| Full name | Hertfordshire Rangers Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Rangers | ||
| Founded | 1865 | ||
| Dissolved | 1883 | ||
| Ground | White Lion Field, Watford | ||
| |||
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.
Football was first played in Hertfordshire at Belswain's Meadow in 1861, [1] and the Rangers (sometimes referred to as Herts Rangers) was the first proper club in the county, claiming a foundation date in December 1865 [2] and joining the Football Association in 1866. After a practice match between its members in November 1866, [3] its first recorded match against external opposition was against a Westminster XI in December 1866, but the match was played to Westminster School rules (which allowed some running with the ball in hand, permitted opponents to trip a player running with the ball, had a kick-in rather than a throw-in, started the game with the ball being thrown up from the centre of the field, and had goals of 10' x 6') [4] rather than Association laws. Westminster was recorded as victor by 1 "base" to nil. [5]
The club entertained the Wanderers at the end of 1866; initially only 7 Wanderers turned up, albeit their number included stars such as Charles W. Alcock and Arthur Pember of No Names Club. The match ended scoreless. [6]
Despite the club's early start in the game, it did not enter the first FA Cup, only arranging 11 fixtures for the 1871–72 season, two against the Hampstead Heathens which did enter the competition. [7]
The club first entered the FA Cup in 1875–76 and beat Rochester 4–0 in the first round, [8] the first of three wins the club ever had in the competition. In the second round the club lost 8–2 at home to Oxford University; Rangers took the lead after 20 minutes, Gilbert turning a cross in from six yards out, but were 4–1 down by half-time. [9]
The club's best Cup run came in 1880–81, with the club beating Barnes 6–0 in the first round (the club's record competitive win), plus having three disallowed for offside, [10] and getting a bye in the second. In the third round, and in a warning that the club was finding it harder to provide a team, the club only had 10 players for a tie against Old Etonians at the Kennington Oval, and duly lost 3–0. [11]
The Rangers often relied on players from Cambridge University students, as the university did not have a team at the time, and schools at Aldenham and Elstree. In 1881–82 the club lost in the first round to the Swifts and did not enter the competition again; two of the club's players moved to Hendon F.C. and the others appear to have left the sport. When the club ceased operation in January 1883, it was because it was unable to raise representative teams. [12]
A club bearing the same name was formed in 2001, its last fixtures dating from 2017. [13]
The club's first colours were dark orange and dark green, [14] [15] replaced in 1876 by black and grey. [16]
The club's first ground was behind cottages on the Watford High Road, near the Nascott estate, [17] known as the Wood's Field, and by 1868 the club was using the White Lion Field in Watford, 200 yards from Watford railway station. [18] In 1875 the club moved to Cassiobury Park in Upper Nascott. [19] The club used the Clarendon Hotel for its facilities [20] until moving to the Malden Hotel in 1875. [21]
Two Rangers players were selected for England: [22]
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.
The Old Etonians Association Football Club is an English association football club whose players are alumni of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.
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.
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.
Old Westminsters F.C. is an association football club composed of former pupils of Westminster School, London, England. They play in the Arthurian League.
Shropshire Wanderers F.C. was an amateur association football club based in Shrewsbury, England. The club was active during the 1870s and once reached the FA Cup semi-finals.
Crusaders Football Club was an English association football club based in London. It was a founder member of the Football Association.
The West Kent Football Club was a 19th century association football and rugby football club that was notable for being one of the twenty-one founding members of the Rugby Football Union, as well as producing a number of international players in the sport's early international fixtures.
Edgar Lubbock LLB was an English amateur footballer who twice won the FA Cup and played first-class cricket. He later became a partner in the Whitbread Brewery, a director and Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and the Master of the Blankney Foxhounds.
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.
Gitanos Football Club was an English association football club and one of the first members of the Football Association.
Rochester F.C. was an English association football club from Rochester in Kent.
Minerva F.C. was an English association football club, originally playing out of Loughborough Junction in Lambeth, London.
Clapham Common Club, usually known by its initials C.C.C., was a mid-nineteenth century amateur English football club based at Clapham Common.
Norfolk Football Club was an English football club based in the Norfolk Park suburb of Sheffield.
The Walthamstow Club was an English association and rugby club based at Palmerston Road in Walthamstow.
West End was an English association football club from London, with a claimed foundation date of 1868. It was the works side of the Marshall & Snelgrove department store. The club's first recorded match was in October 1873.
John Barrington Trapnell "JB" Chevallier was an English amateur footballer who played as a forward for Old Etonians, before taking over the family business, Aspall Cyder.
Charles Edward Farmer was a footballer and solicitor, who won an FA Cup runners-up medal.
