Stan Burden: Master Captain

[anthony.brown]

From the Hertfordshire Express of 30th August 1930.

Express Pen Sketches
Stanley Burden

Stanley Walter Frank Burden, who has been elected captain of Hitchin's first eleven for the coming season, has had a wide experience as an amateur footballer. He was born at Willesden, but lived in Norfolk, in which county he commenced his education at Paston Grammar School, North Walsham.
At the age of fifteen he played football for a Norwich Club in the Norfolk and Suffolk League, being one of the League's youngest players. He then attended Borough Road College, Isleworth, where he was captain of the soccer eleven. While at the College Burden played for the London University in representative games in the Channel Islands and Brittany; also in Holland, Germany, and Belgium on behalf of the Middlesex A.F.A. After leaving College he went to Watford, where for three years he played for the Old Boys, being captain for the last twelve months.
"Then I joined Hitchin and found my haven of rest", said Burden.
Watford Field School, where Burden is now a master, has produced many famous footballers, including Arthur Grimsdell and Clem Stephenson's brother.
But Burden is interested in other pastimes besides football - on his own admission he plays a nice game of tiddlywinks! As an athlete he ran for Hertfordshire at Stamford Bridge in 1927, 1928, and 1929, and also in various county meetings. In 1929 he broke the county record for the long jump. He is also an excellent sprinter. He has played tennis for Watford in the Herts County League.
Burden tells me that the Hitchin ground is as good as any amateur ground on which he has played. The game he has enjoyed best of all was when Hitchin played Ipswich in the A.F.A.Cup last season.
In a match Burden is always a hard worker, whether playing at centre-half or right-half, but this week he has found a novel way of spending his vacation; he has been helping trainer Amos to prepare the ground for Saturday's match. He has been very busy cutting the grass, and thanks to the efforts of Amos and himself the ground is in fine condition.

[Chris_N]

Photo of Stan Burden:

Burden, Stan.jpg (20.43 KiB) Viewed 1375 times

[RST]

Our next team bonding event clearly needs to be a Tiddlywinks tournament!