Brading Town played their 1st ever Hampshire League game on 1st September 1973 – 50 years ago today.
In their inaugural Hampshire Division 4 match against Sway, the Romans went a goal down before a 32nd-minute strike by Tony Grimwade levelled the score.
10 minutes before full time, Alan Richards sent a header cannoning off the crossbar before poking in the rebound to send Brading Town home to the Island with a 1-2 victory.
The Brading Town team on this day was: Warren, Williams, McDonald, Richards, Simmonds, Sothcott, Snodgrass, Russell. Grimwade, Mursell, Scovell (Knight).
Later the same week, the Romans went on to beat Sandown 0-5 at the Fairway in an all-Isle of Wight Hampshire Division 4 derby. Grimwade was again on target for Brading with a 4-goal haul, and Ian Russell grabbed a 5th for the away side.
On the same day, Newport – then managed by the legendary Roy Shiner – were held to a 1-1 draw by Fareham Town in the preliminary round of the FA Cup. Bob Wakerley was the scorer of the equaliser for the Port. The County Town club went on to win the replay 0-1 with John Jupe scoring the winning goal.
Ryde Sports had an unsuccessful afternoon 50 years ago, losing 3-2 to Moneyfields Sports in Portsmouth despite Bobby Musselwhite bagging a brace for the Reds.
After joining Hampshire Division 4, Brading Town rose up the leagues. By 1977/78, the Romans had achieved the lofty heights of 4th place in Hampshire Division 1.
In 2006/7, Brading Town were promoted to the Wessex Premier League. However, the cost of playing on the mainland proved too expensive and in 2012/13, the Romans returned to Isle of Wight Division 1, where they have remained ever since.
