European glamour is irrelevant at Beaver Close
There is no better pastime for the residents of Hampton and Richmond than watching their team in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football. Not even on a cold and rainy Tuesday night when the second matchday of the qualifiers for the next EUROS 2024 are taking place.
Based at the Beveree Stadium, the team was formed in 1921 and since then has always competed in the lower divisions of English football, called ‘non-league’. Since its foundation, the club has been known as “The Beavers”, although the origin of the nickname is uncertain as the rodents have been extinct in the British Isles since the 16th century due to illegal hunting for their valuable pelts. According to local rumours, it could be due to a simple reason: the street where the entrance to the stadium is located is called “Beaver Close”.
This version is supported by Oliver Tudge, a fan who, after finishing his working day in London, travels an hour and a quarter by public transport to watch Hampton & Richmond Borough FC.
He was one of more than 400 spectators on hand for his side’s crucial 3-1 win over Taunton Town on Tuesday. For him, there is nothing quite like going to the Beveree Stadium on a match day, even when there are other games taking place at the same time that could be considered far more attractive, such as Scotland v Spain:
“When people come to non-league football, they always end up staying. It’s something different. I know the players, I have my friends here… Watching the Premier League or Champions League live is very expensive. Everyone knows each other, there is a sense of community. We have everything we want, it’s like a family.”
That homely feeling that Oliver talks about comes out after games in the pub at the stadium. Even more so when the three points are won and the first-choice goalkeeper is celebrating twice over for saving a penalty on his 40th birthday. So after the fans sing happy birthday to him, he offers a piece of cake to anyone who asks.
He is Alan Julian, now the most experienced player at the highest level in the squad having played for Brentford FC and Gillingham FC in League One, the third tier of English football. Despite having had a taste of professional football, he cannot claim to have been capped for his country, something that team-mates Adrian Clifton, James Comley and Brandon Barzey can all claim.
All three play for Montserrat, a small British island in the Caribbean Sea. Now, they are returning to London after two intense CONCACAF Nations League Group B matches against Haití (4-0 defeat) and Guyana (0-0 draw).
Adrian Cliffton spoke to Sports Gazette about his experiences as both a Beaver and an international:
“Playing international matches is a great experience, especially for a country like Montserrat. A couple of years ago we were at the bottom of the FIFA rankings and now we have moved from 206th to 165th place after several important victories.
I’m used to the long journeys to Montserrat (6,646 km) and it helps me to forget a bit about the hectic London life. It’s a shame that the international games are coinciding with the league, as we’ve had some wins in a row and unfortunately I can’t be part of what we’re building in the team right now.”
The Beavers’ main objective this season is to stay in the National League South, the English sixth tier sponsored by Vanarama. And they look set to do just that under Mel Gwinnett, who arrived at the end of January and is delighting the fans.
With him in the dugout, the team managed to make it four league wins in a row this March, something not experienced at Beaver Close since 2018. That run is now five wins in the last six games, after losing 1-0 to Farnborough and beating Taunton Town in the last days.
The wise decision to bring in the coach is attributed to Rafael and Stefano Petruzzo, the club’s owners, who come down to the pitch to congratulate their players after every good result. The Italian brothers acquired the club last December through their investment company Ramayana Ventures Limited and have experience in banking, retail, fashion, sports and technology. Despite initial scepticism from some fans, they seem to be gaining the respect of all Beavers.
“Many were nervous about his arrival. Most of the fans are over 65 and a bit conservative. During their first days in charge, the Petruzzos started to talk about the club as if it was a company and that didn’t go down well because everything here is seen through the prism of the community,” says Oliver.
“They’ve paid for a new artificial pitch, they’ve allowed the kids to come in for free, they’ve brought a good coach and food tracks to the stadium… There are still things to improve and learn, but I love them. They want to take the team into the English Football League divisions (second, third and fourth tier). If they can manage the club in a sustainable way, I think it’s possible.”
For a semi-professional side, Hampton & Richmond Borough FC have the necessary elements in place to try and look upwards in the near future. The good work of the playing and coaching staff is an achievement for the Petruzzos, who fans will be watching closely in the summer to see if they really want to invest in the team and improve their status in English football.
Whatever happens, the important thing is that the London club has a loyal fan base that understands it as a community project and does not abandon it. Not even on the greyest of days, because for them, following Hampton & Richmond Borough FC on the stubbornest of sixth division pitches gives more pleasure than watching a team full of superstars from the sofa at home.
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