Another Lockdown Lookback piece for the Holderness Gazette

For my third ‘Lockdown Lookback’ piece, I’ve decided to take a look down the road to Skeffling, which since the formation of Easington United has been the source of many fine Eastenders. But in addition to providing players for its near neighbours, Skeffling once boasted a team of its own…

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No attempted history of Easington United AFC would be complete without an acknowledgement of the contribution made by their nearest neighbours, two miles up the road in Skeffling. Founder members of the South Holderness League on its reformation in 1946, Skeffling had actually fielded a team before the Second World War, unlike either Easington or Holmpton. Unfortunately, the area didn’t prove big enough to allow all three villages to field teams at the same time, meaning Skeffling’s involvement in the post-War competition was a truncated one.

Since the demise of the South Holderness League in 1953/54, Skeffling has been without its own team (apart from a brief reappearance in 1961/62) but instead has provided some of Easington’s finest and best-loved players and characters.

Much of the information I have on football in Skeffling comes from first-hand accounts provided by men sadly no longer with us. My interest in the club was fuelled by an old board still on display in The Crown & Anchor at Kilnsea, which advertises a charity match between Skeffling United and a team of ‘East End Veterans’, scheduled for New Year’s Eve 1961. It was only through subsequent conversations with certain veterans of the East End that I began to learn there was a more to ‘the other Eastenders’ than just a one-off Festive kickabout.

My uncle, Ted Stabler, was a rich source of information on the subject. From him I established that Skeffling United AFC was formed in 1935 and its original home ground was on land belonging to the Robinson family down Riby Garth (referred to as Chapel Lane in the official League handbook).

The club enjoyed the added bonus of being housed at The Sun Inn, the village pub situated just off the crossroads on West View and which later doubled up as the changing rooms (originally players changed at home) as well as the local watering hole.

Skeffling’s colours were distinctive, comprising blue shirts with a gold ‘V’ down front and back. They were bought by two local businessmen, Willy Ward and Billy England. The latter was a local shopkeeper, remembered by Ted as having had the sales slogan: ‘Buy British but buy from England first!’ 

Although not that successful, the Skeffling team of the 1930s were remembered by Ted as being a hard side to beat, particularly at home. Matches against Hull-based sides were a particular source of amusement, especially in the reaction of opponents on arrival at this far-flung outpost of East Yorkshire: ‘It used to give them quite a shock when they turned up at Skeff. I remember playing a team from Jacksons of Hull who arrived in a company van. They rolled out in this smart, all-white playing strip and strutted about as if they were a class above. Jim Biglin looked at me and said, “Ted, this lot’ll a’ti gan”. Bah, we did give ’em ’ell that day!’

Jim Biglin, the skipper in those pre-War days, is just one of several names remembered by Ted that may well be familiar to readers: goalkeeper Len Medforth, full-backs Ron Kitchen & Ben Biglin (‘a solid defensive partnership’), half-backs Arthur Kitchen, Len Gray and John Stabler (Ted’s brother) and a front five of skipper Jim Biglin (‘defenders used to bounce off him’), Tom Hodgson, George Fox, Charlie Sizer and Horace Harrison. According to Ted this line-up remained ‘pretty much unchanged up until the outbreak of the Second World War’. 

On Easter Monday, 5 May 1946 Skeffling played Withernsea Old Boys (forerunners of the current Withernsea AFC) in a game remembered by Don Rowland as the first post-War fixture arranged by The Seasiders. It finished in a 3-3 draw ‘on the Hollym Road ground’.

The end of hostilities also saw several challenge matches arranged against locally-interned Prisoners of War. From 1943 onwards Italian prisoners were interned at the old artillery camp at Sunny Cliff Farm in Kilnsea. They provided the opposition to Skeffling in a special challenge match at Riby Garth that was remembered vividly by Ted Stabler and another veteran, Charlie Hill.

Charlie was a prominent local sportsman of the time who also played for Skeffling before the War (‘I was sent off twice’) and again between 1946 and 1948 before going on to become a major figure at Easington. Another source of several Skeffling anecdotes, his eyes lit up when I broached the subject of their very own ‘Italian Job’: ‘We won 7-0, I’ll name the team if you like…’ and he did, complete with most of the positions: ‘Len Medforth in goal, Ron Kitchen right full back, Ben Biglin left full back, Arthur Kitchen right half, Len Gray and John Stabler, Jim Biglin outside right, Tom Hodgson inside right, George Fox centre forward and myself at inside left.’ Unfortunately Charlie couldn’t remember the identity of the outside left (‘Tom Hodgson would be able to tell you’) and I wasn’t going to dare question the accuracy of his memory, even though Ted Stabler’s team listing was somewhat different.

In addition to himself having taken over from Len Medforth in goal, Ted listed George Fox, Arthur Kitchen and his brother John as three players who didn’t continue after 1945. Among the new names listed were Pete Mynott (‘left-half, a good lad’), Jack Wraith, Frank Madison, Ron Northwood, Oswald (‘Ossie’) Heron, Johnny Breen and the ‘mysterious’ Dobson twins (I say mysterious because none of the Skeffling residents I spoke to could shed any light as to their identity). Finally there was Bob Mansfield, who Ted had particular reason to remember: ‘He was a master gunner who took over from Len Gray at centre-half; he knocked me out with the ball once in a pre-match shooting session before an evening kick-off at Burstwick!’ 

Another uncle, Frank Douglas was one of three brothers who later appeared for all three ‘East End’ clubs and would feature prominently for Skeffling in the South Holderness League, where he earned junior XI representative honours. He recalled watching that Italian game from the touchline and concurred with Stabler that the names he listed formed the same line-up as that which featured in the League in the post-War years. They were days that both men recalled with great affection. Ted remembered that ‘games were usually hard but sporting, although I seem to recall that Paull had a reputation for being rough, as did Patrington Haven and I remember Ossie Heron getting ‘cut to ribbons’ in a game at Ottringham. We never had a referee at first; a member of the public would take charge.’

The first South Holderness League championship was shared between Keyingham United and Thorngumbald, following a 2-2 draw in a play-off. Both clubs dominated the immediate post-War seasons, although Ted rated Keyingham as the best team he played against.

He remembered one particular occasion with fondness: ‘We’d got to Keyingham early so we went in The Ship Inn beforehand and were about ‘half-shot’ by kick-off time! Despite this, we led 2-1 with only a few minutes left when Frank Madison scored an ‘own goal’ to tie things up; he’d been trying to help out defending at a corner!’ 

Although too modest to say it, Ted was reputedly a goalkeeper of some standing and was only kept out of the League’s representative team by Rogerson of Thorngumbald, league champions in the second season, 1947/48. 

Both Ted and Frank remembered Skeffling as a well-supported side, the former recalling ‘a good hundred at home matches and we always took a busload away with us’. The pair also seemed to think that a couple of alternative pitches were used as occasional home grounds. Ted thought that for the 1947/48 season the club used ‘a smaller pitch at Bingley Hill Bottoms’ (also known as Foss Hill, halfway between Skeffling and Easington). Another suggested venue was down Out Newton Lane on land belonging to Tom Hodgson. Charlie Hill counted Tom as ‘the main authority on Skeffling football’ and a man who ‘kept cuttings of the team’s reports during the South Holderness League days’. Hodgson was reputed to be a decent player with a penchant for dribbling with the ball, and both Hill and Stabler seemed to think he may well have had a trial with Hull City.

Ted’s daughter Judy remembers how Tom Hodgson ‘would appear through the trees from his house, already in full kit, play the game before disappearing straight back through the trees to his home again!’ It is to this article’s detriment that I never managed to speak to him prior to his death in 2001. Not that I didn’t have the chance – back in the Nineties, Ted told me more than once, ‘Tom’s waiting for you to go round and talk to him’. Unfortunately, hearsay about the sort of welcome that might await me should I turn up unannounced was enough to deter me from making an impromptu visit. 

Like many village clubs, Skeffling strove to ensure they were self-sufficient, generating income by fund-raising dances in the village hall and by collections at half-time during matches. But in the summer of 1948, having finished the second season below midway, they withdrew from the League.

After a failed attempt to re-enter the competition as ‘Skeffling & Easington United’ in October 1952 (affiliation issues at the East Riding County FA ensuring the team continued as Easington United), a team was formed in its own right a year later for what proved to be the competition’s final season.

One of the consequences of Skeffling’s return was the demise of Holmpton United. But despite benefitting from this by way of the recruitment of talented goalkeeper Brian Hunter, Skeffling suffered some crushing defeats. These included 1-12 and 3-14 at home to Patrington United and RAF Patrington respectively, 0-8 at home to Ottringham and away at Bewholme (the latter being slightly mitigated for by the absence of ‘service players, the stars of their forward line’.). There were also hefty reversals in both County cups, 9-5 to Hedon in the East Riding Junior Cup and 8-3 to Bewholme in the East Riding Junior Country Cup.

Having seen a rare win (6-2 at Paull Wanderers) expunged due to their opponents’ withdrawal from the league, the Skefflingites had to wait until the final Saturday of the season for their sole success of the campaign; Frank Douglas netting all his team’s goals in a 4-1 win over a ‘depleted’ Patrington ‘B’ outfit. 

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the season was their performances in their five meetings with their near neighbours, the first of which came on 5 December 1953 when Easington travelled to Riby Garth for the historic first ever league meeting with their neighbours. It was another game featured in the Hull Times:

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The local derby between Skeffling United and Easington United drew a large crowd. It was the first time in league matches that the two teams had met, and a 2-0 win for Easington resulted. B. Hunter, the Holmpton boy in goal for Skeffling, and B. Cuthbert in Easington’s goal both appeared confident with the shots they had to deal with. After the interval, Easington had the better of exchanges generally but did not use the opportunities presented by a seemingly tired home defence.

A penalty award enabled Sizer to give Easington the lead, but as a result of a mix-up in the home penalty area Piggott (Easington) and Branton (Skeffling) were sent off. Clubley scored Easington’s second goal.

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On 23 January the teams met in the league cup. Skeffling’s fortunes hadn’t improved much in the period since the teams’ last meeting, although a recent 0-4 defeat by Burton Pidsea had largely been attributed to visitors keeper Screeton who’d ‘kept the Skeffling forwards at bay’, with ‘Douglas, West and Lester all prominent’.

The Hull Times of 30 January reported that the cup-tie ‘aroused great interest, especially as Easington’s captain, K. Sizer, a Skeffling boy, was playing against not only other Skefflingites but his own brother!’ According to reports, Ken excelled against his former team mates ‘but after Frank Douglas had cancelled out Piggott’s opener for Easington, the teams were locked 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes’. Due to a late switch of referee for the tie, the official in charge, not realising it was a cup-tie, didn’t enforce extra-time and, following a league enquiry, a replay was set for 6 February. This time the result was emphatic, as again reported in the Hull Times:

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Easington romp home in replay

After building up a 3-1 first half lead in their South Holderness Cup second round replay with Skeffling United, their neighbours Easington United went on to win the match with a comfortable score of 6-2.

The Derby character of the game – only two miles separate the villages – attracted a large crowd of spectators.

Scarcely had the players settled down before Beadle, bursting through the home defence, put Easington in the lead.

Fighting back strongly, Skeffling equalised 10 minutes later when Douglas shot the ball out of the reach of Cuthbert.

Exchanges were fairly even after this and keen tackling was the feature of both sides. Considering the frozen nature of the pitch, control of the ball was remarkably good.

Before half-time A. Piggott, a lively right winger, scored twice for Easington. One was the result of cutting-in, to crash the ball out of the reach of Hunter, the home goalkeeper.

In the second half Easington were definitely on top and K. Piggott (2) and Bromby added further goals.

Skeffling, however, never gave up hope and Gwilliams scored their second goal.

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The teams met twice more before the season’s end. Ken Piggott bagged four of the goals in Easington’s 5-0 home league win before then grabbing a hat-trick as part of a 4-1 win in the Junior Shield. Charlie Hill netted the fourth goal, with Douglas (presumably Frank) replying for Skeffling. Easington would go on to lift the Shield in the league’s final ever fixture.

The Skeffling team that reformed briefly in 1961 to compete in Division 4 of the East Riding County League would wear the famous blue and gold shirts for the final time (by now suitably modified around the collar to give a more modern 60s look). This last Skeffling team included several players who would go on to play for Easington; Brian Biglin, Derek Clubley, Frank Douglas, John Maycock, Eric and Harry Sizer, and Colin Wealleans. They would be followed in later years by Allan Atkinson and the Douglas brothers, Keith and Melvin, each of who would play between 200 and 300 games for the team down the road.

Despite their relatively short existence, Skeffling United was/is remembered with great affection by those ex-players I spoke to. Their final part in the Easington story came on 24 March 2001 when Derek ‘Guv’ Clubley, acting on behalf of its trustees, presented Eastenders secretary Judy Sugden with a cheque for £150.00. The sum was the interest on the £38.00 that had been deposited with the bank back in 1962, following the original Skeffling club’s final season as an active team.

Piece appeared in the Holderness Gazette on Thursday, 28 January