CARTHUSIAN MONKS CHOP DOWN FORESTERS

The Arthurian League is a non pyramid football league played for by boys of independent schools (once known as the Public Schools) such as Eton and Harrow. the Old Carthusians from Charterhouse in Godalming, Surrey have dominated the premier division since 2006 winning the league title 9 times in 11 seasons. This season things have not gone all their way and it is only in the last few weeks that they have begun their assault on regaining the league title. Today the OCs played the old boys of Forest School in Snaresbrook, E17, who were leading the title chase. Playing at Charterhouse, the OCs were 2-0 up at half time and comfortable made their mark by winning 3-1.

This evening the three old boys' teams head for the Old Charterhouse, in Smithfield, to attend their annual Ball and to enjoy dining and dancing at the place of the school's founding.No doubt the victory today will have livened the evening. The Old Carthusians, FA Cup winners in 1881 and Amateur Cup winners twice in the 1890s, having played in three finals between 1893-95, have a long and successful history in the glory of Association Football.

Forest School old boys (the Old Foresters) also have given richly to the history of the national game. The Old Foresters, like the Carthusians, is one of the oldest adult clubs in the country and therefore in the world. The club dates back to 1876, as do the OCs, and Forest is the only school to have played in the FA Cup. Donington School, from Lincolnshire, did get drawn in an early cup round but could not play. The land in front of the school, known as the Common, maybe regarded as the "cradle of football".