Wednesday, 8 February 2017

PUB OR PULPIT

Dial Square was Arsenal's original name, a place in Woolwich where the armaments made. Sensible having a bomb factory in an urban area. On December 11th 1886, David Danskin, a Scot living in North London got togther 10 friends to play a match that would eventually become Arsenal FC. The club was first known as Royal Arsenal and then Woolwich Arsenal. Danskin and his chums got off to "banging" start with a 6-0 win "firing" of Eastern Wanderers.

Here are some more "original" names of our famous football clubs:
AFC Bournemouth-Boscombe St John's Institute
Everton-St Domingo's FC, a New Connexion Methodist Chapel at St Domingo's House built by a West Indies trader and sugar boiler, George Campbell, once Mayor of Liverpool.
Liverpool-Everton FC and Athletic Grounds Ltd after a dispute between the Everton committee and the land owner at Anfield. Everton went to Goodison and John Houlding formed Liverpool FC
Manchester City-West Gorton St Mark's later known as Ardwick AFC. A church side with a cricket club hoping to stem a local gang culture in the area
Newcastle United-Stanley FC from Stanley Cricket Club in Byker. The Newcastle East End FC.
Stoke City-Stoke Ramblers were formed by old boys from Charterhouse School in London, who were working on the North Staffs Railway works in Stoke. The club merged with Stoke Victoria CC.
Tottenham Hotspur-Hotspur FC were grammar schoolboys of All Hallows Church Bible club and the Hotspur Cricket Club.
West Bromwich Albion-West Bromwich Strollers worked at George Salter's Spring works and who played cricket for the firm. They had no footballs so had to walk to Wednesbury to get one?? Albion is an area in West Bromwich where a lot of the players lived.
West Ham United-Thames Ironworks FC formed by workers at the factory.

Note that "cricket" appears a few times maintaining physical activity (and maybe "distraction" from alcohol) at weekends over the 12 months. These were often church related with local priests eager to keep his flock under control.
Blackpool was Victoria FC (1887) formally a church club from Caunce Street, 
Barnsley-was originally St Peter's, Bolton-Christ Church FC, Fulham-St Andrew's Church Sunday school, Southampton-St Mary's Young Men's Association, Wolverhampton Wanderers-St Luke's FC.

Here is Tiverton Preedy doing good work with the youth of his parish...maybe not Barnsley FC yet but you get the drift.

No comments:

Post a Comment