FORMER SPORTS TEAMS: RYDE SPORTS – THE BIGGEST ISLE OF WIGHT FOOTBALL CLUB TO HAVE FOLDED

In a new series, Island Echo takes a look at former Isle of Wight sports teams, and we start with Ryde Sports… In their heyday, the Reds – a club with a 110-year history – were 1 of the ‘big 3′ of Isle of Wight football, together with Newport and Cowes Sports. Among other honours, Ryde Sports were Hampshire League champions 3 times, Hampshire Senior Cup winners twice, Isle of Wight Senior (Gold) Cup winners 6 times (in post-war years), and Portsmouth Senior Cup winners 7 times. They reached the 1st round of the FA Cup, twice. 2 famous footballers are associated with the once proud Isle of Wight club: the captain of Pompey’s league championship-winning side Reg Flewin and the Isle of Wight’s greatest footballer, Roy Shiner. The Reds’ story begins with their founding in 1888. They were one of the 8 original members of the Hampshire League in 1896, twice finishing runners-up in the 1890s. in 1898-99, they came 2nd in the Southern League (South & West section). The following year, the club achieved the Hampshire League and Senior Cup double. Tragedy struck Ryde Sports in 1899 with the death of William Jones at a cup final between Ryde and Sandown at Church Litten after an accidental collision with a goalkeeper. Ryde were at their zenith in the 1930s. However, the decade began badly for the club – who had finished 3rd in the Hampshire League – when they lost a Gold Cup final to lowly Island League village side Bembridge.

It was during this decade that the Reds experienced success in England’s most prestigious cup competition: the FA Cup. The club reached the 1st round proper in 1932-33, going down 0-5 to Margate. The following season, Ryde took on Football League Gillingham at Partlands. Cup fever hit the Island, with Southern Railways running special excursion trains to Ryde St Johns station for the game. The price of train from Newport was a shilling (5p). The demand for tickets far exceeded the supply. A crowd of 5,000 packed into Partlands, paying gate receipts of £189 (£11,000 in today’s values). Sadly, the Reds lost 1-5 on a cool and misty November afternoon to their fully professional opponents. In 1937, Ryde acquired their most illustrious former player – the then 17-year-old Reg Flewin – who went on to captain the Pompey championship-winning sides of 1948-49 and 1949-50.

Another famous Isle of Wight footballer to join Ryde Sports was local lad Roy Shiner, who signed from East Cowes Vics. Roy scored 50 goals in 1 season for the Reds, including the winner in an FA Cup fixture against Southern League Poole Town. Late in his career (1955), Shiner joined Sheffield Wednesday at over 30 years of age, bagging an incredible 93 goals in 153 appearances. In 1938/39, the Reds played in 1 of the strangest Hampshire Senior Cup finals ever, drawing 1-1, 2-2, and 1-1 against RASC (Aldershot) at the Dell in Southampton in front of a total gate of over 10,000. With no penalty shoot outs, the trophy was shared between the 2 clubs. The post-war years were sometimes troubled times for the Ryde, who were relegated to Hampshire Division 3 in 1963-4 and again in 1976-77. During the 80s, the club finished rock bottom of the entire Hampshire League twice, suffering the ignominy of having to apply for re-election.

In 1981, with just £9 in their bank account and an overdraft of £2,500 plus a £3,000 bill for ground improvements, the Ryde committee voted to withdraw from the Hampshire League. However, secretary Fred Wheeler – against all financial logic – somehow fought off the bailiffs and got the decision rescinded, and the club continued to battle on in the mainland leagues. Ryde’s fortunes rose in the 80s with the appointment of fully qualified FA coach Roger North as manager, winning the Hampshire League Division 2 and Division 1 titles at the end of the decade. An offer came from developers to redevelop the Reds’ town centre Partlands ground for housing. Their 100-year-old home was sold, and the side moved to their new stadium at Smallbrook, just outside the town. At first, Ryde’s prospects appeared rosy. The club were accepted into the Wessex League. Legendary Vics manager Graham Daish joined the Reds, hoping to repeat his unparalleled success with the East Cowes side. Ryde became the 1st Island club to pay a transfer fee when prolific striker Mark Deacon was bought from Basingstoke Town for £750.

During the early 90s, Smallbrook hosted numerous friendlies against famous English clubs, including West Brom, Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa, Burnley and Southampton, with 4-figure attendances. The Reds had some Wessex League success in the 90s under manager Denis Probee and 2 of the league’s top scorers in the side: Andy Sampson and Jamie O’Rourke. In their final 2 seasons at Smallbrook, the club finished 2nd and then 3rd. But sadly, the move from the town centre was not a successful one. Ryde had done well without winning any silverware. Smallbrook was often little more than an empty shell, with players frequently outnumbering the fans. In the Autumn of 1997, the Reds – who were rock-bottom of the Wessex League table – suffered a humiliating 6-0 reverse to local rivals Cowes. Then manager, bar manager, and secretary Mark Firman decided to call it a day, and the 110-year history of Ryde Sports came to an untimely end. The club’s league results were expunged. Since that time, there have been successor clubs to Ryde Sports. Ryde ’98 plied their trade in the Island League but folded in 2004. Currently, Isle of Wight Division 2 Ryde Saints play their fixtures at Smallbrook.

In 2021-22 and 2022-23, the County Town club of Newport were based at Smallbrook, before lodging with East Cowes Vics at Beatrice Avenue this season (2023-24). Will Ryde – the most populous town on the Isle of Wight – ever see a football side return to the mainland leagues? In the next edition of former Isle of Wight Sports Teams, we shall take pride in the success and commiserate with the decline of a further Ryde club: the Wightlink Raiders ice hockey team.