| Full name | Maidenhead Norfolkians Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Norfolks, the Norfolkians | |
| Founded | 1884 | |
| Dissolved | 1919 | |
| Ground | Kidwell's Park | |
| President | Ernest Gardner MP | |
Maidenhead Norfolkians F.C. was an association football club from Maidenhead in Buckinghamshire, active from 1884 to 1919, when it merged with Maidenhead F.C. to form Maidenhead United.
The club was founded in 1884; one of its founders, Harry Maisey, was involved with the club for almost its entire existence, only standing down as secretary in 1913. [1] Its earliest recorded match is a 1–0 win over Marlow Star in October 1884, [2] and the club derived its name from either Norfolk Park or the Norfolk Road, in the north of the town, which passed close to its ground.
Its first notable achievement was reaching the final of the Berks & Bucks Junior Cup in 1888–89, the Norfolkians going down 1–0 to the Marlow reserves. [3] By the time it won the Junior Cup competition for the first time, in 1898–99, the club had won their own Charity Cup five times, the High Wycombe Challenge Cup four times, and the South Bucks & East Berks Junior League four times. In consequence of its Junior Cup triumph, it stepped up to senior football in 1899–1900. [4]
That originally only lasted one season, the club entering into an arrangement with Maidenhead in 1900; that saw the Norfolkians returning to Junior football, with a view to a deeper amalgamation in short order; [5] the arrangement saw the Norfolkians cede the 1900–01 FA Cup qualifying rounds tie to Maidenhead. However the arrangement only lasted one season, the Norfolkians withdrawing after its gate receipts dropped from £47 to £20. [6] The rivalry between the two sides occasionally spilled into violence; after one match in March 1903, the Norfolkians' Frank Moore was fined £1 for assaulting a Maidenhead supporter. [7] The Norfolkians did at least get some revenge for having to withdraw from the Cup by beating Maidenhead in the 1902–03 FA Cup qualifying rounds.
In 1904, the club was a founder member of the Great Western Suburban League, alongside Maidenhead; [8] the club remained a member until the First World War, its best season being a runner-up finish in its first season. It was also a member of the Berks & Bucks League, which the Norfolkians won in 1904–05, along with the Oxford Hospital Cup, "the finest football trophy in the kingdom". [9]
The club was also a regular competitor in the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup, and reached the final in 1905–06, although the game ended in defeat to Reading Amateurs - not helped by Moore, now club captain, being sent off for (again) striking a spectator. [10] The Norfolkians went one better in 1906–07, winning the Cup thanks to a 3–0 final replay win over Marlow at the Dolphin Ground in Slough, [11] as well as the Oxford Charity Cup and Berks League, and club president Ernest Gardner MP entertained the club to dinner in the Swan Hotel to celebrate. [12] The club's last final appearance was in 1912–13, the trophy going to Wycombe Wanderers after a replay and extra-time at Marlow's ground - Wycombe's winning goal coming in the 119th minute when Allen in goal twice fumbled a shot and the ball was forced over the line in a scramble. [13]
The Norfolkians also chanced their arm in national competition, entering the FA Cup and FA Amateur Cup from 1899 to 1914. It never reached the first round of the former, and its best run in the latter came in 1907–08, when it reached the last 16; at that stage the Norfolkians lost 6–2 at home to Ilford. [14]
The club was expected to re-join the local leagues after the First World War, [15] but instead the Norfolkians merged with Maidenhead to form Maidenhead United. [16] In a repeat of the previous moves to amalgamate, many on the Norfolkian side were unhappy with their role in the project, and after a season, a faction proposed once more to withdraw. [17] However a further vote on continuing with the amalgamation was carried by a large majority, [18] and the Norfolkian name continued only via the Maidenhead Norfolkian Cup.
The earliest colours attributed to the club are red and yellow striped shirts. [19] By 1913 the club was wearing red and white shirts. [20]
The club's first match was played on Mr Bond's meadow in Maidenhead. [21] By 1886, the club had moved to Kidwell's Park, [22] which was the club's home for the rest of its existence. [23]
