The 11th March is another day that has seen plenty of action that has been central to the long history of Hendon Football Club, particularly in cup ties that led to eventual silverware as we’ll see.

We begin, however, in 1922 with a home Athenian League match against Cheshunt in which Cecil Wise, Lewis Smith and Travers Day netted in a 3-0 win before another Athenian League match, this time against Walthamstow Avenue, ended in defeat as the East Londoners grabbed the only goal of the game at Claremont Road to return home with the points.

In 1939 Golders Green moved into the last-four of the Middlesex Senior Cup with a 4-0 win over Hoxton Manor thanks to goals from both Boston brothers, Bill and Fred, as well as Jock Ellison and George Bucci although there was less success in the same competition in 1944 as Cyril Goodchild’s goal wasn’t enough to prevent Acton United triumphing 3-1 at Claremont Road.

The club’s first away trip on 11th March came in 1950 back in the Athenian League as two goals from Roy Stroud and another from Ted Owen were enough to win 3-0 at Southall and in a 1961 Middlesex Senior Cup semi-final a goal from Jimmy Quail was enough to defeat Wealdstone and set-up a final against Hounslow Town.

Wealdstone again provided the opponents, this time in the Isthmian League, in 1969 at Claremont Road as two goals from Peter Anderson ensured a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw before goals from John Connell and Tony Bass in 1972 saw the Greens sail into a semi-final appearance of the Amateur Cup against Wycombe Wanderers at Griffin Park courtesy of a 2-0 win over Hitchin Town at Claremont Road.

Glen Swaby was on target in 1978 to beat Hayes in a Middlesex Senior Cup semi-final replay to secure a final spot against Enfield after a 1-0 win and in 1985 as Mikhail Gorbachev replaced Konstantin Chernenko as Soviet General Secretary and leader of the USSR, Croydon dished out a 3-0 beating in the Isthmian League.

A year later in 1986 Mick Kiely was on target but unable to prevent the Greens going down 2-1 to Yeovil Town as the Japanese probe Sakigake flew by Halley’s Comet but there was revenge for the Hendon faithful that made the long trip to Somerset exactly a year to the day after that defeat in an Isthmian League Cup semi-final tie at the same opponents, Kiely again on target in a 2-0 win that also saw Dermot Drummy grab a goal.

Andy Smith grabbed the only goal of the game in 1989 against Bishop’s Stortford at Claremont Road and half a dozen years later in 1995 Phil Gallagher grabbed the goal in a 1-1 draw with Bromley, again at Claremont Road.

A third 11th March match-up with Yeovil Town came in 1997 as the Glovers, led by Graham Roberts and on their way to the title, spoiled Frank Murphy’s first match in charge by winning 3-1, Junior Lewis on target for the Greens on the day that Paul McCartney received a knighthood from The Queen. Three years later in 2000 Marvyn Watson and Paul Whitmarsh grabbed the goals to secure a 2-0 win over Boreham Wood at Meadow Park in the Thameslink derby.

2003 saw goals from Dale Binns and Jon-Barrie Bates beat Hampton & Richmond Borough 2-0 in another Middlesex Senior Cup semi-final to set-up a final against Enfield Town, this as the International Criminal Court held its inaugural session in The Hague and three years later Charlie Mapes was on target in a 1-1 draw against Harrow Borough at Earlsmead.

There was yet more cup success in 2008 as Bromley were beaten 2-0 at Hayes Lane in the London Senior Cup semi-final to set-up a final against Tooting & Mitcham United at Imber Court, Danny Dyer and Lubo Guentchev sealing progress for Gary McCann’s side and seven years later at Earlsmead there was further semi-final success, this time in the Isthmian League Cup as Elliott Brathwaite netted the second half winner against Margate to secure a final appearance against Grays Athletic at Whyteleafe’s Church Road ground. The other goal in the 2-1 win came from a first half own goal.

We end today’s look back in 2017 and a visit to Fetcham Grove in what looked like a crucial relegation 6-pointer at Leatherhead. All looked good at half-time as a Matt Ball goal and calamitous own-goal from Paul Semakula gave the Greens a 2-0 advantage, however they could not withstand the barrage from Jimmy Bullard’s side after the break and three goals in quick succession saw the Tanners grab the points.

Of 21 matches to date on 11th March a dozen have ended in success, including no fewer than 6 cup semi-final wins, three have been drawn and 6 lost. 34 goals have been scored and 20 conceded.