When a group of spirited public schoolboys formed a sports and social club in the years just before World War One, they couldn’t have known what they were starting.

More than a century later that idea now exists as Eton Manor who are preparing for the climax of what has without doubt been the greatest season in its history.

This Saturday, Manor’s first team play Basingstoke for a place in National League Three – the first rung of the professional rugby union ladder.

It’s a remarkable achievement for an amateur club whose roots lie in the heart of East London’s community, that in the 1920s used 30 acres of Leyton wasteland as its base, all to give deprived children a chance to play sport.

A hundred years on, the club has moved to the New Wilderness in Wanstead but that sense of community remains the heartbeart of Manor’s success.

Last summer the club offered itself as a campsite for the gamemakers of London 2012 and used the financial gains as a springboard for stability and on the field success.

Beneath the first team’s supreme achievements, the second and third teams have both won their league and reached cup finals, a fourth senior side has completed its debut season, the Under-15 side finished league champions and the Under-13s were victorious in the prestigious Essex Cup.

Boys and girls play together in a youth system that can now boast a senior England international as Lucie Wood, a former Manor player, was handed her first international cap this year.

Every Sunday morning more than 300 children don the Manor shirt in every age group from six to 15 and this weekend several of Manor’s first teamers will start against Basingstoke having worn the club badge from an early age.

The focus on young local talent though, is balanced by a deep appreciation of the club’s history, its community ethos and its former members.

Every year a memorial service is held in memory of the club’s fallen war heroes and the clubhouse corridors are lined with photographs of Manor’s earliest players.

Some of those players still remain passionate about the club today and will be on a coach of nearly 100 supporters making the trip to Basingstoke this weekend.

Derek Edwards wore the blue shirt for the first time in 1964 and played second row in the first team for 15 years.

At 66 years old, Derek now works on the club committee in a variety of roles including groundsman and kitman but he’s handed over playing duties to his son, Ian, who will be starting in the second row on Saturday.

“He’s a much better player than I was,” Derek said. “And fitter too. He’s nearly 36 now so he’s got a lot of experience and he can hold that pack together in a crisis.”

Together, Derek and his son have racked up almost 32 years of playing for Eton Manor and Edwards senior confirmed this is the best season he’s ever seen.

“This is the best year the club has ever had – we’ve got an extremely good side.

“They’ve got some extremely good coaches, a young side and it’s part of the ethos of Eton Manor to bring young boys along and play them.

“It’s a family club, it always has been, it was like that when I was playing.”

Manor clinched second in the London One North Division after suffering just their fourth defeat of the season against Brentwood last weekend.

Two tries from Chris Jones and scores from Garth Tucker, Alex Hunter and Alfie Hutcherson proved not enough as an injury-affected Manor squandered a 24-5 lead to lose 36-34.

It was a disappointing result but one that will be quickly forgotten if Manor find victory against a Basingstoke side that finished second in the London One South Division.

Manor chairman Paul Saunders said: “I’m very proud of the club’s achievements this season regardless of what happens this weekend.

“Hopefully it will be a momentous weekend and we would love to have any extra support from anyone who wants to come along.”

To reserve a seat on the Manor supporters’ coach, contact Andy Morton on 07971 297616.