Last update on. From the section FA Cup
BBC Rewind - England V Aylesbury Euro'88
"I was in Ibiza, and had to stop my holiday to fly back. Cliff Hercules says that when I announced to everyone that I was returning to England to play, they were adamant.
It is still one of the most unusual warm-up games England has ever played before a major tournament.
The Three Lions were getting ready for the 1988 European Championship. Before flying to West Germany, their opposition consisted of postmen, teachers and taxi drivers who hadn't played in four weeks.
Gary Lineker was just finishing his second season at Barcelona while John Barnes, Peter Beardsley and Liverpool's league champion were still fresh.
Bobby Robson, also known as the Ducks, was the man who brought England to Aylesbury United (non-league) for one final game before the tournament ended in great disappointment.
As Aylesbury prepares for Saturday's FA Cup third qualification round tie with Ebbsfleet United on Saturday, here is the story about how the part-time club hosted an England full-strength 33 years ago. Also, why Aylesbury haven't played in their home town for 15 years.
Peter Beardsley (right), scored four goals and the match programme cost 1.
"Aylesbury were not allowed tackle England's footballers'
"6,00031 people packed into a stadium built for 4,000 to 5,000. The majority couldn't see anything and many people were trying to get a glimpse at England's players from trees.
Hercules recalls the chaos at Aylesbury’s Buckingham Road home on 4 June 1988. This was eight days before Robson's side faced Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland in Stuttgart.
Frank McGhee, an Observer sportswriter and resident of Aylesbury who was a keen supporter of the local team, convinced the England boss to send his players to Buckinghamshire.
Robson, whose squad was located 23 miles away at Bisham Abbey, Berkshire, agreed that a game against nonleague opposition would be a good preparation for the Euros.
His team had won the Rous Cup at Wembley and was now in Aylesbury, fresh from Lineker's win in Lausanne.
Robson also decided to put his stars players at risk against part-time opponents just before a major tournament. This was due to Aylesbury's excellent playing surface. It is widely known as being one of the finest in non-league tennis at the time.
Andy Martin, Chairman of Aylesbury United Supporters Trust, said that he heard there was an agreement that Aylesbury players would not be allowed to take on England's players.
"Aylesbury's season was over a month ago with promotion to Vauxhall Conference. The players had been on their summer vacation. They were brought back to play, but they were likely not fit.
External-link: Hercules, a Ducks legend, was on holiday in the Balearic Islands at the time when he met Tony Adams and Mark Wright.
He adds, "We had heard about England facing us a few months before but we forgot it because we were focusing on promotion."
"Aylesbury paid for me to fly back on Friday. I played on Saturday. We had a meal together with England players afterward, and I flew back home to Spain.
"I read about the game in the national newspapers at the beach in Ibiza that day."
As England and Aylesbury united players line up before the match, fans can be seen in trees. Cliff Hercules, Ducks legend, is pictured at the far right
"It wouldn't happen now"
"I had a great opportunity to score. It would have made a huge difference in my life if it had come in."
Hercules would go on to manage Aylesbury. He is still recalling the moment when he took a free kick over Peter Shilton's bar, as he was about to win his 100th cap.
England was 2-0 ahead after 10 minutes. Beardsley scored four points. Lineker, as well as Everton duo Dave Watson & Trevor Steven, also contributed.
Hercules adds, "We couldn’t get near them." "England had fresh legs after half-time, and changed their entire team." We were devastated. It's amazing to think back. England to Aylesbury? It wouldn't be possible right now."
Robson's team didn't like the result.
They returned from West Germany two years after reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Mexico without scoring a point, after being defeated by the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
Although Hercules retains vivid memories of the 4 June 1988 events, many England players don't.
Barnes stated to the Guardian that he couldn't recall the score, the game or anything at all, in 2020. external link
Hercules' 21-year old son Max, who now plays for the Ducks as a player, celebrated his 58th Birthday in April. He received a match ticket and match programme from Buckingham Road on the day England visited.
He says, "We exchanged shirts at match's end. I had Glenn Hoddle's shirt, but I am a Manchester United fan. I swapped it with a friend who had Bryan Robson’s Mexico 86 shirt.
"Thirty three years later, I just got around to framing it."
Chris Waddle faces Tim Garner, Aylesbury goalkeeper, during warm-up at Buckingham Road
"It's amazing that we are still going"
"Whenever I drive by Buckingham Road, I think, "I had some incredible times there - how has it got to this?"
Martin was five years old when his Aylesbury heroes hosted football royalty. Martin is now reflecting on the sad state in which the Ducks have been without a permanent home over the past 15-years.
The club's youth and women's sections continue to play in the town. Ellen White, Manchester City forward and England forward, is an ex-Mini Duck external-link player. Since 2006, the first team shared facilities with three other clubs: Leighton Town in Bedfordshire, and Thame United, Oxfordshire.
Buckingham Road, pictured in March 2020 -- 32 years after England used it
They are currently in Buckinghamshire, at Chesham Uni, approximately 15 miles from Buckingham Road. Here, fans banged drums, sang songs, and sang along to one side of the ground, the regulars known as the "Chicken Run".
The Ducks tried to purchase their home back in 2019, but were outbid by auctioneers. It was eventually sold to a developer at 800,000. External-link
It is now in disrepair and lies abandoned.
Martin adds, "It seems like a huge waste." Martin is also a club director and has many roles including match-day announcer or merchandise seller.
"We have lost out on a whole generation of new fans since our last game in the town.
"It's amazing that the first team is still here. We are still here because of our amazing fans and hard-working volunteers.
Aylesbury United supporters must travel 15 miles to Chesham to see their team play "home" games
This season, attendances at 'home games' in Chesham have varied from 171 to 96. Their four-match win in FA Cup qualifying has earned them just short of $8,000 in prize money. This is a huge help for a club that doesn't know when it will return to Aylesbury.
Paul Snell, head of communications at the club, said that "we're incredibly thankful to Aylesbury Town Council which are doing a tremendous amount of work trying open up avenues for us back."
"It's our anniversary in 2022. We want a club that can sustain itself for another 125 more years. With the help of our next generation of fans, we'll be able achieve that.
