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Viking Greenford/Viking Sports

Michael HandYFC
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Aug 24, 2010, 1:29 PM

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Viking Greenford/Viking Sports	Can't Post or Reply Privately

Hi all,

My very first post on this wonderful site. I'll get to the point straight away. Basically, last season I was playing for Viking Sports in the London Commercial League and know that the club used to play a very decent standard with a first team and reserves. I've searched high and low for information on the club, as Viking Greenford and Viking Sports, but cannot really find any information on the club which I am looking for. I was wondering whether any of you fellow football fanatics would have had any experiences with Viking Greenford/Viking Sports or would know of anywhere that I could obtain information on the history of the club. Please feel free to post your experiences, I would really like to know as I am in the progress of writing up the history of the club.

All help would be much appreciated.

Thank you

Michael

Les
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Aug 24, 2010, 1:57 PM

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Post #2 of 17 (8121 views)
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Re: [Michael HandYFC] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

This link should help a bit.

http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/indexv.htm

Michael HandYFC
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Aug 24, 2010, 2:04 PM

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Re: [Les] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

Thanks mate, I've already had a little look on there. Not a bad site, just wanting some information from before then and peoples experiences if there is any

escobar
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Aug 29, 2010, 11:02 AM

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Re: [Michael HandYFC] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

I visited Viking many times with various Men's and Women's teams over the years. It doesn't seem to have changed much apart from the tarmac car park it now has opposed to the bumpy dirt surface of old.
I went there with Feltham to play Neasden Foundation in the Combined Counties League and they had to fill in some holes where they had repositioned the goalposts before the referee would start the match.
The biggest crowd i saw there was for an F.A. Youth Cup match between Viking v Wimbledon (then of the F.A. Premiership).

sandhurstbee
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Sep 28, 2010, 1:21 PM

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Re: [escobar] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

I went there a few times over the years, the guys who ran it had been there Donkeys years, I believe Roy Bartlett had been with the club since its formation around 1945. I knew the Secretary John Bennett through his running the now defunct Ealing Youth League, John had also been there about 30 odd years and had spent most of that time as a Middlesex County official. They had a lot of problems with the pitch and nearly folded when the original clubhouse was burnt down by local yobs. Sad day when they finally called it a day due to lack of Finances and help on match days.

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Chapeltom
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Sep 28, 2010, 7:48 PM

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Re: [sandhurstbee] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

Anyone got any pics/links to pics of the pitch mentioned that I've heard was "dangerous" ?

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VP
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Sep 28, 2010, 8:40 PM

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Re: [Chapeltom] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

In Reply To

Anyone got any pics/links to pics of the pitch mentioned that I've heard was "dangerous" ?

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/...AvenueParkGreenford#

Taken July 2009.

The pitch wasn't 'dangerous' all the time but there must be some underlying problem with it as Bedfont Green tried to put it right while they were using it but without success. I think it only became unplayable during dry spells. Once, when our reserves played Green's reserves on it, our assistant manager described the pitch as being like ploughed concrete.

(This post was edited by VP on Sep 28, 2010, 8:43 PM)

sandhurstbee
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Sep 30, 2010, 11:47 AM

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Re: [VP] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

In Reply To

Anyone got any pics/links to pics of the pitch mentioned that I've heard was "dangerous" ?

I saw Sandhurst there once and the game was Abandoned due to the dangerous conditions, Large cracks in the pitch when it was dry and frozen ruts in the winter. Managed to see 2nd Half of Hanwell Town on the day of the abandonment. Had already `Ticked it` before anyone bothers picking up on the Half a Game Crazy

vikingswinger
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Mar 2, 2011, 8:59 PM

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Re: [Michael HandYFC] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

Hello Michael, Smile

I was on the aborted 1968 Viking Sports Balkan Tour. We were in Czechoslovakia when the Russians invaded. I have memorabilia from those days. Are you interested?
I'm looking for Viking Sports history too.
Richard

RPJ

Mishi
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Apr 22, 2011, 11:48 PM

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Re: [vikingswinger] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

In 1983 a book called "Let's Have A Ball" was written by Roy Bartlett. He was a founder member of Viking Sports. While not a club history, it is full of anecdotes from him about the club down the years. It includes many tales from their overseas tours.

Apologies for not mentioning it earlier, I knew I had a copy somewhere, but coudn't locate it. I've had a hunt for it today & found it, so I can now tell you the title of it.

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RussWWFC
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Jun 7, 2012, 9:30 PM

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Re: [Mishi] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

Found this old thread while trying to find if anyone still plays at the old Viking ground, thought Bedfont Sports did, but their site lists Bedfont Social Club as their home, shame as I would have gone to their friendly v Knaphill had it been at the Viking ground

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VP
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Jun 7, 2012, 11:09 PM

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Re: [RussWWFC] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

In Reply To

Bedfont Sports only started as a Saturday side in 2002 and have always been at their present location which isn't Bedfont Social Club. It's next door to that and is known as theBedfont Sports Recreation Ground.
Bedfont Green and their reserves used the Viking Ground (Avenue Park) for a few years.

The Social Club ground, also known as The Orchard, used to be Bedfont FC with Feltham groundsharing in later years. When Bedfont FC folded, Bedfont Town (who had changed their name from Bedfont Green) moved in. Now Town (Green) have stopped playing senior football it's just Feltham FC playing there and they'll shortly be changing their name to Bedfont & Feltham FC as they've recently merged with the Social Club.
I can't see anything on Sports' site regarding friendlies (it's possible they, or someone else, could be using the Viking ground for friendlies) and Knaphill's site, which seems to be up to date, doesn't mention playing Sports either.

Mishi
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Jun 8, 2012, 2:05 PM

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Re: [VP] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

I think Tokyngton Manor were using it, but they seem to have disappeared. There was a small stand behind the goal, at the clubhouse end, but I am pretty sure that Bedfont Green/Town took it with them when they left.

The pitch was notoriously poor here, even by non-league standards, so much so that the ground was closed at times (can't recall when) for the pitch being too dangerous to play on.

RussWWFC
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Jun 8, 2012, 3:20 PM

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Re: [Mishi] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

Thanks for the help, I got the pre season friendly off of the section on this board.

Special interest to go there, was the nearest ground to where I grew up, just beating North Greenford United.

As for the closest ground to where I was born, put in the postcode and it's right near Hanwell Town FC

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Chris1963
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Jun 8, 2012, 5:46 PM

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Re: [Mishi] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

In Reply To

Tokyngton Manor were indeed using it - I saw them play a midweek game there about 3 years ago. However, I think the stand behind the goal was a permanent structure which had been there for many years, rather than a portable kit stand of the type so widely seen at other grounds these days.

TheLinnet
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Jun 11, 2012, 12:00 PM

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Re: [RussWWFC] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

London Tigers of the SSML Prem. Div. have the ground at the moment.

I did hear they had some problems with theft from the clubhouse/dressing rooms, so it may not be in use for the time being.

(This post was edited by TheLinnet on Jun 11, 2012, 12:05 PM)

RussWWFC
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Jun 11, 2012, 3:03 PM

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Re: [TheLinnet] Viking Greenford/Viking Sports [In reply to]	Can't Post or Reply Privately

Nice, went to the old ground at Kingsbury to take pictures, it's worth bearing in mind if there is nowt else on

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