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Club Statement

2/9/2023

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Dear Members and Supporters,

Some of you may have seen a recent article regarding a previous volunteer with the club, Mr Guy Brew.  We can confirm Mr Brew was placed under an FA ban in March 2019, at which time he stepped down from his role at the club.  

Due to confidentiality laws regarding the investigation of police complaints there were no details provided to us regarding the reasons for the ban. The FA ban allowed him to attend matches, but not to be involved in any club administration, and this has been 100% implemented and upheld by the club.  

Since that time there have been no updates or further information provided to us and, until the recent publication of the news article, we were not aware of the nature of this case or even that it was an ongoing matter. Despite this we upheld the ban as we had not been informed of any change. 

We take the safeguarding of our supporters seriously and can state categorically that we dealt with this unpleasant matter completely and exactly as instructed by the Football Association.

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From Last Place to the First Round: How Billy Smith’s Side Defied the Odds and Achieved FA Cup Success.

21/7/2023

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by Zac Welshman 

The dawn of each new season has always bought with it the same familiar emotions; wide-eyed optimism, nervous excitement, and gripping uncertainty to name a few. Most seasons though rarely meet the giddy expectations that fans and players concoct during the summer months. Imagined league titles become relegation dogfights, and fabled cup runs last just 90 minutes. Football rarely delivers. Occasionally though, things fall into place, and for the Corinthian-Casuals side of 1983-84, managed by Billy Smith - an icon of south London’s non-league scene who spent his days working at the New Covent Garden Flower Market - their fantasies became reality as FA Cup triumphs led to the first round proper and the glamour of the football league.
 
The side in question, defined by its industriousness and unity, also happened to contain three of the club’s most famous alumni. Tony Finnigan, a former England youth international whose career was revived at the Casuals before he enjoyed top-flight success at Crystal Palace and Blackburn Rovers. Alan Pardew enjoyed a successful playing career in the First Division/Premier League which paved the way for a lengthy managerial career. And Andy Gray, the last man to have represented both the Corinthian-Casuals and the England team, with a professional career spanning 14 years and three countries, and who upon returning to the club as first-team manager this season, will be looking to emulate Smith’s success.
 
 
There are parallels to Smith & Gray’s appointments. Both took the job without experience in first-team management, and each inherited squads in need of a lift. Smith, appointed in 1981, was greeted by a team that had gotten used to losing, finishing bottom of the Isthmian League Division Two table for three successive seasons, collecting just 51 points and conceding a mammoth 251 goals across that time. For Gray, who returns to the club on the back of its relegation to the Isthmian League South Central Division, the picture looks far less bleak with a group of players likely capable of pushing for promotion, but there is doubtless work to be done and pride to be restored under his supervision.
 
 
It remains to be seen what Gray’s inaugural matchday squad will look like when the season kicks off on 12 August, but it is unlikely to be as raw as Smith’s was. After deciding to clear house in pre-season, Smith culled the existing first-team squad and only Bobby Armitt, who joined the club as a schoolboy in the late 1970s survived. With little to work with, a summer of creative recruitment began and goalkeeper Chris Chapman was bought in as tough tackling defender Colin Coldspring signed from Sunday league football. Striker Bernie Merron and utility man Paul Rulton, made up the rest of the notable signings as a new-look Casuals side achieved a sixth-place league finish in their debut campaign.
 
 
 
And as the 1982-83 season added the youthful flair of Finnigan, Pardew, and Gray, expectations began to rise. An eighth-place finish that year might have disappointed then, but for Smith’s new starlets, development was key. Speaking to the team behind the Broadway to Brazil podcast in 2021, the three recounted their formative years under Smith.
 
 
“Billy was a motivator and, to any player, he never said more than a sentence. I really liked him, that was my kind of management – he was a hard taskmaster, but if you had quality, he expected you to show quality.” Finnigan noted. For Pardew, who joined as a stick-thin 21-year-old, it was the lessons he learned from his teammates that stuck with him throughout his career. 
“It was a real eclectic mix of rough and ready types, lots of banter, and you had to hold your own. It stood me in good stead for later in my career to put up with various jibes that were flying about the dressing room.” 

In Andy Gray’s case, though, it was his time as a teenager under the watchful eye of assistant manager Ron King that stood out.  
“He [King] used to look after me very well – nice guy. He kept me focused and he was a good motivator. I used to work for him, as it goes, as a stencil cutter for Displaycraft in Brixton Hill, but he used to let me get away with liberties because he knew that I had a chance, so he just kept me on the straight and narrow.” 
 
After a forgettable 1982-83 season, Smith’s vision was fully realised in the following campaign. An impressive six wins from their first eight league games signalled the intent, but it was in the FA Cup that his side’s quality really shone through. A routine 2-0 victory over Camberley Town took the Casuals past the first qualifying round on 17 September, and two weeks later, Southall was dispatched in front of just 52 spectators. Isthmian Premier Division side Bognor Regis came next, but their league status meant little as the Casuals secured their first real scalp of the competition in a 3-1 victory.
 
 
By the time Merthyr Tydfil arrived in Molesey for the final qualifying round on 29 October, the cup run had gained traction and with the prize on offer for the winners, Pardew told of the bubbling atmosphere before the game:  
 “I seem to remember a lot of market boys were following us at the time, and Merthyr were a tough team, with a tough group of fans, and it was very boisterous and aggressive.” 

The Casuals ran out 1-0 winners on the day as Pardew scored the only goal, a self-defined “scrappy old tap-in” that sealed the result and with it, an FA Cup first-round appearance for only the second time in the club’s history, and the first since 18 years. Emblematic of the get-your-hands-dirty attitude that filtered through the squad, after crowd trouble followed the match and a clubhouse window was smashed, Pardew was able to put his glazing skills to good use and aid in the restorations.
 
 
“Well, I did repair the window. I think they smashed up a little bit of the internals, the fruit machines or whatever was inside. But yeah, I got the window job. We had to make do and mend in those days.”
 
With Casuals in the hat and the first-round draw made, Fourth Division side Bristol City was confirmed as the opposition. Playing five leagues above Smith’s side and in search of a promotion themselves, Finnigan remembered the media attention as fans counted down the days before the big day.
 
 
“That’s all we spoke about all the time leading up to it, and at the games prior to it. I remember no one could believe it, and it was a massive story in the South London Press, because I used to buy that paper every week.” 

As the Robins descended on Dulwich Hamlet’s Champion Hill ground on 19 November, 52 spectators became 2216 raucous Casuals fans, all desperate to witness a giant killing live. But in the mid-November haze, there would be no fairy tale victory. The Casuals played out a heroic 0-0 draw, summed up by Coldspring playing on after receiving four stitches to the head and earning his side a clean sheet, meaning a reply was needed and the cup run was still alive. 

The rematch at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate would be one step too far for Smith’s team as they lost 4-0, with Gray admitting the players were just “too tired” by the time of the replay. But for the supporters and players of the 1983-84 season, the achievement was in making it this far, Smith and his side had defied expectations and earned their place in club folklore. 
 
An admirable fifth-place finish in the league followed, the highest of Smith’s time at the club. But when changes to the Isthmian League’s rules on ground sharing came into effect the following season, the then nomadic Casuals resigned from the league, a decision that signalled the end of Smith’s tenure as he departed for Dulwich Hamlet, taking many of his players with him. His three-year spell at the club is still remembered by many as a golden era of the modern years, and despite a premature exit, Smith is considered a Casuals legend.
 
 
For Gray, who briefly joined Smith at Dulwich Hamlet before earning his move to Crystal Palace, there is a chance to pick up where he left off and spot the next class of exciting young Casuals talent. Speaking to the club during pre-season preparations, he noted what he would be looking for in his players.
 
 
“Anyone I look at, I’ll see myself in them. The attitude, and the way that they conduct themselves, hunger and a fire in his belly so you can just look in his eyes and know ‘yeah’ when he goes onto that pitch this is a different animal. 
The gauntlet is there for me to say to somebody ‘Surpass what I did, then you’ll be okay.’ It’s a simple brief to anyone with aspirations of getting into the professional game, do better than me. That’s your yardstick, simple as.” 

The Casuals 2023-24 FA Cup campaign will begin in the first extra preliminary round on 19 August, with either Tunbridge Wells or Uxbridge as opponents. For the players it will be a chance to test their metal in  knockout football, for Gray, it will be an opportunity to repeat history, this time from the dugout.   


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Dean Gaynor Becomes First Manager of Reborn Corinthian-Casuals Women

4/6/2023

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Photography by Stuart Tree

Corinthian-Casuals Women are delighted to announce the appointment of Dean Gaynor as our first manager since reforming.
Dean joins shortly after the reformation of the women’s setup at the club and now has the task of putting together a squad ready to join the seventh tier of the pyramid next season beginning with the first set of trials this Tuesday evening.

We caught up with him at King George’s Field, where he took in the surroundings and the history of the club, before telling us how much he is looking forward to getting to work.

Dean, welcome to the club. How does it feel to be named the first manager of the reborn Corinthian-Casuals Women’s team?

Very exciting. I can’t wait to get started. What I’m most looking forward to is getting a team together and getting the mentality right straight away. That’s probably the best thing about being first in the door. I’ve got a clean slate – I don’t have to change anyone’s mindset or anything. I can start from scratch, which is really good.

We’re starting with open trials on Tuesday. What is your approach to building a team?

I need a team with a good spirit, so at the trials I can see what I need, what fits my philosophy, what players I need, and go from there. I believe in attacking football and players that will work hard for each other. I don’t need flashy, “I can do it all on my own” players, because you’re never going to win anything that way. It’s about working together as a team. I like having good, talented players as long as they are part of a team and help push everyone forward. It’s about togetherness – that’s a massive thing in my football teams and something I’ve always instilled. Everyone is one. Even if you’re on the bench and you’re angry that you’re not in the team, remember that when the team wins a trophy, you’re still going to win, you’re still as much a part of it as everyone else. You all have to be in it together.


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​Why did you want to get involved in women’s football?

I have three daughters and I want to show them that it’s not all about men’s football. There is nothing to stop women achieving what men have in this game. I think empowering women is a good thing, and that’s my task. The energy and enthusiasm that everyone in the women’s setup has is only going to help me more, and strive to do good things. I can tell everyone’s really excited and up for the challenge, so it’s really good to be around that.

Have you got a glimpse of this club’s significance on your first visit to the ground?

Yeah, and I want us to bring more history to the club. I want, in a 100 years’ time, people to remember this time. I want to bring more trophies in to this clubhouse, enjoy more celebrations like the ones on the walls here, and I think we can do that. That’s my main aim. Let’s make a mark on this club.

If you’re interested in getting involved as a player or a volunteer at Corinthian-Casuals Women, please contact our general manager Paul Mitchell at mitch@ccfcltd.co.uk

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Malcolm Parker: Covering Casuals

24/5/2023

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by David Harrison 
 
As a difficult season comes to a close it’s a good moment to say thanks to Malcolm Parker who has been writing the Non-League Paper (NLP) match reports for Corinthian-Casuals home games for the past 18 seasons. He’s covered the worst and best of times for the club, from teetering in the depths of lower leagues to James Bracken leading us to promotion to the Isthmian Premier, and now, sadly, relegation. 
 
Malcolm wrote: “My first Casuals match was in 1998 when we were in the Spartan League.  In the early 2000s I was asked by then Press Secretary Rob Cavallini to do some reports for the matchday programme. In the 2004/05 season I was invited to do the home match reports for the Non-League Paper which I have done ever since, missing very few games.” 
 
Due to his tennis commitments Malcolm often arrives at Tolworth only minutes before kick-off. He has to get his report of up to 250 words through to the NLP by 5.30pm. For big games Stuart Tree may add an action photo. 
 
So a quick cup of tea in the boardroom at half-time is all we see of Malcolm. Unusually for a reporter, Malcolm chooses to stand behind one of the goals “near his pals”, rather than sitting in the press box. “When the final whistle blows, I’m off.” He phones the report through from his home nearby. 
 
His best memory? When Corinthian-Casuals won the Surrey Senior Cup in May 2011 at Sutton, beating Leatherhed 2-0 with goals from Dave Hodges and Joel Thompson. 
 
As someone who has stood in for Malcolm on his occasional absence, I can attest that it’s no mean feat to get the report written and phoned in. First make sure you’ve got the scorers right and who assisted – for both sides; then find out other results to see if Casuals’ position in the league table is affected; and even try for a quote from the manager; and all by 5.30pm. Then make sure you get a copy of the NLP on Sunday morning – to find they’ve edited out half your report! 
 
Despite the club’s relegation to the Isthmian South Central League next season we’re delighted that Malcolm will continue reporting. He says that in this lower league the NLP has restricted him to 120 words a match.  “Not sure how I’ll manage but I’ll have a go!” 
 
From all of us at Corinthian-Casuals, thank you Malcolm, for your mighty efforts. 

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Josh Uzun: “It’s A Special Club”

22/5/2023

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Interview by Zac Welshman 
Photos by Stuart Tree 
 
There was plenty to reminisce over at King George’s Field on 6 May. Danny Bracken’s testimonial gave fans and players the chance to catch up with old friends and trade stories of seasons gone by. But perhaps no moment realised the nostalgia around the ground more than when Josh Uzun surrendered his ball-playing duties, donned the gloves, and replaced his former captain in goal. 
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Uzun had already taken the goalkeeping mantle once before after Bracken fell victim to a broken leg at Walton Casuals in the 2017/18 campaign. With the Casuals in the hunt for a play-off place but now without a recognised goalkeeper, the midfielder shouldered the additional responsibility, stepped into goal, and over almost 70 minutes, produced a string of expert stops to keep the score at 0-0. 

Thankfully, the circumstances that surrounded this most recent replacement were far less serious. A wrist injury suffered midway through the second half of his testimonial was enough to force Bracken out of goal, but not enough to keep him off the pitch as fans delighted in seeing their former captain switch sides and try his luck outfield. And while all eyes were on Bracken, many supporters were just as eager to see Uzun reprise his role as emergency goalkeeper, even if, as the man himself put it, “There was a lot less pressure this time.” And this second goalkeeping cameo gave Uzun the chance to reflect on his first foray between the sticks. 

“Obviously Bracks broke his leg after about 20 minutes,” he recalled. “And I’d always messed around in goal, so when James [Bracken] said, ‘Do you fancy it?’, I just said, ‘Yeah, I’ll give it a go!’ But it was horrible. As soon as the whistle went it was just relief. Even though I’m not a goalkeeper, I didn’t want to let the team down.”  

With Uzun standing several inches shorter than his predecessor, there were concerns that Walton would take advantage against the comparatively diminutive keeper.  

“I remember the commentator for the recording said when I was getting my shirt on, ‘He’s a bit small for a goalkeeper!’” 
Despite the early doubts, an inspired performance kept the home side at bay and the result would prove vital as Corinthian-Casuals finished in the play-off places by a single point before ultimately securing promotion, a fact Uzun could only humbly recount by declaring, “It all worked out in the end.” 

His willingness to take one for the team and the performance that followed has given Uzun cult-hero status at King George’s Field, but it’s his outfield successes that remain a talking point for many. Flushed with compliments by sentimental fans during the testimonial, a pre-season hat-trick against Bristol Rovers is often pointed to as an example of his natural talent. 
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“Yeah, I remember that game!” he said. “One was a free-kick on the edge of the box and two were penalties. I’ve not scored many hat-tricks so to do it against a side like that was nice. I’ve never been the quickest or the strongest but technically I’ve always been good, I’m maybe one or two steps ahead of others.” 


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​Uzun’s former manager James Bracken would likely agree with that assessment, as the ex-Casuals boss once allegedly claimed that, if he could, he would field an 11 made up entirely of Josh Uzuns. 

“I’ve heard this before,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s really nice to hear, we spoke before and he told me I had a complete footballing brain. Even in goal I sort of know where to be, so apart from maybe centre-back, I’ve played everywhere for James.” 
It was Bracken who brought Uzun to Tolworth after the pair first worked together for a season at Sutton United, and it’s a decision he’s still grateful for. 

“I know James understood what I’m about, and I’m happy he brought me here because of the people I met, and the memories I have are amazing.” 

Despite departing back in 2018, Uzun is still held in high regard around the club, a fact that was evident from the stands as the fans behind his goal serenaded him once again despite his efforts to keep the man of the hour at bay. 
“It’s amazing, I never really had that anywhere else, that connection with the fans and the players. You don’t get that everywhere, it’s a special club. I’m so grateful, when the boys behind the goal sing your song it just gives you such a buzz and I’ll always be grateful for the support they’ve shown.” 

Although there was no clean sheet this time around, Uzun wasn’t too downtrodden about being beaten by his former captain from the spot with the last kick of the game. 

“It was Danny’s day and I’m happy he scored. I think it would have been wrong of me to save the penalty! When he got it, I thought I’ll stay in the middle, I didn’t want to get dinked or be embarrassed…but I dived late!” 
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Many of those that took to the field during Bracken’s testimonial have unique stories and fascinating relationships with the club. But despite a plethora of available anecdotes, Uzun’s may just top the lot when it comes to originality, and his return to King George’s Field was as entertaining as it was heart-warming. 

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