Beckenham Town admit defeat in Sheringham publicity stunt

Monday 14th September 2009

TEDDY SHERINGHAM playing for Kent League side Beckenham Town in the FA Vase - it all seems to be a massive publicity stunt from the Eden Park Avenue club after all, writes Stephen McCartney.

Beckenham Town wanted to re-enter the FA Vase in style, following a five-year ban from all FA competitions for fielding an illegible player in a tie against Lordswood.

Chairman Chris McCarthy insisted that the 43-year-old striker, who scored a hat-trick in a charity game at the club during the summer, was to don the red shirt in the club’s FA Vase campaign this season.

An England international with 51 caps and 11 goals to his name; a Champions League winner with Manchester United in 1999, scoring a last-gasp leveller against Bayern Munich, and a player who has played for the likes of Millwall, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United and has cost a total of £7.6m in transfer fees during a glittering career, created plenty of national and worldwide media attention when the club’s public relations team got to work.

BBC Radio 5 and Talksport jumped on the media bandwagon as they covered the story of Sheringham coming out of retirement in an FA Vase first qualifying round tie between Beckenham Town and Sussex County League minnows Wealden and Saturday’s game against Banstead Athletic.

However, Sheringham’s eagerly-awaited debut was put on hold due to his television commitments with England, but he did call the chairman at half-time to ask what the score was. Beckenham eased through by six goals to one two weekends ago.

The club then insisted that Sheringham would feature in their next FA Vase tie, which happens to be against Combined Counties League side Banstead Athletic this coming Saturday.

Beckenham secretary Peter Palmer proudly held Sheringham’s Kent League registration form - and the Kent League confirmed last Wednesday that the registration had gone through.

Sheringham failed to show up for the club’s Kent League game at Holmesdale on Saturday and the writing was on the wall.

A source at BBC Radio Kent told www.kentishfootball.co.uk last week, “We’ve had a call from his agent saying it’s not true, he‘s not going. My colleagues took it in London. He (the agent) phoned the BBC TV centre in London and he said it’s not true - he said it’s totally fabricated.”

When listening to the chairman’s comments on Saturday afternoon, when interviewed on BBC Radio Kent, you sensed that this had been one hell of a publicity stunt after all.

“I’ve left it in Ted’s court,” said Mr McCarthy. “I can’t obviously, he’s been around the block a few times. He’s got TV commitments and other bits and pieces, so I’ve just left it in his court.

“He knows we’re playing next Saturday, and I’m sure if he’s available and he fancies it, by all means it will be great for Beckenham Town Football Club and the Carlsberg FA Vase as well.”

But when asked “what chance do you give it?” Mr McCarthy replied, “Oh God, how long’s a piece of string?

“I wouldn’t like to say yea or I wouldn’t like to say no!

“I’m not going to put my head in the noose for that one! I leave that entirely up to Ted!”

The chairman was to confess earlier today that Sheringham would "Definately NOT" be turning out for the club against Banstead Athletic on Saturday - although he gave no official reason as to why.

The message, posted on the club’s official website www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk, which normally attracts 300 hits per day - last Wednesday when the news of Sheringham’s signing broke, the site attracted a whopping 3,500 hits alone!

“It’s very disappointing,” admitted Mr McCarthy. “But we still have a very important fixture to fulfil and our concentration and efforts must now be channelled into this.”

There was even more bad news for Beckenham’s supporters as they will be without at least four of their regular squad members for the game.

A long standing social commitment means that twins Gary and Danny Gorman along with goalkeeper Nick Blue (the trio were signed from Kent County League side Orpington during the summer) and midfielder Durrand Jemmott are all unavailable.

It means headaches for Beckenham boss Jason Huntley whose squad suddenly looks stretched - and no Teddy Sheringham or a crowd of over 1,500 in sight.

Fans of Sheringham’s former clubs were expected to flock through the wooden turnstiles at Eden Park Avenue, and one from Biggin Hill was looking forward to meeting his idol.

“That’s just around the corner from where my girlfriend used to life,” Manchester United supporter Wayne Smith, 32, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk last week.

“I will have to go and get his autograph, with him being an ex-United legend!

Quotes courtesy of BBC Radio Kent - www.bbc.co.uk/kent/sport and www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk

Beckenham Town v Banstead Athletic

FA Carlsberg Vase Second Qualifying Round

Saturday 19th September 2009

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3JL