Hendon struggling to find a home

Tooting & Mitcham 1 (Antonio 16)
Hendon 0

WALTER GAMMIE at Imperial Fields

The doors were locked on Claremont Road, the home of Hendon since 1926, ten days ago. The moment had been coming once Arbiter Ltd, the owner, announced that it did not want to continue the support given to the club under Ivor Arbiter, the late chairman. Its closure of the lossmaking bar precipitated the padlocks.

Another of the great homes of amateur football in London has thus been lost. Sandy Lane, the former Tooting ground, had been among them, but the club have been playing at their smart premises since 2002. Hendon have no immediate prospect of a new home of their own. Simon Lawrence, the chairman of the 250-strong supporters’ trust, said that the pressing need was to complete the transfer of the ownership to the trust and to help Wembley FC to bring their Vale Farm ground up to Ryman League standard to secure a settled ground-share.

Hendon will play there in their FA Cup third qualifying round tie against AFC Telford United on Saturday but hope that Harrow Borough will continue to lend a helping hand, as they did in their cup replay victory over Dulwich Hamlet last week.

The season’s other aim is to stay in the Ryman League premier division. Hendon have not been relegated in their 100-year history. They played with spirit on Saturday. Only a miss by Harry Hunt, a post struck by Dave Diedhiou and two good saves by Dave King denied them a goal. The match was won by Michael Antonio,the talented young Tooting striker — and Hendon stayed bottom.