TO CELEBRATE the 50th anniversary of the Peter Houseman League there will be a celebratory dinner held at the Apollo Hotel in Basingstoke on February 10, 2018 to mark this milestone.

Tickets are £25 per head and the current committee would be delighted to see ex-players, managers, club officials, referees and even supporters attending the event.

Little did Peter Houseman, a former Chelsea footballer, who moved to Oakley in 1967, realise how much of a legacy he would leave behind.

Initially, he coached local boys in the art of football, but it did not take long before word got around and the numbers attending increased.

Seeking help from other members of the community Peter was able to form a league consisting of six teams.

These were Oakley, South Ham, Wellington, Buckskin, Rotherwick and Worting and the league was called the Basingstoke and District Boys Sunday League.

Sadly in 1977 Peter, his wife Sally and two other friends, we’re tragically killed in a car accident.

However, 50 years on, over 230 teams from nearly 40 clubs are registered to play in the league, now called The Peter Houseman Youth League. It encompasses teams from Basingstoke, Andover, Newbury, Thatcham, Reading and surrounding villages.

If you are interested in attending the Dinner please e-mail, johnmmcbryde@hotmail.com for more information. Closing date for tickets is Friday December 15.