| League History |
After an initial feasibility study into the formation of an Under 18s youth football league, 9 senior clubs attended a meeting on the 1st June 1987 with 8 committing themselves to the League for the coming season. Officers were duly elected, a sponsorship deal announced and the clubs agreed to play each other four times to ensure sufficient games over the course of the season. It transpired that only 7 teams started the first league season but, despite this depleted start for the League, it still gave rise to concerns in the April over a fixture 'pile up'. This first end of season audit showed a balance in the Leagues accounts of just £280.
By the following year the ranks of clubs wishing to be involved had increased to 14 and an increase in the subsequent season to 18 clubs. Despite now only playing just two games i.e. home and away fixtures, a meeting in March showed clubs playing midweek fixtures in order to complete the scheduled fixtures. Also in this year, an increased sponsorship deal was announced and the name of the League changed to the (Westside) Eastern Junior Alliance.
By 1991 the League could boast 576 registered players and it was during this season that the EJA had the first of many successes in the F.A. Youth Cup, Chelmsford City reaching the 2nd Round and taking Colchester United to a replay before losing to the odd goal. In the following season 1992, with 25 teams taking part, a spell of bad weather caused 140 postponements to fixtures. On the plus side Billericay Town was able to boast of two players to be selected for an England XI in a game against Holland at Leicester City’s ground.
Over the years, EJA clubs have competed in numerous outside competitions with great success. Apart from those very early years, the League consistently attracted around 24 teams each season and was sanctioned by both Essex and Suffolk County Football Associations.
With the coming of the 1994/95 season the League increased in size, with 36 teams taking part and it was during this period that a number of EJA players were selected to represent England Schools under 18's squad.
In season 1995/96 both Basildon United and Wivenhoe Town made it to the F.A. Youth Cup 1st Round with Basildon United winning a replay against a strong Chelsea youth squad before travelling to St. Andrews to take on Birmingham City in the 2nd Round. This was the only game that this Basildon United side lost all season, being undefeated in 24 league matches, two rounds of the League Championship and lifting the League Challenge Cup as well as the Essex County Butcher Trophy.
In fact teams in membership of this League have for the last decade dominated the Essex County Cup competition, with it being the norm for all 8 quarter finalists at under 18 to be EJA teams. More recently the under 16’s have achieved similar success. In season 1999/2000 Hullbridge Sports were the first team to make the 3rd Round proper of the F.A. Youth Cup, hosting Blackburn Rovers at their Lower Road ground.
A major change occurred in the league at the start of the 1996/97 season when many of the founding committee resigned. It was also at this time that an under 16’s section was established and 11 teams competed at this new age group.
Member clubs are now affiliated to Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, London, Middlesex and Bedfordshire County Associations the EJA is now sanctioned by The Football Association itself, rather than any county association.
Since the EJA was formed, several representative games have been played against professional opposition. These games have met with great success and wins against Charlton Athletic, Colchester United and Southend United have been recorded over recent years. In addition a number of professional clubs have seen fit to enter teams into the League, including Colchester United, Leyton Orient and Southend United.
Testimony to the quality and worth of the EJA is perhaps best illustrated by the number of former and indeed current players who now regularly perform at senior level. Others have gained YTS or apprentice places with professional clubs and some late developers or who were studying for exams/university have been signed directly into the ranks of the professional game. Several players in the EJA have been selected for England Schools under 18's, including Greg Dalley of Collier Row who was capped five times. Dominic Ludden signed initially for Leyton Orient before transferring to Watford for £850,000 in season 1995 and was also on the fringes of the England under 21's squad. Neil Harris, formerly of both Great Wakering Rovers and Maldon Town, is now a regular goalscorer for Millwall, whilst Ian Renshaw, from the all conquering Basildon United team, was signed by Stockport County.
Another ex-EJA player to make the grade was Martin Grainger who is the first from the league to play in the Premiership with Birmingham City, whilst Jerome Sobers and Ben Patten were signed from Ford United by Ipswich Town in season 2003/2004.
In addition, the number of former players who regularly feature in senior non-league sides but most notable is perhaps another ex-Basildon United player, Ashley Harrison who kept a clean sheet in goal when Canvey Island lifted the F.A. Trophy at Villa Park in May 2001. He was again in the squad for The F.A. Trophy final in 2003, again at Villa Park, when Canvey Island were second best but had the consolation of winning promotion to The Conference. So on the same weekend that Neil Harris captained Millwall in the F.A. Cup Final, we had another ex-EJA player in another major F.A. final at Villa Park, a feat unlikely to be repeated.
It is to be hoped that the EJA can go on and continue in providing quality players who will not only achieve their own personal ideals but who can also further enhance the senior teams to which they are allied and who will, furthermore, add to the growing reputation of the EJA for the excellent, competitive football on offer.
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