The Early Years
The first official mission was 4th March 2008, Johnstones Paint Trophy semi-final against Morecombe (2nd Leg) on a particularly embracing night. Maurice (President), Neville (Chairman) and the Innkeeper surveyed various locations in search of adopted (to be) bases. The Crows Nest (Balmoral Road) and the Smugglers (Highcliffe Road) were both noted for future inspections. Several were dismissed but the Kingsway Hotel offered excellent shelter, vitals and ‘refreshment’ and would do so for the campaigns ahead. Operational H.Q. was quickly found at Willys (Highcliffe Road) – an excellent local base, serving central H.Q. at Histon. A network of bases had been established; a recruitment ‘trawl’ was launched.
Such was the level of interest and excitement in Histon at the potential of the bright new future, that a hand selected trio were recruited to help consolidate the upper ranks of the movement.
Mr Rule Lawrence (Colonel) and Mr Les Dean (Colonel) were soon to prove the success of the recruitment programme. Mr Reginald Stanley Gilbert Scott (Turncoat aka Reg the Hedge Google for more info) – alas could not sustain his early vigour – but more of the Turncoat later.
The enlarged squad headed for Wembley to watch the Mighty Mariners get mugged by MK Dons. However on manoeuvres afterwards in Ealing and Chiswick, the local populace were incredulous but soon awakened to the potential of the ongoing Mariners movement. Instantly roads were renamed invoking Mariner connections (see photo) and Turncoat Scott ‘carped’ on about establishing a trawler fleet around the Chiswick Eyot – admittedly after a substantial amount of ‘pineapple juice’ and several large ‘tomato juices’ (none of which he paid for himself). The troops had a ‘whale’ of a time in London. The ‘seal’ was set. Duffy’s West London was adopted as the London ‘Bass’, in truth it was the ‘Sole’ candidate.
