On this day: 5th January

Fixtures on this day have not been kind to us in recent years. After losing just twice in the first 12 offerings, we’ve lost four and drawn two of our last six. You have to go back to 1974, for a 1-0 victory over Croydon to find our last victory.

Our most recent game in 2013 against Heybridge Swifts was the last game in a sequence of seven without a win. The duck would be broken a week later against Redbridge, in a 1-0 victory.

It was Redbridge though who picked up three points in 2008 though, as former Stag Jeff Hammond made the most of a lax back pass from Kacey Ashman to roll home a 90th minute winner.

The 1991 game, a 3-1 defeat to Kingstonian was the 8th match we’d lost in a row. George Wakeling had left the club as manager in the summer, taking up the reigns at Bromley. Kevin Moran was teh new man in charge, but the season was one of struggle. By the time we’d lost to Kingstonian, it would take until the 12th of March to pick up another victory, and only one more, on the 13th of April. We eventually finished rock bottom of the Isthmian Premier Division, a level which we’ve failed to return to since.

The tie against Crouch End Vapires was in fact a 4th Qualifying Round London Senior Cup tie, that had gone to a second replay. The first replay was abandoned in extra time due to bad light. Leyton lost in the first round to Old Malvernians.

Football has lost South West Ham and Manor Park, both presumably playing in east London; Leytonstone, who eventually became part of what is now Dagenham & Redbridge; Finchley, who are now part of Wingate & Finchley and Tooting Town are part of Tooting & Mitcham United. Crouch End Vampires continue to play Southern Amateur League football.

Thanks to club historian David Chapman, Charlie Ward and Steve Howe for the compilation of the club’s playing record.