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FRANCESCO APICELLA
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DEFENDER
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187 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 6th March 1983 v. Jolly Butchers (Edmonton Sunday League Division 3 Match
at Bush Hill Park)
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LAST MATCH: 27th February 1994 v. St. Mary's (Mercury Waltham Sunday League Division
5 Match at Hazelwood Sports Ground)
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 PROFILE: Italian sweeper in the Franco Baresi mould, although his tendency to push
up to the half-way line and play the offside trap (accompanied by his catch-phrase
of 'Middle, Middle, Middle, Middle') was risky to say the least ! However, 'Franco'
turned out to be one of Rovers best-ever defenders after finally learning English
sufficiently enough to get by after his arrival from Italy back in 1983, although
he often had to miss matches due to work & family commitments and that was how his
Rovers career finally ended in the early-90's. Still lives in the Edmonton area and
works as an Italian food delivery driver.
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DAVID ASHTON
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MIDFIELDER
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316 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 31st August 1976 v. Cheshunt Youth (Friendly Match at Cheshunt F.C.)
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LAST MATCH: 20th February 2000 v. Astral United (Mercury Waltham Sunday League
Division 2 Match at Hazelwood Sports Ground)
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 PROFILE: It was Dave Ashton who actually founded the club (see Club History) back
in 1976, making his debut in our first-ever match as a 15-year-old. At the time,
he was a Junior on Spurs books but 'didn't make the grade' (which was why he then
became a passionate Arsenal supporter !?), although he then went on to play in Senior
Saturday football with the likes of Cheshunt, Hertford Town & Cambridge City amongst
others. A brief spell of disillusionment with Rovers in the late 70's saw him make
only occasional appearances, but it was throughout the 1980's that he proved to be
a real club stalwart and inspiration with his Graeme Souness-style of play being
perfectly suited for the tough Haringey League. However, a bad lack of fitness and
family commitments forced him into 'retirement' in October 1990 until he got himself
back into some sort of shape to help us out with the occasional appearance or two
during Season 1997-1998 and then a one-off game in February 2000 by turning out against
Astral United, which turned out to be his last ever appearance for the club. Now
lives in the village of Potton in Bedfordshire, but he still keeps in touch now and
again.
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JOHN BEASLEY
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MIDFIELDER
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241 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 15th May 1991 v. Trojans (Pre-Season Friendly Match at Picketts Lock Astroturf)
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LAST MATCH: 9th November 2008 v. St. Margaretsbury (Sunday) (Mercury Waltham Sunday
League Division One Match at Hazelwood Sports Ground)
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 PROFILE: ‘Junior', as he is more commonly known, made his Rovers debut as a 15-year-old
way back in 1991 and played in four other matches before his 16th birthday, all of
them being Friendlies. However, he didn't make his competitive debut for the club
until the start of the 1994-1995 Season (as an 18-year-old), but after that he became
a regular in the side playing in a left-sided midfield role where his skill and ability
(especially his step-over trick) consistently bamboozled defenders. As a teenager
'Junior' played for his School District Team, trained with Wimbledon and played in
the Ryman League with Hemel Hempstead and could easily have gone on to play at a
higher level, but like many other Rovers players he became disillusioned with the
'100.m.p.h. football' and emphasis on fitness required to play at that level and
decided to concentrate on Sunday football instead.
Unfortunately, 'Junior' had to play out of position at left-back for most of the
2004-2005 Season and was also 'forced' to go in goal on some occasions, and that,
together with our relegation from the Premier Division, led to him joining Rolls
Park, a team in the East London Sunday League nearer his home in Woodford for the
following season and he has stayed with them ever since. Occasionally registers to
play for us if we are short and Rolls Park do not have a game, but as the last time
he did that resulted in a disastrous 5-1 Home defeat to St. Margaretsbury, it’s probably
safe to say he has now played his last game for the club.
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STEVE BEASLEY
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DEFENDER or MIDFIELDER
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343 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 3rd June 1990 v. Sovereign (Pre-Season Friendly Match at Picketts Lock
Astroturf)
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LAST MATCH: 21st March 2004 v. Lea Valley Royals (Mercury Waltham Sunday League
Premier Division Match at Wormley Rovers F.C.)
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 PROFILE: The older brother of John, Steve played most of his Rovers career as a
right-footed left-back but unlike some in the professional game who try and do that,
Steve could actually control and pass the ball properly and had a lot more natural
ability, although a bad lack of pace tended to let him down on occasions ! Made
his Rovers debut as an 18-year-old back in 1990 and was as quiet as a mouse when
he joined the club (having been brought along by Russell Beeden), but after getting
used to 'a few beers' on a Saturday night he soon livened up and became one of Rovers
most vocal players on the pitch. That saw him become Club Captain in the mid-90's
and he since went on to become a Club Life-Vice President after serving on the Management
Committee for a number of years. Was within easy reach of Demitrius Nurse's then
All-Time Club Appearances Record when he finally decided to stop playing in March
2004 (having moved to live in Royston near Cambridge), and it was quite likely that
Steve didn't want the 'fame' that achievement would have given him.
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CHRIS BEEDEN
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MIDFIELDER
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93 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 15th May 1991 v. Trojans (Pre-Season Friendly Match at Picketts Lock Astroturf)
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LAST MATCH: 26th August 2007 v. Abbey Youth Old Boys (Pre-Season Friendly Match
at the Ninefields Estate, Waltham Abbey)
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 PROFILE: The younger brother of Rovers' stalwarts Tim & Russell, Chris (otherwise
known as 'Nugget'), was a skilful and creative central midfield player who made his
debut for us just a day after his 15th birthday back in 1991, therefore becoming
one of the youngest players ever to play for us in men's football, but having had
trials for the F.A. National School at Lilleshall he certainly had enough ability
to cope. Unfortunately his Rovers career was stopped in it's tracks by a cruciate
knee ligament injury in March 1995, having only played 55 matches for the club and
that eventually saw him put on weight, adopt the 'England Football Hooligan'-look
and emigrate to Australia for the rest of the 1990's. However, 'Nugget' returned
to England at the end of 2000 and managed to get himself fit enough to make a successful
comeback for Rovers during Season 2002-2003 in which he finished as Runner-Up in
the club Player Of The Year Awards as we finished third in our first season in the
Premier Division. He then decided to concentrate on playing in Senior Saturday Football
for Broxbourne Borough in the Spartan South Midlands League during the 2003-2004
Season though and only played in six matches for Rovers because of that, and then
decided to leave altogether five games into the following season to join his mates
and 'drinking partners' at Division Two side Data. He then gave up playing football
again shortly after that due to social commitments with his girlfriend at weekends,
but he decided to make another brief comeback for Rovers which didn't last for long
and his career eventually fizzled out with a substitute appearance in a Pre-Season
Friendly as injuries and fitness problems took hold again. Definitely would have
played well over 100 matches for the club if it was not for that.
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RUSSELL BEEDEN
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MIDFIELDER
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308 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 6th August 1989 v. White Hart (Pre-Season Friendly Match at Picketts Lock
Astroturf)
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LAST MATCH: 17th April 2005 v. Tolmers (Mercury Waltham Sunday League Division
Four Match (Reserve Team) at Enfield Playing Fields)
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 PROFILE: Made his First Team debut in a Pre-Season Friendly against White Hart as
a 16-year-old back in August 1989 after being brought along to the club by his elder
brother Tim and gradually worked his way into the starting eleven as a forward in
a useful partnership with the equally youthful Conor Mc,Govern in the early-90's.
Russell was never a prolific goalscorer though and towards the end of the 1996-1997
Season, he was moved into a midfield holding role where he was a revelation and a
vital player for the club. Another player with good natural skill and ability, Russell
unfortunately suffered from various injury problems in the late-90's which saw his
weight balloon although a liking for pizzas and cream doughnuts didn't help ! In
fact a persistent problem with a leg infection resulted in Russell being advised
by his Doctor to give up playing football altogether in the year 2000, and after
that he only played in ‘emergencies’, mainly for the re-formed Reserve Team and more
usually as a stand-in goalkeeper, a job he carried out superbly in the League Reserve
Cup Final in March 2004. Russell was also a Management Committee Member from October
1995 until August 2006 and he is also a Club Life Vice-President. He is also 'sort
of semi-famous', having had his name on the credits for numerous T.V. productions
in his job as a programme editor and is more often known as 'Tarby' because of the
gap in his teeth like comedian Jimmy Tarbuck ! Unfortunately, because of his job,
Russell now lives permanently in Manchester while working in the TV industry.
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ADAM BRAMLEY
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MIDFIELDER
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120 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 8th August 1982 v. Beechams (Edmonton Sunday League 'Friendly' Match at
Firs Farm)
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LAST MATCH: 23rd August 1987 v. The Cottage (Friendly Match at the Gosling Sports
Centre, Welwyn Garden City)
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 PROFILE: Chingford-based midfielder Adam made his debut for our 'B' (Reserve) Side
and was a regular for them in his first season with the club, but it was his switch
to the First Team the following season which really saw him come into his own as
one of the originators of the sort of 'Taking the Piss' skill that so many of our
players of the 1990’s were blessed with. However, after five good seasons he suddenly
decided to leave at the start of the 1987-1988 Season to concentrate on playing Saturday
football in the Essex Business Houses League and spending Sundays with his family
(and his guitar !). Was last seen in March 1998 when he turned out for the Edmonton
Rovers Old Boys against the Current Side and was by far their best player on the
day.
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JEROME BURNIKELL
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DEFENDER
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208 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 26th September 1976 v. Arras U-17's (Enfield Youth League Match at Carterhatch
School, Enfield)
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LAST MATCH: 30th January 1983 v. Crown (Edmonton Sunday League Division 3 Match
at Pymmes Park)
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 PROFILE: Made his debut as an over-aged 'ringer' wearing school plimsoles on a pitch
ankle-deep in mud, such was our urgency for players at the time that he was called
up at the last minute and did not have time to go out and find some boots. However,
he shrugged off the resulting 14-0 defeat to become Club Captain when Rovers moved
into the Edmonton Sunday League and indeed Jerome is still the only player ever to
have captained a Rovers side to a Cup Final victory. Formed a successful and long-running
central defensive partnership with Demitrius Nurse in the late-70's and early-80's
until he became disillusioned with the club after a run of poor performances and
left to join rivals F.C. Turin. Is now a qualified referee and mainly involved in
Youth Football.
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KARL CHRISTODOULOU
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DEFENDER
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122 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 7th August 1983 v. Fanfold (Edmonton Sunday League 'Friendly' Match at
Durants Park, Enfield)
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LAST MATCH: 25th March 1990 v. Cheshunt Park (Mercury Waltham Sunday League Division
4 Match at Goffs Lane Playing Fields)
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 PROFILE: Defender of Greek Cypriot & Irish parents who was brought along to the
club by his former St. Thomas Moore's (Wood Green) School colleague Kieran McGregor.
Will always be remembered for his bizarre style of challenging for the ball with
his arms held high above his head (and for the screaming schoolgirls who recognised
him during one Rovers match - he was a Chemistry teacher at nearby Enfield County
School at the time). Now lives in Bedfordshire (married with four kids) and is Head
of Science & Technology at a school in Hitchin. Also still plays 5-a-side in a local
veteran's League.
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TERRY CLARK
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FORWARD
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125 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 28th December 1980 v. Crescent (Edmonton Sunday League Division 5 Match
at Firs Farm)
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LAST MATCH: 14th July 1993 v. Trojans (Friendly Match at Picketts Lock Astroturf)
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 PROFILE: Will always be best known by Rovers players during the early-1990’s for
slicing the ball straight at the camera numerous times whilst playing as a right
winger, but during the 80's Terry was quite a potent striker and he actually finished
as Top Goalscorer by some considerable margin in the 1981-1982 Season. Was always
a real 100% 'trier' and is still keen enough to play 5-a-side regularly up in Ware
even though he is now in his 40's !
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STEVE CRACKNELL
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MIDFIELDER
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136 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 24th August 1980 v. St. Paul's Church (Edmonton Sunday League 'Friendly'
Match at the Barrass Surround)
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LAST MATCH: 24th February 1985 v. Richmond (Haringey Sunday League Division 6
Match at Albany Park, Enfield)
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 PROFILE: Consistent if unspectacular central midfield player for the 'B' (Reserve)
Team throughout their existence during the early 1980's with only 5 Appearances being
made for the First Team. Declined the offer to play for the First Team when the 'B'
Team folded and was not heard of again as far as playing football was concerned,
although he apparently regularly drinks in The Beehive on Thursday nights (according
to his old team-mate Mark Tepper)...not that any of our current players would recognise
him.
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AARON DART
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DEFENDER
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190 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 11th October 1987 v. Goldflex (Haringey Sunday League Charity Cup Match
at Enfield Playing Fields)
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LAST MATCH: 28th May 1995 v. S.V.H. (Belgian Tour Match)
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 PROFILE: Jewish Right-Back (and a keen Spurs supporter - obviously !). Is now a
Rovers Life Vice-President after a loyal career in which he became Club Captain and
served on the Management Committee for a number of years. Was always highly popular
with his team-mates and made up for his lack of height (and ever-increasing waistline)
with 100% effort and determination. Moved to Sidcup in Kent after getting married
shortly after his Rovers retirement and still lives there as far as we know.
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KEVIN DEDMAN
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FORWARD or DEFENDER
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168 Appearances
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FACEBOOK LINK
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DEBUT: 19th September 1993 v. Data (Mercury Waltham Sunday League Roy Bailey Challenge
Cup Match at Hazelwood Sports Ground)
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LAST MATCH: 17th April 2005 v. Tolmers (Mercury Waltham Sunday League Division
4 Match at Enfield Playing Fields)
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 PROFILE: Outrageously gifted left-footed player signed from fellow Mercury Waltham
Sunday League side Lea Valley Royals as a 20-year-old back in 1993 after being brought
along to the club by Life Vice-President Gary Southam's next-door neighbour (and
former Rovers player) Darren Rorie...although he also knew the Beeden's and the Beasley's
from his schooldays anyway. Won the First Team Player of the Year Award in Season
1994-1995 as a defender, but played most of his Rovers career in the 1990's as a
forward, finishing Top Goalscorer on three occasions. However, he left the club towards
the end of the 1999-2000 Season in disgust at some poor team performances (in the
days when most of our current First Team players went down the 'Polo' club every
Saturday night !), but also due to a back injury suffered at work which resulted
in him having to claim Invalidity Benefit, this also being the cause of general fitness
problems which had affected his own game badly during the last few months of the
1999-2000 Season. Suddenly re-appeared playing for Division One side Europa during
the 2003-2004 Season and subsequently re-joined Rovers for a second spell at the
start of the 2004-2005 Season after losing his place in Europa's side. However, he
then decided to move on again following the club's relegation at the end of that
season and has since played for various other Waltham Sunday League sides.
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