AFA Record - March 2005

The report below was originally published in the March 2005 issue of the AFA Record.

The London Legal League is close to the end of the season, with the major question being whether Southwark Park makes the distance. One wonders whether it’s the sort of place the Olympic inspectors would like to have seen, a public facility a few miles away from the proposed main site, underfunded and run down, and reportedly suffering from lack of investments because of the need to put money into the bid. Those “London 2012” flags all over East London are very pretty, but we can’t play football on them.

Nevertheless, shadowy groups of blokes in suits continue to haunt the various astroturfs of London midweek and KPMG have all but clinched the Division One title. Linklaters kept them within reach by beating them on Valentine’s Day, but one win from their last three games will clinch it for KPMG. Linklaters will hope to beat second division Stephenson Harwood to reach the Challenge Cup Final, where KPMG or Richards Butler will await them.

The Division Two title race remains keenly contested by MacFarlanes and Stephenson Harwood, who have won 28 of their 31 games so far. The second game between the two looks likely to be decisive with Stephenson Harwood seeking revenge for a 5-3 defeat earlier in the season.

Division Three offers the hottest title race of all, with Herbert Smith, Pegasus, Denton Wilde Sapte, Nabarro Nathanson and Farrer & Co.  all in contention for the two promotion spots, as well as the league title. Farrer’s can consider themselves highly fortunate that their game with Nabarros was abandoned at half time due to a snowstorm, they were losing 5-0 at the time.