History

The Mercury Waltham Football League was founded way back in 1911 as The Waltham & District Football League with the intention of providing ' relaxation for young men on a Saturday afternoon after a hard week's work'. Apart from a break during the First and Second World Wars, the League continued in this form until 1962, when it was decided to form a Sunday section.

The Saturday section folded in 1984 due to a lack of teams, but the Sunday section has continued to flourish. It was at its strongest during the 1970s and 1980s with many of its teams winning Senior County Cup Finals during that time. Matthey Sports F.C., Arras F.C., Town F.C. and Continental F.C. were the League's most successful clubs during this era with Matthey Sports winning the Middlesex Sunday Cup four times, Arras winning the same competition three times and also picking up the Middlesex Premier Cup, whilst Town won the Hertfordshire Sunday Senior Cup twice and Continental the London F.A. Sunday Senior Cup three times.

Undoubtedly the most successful club in the League's history was Arras F.C. During their time with us, Arras amassed an unprecedented eight Premier Division titles, seven Roy Bailey Challenge Cup Final victories and two League Senior Cup victories. They also triumphed in the prestigious National F.A. Sunday Cup in 1977/78 and won a number of County Cup Competitions before sadly withdrawing from the League during the 2001/2002 Season due to a lack of players.

As with most Sunday Leagues, the number of divisions has reduced slightly in recent seasons and there is now just a Premier Division and six other divisions - three divisions less than in the 1980's. However, the League still has a justifiable reputation of being one of the strongest in the South-East of England with a large catchment area covering the likes of Ware to the North, Tottenham to the South, Potters Bar to the West and Waltham Abbey to the East. Because the area comes under four separate County Football Associations, the League is therefore directly sanctioned by the Football Association.

Many of the League's Officers have, over the years, become respected County F.A. members. At present, our League Chairman Fred Beer is a member of the London F.A., and Vice-Chairman & Treasurer Malcolm Miller is a member of the Hertfordshire F.A.

Since the Sunday section was formed, the League's Representative team has had a number of successes in the Hertfordshire Inter-League Cup Competition, whilst numerous clubs have won County Cup Finals over the years. Indeed, five clubs from the League reached County Cup Finals during the 2000/2001 season and two more (Galley Hall & Spennytown) progressed to Hertfordshire F.A. County Cup Finals in the 2001/2002 Season, with Galley Hall winning the Herts. Intermediate Cup. The trend has since continued with Hinton Rangers winning the Herts. Intermediate Cup and Cheshunt (Sunday) reaching the Herts. Junior Cup Final during the 2002/2003 Season and Enfield Rosaneri winning the Middlesex F.A. Sunday Junior Trophy last season (2003/2004).
With some successful teams from other Leagues joining the League in recent seasons and a number of highly promising young sides steadily moving up the Divisions, the Mercury Waltham Sunday League can expect to be at the forefront of receiving further County F.A. Cup Honours for many more years.

ROY BAILEY

After more than 40 years as Mercury sports writer supreme, Roy Bailey died in hospital on Good Friday, 1990, after illness. Roy, who was 67, died of a heart attack in Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield. Born in Wormley, he attended the local school before moving to Waltham Cross, attending the Holy Trinity School. On the death of his father when he was just 14, Roy left school and began work at the now defunct Royal Small Arms Factory.

In 1938 he started a new football club called Crossbrook Sports, which was later to form the basis for the rebirth of Cheshunt F.C. Being in a reserve occupation, Roy was able to carry on running Crossbrook during the war and built up a reputation as a dashing centre-forward, a fact which will surprise many. At the end of the war he decided to resurrect the name of Cheshunt and they were elected to the London Football League. The club changed grounds regularly up until 1949 when Roy helped secure the lease on the present Stadium in Theobalds Lane. Cheshunt celebrated a delayed opening by thrashing Hastings 11-1 and shortly afterwards disposed of Amateur Cup holders, Bromley, in front of an estimated crowd of 6,000. After leaving his post as manager, Roy served with the club as secretary, chairman and president. He also became involved with St. George's Boys Club in Enfield and was instrumental in making them a force to be reckoned with. Many of his protégés later joined Cheshunt F.C. and also Cheshunt Cricket Club, in which Roy was also deeply interested.

A bachelor, he lived with his mother in Cecil Road, Waltham Cross, until her death in 1978. From then on he lived alone. Roy was a professional journalist, sports writer and reporter of the old school; he did not suffer fools gladly. He was greatly respected nationally, and by Tottenham Hotspur Football Club in particular. One word can say it all, Roy was IRREPLACEABLE.

Roy joined our league in 1978, and became chairman in 1985. His service for the league is greatly missed. Roy set up the League sponsorship with the Mercury. Even the meetings of the League under Roy's chairmanship were run efficiently, with friendliness and in such a way that, when difficult decisions had to be made nobody felt aggrieved. Roy was always available to offer advice and assistance to officers of the league and club secretaries. He always insisted that the League be run for the benefit of the clubs and not individuals. His death on Good Friday 1990, leaves a vast gap within the League, and he will be sorely missed for his cheerful manner and pleasant disposition, plus his knowledge of sport.

Roy was a man of his word, offering great vision and integrity. His reports were based on fact as he saw and understood it. His reporting of local sport over some 40 years was unrivalled. Everybody and anybody involved in local sport always made a bee-line for his column in the Mercury. He was at his best when deflating pomposity or encouraging a more liberal outlook from those he considered to carry blinkered views on sort. A tireless worker, his contribution to the promotion of sport generally in the Lea Valley was unequalled. His many friends and colleagues, and sport itself, will be much the poorer for his passing.

Denis Coventry