​We are sorry to report the passing of League Vice-President and HSBC stalwart Dave Pauling. Dave played as a goalkeeper for Midland Bank, becoming Match Secretary in 1980. He would hold that position until 2000, having joined the League Management Committee in 1992 as Match Secretary for the minor sections. Upon handing over his Midland Bank duties he became Match Secretary for sections of the League.

Dave was a cheerful man who brightened many a League or Club meeting and his work for the SAL was second to none.

He will be sorely missed and we send our condolences to his friends and family.

RIP Dave.

We are sad to belatedly report the passing of Jock Henderson of Old Wesminster Citizens in May. Jock, whose name was synonymous with Old West Citz, made his debut for the club in 1955 and was into his seventies before he played his last game. His passion and devotion to the club was there for all to see and being based in Newcastle for a while did not stop him turning out for the club every weekend. Jock also planned his business trips abroad to ensure his weekly fix of wearing the black and gold halves was unaffected. He played during the club's halcyon days from the late fifties through to the early seventies being part of many trophy winning sides. He was also a member of the Vets team that won the first ever AFA Veterans Cup in 1978, beating Carshalton 3-1 at the Nat West ground in Norbury.

Jock was club secretary and chairman for many years and helped run pretty much every XI at some point or other. He always had his boots in his car and if he didn’t have a game he would look at the fixtures and figure out which team might struggle to field a side and make his way there. In fact, aged 70, he went to watch the 1st team play at Lloyds and they were a player short. Out came the boots and Jock was asked to play up front alongside a 16-year old making his debut. Jock decided at one point to come back and help his defence but unfortunately conceded a penalty. He was politely asked if he could refrain from coming near the penalty area and concentrate on being a nuisance at the other end of the pitch. A week later he turned out for the 6th XI against the same opposition. One of their players was aware he had played for the 1s the previous week and jokingly claimed he was a ringer!

Many of you would have come across Jock in his role as discipline officer at the AFA but it was his love of Old Westminster Citizens for which he will be best remembered. He was asked many times why he wasn’t married (he was, eventually, in 2017) but the club was the love of his life and his 70-year association with the OWC is testament to that.

​Following Special General Meetings held on 30 July, we are proud to announce the merger of the Amateur Football Combination and the Southern Amateur League, effective for 2025/26 season.

​We are sad to report the passing of Southgate Olympic’s Brian Mead away after a long illness. Brian played for the 1st XI for many years and was a member of the AFA Senior Cup and Middlesex Cup winning sides of the early 70’s. He first played for Olympic in the early 60’s and continued playing until the mid-80’s.
He was an old school centre forward and as much a character on the pitch as he was afterwards in many opposition club houses. Those of you that played against him may still be carrying the bruises!
​
Brian's funeral will take place at 4pm on Tuesday 5th August at New Southgate Cemetery and Crematorium, Brunswick Park Road, New Southgate N11 1JJ.

After the service there will be a gathering to remember Brian at Enfield Golf Club, Old Park Road (South), Enfield EN2 7DA.

It would be great to see ‘old’ opponents on the 5th to celebrate Brians life. If you would like to attend please email Roger Philo so that we can inform Brian’s family.

We are sad to report Alexandra Park President, Bryan King, has passed away. He died peacefully in the early hours of Sunday morning, 13 July, with his beloved daughters at his side.  

He was a football and cricket club stalwart for over 60 years, Bryan's support at events across the whole spectrum of Club activities was so special throughout his long tenure as President from 2011-2025. 

Bryan’s funeral service will take place on Wednesday 6 August 2025 at 2.00pm at Harwood Park Crematorium, Watton Road, Stevenage, SG2 8XT.  Friends from the the SAL and AFA communities are invited to attend.

After the Service the family have arranged for a farewell gathering at The White Horse Hotel, Hertingfordbury Road, Hertford, SG14 2LB

IMPORTANT: Please indicate to Bryan’s daughter, Ruth, if able to attend and would like to join the post-match gathering on [email protected]

​We are sorry to report the passing of League Vice-President Mike Redhouse of the Bank of England club, today. Mike was a member of the League Management Committee, serving for nearly 40 years as Match and Referees Secretary.
He played his first game for the Bank on 6th December 1956 and continued playing until the early 1990s. He played for every team in and in every position, scoring over 500 goals. He was captain and vice captain of the 3rd and 5th XIs. He joined the club committee in 1964 and was chairman for 10 years. An immense contribution.

In addition to his administrative contributions, Mike was a tremendously kind man who welcomed new members to the committee with open arms and had a mischievous sense of humour, to boot. He will be sadly missed by all involved with the League.

Our thoughts are with his family, friends and footballing associates at the Bank and beyond, at this time.

We are saddened to report the passing of Winchmore Hill stalwart Chris Langford (pictured) Monday 23rd December 2024, aged 78.

Chris was a familiar figure at the club throughout the year, involved with the cricket section as well as the football section, and will be known to many around the SAL and AFA. He was responsible for the weekly programmes the club produced for many years, and was a supporter of league and AFA representative football, also.

Our thoughts are with Chris' friends and family at this time. Funeral details will be published on the Winchmore Hill F.C. website in due course.

For a full review of Chris' involvement with the club, please visit the website.

The Arthurian Southern Amateur League Representative Team take to the field next Tuesday, 26 November, against the Arthurian ​ League at Maccabi London in Arkley. The game is the first in this season's Argonaut Trophy where the best players in each league battle it out for the title.

The Arthurian League come into the game fresh from their UEFA Regions Cup adventure where they narrowly missed out on qualifying for the final tournament, finishing unbeaten in the qualifying group in Finland. They qualified for this by winning the FA Inter-League Cup with a 1-0 win against the West Yorkshire League at Lincoln in May.

​The SAL won the competition at the first attempt in 2008, and have come close on several occasions since while the third team in the tournament - the Amateur Football Combination - have reached the semi-finals twice, so this competition will showcase some of the best amateur players in England.

Mike Brazier, founder and long-time goalkeeper for East Barnet Old Grammarians, died on 26 August at the age of 93.

He set up the football club with friends after leaving school and they made their debut in Division 2 North of the Old Boys’ League in the autumn of 1948 and won that division in their second season. They climbed steadily up the ladder, reaching the Premier Division and winning the championship for the first time in 1957/58. A second title followed in 1959/60, by which time they had four teams, each of which won their league title or finished runners-up.

Mike appeared no less than fourteen times for the League representative team and served with distinction on the League Committee. What he lacked in height as a goalkeeper he made up for in strength, sure handling and intelligent use of the ball. In the mid-1960s his first-team career was drawing to a close and he played six seasons for the 3rd team, including 1967/68 when they won every single game in Division 2 North and 1970/71 when they claimed the Division 1 North title. Remarkably, now in his forties, Mike was recalled to the 1st team who won the Premier Division Championship for the third time in 1971/72.

In 1977/78 the club made the move to the Southern Amateur League and the following season Mike was part of the 3rd team that won their division. In 1980 he celebrated his 1,000th game for the club, playing against a representative team that included all four of his sons. His remarkable achievement was celebrated by Brian Moore on ITV’s flagship football programme, The Big Match. All four of his sons would go on to play for the club for many seasons.

Mike continued to play an active part in the club’s activities throughout the decades, even once he had stopped playing regularly. He continued to remain fit, running four marathons from his fifties onwards, and played in East Barnet colours in every decade from the 1940s to the 2020s. At the age of 92, and now suffering from dementia, he characteristically dived for the ball despite having promised his son he would not.

He considered the pitch at East Barnet as his spiritual home,  the wake after his funeral on Thursday 12th September will be held in the clubhouse.

Mike's family have provided the following details for his funeral and wake:

Thursday 12th September 11:30 am

West Herts Crematorium
High Elms Lane
Garston
Watford
WD25 0JS
 
And afterwards at:
 
East Barnet Old Grammarians FC
Alan Drive
Barnet
EN5 2PU