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'''London Welsh Football Club''' are one of the oldest in London having played its first competitive match on 18 October 1891, although it had been founded around a year earlier by officers of the Welsh regiments, with the aim to "honourably uphold the reputation of Wales in the Metropolis". '''London Welsh Football Club''' is an amateur men's football team that plays in the ] in London. The club is one of the oldest football clubs in London having played its first match on 17 October 1890.


==History==
⚫ Their first season was a difficult one, including an emphatical 0–12 loss to ] in the ] season. They played in the ] in the ] season, in which they finished 7th of seven. They were suspended towards the end of the season, and the points from their two remaining games went to their opponents, ] (Who later changed their name to West Ham), who as a result finished second. Another noteworthy fixtures in the early days were a 1:0 defeat and 1:1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in 1894. At this time the club had 90 members who were all, exclusively, Welsh.
The club was founded on Saturday 16 August 1890 at a meeting at the Old Rodney Head, Old Street.<ref>{{cite web |title=The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality Newspaper, 23 August 1890 |url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4454756/4454764/99/ |website=National Library of Wales}}</ref>


There had been several attempts in the preceding years to establish a Welsh football club in the capital,<ref>{{cite web |title=The Cardiff Times Newspaper, 15 November 1890 |url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3429170/3429175/84/ |website=National Library of Wales}}</ref> and matches had been played on an informal basis with a degree of success. A number of Welsh players had been playing for other prominent London clubs, and several of them committed to play for the new London Welsh club.<ref>{{cite web |title=The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality Newspaper, 23 August 1890 |url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4454756/4454764/99/ |website=National Library of Wales}}</ref>
The team was soon to be nicknamed "Preston North End" because "they were never beaten". This was due in part to having 6 Welsh internationals playing for the team, including ], ], ] (1890–93), ] (1891-1902) and the charismatic ] (1900–01), who was capped three times while playing for 'Welsh'. Whilst a number of its rivals developed into professional clubs London Welsh retained its amateur status and when the ] reconstituted the ] in 1921, following the First World War, 'Welsh' were one of 15 clubs admitted to membership.


A general meeting of the newly formed club was held at the Salutation Tavern on Newgate Street on Thursday 28 August 1890 at which ] was appointed as president. Evan Owen (Caernarfon) was elected chairman, T. J Williams (Bangor) became the first club secretary, ] was the match secretary, and G Symonds was treasurer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Western Mail newspaper, 30 August 1890 |url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4321836/4321839/7/ |website=National Library of Wales}}</ref> ] and ] were amongst the club's first patrons.<ref>{{cite web |title=The North Wales Express Newspaper, 3rd October 1890 |url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3563909/3563917/43/ |website=National Library of Wales}}</ref>
The Southern Olympian League gradually extended its Membership and Reserve XIs were admitted for the first time in 1923-24 and a Minor Section in 1927–28. The status and reputation of the League was greatly enhanced in the seasons between the wars, but in 1939 the Second World War broke out and the League was again disbanded. Immediately hostilities ceased the League was restarted with 8 clubs. The number rapidly increased in succeeding seasons and in 1948-49 it was possible to form three Senior Divisions, Senior and Junior Challenge Cup competitions were introduced in 1948–49, Minor Cup in 1950-51 and a competition for 4th, 5th and 6th XIs in 1953–54.


⚫ The first full season (1891–92) was a difficult one, including an emphatic 0–12 loss to ]. They played in the ] in the ] season, in which they finished bottom. They were suspended towards the end of the season, and the points from their two remaining games went to their opponents, ] (who later changed their name to West Ham), who as a result finished second. At this time the club had 90 members who were all, exclusively, Welsh.
⚫ ==Honours==
London Welsh won the following league honours during their long period in the South Olympian leagues:


> Senior Division 1 - London Welsh 1st XI in 1922-23 ==Connections with the London Welsh RFC==
In 1895 London Welsh FC played a significant part in the history of the ]. The original rugby club, which had been established in 1885, had disbanded by the end of the 1894-95 season.<ref>{{cite book |title=Dragon in Exile, The Centenary History of London Welsh R.F.C |last=Jones |first=Stephen |year=1985 |publisher=Springwood Books |location=London |isbn=0862541255 |page=23 }}</ref> In March 1895, the London Welsh FC committee decided to start a rugby section for the following season<ref>{{cite web |title=The Sportsman Newspaper, 27 March 1895 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0001055/18950327/067/0007?browse=False}}</ref> and, during the 1895-96 season, the football and rugby sections of the club shared the same ground at Tufnell Park.<ref>{{cite web |title=The London Kelt newspaper, 12 October 1895 |url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3102746/3102751/13/ |website=National Library of Wales}}</ref>


At the AGM at the Orange Tree in July 1898, the club's financial losses were due entirely to the rugby section and, as a result it was resolved to run the football and rugby sections separately in future. Shortly afterwards the pendulum began to swing for the rugby club when the ] made a grant of £50, accepted the nominations of two London Welsh representatives on the WRU committee, and urged all Welsh players in London and up at the universities to join the club (with the inducement that in future preference would be given to the London Welsh players for international trials).<ref>{{cite book |title=Dragon in Exile, The Centenary History of London Welsh R.F.C |last=Jones |first=Stephen |year=1985 |publisher=Springwood Books |location=London |isbn=0862541255 |page=27 }}</ref>
> Minor Division 3 - London Welsh 3rd XI in 1951-52


==Notable Players==
⚫ > Senior Division 3 - London Welsh 1st XI in 1953-54
A number of London Welsh FC's players have played for the ]:
*Centre half ] played for the club from 1892 to 1896 and was capped in 1896<ref>{{cite book |title=Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players |last=Garland |first=Ian |year=2021 |publisher=St. David's Press |location=Wales |isbn=9781902719795 |page=85}}</ref>
*Goalkeeper ] played for the club from 1890 to 1893 and was capped five times between 1889 and 1894<ref>{{cite book |title=Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players |last=Garland |first=Ian |year=2021 |publisher=St. David's Press |location=Wales |isbn=9781902719795 |page=57}}</ref>
*Striker ] played for the club from 1891 to 1902 and was capped in 1890<ref>{{cite book |title=Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players |last=Garland |first=Ian |year=2021 |publisher=St. David's Press |location=Wales |isbn=9781902719795 |page=61}}</ref>
*Left midfielder ] was one of the founder members of the club and was capped nine times by Wales between 1894 and 1898<ref>{{cite book |title=Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players |last=Garland |first=Ian |year=2021 |publisher=St. David's Press |location=Wales |isbn=9781902719795 |page=77}}</ref>
*Goalkeeper ] played for the club between 1900–01, was capped three times while playing for the club, and went on to keep goal for a long list of professional clubs including Stoke, Everton, Sunderland, Aston Villa, Celtic and Arsenal<ref>{{cite book |title=Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players |last=Garland |first=Ian |year=2021 |publisher=St. David's Press |location=Wales |isbn=9781902719795 |page=102}}</ref>
*Winger ] played for the club in 1897 and was capped twice in 1900<ref>{{cite book |title=Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players |last=Garland |first=Ian |year=2021 |publisher=St. David's Press |location=Wales |isbn=9781902719795 |page=101}}</ref>


⚫ ==Honours==
> Senior Division 3 was won by London Welsh 1st XI in 1968-69
The club has won the following honours:


> Senior Division 3 was won by London Welsh 1st XI in 1973-74 *] runners up (1st XI) in 1894–95
*Southern Olympian Senior Division 1 winners (1st XI) in 1922–23

> Minor Division E was won by London Welsh 3rd XI in 1979-80 *Southern Olympian Minor Division 3 winners (3rd XI) in 1951–52
⚫ *Southern Olympian Senior Division 3 winners (1st XI) in 1953–54

> Senior Division 4 was won by London Welsh 1st XI in 1993-94 *Southern Olympian Senior Division 3 winners (1st XI) in 1968–69
*Southern Olympian Senior Division 3 winners (1st XI) in 1973–74

> Minor Division C was won by London Welsh 3rd XI in 1993-94 *Southern Olympian Minor Division E winners (3rd XI) in 1979–80
*Southern Olympian Senior Division 4 winners (1st XI) in 1993–94

*Southern Olympian Minor Division C winners (3rd XI) in 1993–94
London Welsh also won the Middlesex Cup in 1921–22.
*Amateur Football Combination Division 3 South Winners (1st XI) in 2015–16<ref>{{cite web |title=Amateur Football Combination History |url=https://www.amateurfootballcombination.com/season-2015-2016.html}}</ref>

*LOB Challenge Cup Winners (1st XI) in 2016–17<ref>{{cite web |title=Amateur Football Combination History |url=https://www.amateurfootballcombination.com/season-2016-2017.html}}</ref>
In 2002 the SOL and the Old Boys' Football League merged to form the Amateur Football Combination, one of Europe's biggest leagues. Of the original SOL clubs only London Welsh and Witan remain as members of the AFC. Up until the early 1990s Gunnersbury Park was Welsh's home until it they decided to seek better facilities and move to the Ibis ground nearby. London Welsh suffered from the selling off of sports pitches and for the next few years the club went through a nomadic period that included two seasons in south east London at Charlton. London have now come back to our West London roots and use the facilities of The Polytechnic Football Club from the Southern Amateur League.
*Amateur Football Combination Division 1 South Winners (1st XI) in 2016–17<ref>{{cite web |title=Amateur Football Combination History |url=https://www.amateurfootballcombination.com/season-2016-2017.html}}</ref>


==Present day club== ==Present day club==
London Welsh FC currently run two football teams, who compete in the Amateur Football Combination. The club plays its home games at Riverside Lands (Chiswick) and ].<ref>{{cite web |title=London Welsh FC Website |url=https://www.londonwelshafc.co.uk/ground}}</ref>
London Welsh currently operate two football teams, who play home games at the Quentin Hogg Memorial Ground in ] and compete in the Amateur Football Combination. The Amateur Football Combination (AFC) is based in and around London and the Home Counties, and is believed to be the biggest adult football league in Europe. It has around 100 clubs and 350 sides playing Saturday afternoons, and comprises more than 1% of adult male 11-a-side football teams in England. In the 2016–17 season London Welsh's two teams competed in the South 1 and South 5 divisions. After a lean period the 'Welsh' picked up silverware in 2015–16, with the first XI winning the South Division 3 (And being promoted two divisions in a league re-organisation) and the second XI won the A.F.A. Cup.

As well as competing for league honours teams are awarded marks for their sportsmanship, hospitality and facilities, and Welsh have been named the top club for hospitality three time since 2005. The club are a mixture of Londoners, Welshmen and International players, with the first X1 including several Ex-semi pro players. The club hold regular social events and have toured Cyprus, Cornwall, Bournemouth, Barcelona and Nice (For Euro'16) in recent years.


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}}
*{{cite book |author1=Blows, Kirk |author2=Hogg, Tony |name-list-style=amp | title=The Essential History of West Ham United | publisher=Headline | year=2000| isbn=0-7472-7036-8}} *{{cite book |author1=Blows, Kirk |author2=Hogg, Tony |name-list-style=amp | title=The Essential History of West Ham United | publisher=Headline | year=2000| isbn=0-7472-7036-8}}
* Newspaper reports on the formation of London Welsh http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3766371/3766377/67/ http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4321836/4321839/7/ * Newspaper reports on the formation of London Welsh http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3766371/3766377/67/ http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4321836/4321839/7/
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Latest revision as of 03:46, 3 January 2023

For the rugby union team, see London Welsh R.F.C.

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (October 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

London Welsh Football Club is an amateur men's football team that plays in the Amateur Football Combination in London. The club is one of the oldest football clubs in London having played its first match on 17 October 1890.

History

The club was founded on Saturday 16 August 1890 at a meeting at the Old Rodney Head, Old Street.

There had been several attempts in the preceding years to establish a Welsh football club in the capital, and matches had been played on an informal basis with a degree of success. A number of Welsh players had been playing for other prominent London clubs, and several of them committed to play for the new London Welsh club.

A general meeting of the newly formed club was held at the Salutation Tavern on Newgate Street on Thursday 28 August 1890 at which Sir John Puleston MP was appointed as president. Evan Owen (Caernarfon) was elected chairman, T. J Williams (Bangor) became the first club secretary, John Charles Rae was the match secretary, and G Symonds was treasurer. Lord Penrhyn and Dr Isambard Owen were amongst the club's first patrons.

The first full season (1891–92) was a difficult one, including an emphatic 0–12 loss to Millwall Athletic. They played in the London League in the 1896–97 season, in which they finished bottom. They were suspended towards the end of the season, and the points from their two remaining games went to their opponents, Thames Ironworks (who later changed their name to West Ham), who as a result finished second. At this time the club had 90 members who were all, exclusively, Welsh.

Connections with the London Welsh RFC

In 1895 London Welsh FC played a significant part in the history of the London Welsh Rugby Club. The original rugby club, which had been established in 1885, had disbanded by the end of the 1894-95 season. In March 1895, the London Welsh FC committee decided to start a rugby section for the following season and, during the 1895-96 season, the football and rugby sections of the club shared the same ground at Tufnell Park.

At the AGM at the Orange Tree in July 1898, the club's financial losses were due entirely to the rugby section and, as a result it was resolved to run the football and rugby sections separately in future. Shortly afterwards the pendulum began to swing for the rugby club when the Welsh Rugby Union made a grant of £50, accepted the nominations of two London Welsh representatives on the WRU committee, and urged all Welsh players in London and up at the universities to join the club (with the inducement that in future preference would be given to the London Welsh players for international trials).

Notable Players

A number of London Welsh FC's players have played for the Wales national football team:

  • Centre half Price White played for the club from 1892 to 1896 and was capped in 1896
  • Goalkeeper Sam Gillam played for the club from 1890 to 1893 and was capped five times between 1889 and 1894
  • Striker Robert Lee Roberts played for the club from 1891 to 1902 and was capped in 1890
  • Left midfielder John Rea (footballer) was one of the founder members of the club and was capped nine times by Wales between 1894 and 1898
  • Goalkeeper Leigh Richmond Roose played for the club between 1900–01, was capped three times while playing for the club, and went on to keep goal for a long list of professional clubs including Stoke, Everton, Sunderland, Aston Villa, Celtic and Arsenal
  • Winger Samuel Brookes played for the club in 1897 and was capped twice in 1900

Honours

The club has won the following honours:

  • Middlesex Senior Cup runners up (1st XI) in 1894–95
  • Southern Olympian Senior Division 1 winners (1st XI) in 1922–23
  • Southern Olympian Minor Division 3 winners (3rd XI) in 1951–52
  • Southern Olympian Senior Division 3 winners (1st XI) in 1953–54
  • Southern Olympian Senior Division 3 winners (1st XI) in 1968–69
  • Southern Olympian Senior Division 3 winners (1st XI) in 1973–74
  • Southern Olympian Minor Division E winners (3rd XI) in 1979–80
  • Southern Olympian Senior Division 4 winners (1st XI) in 1993–94
  • Southern Olympian Minor Division C winners (3rd XI) in 1993–94
  • Amateur Football Combination Division 3 South Winners (1st XI) in 2015–16
  • LOB Challenge Cup Winners (1st XI) in 2016–17
  • Amateur Football Combination Division 1 South Winners (1st XI) in 2016–17

Present day club

London Welsh FC currently run two football teams, who compete in the Amateur Football Combination. The club plays its home games at Riverside Lands (Chiswick) and Gunnersbury Park.

References

  1. "The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality Newspaper, 23 August 1890". National Library of Wales.
  2. "The Cardiff Times Newspaper, 15 November 1890". National Library of Wales.
  3. "The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality Newspaper, 23 August 1890". National Library of Wales.
  4. "Western Mail newspaper, 30 August 1890". National Library of Wales.
  5. "The North Wales Express Newspaper, 3rd October 1890". National Library of Wales.
  6. Jones, Stephen (1985). Dragon in Exile, The Centenary History of London Welsh R.F.C. London: Springwood Books. p. 23. ISBN 0862541255.
  7. "The Sportsman Newspaper, 27 March 1895".
  8. "The London Kelt newspaper, 12 October 1895". National Library of Wales.
  9. Jones, Stephen (1985). Dragon in Exile, The Centenary History of London Welsh R.F.C. London: Springwood Books. p. 27. ISBN 0862541255.
  10. Garland, Ian (2021). Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players. Wales: St. David's Press. p. 85. ISBN 9781902719795.
  11. Garland, Ian (2021). Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players. Wales: St. David's Press. p. 57. ISBN 9781902719795.
  12. Garland, Ian (2021). Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players. Wales: St. David's Press. p. 61. ISBN 9781902719795.
  13. Garland, Ian (2021). Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players. Wales: St. David's Press. p. 77. ISBN 9781902719795.
  14. Garland, Ian (2021). Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players. Wales: St. David's Press. p. 102. ISBN 9781902719795.
  15. Garland, Ian (2021). Sons of Cambria, The Who's Who of Welsh International Football Players. Wales: St. David's Press. p. 101. ISBN 9781902719795.
  16. "Amateur Football Combination History".
  17. "Amateur Football Combination History".
  18. "Amateur Football Combination History".
  19. "London Welsh FC Website".

External links

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