| Full name | Hampstead Heathens Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Heathens | |
| Founded | June 1868 | |
| Dissolved | 1872 | |
| Ground | 0.25 miles from Hampstead Station | |
| Secretary | J. P. Tatham | |
Hampstead Heathens F.C. was an English football club, based in Hampstead, London. The club competed in the first ever FA Cup in 1871 and were involved in the first ever competitive replay in association football. [1]
The phrase "Hampstead Heathens" is found as early as 1860, used by literary critic David Masson to refer to the circle of authors, living on Hampstead Heath in the early nineteenth century, that included John Keats. [2]
In the Football Annual , the club reported its foundation date as June 1868. [3] In November of that year, it played a match against its neighbour N.N. Club of Kilburn. [4] The Heathens would proceed to play against many other London clubs over the 1868–69, 1869–70 and 1870–71 seasons. The club joined the Football Association (FA) during the 1869–70 season. [5]
The club had close links with Winchester School; in a match against the Wykehamists, five of the Heathens members played for the school side. [6]
In 1871, the Heathens were one of the twelve teams to enter the challenge cup being organised by the FA. They received a bye into the second round of the competition, where they were drawn away to Barnes. The match finished in a 1–1 draw after being stopped by bad light, the Heathens being handicapped by playing with only 10 men. Whilst Hitchin and Crystal Palace had both been sent through after having a goalless draw in the first round, Heathens and Barnes were forced to contest a rematch, as the match had not played to time. [7]
The match took place on 6 January 1872, again at Barnes; Hampstead Heathens triumphed 1–0, despite again having to play the match with 10 men, thanks to a late goal from G. P. Leach. [8] The club progressed to face Royal Engineers in the quarter-final. Their cup run ended here, as they were defeated 3–0 by the team who would ultimately finish runners-up. [9] The club was hindered by having to start the game with 9 men, as two members did not turn up, and only had 10 men for the second half. [10]
This would prove to be the Heathens' last competitive fixture. The club did play one subsequent match a week later—a rain-sodden 3–0 defeat to Wanderers, for which the team was unable to supply a full complement of players. [11] There is little record of the club after this match: the Heathens did not enter any subsequent competitions, nor did they contest any of the leagues which began to appear nearly two decades later. The club is absent from lists of Football Association members from 1873 onwards. [12]
A later cricket club of the same name existed between 1921 and 1939. [13] [14]
The club's colours were white, with blue "binding" (trim), and a blue cap. [3]
The club played on Hampstead Heath, a quarter of a mile from Hampstead Heath station. [15]
An amateur club under the name Hampstead Heathens currently competes in the Southern Amateur League. [19] [20] This club is not related to the original, however, having been formed in 1975.
The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the 'Sappers', of the British Army and based in Chatham, Kent. In the 1870s, it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup finalists in three of the first four seasons. The Engineers were pioneers of the combination game, where teammates passed the ball to each other rather than kicking ahead and charging after the ball. With the rise of professional teams, in 1888 the Engineers joined a newly formed Army Football Association.
Wanderers Football Club was an English association football club. It was founded as "Forest Football Club" in 1859 in Leytonstone. In 1864, it changed its name to "Wanderers", a reference to it never having a home stadium, instead playing at various locations in London and the surrounding area. Comprising mainly former pupils of the leading English public schools, Wanderers was one of the dominant teams in the early years of organised football and won the inaugural Football Association Challenge Cup in 1872. The club won the competition five times in total, including three in succession from 1876 to 1878, a feat which has been repeated only once.
Charles William Alcock was an English sportsman, administrator, author and editor. He was a major instigator in the development of both international football and cricket, as well as being the creator of the FA Cup.
The 1871–72 Football Association Challenge Cup was the first staging of the Football Association Challenge Cup, usually known in the modern era as the FA Cup, the oldest association football competition in the world. Fifteen of the association's fifty member clubs entered the first competition, although three withdrew without playing a game. In the final, held at Kennington Oval in London on 16 March 1872, Wanderers beat the Royal Engineers by a single goal, scored by Morton Betts, who was playing under the pseudonym A. H. Chequer.
The 1872 FA Cup final was a football match between Wanderers and Royal Engineers on 16 March 1872 at Kennington Oval in London. It was the final of the first staging of the Football Association Challenge Cup, which became the primary cup competition in English football and the oldest football competition in the world. Fifteen teams entered the competition in its first season and, due to the rules in place at the time, Wanderers reached the final having won only one match in the four preceding rounds. In the semi-finals, they drew with the Scottish club Queen's Park, but reached the final when the Scots withdrew from the competition as they could not afford to return to London for a replay.
Crystal Palace F.C. was a short-lived amateur football club formed in 1861, who contributed to the development of association football during its formative years. They were founder members of the Football Association in 1863, and competed in the first ever FA Cup competition in 1871–72.
N.N. Club or N.N. Kilburn—N.N. standing for "No Names" —was an amateur English football club based in the Kilburn district of London.
Hertfordshire Rangers F.C. was a 19th-century English amateur football team based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It competed in the FA Cup and had two players represent England in international matches.
Crusaders Football Club was an English association football club based in London. It was a founder member of the Football Association.
Arthur Pember was a British sportsman, stockbroker, lawyer, journalist and author, notable for serving as the first president of The Football Association from 1863 to 1867.
Harrow Chequers Football Club was a football club from London, England in the 1860s to early 1890s. It played as the Harrow Chequers from 1865 to 1876, when it was then renamed the Old Harrovians, and continued play until at least 1891. Derived from former pupils of Harrow School, the club was involved in the formation of the FA Cup in 1871. It was slated to play in three of the first six FA Cup competitions in the 1870s, but they forfeited each time, and never contested an FA Cup match as the Chequers. One of their players, however, Morton Betts, is remembered for scoring the first goal in the first ever FA Cup Final in 1872, which is essentially all that is remembered today of the club. However, as the Old Harrovians, the team had some more success, including reaching the semifinals of the 1877–78 FA Cup.
William Parry Crake, sometimes known as William Parry, was an English amateur footballer who won the inaugural FA Cup with the Wanderers in 1872 and played for the English XI against Scotland in the representative matches between 1870 and 1872. By profession, he was a merchant in India.
Charles William Stephenson was an English amateur sportsman who made three appearances for England in the representative matches against Scotland in 1871 and 1872. He also was a member of the Football Association committee that agreed to the foundation of the first national knockout football competition, the FA Cup in 1871. By profession, he was a surveyor.
Brondesbury F.C. was an English association football club based in Brondesbury, London.
Pilgrims F.C. was an English association football club based in Clapton, London. During their history they played at various grounds in Tottenham and Walthamstow, but for the most part played home games at Hackney Downs.
London v. Sheffield was an association football game played on 31 March 1866. According to Charles Alcock, it was the "first match of any importance under the auspices of the Football Association".
Clapham Common Club, usually known by its initials C.C.C., was a mid-nineteenth century amateur English football club based at Clapham Common.
This was the tenth season of Barnes Football Club. Barnes participated in the first season of the F.A. Cup, but were unable to progress further than the second round. The club was eliminated by Hampstead Heathens after a replay, despite playing both matches at home with a man advantage.
Trojans was an English association club based in Leyton.
