| Full name | Loughborough Athletic and Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1886 | |
| Dissolved | 1900 | |
| Ground | Athletic Ground, Loughborough | |
| League | Football League Second Division | |
| 1899–1900 | 18th (out of 18) | |
Loughborough Athletic and Football Club were an English football club based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, that played in the Football League at the end of the 19th century.
The club started life as Loughborough Football Club in 1886 from a merger of Victoria and Athletic, the two senior sides in the town, using the latter's ground then called Bromhead or Hubbard Cricket Ground. November 1887 saw merger with the local athletics club to form Loughborough Athletic and Football Club. The club is often incorrectly referred to as Loughborough Town at this time although there is no documented evidence for the name.
In 1891 the club joined the Midland League. After winning the league title in 1894–95, Loughborough were elected to the Football League Second Division after Millwall Athletic turned down an invitation to join. [1]
The club struggled in the Second Division, never finishing higher than 12th (out of 16). In 1900 the club finished bottom of the League, conceding 100 goals in 34 games, winning only a single game and collecting only 8 points of a possible 68, arguably the worst record in the history of the League—only Doncaster Rovers have an equally low points record, set in 1904–05, but they had a somewhat better goal average. This season saw their record League defeat, 12–0 at Woolwich Arsenal; due to financial constraints the team consisted of four professionals and seven amateurs and their travelling expenses were paid for by Arsenal.
After failing to gain re-election to the League in 1900, the club applied for acceptance back into the Midland League, but failed to turn up for the fixtures meeting on 9 June. On 29 June a meeting was held when it was decided that the club was defunct.
| Season | Level | League | Position | FA Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890–91 | 4 | Midland Alliance | 3rd of 8 | Fourth round qualifying |
| 1891–92 | 3 | Midland League | 8th of 11 | |
| 1892–93 | 3 | Midland League | 3rd of 13 | First round |
| 1893–94 | 3 | Midland League | 3rd of 11 | Fourth round qualifying |
| 1894–95 | 3 | Midland League | 1st of 14 (elected to the Football League) | Fourth round qualifying (Replay) |
| 1895–96 | 2 | Football League Second Division | 12th of 16 | Third round qualifying |
| 1896–97 | 2 | Football League Second Division | 13th of 16 | |
| – | United League | 4th of 8 | ||
| 1897–98 | 2 | Football League Second Division | 16th of 16 | |
| – | United League | 9th of 9 | ||
| 1898–99 | 2 | Football League Second Division | 17th of 18 | |
| 1899–1900 | 2 | Football League Second Division | 18th of 18 (failed re-election to English Football League) | |
| Source: Football Club History Database | ||||
Several clubs have since represented the town of Loughborough:
Cited sources
Bibliography
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
Hednesford Town Football Club is a football club based in Hednesford, Staffordshire, England. They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Division One West and play at Keys Park. They won the FA Trophy in 2004.
The Midland Football Alliance was an English association football league for semi-professional teams. It covered Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire and also southern parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. The league consisted of a single division which sat at Step 5 of the National League System, or the ninth level of the overall English football league system.
Scarborough Football Club was a football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million. They played at the Athletic Ground from 1898 until the club's dissolution.
Shepshed Dynamo Football Club is an English football club based in the small town of Shepshed in the north west of Leicestershire, England. Founded as Shepshed Albion towards the end of the 19th century, the team played for the majority of their early history in the Leicestershire Senior League before a series of league wins and promotions the late 1970s and early 1980s, when they were known as Shepshed Charterhouse, took them within two promotions of The Football League. The club encountered financial difficulties in 1994 and reformed under the new name in recognition of the help provided by local side Loughborough Dynamo. They currently play in the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands.
Grantham Town Football Club is a football club based in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Division One East and play at the South Kesteven Sports Stadium.
Alfreton Town Football Club is a football club based in Alfreton, Derbyshire, England. The club are currently members of the National League North, the sixth tier of English football, and play at North Street.
Hinckley United Football Club was an English football club, from Hinckley, Leicestershire which last played in the Southern Football League Premier Division during the 2013–14 season. They were formed in 1997 as the result of a merger between Hinckley Athletic and Hinckley Town. The club latterly played their home games at De Montfort Park, having moved to the purpose-built football stadium in March 2005.
Barwell Football Club is a football club based in Barwell, near Hinckley in Leicestershire, England. They are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division Central and play at Kirkby Road.
Coalville Town Football Club is a football club based in Coalville, Leicestershire, England. They are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division Central and play at the Owen Street Sports Ground.
Loughborough Dynamo Football Club is a football club based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands and play at the Nanpantan Sports Ground.
Quorn Football Club is an English football club based in the village of Quorn, near Loughborough, Leicestershire, currently playing in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division. The club play their home games on the 3G pitch at their Farley Way Stadium, just off the A6, which runs between Leicester and Loughborough. The club are nicknamed "The Reds" due to their colours, as well "The Methodists", which is a nod to their historical name.
Spalding United Football Club is a football club based in Spalding, Lincolnshire, England. The club are currently members of the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands and play at the Sir Halley Stewart Field.
Braintree Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Braintree, Essex, England. They are currently members of the National League South, the sixth tier of English football, and play at Cressing Road.
Matlock Town Football Club is a football club based in Matlock, Derbyshire, England. Nicknamed 'the Gladiators', they are currently members of the Northern Premier League Premier Division and play at Causeway Lane.
Bilston Town Football Club is a football club based in Bilston, West Midlands, England. Having played under the names Bilston United, Bilston Borough, Bilston, Bilston Town, Bilston Town (2007) and Bilston Town Community, they are currently members of the Midland League Division One and play at Queen Street, Bilston.
Loughborough University Football Club is an English football club representing Loughborough University, based in Loughborough, Leicestershire. The club are currently members of the United Counties League Premier Division North and play at the Loughborough University Stadium.
Heather St John's Football Club is a football club based in the village of Heather, Leicestershire, England. They are currently members of the Midland League Division One and play at St John's Park.
Kettering Town Football Club is a football club based in Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire, England. They are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division Central and play at Latimer Park in Burton Latimer. Kettering were the first club to wear sponsorship on their shirts in 1976.
James Peake was a footballer who played inside-left for Burslem Port Vale and Millwall Athletic.
Hinckley Association Football Club is a football club, from Hinckley, Leicestershire, who play home games at Barwell's Kirkby Road. The club was formed in January 2014 when fans of the dissolved Hinckley United formed their own Community Trust football club, owned and democratically run by its supporters. The club competes in the Midland League Division One.
