THIS week, we take another look at St John’s Football Club, the focus being on a player who helped them win a series of trophies.

In December, Peeps featured a story from Paul Seal about his late father, David John Seal, who played for St John’s from the mid-1950s to the early 1960s, interrupted by his national service. 

His dad was born in 1938 and became an apprentice electrician with Peppers of Woking in December 1954.

He helped St John’s win the Woking & District League Division One title in the 1956-57 season, when they also secured the Division One Charity Cup.

 However, on 3 February 1957, David received his national service call-up and opted to serve with The Royal Signals.

St John's Football Club's 1960-61 team (David is fourth from right, standing). (Picture supplied)

Before David began his national service, St John’s were junior winners of the Woking Six-a-Side Football Tournament in 1959. They also won the competition in 1960 – and to play in that, David would probably have been on leave from the army.

David was posted to Catterick Camp in Yorkshire on 5 May 1960 for basic training. On 16 May 1961, he was sent to Malta with 243 Signal Squadron. There, he continued his football career, and he played for Malta in a 2-1 friendly win over Ipswich Town.

David retuned home on 10 April 1962. 

St John’s were Woking & District League Division One Charity Cup runners-up for the 1961-62 season. The next season, they came second in the league’s Division One.

St John’s also played in the Surrey County Football Association Junior Cup, which they won in the 1960-61 campaign. And they won the Junior Charity Cup in the 1961-62 season.

Paul said: “Dad was offered a trial with Lincoln City, but missed the train to get there. I don’t know if the offer was reinstated, but he didn’t go any further in his football career.

“When dad completed his two years’ national service on 5 May 1962, he enlisted in the Territorial Army and was in the 41 (Princess Louise’s Kensington) Signal Regiment.

“It looks like this was the end of his time with St John’s, as he appears to have been in the West Country for just over three years.”

IF you have memories or old pictures relating to the Woking area and its people which you would like to contribute to this page, call David Rose on 01483 838960, or write to the News & Mail.