Frank Bisby -
Reminiscences of playing Football with Cove FC before the War

In December 1936, aged 23, I came to join the newly formed Armament Dept at the R.A.E. One of the first colleagues I met there was Ken Hopwell, whose first question was “Do you play cricket?” “Yes.” “O.K., you and I will form a departmental team to play next Summer in the R.A.E. Evening League.” Next question – “Do you play soccer?” “Yes.” “Well, I’m skipper of the Cove Football Club and we’re rather short of talent for the 2nd Xl; would you like to have a trial?” So, I played for the remainder of that season (36/37) in the Cove 2nd Xl at left fullback. I am naturally right-handed and right-footed, but also ambidextrous and ambipedrous and, since the majority of footballers (in those days and still the same today, I believe) were right-footed and could only kick with that foot I always had to play on the left side of the field, which I didn’t mind. The chap running the 2nd Xl, whose name I can’t remember, noticed that I was always well forward when we were attacking and was putting in good crosses from which we were scoring a good deal, and he suggested that my natural position was at left wing. So the following season (37/38) I was promoted to left wing in the 1st Xl and played in that position throughout that season and most of (38/39). We won the Aldershot Senior League and several cups that season and a photograph of that team used to be on the wall of the public bar of the Anchor Inn for many years after.

The other members of the team whose names I can remember: “Buster” Yeomans at full back, “Hook” Rumble my inside left, Ron Yeomans somewhere midfield, Collyer in goal and Ken Hopwell centre-half. The man who ran onto the field with bucket and sponge when anyone was injured was Mr. Yeomans, who was medical orderly at the R.A.E. (father I think of Buster).

There was always quite a crowd, at least 100 I would guess, lining the touchline on Cove Green and I remember that three of the most regular and keen supporters were the Spooner brothers, the blacksmiths who ran a forge in Victoria Road. For many years after, whenever I passed the open door to their forge, they always greeted me like a long lost brother.

My career with Cove F.C. finished in the 38/39 Winter when, somewhere about mid-season, I was bowled over in a home match on Cove Green, and broke a collar bone. That put me out for that season and when the war broke out at the beginning of the following season, I had other things to do than play football and the attendant need to keep fit for it. (It was no use sitting at a desk all week and then expecting to play a hard game on Saturday afternoon: I used to go for a two or three mile run every evening after tea across the common, i.e. what is now the airfield, but in those days was not enclosed and was quite open to the public).