Match Information
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Corinthian 3-1 Bearsted
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When: Saturday 9th July 2022
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: No 2 Pitch, Corinthian Sports Club, Gay Dawn Farm, Valley Road, Fawkham, Longfield, Kent DA3 8LY
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Competition: Pre-season friendly
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Attendance: 57
Way back in 1982, I became aware of an intriguing football fable which I didn’t quite believe to begin with. It concerned a millionaire who had marked out a full-sized football pitch in front of his house on a farm.
This was so that his sons could play together in a team with their friends. They only took part in friendly fixtures. Well it was before the internet so it was hard to find out more information.
But I did some rudimentary research and discovered that the gentleman in question was called Mr Ronald Billings and he had formed Corinthian FC at Gay Dawn Farm in Kent.
So I consulted Directory Enquiries and rang the farm to learn that there was a Sunday afternoon friendly match coming up against Carshalton FC. This captured my attention and I set off for the game by train.
It was a couple of miles from the nearest railway station and I couldn’t afford a taxi in those days as I was an impoverished university student.
Therefore I intrepidly walked along a series of narrow and quite dangerous country lanes before I eventually found the farm which seemed in the middle of nowhere.
The first person I met there was Mr Billings himself and he took a great interest in the fact that I was a keen football explorer. He invited me into the farm to meet his family and offered me refreshments before we watched the match together.
After the final whistle, Mr Billings drove me back to the train station as he didn’t want me to walk down the country lanes again! My only disappointment was that no match programmes had been published for the fixture.
But a couple of days later, I received a letter in the post. To my great surprise, Mr Billings had written and printed a single programme for the Carshalton game just for me and sent it to my home address!
I have never forgotten the warm welcome I received at the farm all those years ago. After that, Corinthian eventually joined the formal ranks of competitive Non-League football in 1985.
The main pitch was fully enclosed by then with spectator accommodation added. I understand that Mr Billings sadly passed away in 1991.
Nowadays, Corinthian are members of the Isthmian League. So when I heard that this pre-season friendly versus Bearsted was being played on their second pitch, it was an opportune time for me to make a groundhopping re-visit.
Ground Description
It is still a working farm containing several large barns complete with agricultural machinery.
But the Corinthian Sports Club within the site has expanded over the years to include extensive football, golf, ball court and sports bar facilities.
The ‘No 2 Pitch’ that I was interested in is mainly used for youth football. It has floodlights, pitch railings, dug outs and a totally unique-looking 110-seater grandstand.
Programme Details
Priced at £1 for four pages - a good effort for this friendly.
I enjoyed reading the manager’s notes where Michael Golding described his squad being “cherry picked by sides around us” and “trying to rebuild a side with no budget” as the club’s long-standing amateur ethos remains in place.
The Match
Those family traditions continue as two of the original Mr Billings’ grandsons - Jamie and Jack Billings – were playing in this game for Corinthian.
Well-known professional cricketer Sam Billings (another grandson) was in attendance watching the match.
The People
Aforementioned manager Michael Golding was very helpful in confirming the fixture and providing background information for this blog.
Meanwhile, Phil Hannah from the Corinthian coaching staff spoke to me in great detail about his love of being involved in Non-League football.
In addition, I had a lengthy chat with Mr Billings’ son – also called Ronald – who was absolutely fascinated by my recollections of meeting his father when visiting the farm 40 years ago.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to @TonyIncenzo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 21st July 2022
