The London FA was established in 1882, effectively as a branch of the actual Football Association with the purpose of overseeing club football in the metropolitan area. This was to enable the FA to focus on administering the Laws of the Game, the FA Cup and international football. Any clubs within 12 miles of Charing Cross fall under the jurisdiction of the London Association.
The following clubs were members in the inaugural season:
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The first President was A.F Kinnaird, Vice presidents were C.W Alcock and R.A Ogilvie. Hon. sec. was N. L Jackson (founder of Corinthian F.C, who eschewed 'competitive' football). London followed the example of provincial associations and instituted a cup competition for member clubs.
Southern Football was essentially amateur up until the 1890s (Royal Arsenal and Brentford are the only teams featured here to play League football until Wimbledon and Barnet graduated to the League in the 1970s and 1990s).
The early years of the competition were dominated by venerable amateur clubs that regularly saw players capped by England.
Old Carthusians had won the FA Cup in 1880-81 and were semi-finalists in the following 2 seasons. Their wins in 1894 and 1897 were 'doubles' in which they also won the FA Amateur Cup.
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The following clubs were members in the inaugural season:
Acton | Hermits | Olympic | Vulcans |
Alexandra | Hotspur | Olympic Rangers | West End |
Alpine Rovers | Kildare | Park | Westminster Club |
Argus | Lennox | Pilgrims | Woodford Bridge |
Clapham Rovers | Lyonstown | Prairie Rangers | |
Clapton | Melrose | Rangers | |
City Ramblers | Minerva | St Alban’s | |
Dreadnought | Morton Rangers | St Bartholomew’s Hospital | |
Excelsior | Mosquitoes | St Bride’s | |
Finchley | Oakshott | St Peter’s | |
Grove House | Old Brightonians | Somerset | |
Hanover | Old Etonians | Union | |
Hatton Rovers | Old Westminsters | Upton Park | |
Hendon | Olympian | Upton Rangers |
The first President was A.F Kinnaird, Vice presidents were C.W Alcock and R.A Ogilvie. Hon. sec. was N. L Jackson (founder of Corinthian F.C, who eschewed 'competitive' football). London followed the example of provincial associations and instituted a cup competition for member clubs.
Southern Football was essentially amateur up until the 1890s (Royal Arsenal and Brentford are the only teams featured here to play League football until Wimbledon and Barnet graduated to the League in the 1970s and 1990s).
The early years of the competition were dominated by venerable amateur clubs that regularly saw players capped by England.
Old Carthusians had won the FA Cup in 1880-81 and were semi-finalists in the following 2 seasons. Their wins in 1894 and 1897 were 'doubles' in which they also won the FA Amateur Cup.
Clapton 1889
1882-83 | Upton Park | 4 | 0 | Old Foresters |
1883-84 | Upton Park | 4 | 1 | Old Foresters |
1884-85 | Old Foresters | 2 | 1 | Upton Park |
1885-86 | Ashburnham Rovers | 2 | 1 | Hotspur |
1886-87 | Old Westminsters | 1 | 1 | Casuals |
Shared | ||||
1887-88 | Old Westminsters | 1 | 0 | Casuals |
1888-89 | Clapton | 4 | 2 | Casuals |
1889-90 | Old Westminsters | 1 | 0 | Royal Arsenal |
1890-91 | Royal Arsenal | 6 | 0 | St Bartholomew’s Hospital |
1891-92 | Old Westminsters | 2 | 1 | Ilford |
1892-93 | Old Westminsters | 3 | 0 | Casuals |
1893-94 | Old Foresters | 2 | 1 | Old Carthusians |
1894-95 | Old Carthusians | 6 | 0 | Casuals |
1895-96 | Old Carthusians | 3 | 1 | Casuals |
1896-97 | Old Carthusians | 5 | 2 | 3rd Grenadier Guards |
1897-98 | Brentford | 5 | 1 | Ilford |
1898-99 | Old Carthusians | 2 | 1 | London Caledonians |
99-00 | London Caledonians | 1 | 0 | Old Westminsters |
1900-01 | Ilford | 2 | 1 | Clapton |
1901-02 | Civil Service | 3 | 2 | Shepherds Bush |
1902-03 | Old Malvernians | 4 | 2 | Clapton |
1903-04 | Leyton | 1 | 0 | Ilford |
1904-05 | Ilford | 2 | 1 | Ealing |
1905-06 | New Crusaders | 2 | 2 | Dulwich Hamlet |
3 | 1 | |||
1906-07 | West Norwood | 4 | 1 | West Hampstead |
1907-08 | London Caledonians | 1 | 0 | Dulwich Hamlet |
1908-09 | Clapton | 1 | 0 | Nunhead |
1909-10 | Bromley | 1 | 0 | Clapton |
1910-11 | Clapton | 2 | 0 | Ilford |
1911-12 | Barking | 3 | 0 | London Caledonians |
1912-13 | Tufnell Park | 2 | 0 | Metrogas |
1913-14 | Ilford | 1 | 1 | Nunhead |
2 | 0 | |||
1914-15 | London Caledonians | 4 | 1 | Clapton |
1919-20 | Leytonstone | 5 | 2 | Barking Town |
1920-21 | Barking Town | 4 | 1 | Dulwich Hamlet |
1921-22 | Ilford | 3 | 1 | Nunhead |
1922-23 | Nunhead | 1 | 0 | Bromley |
1923-24 | Tufnell Park | 2 | 1 | Kingstonian |
1924-25 | Dulwich Hamlet | 2 | 0 | Clapton |
1925-26 | London Caledonians | 3 | 1 | Kingstonian |
1926-27 | Barking Town | 4 | 2 | London Caledonians |
1927-28 | London Caledonians | 2 | 0 | Dulwich Hamlet |
1928-29 | Ilford | 4 | 1 | London Caledonians |
1929-30 | Ilford | 4 | 1 | Walthamstow Avenue |
1930-31 | Wimbledon | 1 | 0 | Kingstonian |
1931-32 | Hayes | 3 | 1 | Ilford |
1932-33 | Finchley | 2 | 0 | Barnet |
1933-34 | Wimbledon | 1 | 1 | Leyton |
2 | 1 | |||
1934-35 | Enfield | 2 | 0 | Metropolitan Police |
1935-36 | Walthamstow Avenue | 1 | 0 | Golders Green |
1936-37 | Walthamstow Avenue | 6 | 3 | Hayes |