Middlesex Wanderers Association Football Club Tour to Japan 2005

The tour to Japan in 2005 was the eighth visit to that country. Previous to that was the Leslie Taylor Memorial Tour in 1990 by which time 30 matches had been played, 12 of them against the national team which the Wanderers won six and lost three. The last match against the national team at Nagoya in 1990 was drawn 1 – 1. Since then immense strides have been made in the standard of football both domestically and on the international stage. Following the euphoria of winning the bronze medal in the Mexico Olympics in 1968 there was concern about the slow progress that the game was making. This led to a meeting of the leading figures in the J. F. A. who formulated a strategy for the future. A fundamental part of this was the establishment in 1993 of a professional league - the J League - and the adoption of tram names associated with towns rather than companies with the aim of making them community - rather than company based. To build for the future a J Academy was established to promote the game amongst the young. The outcome was a surge in popular support and an improved standing for the national team in world rankings. The country received the ultimate accolade by being chosen to co-host the World Cup in 2002.

The possibility of this memorable tour was initiated in Tokyo by Chris McDonald and negotiations were finalised at a meeting in London in October 2004 between Junji Ogura, Vice-President of the J. F. A., Tony Fay, Club Chairman and Brian Wakefield. Consideration was given to the level of opposition to be provided. On previous occasions matches had been played against the national and representative teams and major clubs. Both the J. F. A. and the Club felt that such opposition would now be too strong. The three fixtures were intended to provide a similar level of ability - they were against a Hyogo Representative X1, a Shimizu S-Pulse X1 and the Japan Universities.

Throughout its history the Wanderers have applied the same criteria when selecting squads to represent them. Players must be of good standing - from 1912 a requirement was that they must have gained representative honours, a feature that applied until the demise of senior amateur football in 1974 - but, more importantly, they must be of ‘good character’ and committed to promoting the Club’s ethos. Even in the professional era those selected never receive any remuneration and everyone is expected to make a contribution towards the expenses of the tour.

Historically there have always been selection problems. Pre-1974 a Wanderers’ tour often clashed with an England or F. A. tour which meant that the likes of Lester Finch and Charlie Mortimore never toured with the Club. Post-1974 most players were contracted to clubs who were not always sympathetic towards the Wanderers. In 2005 the problem was compounded as the dates of the tour coincided with the Football Conference play-offs which meant that players from several clubs could not be considered. After much tribulation within the Selection Committee a representative squad was chosen that included two England and two Welsh Non-league Internationals and three players from Queen’s Park, who had just completed their most successful season for many years finishing fourth in the Third Division of the Scottish League.

Seven of the squad had represented the Club previously. It was:

S.M. Ward - Canvey Island (Captain)
C.P. Baker - Southport
A.R.D. Boot - Dagenham & Redbridge
R. Clark - Queen’s Park
J.R. Day - Welling United
S.T. Dickinson - Southport
F. Duku - Lewes
G.P. Evans - Caersws
L.D. Flynn - Dagenham & Redbridge
L.J. Goodwin - Dagenham & Redbridge
O.T. Jones - Bangor City
J.D. McDougald - Canvey Island

The senior members of the party were:

A.W. Fay - Tour President
K.T. Masters - Secretary
M.J. Webster - Treasurer
J.B. Wakefield - Vice-Chairman
E.J. McCluskey - Team Manager
T.E. Moore - Coach
A.H.F. Perkins - Assistant Manager
D.G. Lawson - Physiotherapist
A.J. Leather - Executive Committee
D.J. Palmer - Executive Committee
R.F. Leader - Sponsor

A Wanderers’ touring party generally meets for the first time just prior to leaving the country but in this instance there was the opportunity to gather 24 hours beforehand. The Football Association had accepted an invitation to play a match to celebrate the Club’s centenary and this was conveniently arranged for the day prior to leaving for Japan. Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club kindly offered their ground for the match. All those selected for the tour played at least part of the game and it gave not only the players but Eddie McCluskey the opportunity to become acquainted. The outcome of the match was a win for the Wanderers by 2 goals to 0 with Graham Evans and Carl Baker scoring.

Following a night’s stay at a Heathrow Hotel the party attended a formal reception at the Japanese Embassy where the party was received by the Deputy Ambassador, Hiroyuki Kishino, who expressed his gratitude to the Wanderers for their contribution and development of football in Japan and wished the party a successful tour. Tony Fay responded on behalf of the Club.

Whenever the Wanderers have visited Japan they have always received a warm and hospitable welcome and this tour was no exception. To allow the party to experience various parts of the country the matches were played in three towns - Kobe, Shimizu and Tokyo. In each location there was excellent accommodation - that in Kobe was used by Sweden during the 2002 World Cup and in Shimizu the party was accommodated at the National Training Centre which was used by Russia at the same time. The training facilities used prior to each game were excellent - in Kobe the squad trained at both the training centre used by England in 2002 and at Kobe University in the stadium that hosted the 1985 World Student Games; in Shimizu the facilities on site were used and in Tokyo the Yokohama Country and Athletic Club, founded in 1868 and the oldest club in Japan, where the Wanderers were guests for the day. There were receptions in Kobe, hosted by the Hyogo F. A., and Shimizu, hosted by Yohei Suzuki, the owner of Shimizu
S-Pulse.

To ensure the arrangements went smoothly the party was accompanied throughout by Hideaki Shibuya, a member of the International Committee of the J. F. A. He soon became an integral part of the party and at the conclusion of the tour was elected an Honorary Overseas Member of the Club in recognition of the part that he played in making it a success.

The first match was played against a Hyogo Selection comprising amateur players within the prefecture. It was played in the Wing Stadium in Kobe which was built for the World Cup with a retractable roof. Unfortunately Lee Goodwin was injured during training and was not fit for any of the three games. He was due to play a pivotal role in the centre of mid-field and his absence was a major loss.

The team that started the first game was:
Ralph, Ward, Reilly, Sinclair, Flynn, Clark, Southam, Day, Mackail-Smith, Wareham and McDougald.
Substitutions: Evans (for Wareham after 54), Saunders (for Mackail-Smith after 54), Jones (for Ward after 86), Stadhart (for McDougald after 89)
Substitutes not used: Dickinson, Boot, Duku, Baker.

The Wanderers did well to recover from a 0 – 2 deficit but having equalised with goals from Evans and McDougald should have taken the lead when they missed a penalty in the 80th minute (having missed one earlier when the score was 0-2). Ralph made two fine saves in the final stages to avert a defeat.

The game against Shimizu S-Pulse was played in the Nihandaire Stadium before a crowd of approximately 5,000 most of whom were young soccer enthusiasts. As the opposition had played a J League match the previous day their squad comprised those who had not played in the game together with reserve team players.

The Wanderers’ starting line-up was:
Dickinson, Ward, Sinclair, Duku, Flynn, Baker, Jones, Southam, Saunders, Evans and Boot.
Substitutions: Mackail-Smith (for Boot after 55), Reilly (for Duku after 57), Day (for Saunders after 60), Clark (for Baker after 67), McDougald (for Evans after 70), Stadhart (for Southam after 80), Wareham (for Jones after 84), Ralph (for Dickinson after 89)

A goal was conceded after 20 minutes through slack defending but Jones equalised ten minutes later. Further poor defending cost a further goal before half-time. Although Southam equalised with a spectacular shot from the edge of the penalty area shortly into the second half S- Pulse scored twice within five minutes mid-way through the half and were worthy winners.

The final game against Japan Universities was expected to be the most difficult - two of its squad had already played in the J League and five had played for Japan at Under 20 Level. Moreover, the team had won the two previous World Student Games tournaments and were now in full training for this year’s competition in the autumn in Turkey. The match was played in the Nishigaoka Stadium in Tokyo before a crowd of about 1500.

The Wanderers starting line-up was:
Ralph, Ward, Sinclair, Reilly, Clark, Stadhart, Baker, Southam, Day, Evans and Mackail-Smith.
Substitutions: Flynn (for Ward after 45), Duku (for Sinclair after 45), Jones (for Stadhart after 48), Wareham (for Evans after 50), Saunders (for Mackail-Smith after 63)

The Students adapted better to the blustery conditions and their 3 – 0 win was a fair reflection of the balance of play.

Although the results overall were disappointing the standard of the opposition had been gauged correctly. An attempt was made to play positive football which meant that all the matches were good spectacles and played in typical Wanderers’ style. The crowds particularly appreciated the distribution of footballs prior to kick-off and the singing of ‘The Lamb’ at the end of each match.

Vice-President Chris McDonald, who is also an advisor to the J. F. A.., first became acquainted with the Wanderers when they visited Japan in 1967. He has entertained the tour party on every subsequent visit, generally at his home, but on this occasion the Wanderers were part of an impressive guest list at a party that he hosted at the prestigious Tokyo City Club. It included leading figures in the J. F. A., diplomats from several embassies including four ambassadors, Masaki Orita, the former ambassador in London who presented the Club with his commendation in 2003, Kinishige Kamamoto, the star of the team that won the Bronze Medal in Mexico who played against the Wanderers in 1967 and 1969, and Leslie Mottram, a Scottish Football League referee engaged by the J. F. A. to assist the development of referees who was particularly keen to meet the Queen’s Park Players in the party.

Four members of the party had visited Japan with the Wanderers previously - Tony Fay, Terry Moore, David Palmer and Brian Wakefield. All agreed that Japanese football had made remarkable progress since their previous visits. The evidence of this was the considerable improvement in facilities - every playing surface, even for training, was in pristine condition; the standard of football at every level had improved dramatically and the consequences of coaching at an early are now being realised - the party was very impressed with the individual skills and team-work of the two teams of twelve year olds that played prior to the match against Shimizu S-Pulse. The enthusiasm of the crowd at the game with its banners, chants and drums was an indication of the ‘football fever’ that now exists within the country.

Despite the dramatic changes that have occurred within such a brief time one thing has remained constant - the Club’s close relationship with the Japanese Football Association whose generosity enabled the Club to celebrate its centenary in such grand style. Special mention should be made of Tadao Murata, a former General Secretary of then J. F. A., and the President of the Hyogo F. A. who hosted the stay in Kobe, and Junji Ogura, Senior Vice-President of the J. F. A. and Executive Committee of both F. I. F. A. and the Asian Football Confederation, who was instrumental in making the arrangements for the tour and who was with the party at every location.

As a token of respect for the Wanderers the J. F. A. hosted a lunch for the officers at their headquarters. The President Saburi Kawabuchi, one of the prime movers in the revitalisation of Japanese Football, welcomed the guests: Tour President Tony Fay responded and gifts were exchanged. Others present were Takea Hirata, the General Secretary of the J. F. A., long-established friends of the Wanderers Ken Naganuma, a former President, and Shunichiro Okano, President and member of the International Olympic Committee who was coach to the national team when the Wanderers first visited Japan, Vice-President Sonkyo Nomura, Hideaki Shibuya and, of course, Junjo Ogura. After lunch the quests were given a conducted tour of the J. F. A. Museum. Although much is devoted to the J League and the 2002 World Cup competition one of the first exhibits on display in a prominent position is
a Wanderers’ shirt signed by the squad. Such is the reputation of the Club in Japan.