 pre covid pandemic. Football was losing its appeal, which seem to reduce the attractiveness of football to youngsters. No doubt some parents deciding they did not their children associated this sport. For the next five seasons, North Tonbridge Juniors were the lone torch bearers for youth football in the town.
1985-86 season going it alone
For the first time, the club entered two teams - Under 12s & Under 15s into the Crowborough League, whilst maintaining three teams in the Clark Rural Boys League - Under 13, 14s & 16s. The Clark League was also struggling to compete against the Tandridge League, which was running more age groups. Sevenoaks and Oxted & Hurst Green were also putting teams into the Horley Youth League. The Clark League's days were numbered. The club appointed new club secretary Mrs M L McCloud.
Match reports
"Won all their games last weekend
Under 16s at home beat Elmstead 3-2 at home (Warren Ash 2, S Powney)
Under 15s at home beat Acorns 3-2 (Neil Emblen 2, Paul Warren)
Under 14s at home beat St Josephs 11-0 (M Broad 3, I Chapman 3, P McCloud 3, D Kidd & A Marchant)
Under 13s beat Dunton Green away 4-1 (D Hobbs 2, S Pickles and R Platt)
Under 12s beat Kemsing away 6-1 (B Jones 3, I Gardener 2, J Devin penalty)"
The Under 15s appeared to finished runners up to Southborough Juniors in the Crowborough League.
1986/87 season split loyalties
The Clark Rural Boys League limped into its final season, with the club only entering two teams into the League - Under 14s & 15s. It doesn't appear the League offered any other age groups. The club's Under 12s, 13s & 16s teams all played in the Crowborough League.
I have been unable to track down any match reports, photos or records for the Under 14s & Under 15s matches in the Clark Rural Boys League, so apologises for the concentration on the Crowborough League teams.
The following photograph is of the Under 12s team managed by Peter Meads assisted by Geoff Usmar. The photograph below includes Paul Emblen and two future Tonbridge Juniors managers Steve Usmar & Tom Brett.
Under 12s photo shows the team before their 5-0 defeat to Wadhurst United in the Tournament Shield game.
The Under 13s finished mid table, I have provided the League table towards the end of the season below. Certainly interesting opposition in Penshurst Wine!!
The Under 16s finished runners up, again to Southborough Juniors. I have provided a near complete league table, showing the Under 16s with guaranteed runners up spot.
The above photo is the Under 16s team at Longmead Stadium in a end of season match against Snodland
Back row: Paul Goodwill, Steve Clarke, Shaun Seal, Russell Barton, Alex Ivins, Paul Warren, Gareth Randall, Glyn Randall, Ian Russell,
Front row: Russell Ash, Martin Craig, Damon Burr, Warren Rowe, Jason Horne, Neil Emblen, Simon Davis
1987/88 season all in
For the first time in five seasons, all the clubs teams played in the same League, as with the demise of the Clark Rural Boys League, all teams played in the Crowborough League, probably much to the joy of the Club Secretary Mrs M L McCloud.
The Under 12s finished towards of bottom of the division
The Under 13s finished towards the top of the division
The Under 14s finished runners up to Wadhurst United
The Under 15s finished towards the top of the division
The Under 16s finished possibly runners up, going the following league table towards the end of the season:
1988/89 season and six teams
The club for the first time ever entered an Under 11s into a League, as in previous years the Under 11s only ever played friendlies. This new season also saw the Margaret Usmar take over as the Club Secretary.
The club ran six teams, Under 11s, 12s, 13s, 14s, 15s & 16s for this season.
The club finally got back in the winning ways, with the Under 12s winning the Group A Tournament Shield competition.
1989/90 season
For a second season, the club the ran six teams, Under 11s, 12s, 13s, 14s, 15s & 16s. The club's Under 14s team were the Knockout cup winners, which was the first time the club had ever won cup competition in the Crowborough League.
1990/91 season - awards galore
This proved to the club's most successful season in the Crowborough League, with the teams picking up four awards, a League championship, the knockout cup, a Tournament Shield & Sportsmanship Award.
The Under 11s had a tough season and finished towards the bottom of their division
The Under 12s equally had a challenging season and finished towards the bottom of the A Division.
The Under 13s finished towards the top of the A division, won the Knockout cup competition, as well as also picking up the Sportsmanship Award in the A Division
The Under 14s league table is below:
The Under 15s won the League and the final standings are below:
The Under 16s finished third in the League and won the Tournament Shield and their team photo is below on their home pitch.
Progressing to professionals
The 1980s teams also provided the stepping stones for the Emblen brothers Neil & Paul, who both went onto have professional football careers. Neil played at Millwall, Wolves, Crystal Palace, Norwich City & Walsall. Neil is currently the assistant coach for the New Zealand national team, as well as the assistant coach at Colorado Rapids in the MLS. Paul played at Charlton Athletic, Brighton & Hove Albion and Wycombe Wanderers, but injuries hampered his career.
Crowded early 90s
So after five years of being the only youth football club in town, within the space of three years, between 1990 & 1993, the youth football scene in Tonbridge exploded. Tonbridge young footballers were being spoilt for choice with the following new clubs being set up: Tonbridge Olympic (1990), The Heath (1990), Tonbridge Angels Youth (1990) Tonbridge Juniors (1992), Tonbridge Invicta (1992), Tonbridge & Sevenoaks Juniors (1993) and Hildenborough Juniors (1993). All of a sudden the Tonbridge football scene became very crowded with seven new clubs, which clearly would have a major impact on the club going forward. But that story is my final blog on North Tonbridge Juniors covering seasons 1991 to 2008.Finally many thanks to Steve Usmar, James Bradford, Ken Thomas, Simon Green, Trevor Pierce and Ross Campbell for your help and allowing me to share your photographs and recollections. Along with facebook photographs found on Graham Randall and Simon Mason sites.
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