
Royal Marines Football
"Corps football whats it all about"

Former Players Stories
Lenny Anderson 1961 - 1969
By RMFA Historian Shaun Foster

1968 Inter Commands Winning Captain, Marine Lenny Anderson
Lenny Anderson was born in Douglas Isle of Man In 1944 and joined the Royal Marines in 1961 arriving at RM Depot Deal and joining 770 squad. Prior to joining up he played football for Plymouth School Boys.
During his military career Lenny served & played for 42 Commando, 43 Commando, 45 Commando & 40 Commando in Singapore whilst also representing the Royal Marines, United Services League representative team, Royal Navy & Combined Services, he also represented the Army & Combined Services whilst stationed in Aden. Lenny also played civilian football for Truro City & Wadebridge Town.
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In 1965 Marine Anderson won the USMC Challenge trophy more commonly known as the Tunney Cup after it was presented to the Royal Marines in December 1928 by Captain Gene Tunney USMC & heavy weight boxing champion of the world 1926-1928.
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Lenny names the following players as some of the best from his playing days, Davey Hunt, Ray Johnston, John Riley, Tony Higgins & John Bickford.

1965 Tunney Cup Winners 43Cdo RM (Bickleigh Bks Plymouth) beat ATURM 3-1
43Cdo goal scorers (Hardy, Anderson, Quinn)
Back row L to R C/Sgt Ken Bashford, Pompey Weaver, TBC3, D William's, Dusty Miller, Thornly? , Chic Torrence, Bernie Quinn
Front row L to R M Murray,, W Barr, Lenny Anderson, M Hardy, J Riley, TBC14

1966 Royal Marines Football Team
Back row L to R Captain John Brown (Chairman), lieutenant V Henry, Captain Ron Woodruff (Secretary), Demery, McKenna, Tony Higgins, Clithloe, Lenny Anderson, John Ellis (Coach), Johnny Scott (Trainer)
Front row L to R John Riley, Davey Hunt, Stuart Lindsay, Towse, Jackie Freeman (Capt), Richie Wassell, Buck Taylor, Curly Barlow.

1965-66 Inter Service Winners Royal Navy FA.
Back row L tor R Hunt, TBC2, TBC 3, TBC4, Brian Crawford, TBC6, Geof Atkey, Chief PTI Bob Mitchell
Front row L to R TBC9, Lenny Anderson, Trevor Salisbury, Jimmy Coates, TBC13
In 1968 Lenny was instrumental as Captain of the Royal Marines team leading them to victory in the Inter Commands final. Having lost to Portsmouth Command in the previous 3 finals 1965/66/67 the two teams met once again at the Victory stadium Portsmouth and it was the Corps team who denied Portsmouth a 5th tournament win in 5 years when beating them 4-1 with goals from Curly Barlow, Len Anderson (pen), Richie Wassell & Stuart Lindsay. It was to be the final game for retiring RMFA Chairman Captain John Brown RM & RMFA Secretary Captain Ron Woodruff who were two instrumental figures in Corps football.

1968 Inter Commands pre match hand shake Marine Lenny Anderson (10)
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Quote from the match report "Portsmouth, although high riding leaders of the Hampshire league Div 2, played second fiddle to a Corps side driven on relentlessly by hard working skipper Lenny Anderson who was an inspiration to his men both in defence & attack'.

1968 Inter Commands Winners Royal Marines
Royal Marines 4 (Barlow, Anderson (Pen), Wassell, Lindsay) Portsmouth Command 1
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Back row L/R Capt Woodruff , Johnny Scott, Archie Houston, Geordie Kirtley, Tony "Buck" Taylor, Roger Prescott, TBC, Dusty Miller, Dod Malhan, Williams, Capt John Brown, John Ellis (coach). Front row L/R Josh Holly, Stuart Lindsay, Richie Wassell, Lenny Anderson (Capt), Davey Hunt, Curly Barlow.

1968 Royal Navy Inter Services team v RAF 27/03/1968.
Standing L to R John Ellis RM, Curly Barlow RM, David Roberts, Jock Currie, Brian Crawford, Mick Rogers, Geoff Atkey, Derek Godwin (Capt), Lt Cdr John Ennis (RNFA Secretary).
Front Row L to R Josh Holley RM, Sammy Malcolmson, Terry Lowdnes, Lenny Anderson RM, Glyn Pughsley.
There was one change against the Army, Davy Hunt RM replaced Curly Barlow as reserve.

1968 Inter Services (Singapore)
Royal Navy 5 (Titchener 3, Pugh, Best) Army 1.
Standing L to R Sgt John Ellis RM (Coach), Mne Elliott RM, Mne Lenny Anderson RM (Capt), C.P.O Jones, M.E. George Welsh, APP Titchener, R.E.M Pugh, Mne Woodward RM, Sgt Tony Higgins RM, Johnny Scott RM.
Front row L to R Mne McKenna RM, LCpl Best RM, Mne Murray RM, A.B Flemming, Mne Ray Johnston RM, Sgt Jackie Freeman RM (Assistant Coach)

1972/73 Wadebridge Town F.C Winners of the Cornwall Charity Cup
Back row L to R R Radford (Manager), B Chapman (Capt), Lenny Anderson, J Parker, P Neale, A Gilroy, L George (Hon. Secretary)
Front row L to R D Blewett, D Ferrett, D Hayden, D Francis, M Dingle, M Mullis.
Team Sheets from various teams Lenny has represented
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10th Feb 1964 Royal Marines 1 (Mne Josh Holly), Portsmouth FC 2 played at RMB Eastney Portsmouth
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The Team
Mne Hemmings (ATURM), Sgt Newton (ATURM), Mne Taylor (RMB Eastney), Mne Davey Hunt (43Cdo), Sgt Johnnie Bickford (41Cdo), Cpl Tony Higgins (ITCRM), Cpl Jackie Freeman (RMB Eastney), Cpl Willie Turnbull (Depot RM Deal), Mne Lenny Anderson (43Cdo), Mne Dod Malhan (Depot RM Deal), Mne Austwicke (RMB Eastney).
Second Half Mne Josh Holly (Eastney, Cpl John Ellis (Depot RM Deal), Mne Weston (RMB Eastney).
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16th May 1966 1930Hrs Kick Off Combined Services v England Amateur Xl played at Leytonstone FC ground.
Combined Services Squad
GL - SAC. Piggott RAF Leconfield
RB - AB. C Gray RN HMS Excellent
LB - Capt. J Harding Army R.A.E.C
RH - L.Cpl. S Morton Army S.E.M.E Bordon
CH - Fl. Lt. A Menzies RAF Chessington
LH - LREM. N Stacey RN HMS Hermes
OR - L.Cpl. L Forrester Army 24th Signal Regt
IR - R.Mech. C Brown RN HMS Sirius
CF - LREM. P Greenwood RN
IL - L.Bdr. J McQueenie Army Para Regt Aldershot
Ol - Cpl. B Smith RAF Swanton Morley
Reserves
GL - AB. T Salsbury RN HMS Daring
BK - Sgt. J Keenan Army Army Depot A.C.C
H - Cpl. K Tebbutts RAF Brize Norton
F - Mne. L Anderson 43Cdo
Team Manager - Lieutenant Commander J.F. Ennis RN
Coach - CPO. W Mitchell RN
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25th April 1967 1930hrs Kick Off, Combined Services v Kingstonians F.C played at Kingstonians FC ground, Richmond road Kingston Upon Thames.
Combined Services Squad
GL - SCA. K Carswell RAF Digby
RB - AB. C Gray HMS Juno
LB - Fg Off. R Ramshaw (Capt) RAF Cosford
RH - Fg Off. R Unwin RAF Waddington
CH - Cpl. A Harker RAF Topcliffe
LH - Mne. D Hunt 41 Commando
OR - Mech. L Shelton HMS Scarborough
IR - Mne. L Anderson 43 Commando
CF - PO. R Wilkinson HMS Vernon
IL - Fg Off. C Riley RAF Upwood
OL - LAC. W Farmer RAF Finningley
Reserves
Mech. T Spilsbury HMS Dolphin
Flt Lt. R Menzies RAF Chessington
PO. D Blandford RN Sch of PT
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1967 Corps Squad (Globe & Laurel April 1967)
The Royal Marines squad
McKenna (Deal), Jackie Freeman (Eastney), Underwood (Deal), Lenny Anderson (Plymouth), Towse (Deal), Demery (41Cdo), Richie Wassell (41Cdo), Taylor (DPRORM), Barratt (Eastney), Hardy (43Cdo), Davey Hunt (41Cdo), Tony Higgins (ITCRM), Riley (43Cdo), Smith (41Cdo), Best (41Cdo), Stuart Lindsay (ITCRM), Curly Barlow (Deal), Woodward (43Cdo), Kerr (ATURM), Clitheroe (Eastney).
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Wednesday 29th November 1967 Royal Navy v FA Amateur Xl at Fratton Park Portsmouth
Royal Navy Squad
1. EA. M Rogers HMS Collingwood
2. Lt. David Roberts HMS Ganges
3. REA. Derek Godwin (Capt) HMS Daedalus
4. PO. B Crawford HMS Dryad
5. AA2. B Dixon RNAS Yeovilton
6. PO. Geof Atkey HMS Collingwood
7. Cpl. G Malhan RM Depot Deal
8. R/Mech. C Brown HMS Collingwood
9. App. S Malcolmson HMS Culdrose
10. Mne. Lenny Anderson 43 Commando
11. LEM. G Pughsley RNAS Brawdy
Officials
Referee Sgt. M.J. Taylor RM RNC Greenich
Linesmen Drum Major C Bowden RM, RMB Eastney
Linesmen Drum Major J Dillow RM, RMB Excellent
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