Match Information
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East Thurrock Community 1-2 Hashtag United Reserves 2
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When: Saturday 13th July 2024
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Kick-off: 1pm
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Where: Wyldecrest Sports Country Club, Herd Lane, Corringham, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex SS17 9BJ
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Competition: Pre-Season Friendly
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Attendance: 187
It is always extremely sad when a football club goes bankrupt because devastated supporters suffer the most. Decades of loving emotional attachments derived on Saturday afternoons are immediately lost creating a void that is difficult to replace.
This scenario happened early in 2023/24 whereby Isthmian League North outfit East Thurrock United unexpectedly went into liquidation “due to historical debts”. However, loyal fans swiftly rallied around at the end of September 2023 to create a new East Thurrock Community FC team (ETC) who duly started playing this month.
Their entire focus is to become a thriving fan-owned club ensuring those past financial problems do not resurface. Indeed, blueprints have been studied from similar successful operations embracing AFC Wimbledon to Lewes FC. Additionally, ETC were helped immensely through the Football Supporters Association providing vital recommendations.
Following an initial public meeting attended by more than 80 East Thurrock die hards, ETC now possess 230 owners in 11 different countries. Membership fees are very reasonable - £5 a month, £50 a year, £1,000 lifetime and £15 annual for under-16’s. Everyone is invited to vote on key policies including the badge and kit designs.
One hundred percent fan ownership means ETC can fulfil outlined core objectives - to be transparent, democratic and sustainable. For example, a weekly email is religiously sent to owners giving an itemised breakdown of all money going in and out of the coffers.
Significantly, ETC will join the Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division for season 2024/25. This enables promotion to Step 6 of the National League System.
ETC eventually hope to gather together 1,000 owners paying in £50,000 per annum to make everything viable. They subsequently aim for a return to Isthmian League circles although it will undoubtedly take several years until they feature in football betting markets.
Anyway bearing such a heart-warming renaissance in mind, I set off on the 55 mile trip on the M25 and up the A13 to Corringham which is a town housing 9,000 residents. Sunny weather was forecast so my wife and five year old daughter accompanied me for a day out in Essex.
Ground Description
ETC enquired about every nearby pitch with a clubhouse before members voted to play at Wyldecrest Sports Country Club. It keeps East Thurrock football within the traditional Corringham area.
I liked the ground as it has steep grass banking along one side and behind the goal where the busy sports club building sits. There is some overhang covered accommodation for at least 50 spectators, though no possibility of betting on games.
The pitch is fully railed off deploying portable barriers. Solid wooden dug-outs are in place too.
Exciting plans exist to move in the stands and floodlights from East Thurrock United’s old Rookery Hill stadium next summer to meet Step 6 ground grading requirements.
Programme Details
A really informative 39 page online colour programme. I have printed it out for my extensive collection of Non-League groundhopping memorabilia.
The contents incorporated details of how ETC were launched, a list of founding owners, action photos depicting their inaugural game against Canvey Island, sponsorship news, chairman’s column, managerial notes, upcoming fixtures and opponents Hashtag United’s history.
The Match
Admission wasn’t charged but raffle tickets were sold as well as bucket collections undertaken for donations. A scoreless first half unfolded prior to both sides implementing multiple substitutions.
Hashtag United reserves went on to shade matters thanks to goals by Oliver Aimufua (46 minutes) and James Bell (78 mins). The scorer for ETC was Louis Sharkey (68 mins).
It was good to see enthusiastic coaching for the respective teams featuring ETU joint managers Kevin Scott and John Coventry alongside Billy Cove of Hashtag United.
Billy is a great Non-League ambassador because he runs the Free Agent Showcase feed on Twitter X assisting players, managers, coaches and physios to find new clubs free of charge.
Post-Match
We drove half an hour to Southend-on-Sea where my daughter totally relished the Adventure Island theme park and a train ride down the world’s longest pier.
Then after a slap up meal, we headed home again.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
