Thames Ironworks Football Club, the club that would later become
West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London. They have played their home matches at the Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904....
, was founded by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd owner
Arnold HillsArnold Hills was an English businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and promoter of vegetarianism.Hills was the first President of the London Vegetarian Society and the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club, and also served as President of a London Vegetarian Rambling Club...
and foreman
Dave TaylorDave Taylor was one of the co-founders of Thames Ironworks F.C., the team that became West Ham United F.C., in 1895.He was a foreman at the Thames Iron Works as well as being a local football referee....
in 1895. Thames Ironworks took over the tenancy of The Old Castle Swifts'
Hermit RoadHermit Road was the first home stadium of London football club Thames Ironworks, the team that would become West Ham United, and was located in Canning Town. Thames had taken over the tenancy of the ground in the summer of 1895 from Old Castle Swifts F.C., who were the first professional football...
ground in
Canning TownCanning Town is an area of East London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Newham and is situated in the area of the former London docks on the north side of the River Thames. It is the location of Rathbone Market...
until their eventual eviction in October 1896. They would briefly play at
Browning RoadBrowning Road was the home ground of London football club Thames Ironworks, the team that would become West Ham United, towards the end of the 1896-97 season....
in
East HamEast Ham is a place in the London Borough of Newham. It is a built-up district located 8 miles east north-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, before moving to the
Memorial GroundsMemorial Grounds was the home stadium of East London football club Thames Ironworks from the beginning of the 1897-98 season, until the end of the 1899-1900 season. The team continued to play at the stadium, under its new name of West Ham United, until they moved to their current home at the...
, a stadium which was situated close to where
West Ham stationWest Ham station is a London Underground and National Rail station on the District Line, Hammersmith & City Line, Jubilee Line and served by c2c train services. It is in Travelcard Zone 3, and is managed by London Underground...
now stands. The ground was built at Arnold Hills' own expense, costing £20,000.
Thames Ironworks were
West Ham Charity CupThe West Ham Charity Cup was an amateur football tournament, known to have existed between 1895 and 1902. It was contested by teams from West Ham and the surrounding area, an area of Essex that has subsequently been absorbed into London....
winners in 1895-96 and
London LeagueThe London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. . One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was...
runners up and champions in 1896-97 and 1897-98. They were promoted to
Southern League Division OneThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales....
in
1898-99During the summer of 1898, Thames Ironworks became a professional outfit for the first time, to match their new status as new members of the Southern League. It was a decision reluctantly taken by Ironworks chairman Arnold Hills, who had always believed in the classical ideal of competitive sport...
as Southern League Division Two Champions. They retained their Southern League status the following season by beating
FulhamFulham Football Club is an English professional football club based in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they celebrated their 125th anniversary in 2004, and are in the top tier of English football, the Premier League...
5-1 in a Test Match. At the end of June 1900, Thames Ironworks F.C. resigned from the Southern League and were officially wound up. On 5 July 1900 they reformed under the new name of West Ham United F.C. and accepted an offer of the Southern League place left vacant by Thames Ironworks.
Formation
- "In the summer of 1895, when the clanging of "hammers" was heard on the banks of Father Thames and the great warships were rearing their heads above the Victoria Dock Road, a few enthusiasts, with the love of football within them, were talking about the grand old game and the formation of a club for the workers of the Thames Iron Works Limited. There were platers and riveters in the Limited who had chased the big ball in the north country. There were men among them who had learned to give the subtle pass and to urge the leather goalwards. No thought of professionalism, I may say, was ever contemplated by the founders. They meant to run their club on amateur lines and their first principal was to choose their team from men in the works."
- - Syd King
Ernest Sydney "Syd" King was a footballer and manager, and one of the most important figures in the early history of West Ham United.-Playing career:...
, Thames Ironworks player and West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London. They have played their home matches at the Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904....
manager 1902-1932.
Thames Ironworks F.C. was founded by
Dave TaylorDave Taylor was one of the co-founders of Thames Ironworks F.C., the team that became West Ham United F.C., in 1895.He was a foreman at the Thames Iron Works as well as being a local football referee....
and
Arnold HillsArnold Hills was an English businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and promoter of vegetarianism.Hills was the first President of the London Vegetarian Society and the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club, and also served as President of a London Vegetarian Rambling Club...
in 1895. Taylor was a foreman at the Thames Iron Works and a local football
refereeA referee is a person who has authority to make decisions about play in many sports. Officials in various sports are known by a variety of titles, including: referee, umpire, judge, linesman, commissaire, timekeeper or touch judge.- Origin :The term referee originated in association football...
. Thanks to Ironworks owner Arnold Hills' financial backing, he was able to announce on 29 June 1895 the following in the company's weekly journal:
- "Mr. Taylor, who is working in the shipbuilding department, has undertaken to get up a football club for next winter and I learn that quoits
Quoits is a traditional game which involves the throwing of metal, rope or rubber rings over a set distance, usually to land over or near a spike...
and bowlsBowls is a sport in which the goal is to roll slightly asymmetric balls, called bowls, closest to a smaller—normally white—bowl called the "jack" or "kitty". Bowls, either flat- or crown-green, is usually played outdoors, on grass and synthetic surfaces. Flat-green bowls can also be...
will also be added to the attractions." - Thames Iron Works Gazette.
Fifty would-be players paid half-a-crown for a year's membership, and Taylor spent the summer arranging the fixtures for Thames Ironworks F.C. and their reserves. Before
"The Irons" played their first game Taylor returned to refereeing, handing over organizational duties to Ted Harsent, who became the first club secretary.
The birth of Thames Ironworks F.C. coincided with the demise of
Old Castle SwiftsOld Castle Swifts Football Club, the first professional football club in Essex, was formed by Scottish shipowner Donald Currie in September 1892 as Castle Swifts Football Club. Castle Swifts' demise would have great relevance in the early history of Thames Ironworks, the team who would later...
, the first professional football club in
EssexEssex is a county in the East of England region of the United Kingdom. The county town of Essex is Chelmsford.-History:In pre-Roman Britain the territories of Suffolk and Essex were home to the Trinovantes tribe, which had grown wealthy through intensive trade with the Roman Empire, contemporary...
. Thames took over the tenancy of Castle Swifts' Hermit Road ground in
Canning TownCanning Town is an area of East London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Newham and is situated in the area of the former London docks on the north side of the River Thames. It is the location of Rathbone Market...
and signed four Old Castle Swifts players, including former
Woolwich ArsenalArsenal Football Club are an English professional football club based in Holloway, North London...
full back
Robert StevensonRobert "Bob" Stevenson was a Scottish footballer, a versatile full and half back who could also play at centre forward....
, who became the club's first ever captain and is credited as being the team's first player of note.
- See also Old Castle Swifts F.C.
Old Castle Swifts Football Club, the first professional football club in Essex, was formed by Scottish shipowner Donald Currie in September 1892 as Castle Swifts Football Club. Castle Swifts' demise would have great relevance in the early history of Thames Ironworks, the team who would later...
1895-1896
The Ironworks played their first ever fixture against
Royal OrdnanceRoyal Ordnance Factories Football Club were a football club from south east London, that existed in the late 19th century.In 1893, the former workers' team at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, Woolwich Arsenal FC, was by now a professional side and had joined the Football League...
reserves on 7 September 1895, the game ending 0-0. One of the players likely to have been involved in this first game was Iron Works employee
Charlie DoveCharles Dove was born in 1879 in East Ham, England. He was regarded as a super-fit footballer, who in 1895 stood at nearly 6 feet and weighed 12 stone, considered large at the time for a sixteen year old from a working-class area of Essex...
, who had played at full-back and centre forward during his time as a school player. Dove would be mainly used as a right-half, but would play every position for The Irons during his time with them.
In what would be their first competitive game, Thames Ironworks took on
Chatham TownChatham Town are an English Association Football club, based in Chatham, Kent. They currently play in the Isthmian League First Division South and are nicknamed "The Chats"....
in a preliminary qualifying round of the FA Cup on 12 October, losing 0-5 before a crowd of 3,000.
Their biggest defeat came on 14 December when they lost in a friendly game away to
Millwall AthleticMillwall Football Club is an English football team based in Bermondsey in the London Borough ofSouthwark, South East London. They currently play in Football League One. Their traditional strip consists of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks. Their current strip is blue shirts, white shorts...
0-6. Millwall were also an 'Iron Works' side, whose south London company competed with Thames Iron Works for contacts. The rivalry between the two clubs would continue into the present day. "The Irons" would soon bolster their attacking strength, with the signing of
Gainsborough TrinityGainsborough Trinity Football Club are an English football club based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.Between 1896 and 1912 they were members of the Football League. They are currently in the Conference North, and play their home matches at The Northolme, which has a capacity of 4,304...
inside forward
George GreshamGeorge Gresham was a footballer who played inside forward for Gainsborough Trinity F.C. before moving in 1895 to Thames Ironworks F.C., the team that became West Ham United F.C....
. Gresham would go on to score many goals for the club in his next three and a half years there.
16 March saw an experimental 'floodlit friendly' at the Hermit Road ground for Thames Ironworks, in their first encounter with
Woolwich ArsenalArsenal Football Club are an English professional football club based in Holloway, North London...
that finished in favour of Woolwich Arsenal 5-3. These early attempts at floodlighting were set up using Thames Iron Works engineers and equipment, and caused an amount of notoriety. They were also used for "The Irons" next game against
West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion Football Club , also known as West Brom, The Baggies, Albion, The Albion, The Throstles or WBA, are an English professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands...
, which they lost 2-4.
An epic confrontation followed as Thames Ironworks faced
BarkingBarking Football Club is a football club based in Barking, England. They are known to have been founding members of the London League and were established in circa 1865.-History:...
in the final of the
West Ham Charity CupThe West Ham Charity Cup was an amateur football tournament, known to have existed between 1895 and 1902. It was contested by teams from West Ham and the surrounding area, an area of Essex that has subsequently been absorbed into London....
on 21 March 1896 at The Old Spotted Dog Ground in Upton Lane. Drawing 2-2, the match was replayed a week later, and again the teams drew, this time 0-0. Eventually the final was replayed for the second time on 20 April 1896 and "The Irons" won 1-0, lifting a trophy in their first ever season.
- See also Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1895-96
1896-1897
Thames Ironworks F.C. entered the
London LeagueThe London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. . One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was...
for the 1896-97 season, even though the
West HamWest Ham is a district of the London Borough of Newham in London, England. In the west it is a post-industrial neighbourhood abutting the site of the London Olympic Park and in the east it is mostly residential, consisting of Victoria terraced housing interspersed with higher density post-War...
area was still officially part of
EssexEssex is a county in the East of England region of the United Kingdom. The county town of Essex is Chelmsford.-History:In pre-Roman Britain the territories of Suffolk and Essex were home to the Trinovantes tribe, which had grown wealthy through intensive trade with the Roman Empire, contemporary...
at the time. However, it was a seamless transition for the club to make as Thames Ironworks owner
Arnold HillsArnold Hills was an English businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and promoter of vegetarianism.Hills was the first President of the London Vegetarian Society and the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club, and also served as President of a London Vegetarian Rambling Club...
was also president of the London League, and along with Thames Ironworks F.C. committee chairman
Francis PayneFrancis Payne was one of the men responsible for drafting the rules the London League and became London League members Thames Ironworks F.C.'s club secretary in 1897, succeeding Ted Harsent in the post...
, helped to draft the competition's rules.
In their first ever competitive league fixture in the London League, staged at the Hermit Road ground, on 19 September 1896 Thames Ironworks beat the Vampires 3-0.
The following month, "The Irons" went out in the
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
first qualifying round for the second year running, losing 0-8 away to Kent
Southern LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales....
team
Sheppey UnitedA.F.C. Sheppey is a football club based on the Isle of Sheppey, in Kent, England and was formed as Sheppey United in 1890. They were a founding member of the Southern Football League Division Two in 1894 and played in the Southern League Division One for four seasons from 1896-97 to 1899-1900 when...
on 10 October 1897. Shortly after their exit from the
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
they were handed an eviction notice from the Hermit Road ground for violating their tenancy agreement and had to play their next four fixtures at the grounds of their opponents, until a new home could be found. By the turn of 1897 Arnold Hills had managed to lease a temporary piece of land for the team, located in Browning Road, East Ham.
"The Irons" managed to make the final of the
West Ham Charity CupThe West Ham Charity Cup was an amateur football tournament, known to have existed between 1895 and 1902. It was contested by teams from West Ham and the surrounding area, an area of Essex that has subsequently been absorbed into London....
for the second year running, and on 20 March 1896 they narrowly lost the final 0-1 to West Ham Garfield. It was also around that time that Thames Ironworks' inspirational captain
Robert StevensonRobert "Bob" Stevenson was a Scottish footballer, a versatile full and half back who could also play at centre forward....
left to return to his native Scotland to play for
ArthurlieArthurlie Football Club are a junior Scottish football team based in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, near Glasgow. They play at Dunterlie Park, on Carlibar Road, adjacent to Barrhead railway station. They currently play in the Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region.-History:The team was one...
.
Thames Ironworks' biggest defeat of the season came soon after, on 1 April 1897, when they lost for the second time to the champions-elect
3rd Grenadier Guards3rd Grenadier Guards F.C. were an English football team that played in the London League from as early as 1896 until 1898. During the 1896-97 season they were champions and during the 1897-98 season they finished 4th....
0-5 at Browning Road.
Yet it was only two days later, when in another another home game, that "The Irons" recorded their biggest win of the season when they beat Crouch End 4-1.
Their first appearance in the London League had seen them finish 4th, but only temporarily. The
1st Scots Guards1st Scots Guards F.C. were an English football team that existed from at least 1891. They played in the Southern League from 1895-96 and finished third of nine in Division Two. This made them eligible to play in a test match promotion decider against Clapton, which they lost 1-4...
had withdrawn from the league during the season, and their record was deleted, and the
london WelshLondon Welsh F.C. were an English football team that were formed as early as 1891. They lost emphatically in the 1891-92 season 0-12 to Millwall Athletic. They played in the London League for at least the 1896-97 season, in which they finished 7th of seven...
team had been suspended towards the end of the season. "The Irons" had not yet played London Welsh and as a result, and probably thanks also to
Arnold HillsArnold Hills was an English businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and promoter of vegetarianism.Hills was the first President of the London Vegetarian Society and the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club, and also served as President of a London Vegetarian Rambling Club...
' presidency of the league and
Francis Payne'sFrancis Payne was one of the men responsible for drafting the rules the London League and became London League members Thames Ironworks F.C.'s club secretary in 1897, succeeding Ted Harsent in the post...
drafting of the rules, Thames Ironworks F.C. were awarded two wins by default and finished the revised league as runners up.
- See also Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1896-97
1897-1898
For their season in the
London LeagueThe London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. . One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was...
, the club committee introduced players' insurance for the first time. This meant the players would be covered against loss of wages caused by injuries sustained from playing football. On 11 September 1897, in their first game of the new season of the London League and also at their new
Memorial GroundsMemorial Grounds was the home stadium of East London football club Thames Ironworks from the beginning of the 1897-98 season, until the end of the 1899-1900 season. The team continued to play at the stadium, under its new name of West Ham United, until they moved to their current home at the...
stadium, Thames beat
BrentfordBrentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
1-0. "The Irons" went on to win their first six London League games.
Thames Ironworks faced
St Albans CitySt Albans City F.C. is a football club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in 1908 and plays its home matches at Clarence Park, about 800 yards from the city centre...
in the FA Cup on 16 October 1897 and lost the game 0-2. Disappointment soon faded, and it was perhaps in the third London League game away to champions
3rd Grenadier Guards3rd Grenadier Guards F.C. were an English football team that played in the London League from as early as 1896 until 1898. During the 1896-97 season they were champions and during the 1897-98 season they finished 4th....
, that "The Irons" found real belief in their ability to challenge for the London League. The managed to win 1-0 against a team who had beaten them 4-1 and 5-0 during the previous season. 1897 ended with Thames Ironworks top of the table and unbeaten in the London League, having only conceded five goals, three of them coming in a 3-3 thriller against local rivals
IlfordIlford F.C. are a London football club based in Ilford in the London Borough of Redbridge founded in 1987.There was an earlier famous non-league club of the same name, founded in 1881. In 1979, it merged with Leytonstone to...
.
Their highest scoring game of the season came on 15 January 1898, with a 'ten goal thriller' against
BromleyBromley Football Club are an English association football club based in the London Borough of Bromley, London, England. They currently play in the Conference South, and play their home matches at Hayes Lane, Bromley.-Early years:...
going The Ironworks' way 7-3. Their impressive league run continued until the penultimate fixture of the London League season against second placed Brentford. Brentford were only one point behind "The Irons" and the game caused much local interest, including a newspaper article on Thames Ironworks' rising star
Charlie DoveCharles Dove was born in 1879 in East Ham, England. He was regarded as a super-fit footballer, who in 1895 stood at nearly 6 feet and weighed 12 stone, considered large at the time for a sixteen year old from a working-class area of Essex...
. At Shooters Field on 23 April 1898, Thames lost the tie 0-1, and Brentford leap-frogged "The Irons" and were now one point ahead with one game left to play.
A final day victory away to
2nd Grenadier Guards2nd Grenadier Guards F.C. were an English football team that played in the London League Division One during the 1897-98 season, finishing ninth of nine. In that season champions Thames Ironworks F.C...
on 30 April ensured that Thames Ironworks won the London League title by a single point, as fellow challengers Brentford lost to
Barking WoodvilleBarking Football Club is a football club based in Barking, England. They are known to have been founding members of the London League and were established in circa 1865.-History:...
. Thames had finished the season with a 100% home record. In total they had won twelve and drawn three of their sixteen London League games, only losing in the game away to Brentford. On the way to the title they had scored 47 goals and conceded 15, the best offensive and defensive record in the division. Thames Ironworks F.C. were also successful in their application to the
Southern LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales....
and would begin the following season in the Southern League Division Two.
- See also Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1897-98
1898-1899
During the summer of 1898, Thames Ironworks F.C. became a professional outfit for the first time, to match their new status as members of the
Southern LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales....
. New signings came thick and fast and included the controversial capture of goalkeeper Tommy Moore from arch-rivals
Millwall AthleticMillwall Football Club is an English football team based in Bermondsey in the London Borough ofSouthwark, South East London. They currently play in Football League One. Their traditional strip consists of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks. Their current strip is blue shirts, white shorts...
. The team further strengthened defensively with the signing of Scottish left-half
Roddy McEachraneRoderick John "Roddy" McEachrane was a Scottish footballer, born in Inverness.McEachrane moved to Canning Town, London at the age of 20, to work at the Thames Iron Works, and joined the works football team, Thames Ironworks FC. He soon settled in the side as a left half-back with a reputation for...
, who worked at the Iron Works. The team's attacking options were increased with the signings of winger Patrick Leonard from
Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Manchester. The team is currently a member of the Premier League.The first known competitive fixture was played in November 1880, when the side was known as St...
and the snaring of centre forward
David LloydDavid Lloyd was an English footballer who played for Thames Ironworks, the club that went on to become West Ham United.Lloyd played for the Third Grenadier Guards before moving to the Irons in 1898...
from former rivals
3rd Grenadier Guards3rd Grenadier Guards F.C. were an English football team that played in the London League from as early as 1896 until 1898. During the 1896-97 season they were champions and during the 1897-98 season they finished 4th....
.
They kicked off the season on 10 September, 1898 away to
Shepherd's BushShepherd's Bush Football Club were an English football club based in Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, although they originally played in central and south London.-History:...
, and were in fine form, beating the West London outfit 3-0. In a Southern League game away to
Wycombe WanderersWycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, currently playing in Football League One. The club's official nickname is "The Chairboys", and they play in Cambridge and Oxford blue quarters...
on 29 October, The Irons missed their train and arrived at the ground an hour late. The obviously unsettled side lost the game 1-4. This was to be Thames Ironworks' last last defeat of the season, and they could go on to win an impressive 17 of their last 18 games, drawing the other game. In an away game against Maidenhead on 31 December 1898, which Thames Ironworks won 4-0,
Charlie DoveCharles Dove was born in 1879 in East Ham, England. He was regarded as a super-fit footballer, who in 1895 stood at nearly 6 feet and weighed 12 stone, considered large at the time for a sixteen year old from a working-class area of Essex...
completed the distinction of playing in every position for the club when he deputised for goalkeeper Tommy Moore.
Thames Ironworks played their first game of the new year at the
Memorial GroundsMemorial Grounds was the home stadium of East London football club Thames Ironworks from the beginning of the 1897-98 season, until the end of the 1899-1900 season. The team continued to play at the stadium, under its new name of West Ham United, until they moved to their current home at the...
on 14 January 1899, when they entertained Wycombe. This time, the Wycombe goalkeeper missed the train, and the team began the game with only ten players on the pitch. The final score of 4-1 was a complete reverse of their previous encounter.
Already confirmed as Southern League Division Two champions, having won the previous 14 games, Thames Ironworks showed little restraint for the final game of the season against
MaidenheadMaidenhead United Football Club is a football club in Maidenhead, Berkshire, United Kingdom. The club was founded in 1870 and moved to their current ground at York Road the following year...
on 15 April 1899. With the largest home crowd of the season of 3000 spectators, The Irons demolished the bottom club of the division 10-0. The goals included four from Patrick Leonard and a
hat-trickA hat-trick in sports is associated with succeeding at anything three times, generally in three consecutive attempts. In North America it is often rendered as hat trick, with no hyphen. The Oxford English Dictionary lists it unhyphenated and gives a variety of examples published in the 19th and...
from David Lloyd. Although they won the Southern League Second Division by 9 points, Thames Ironworks were required to play Test Matches to decide their promotion to Division One. The first came against
Cowes SportsCowes Sports F.C. is a football club based in Cowes, Isle of Wight, England. They were established in 1881.In 1898, Cowes joined the Southern League in Division Two South-West. Cowes took the Division title, winning all ten matches played...
on 22 April. The game was played at the supposedly neutral East Ferry Road ground of Irons' rivals
MillwallMillwall Football Club is an English football team based in Bermondsey in the London Borough ofSouthwark, South East London. They currently play in Football League One. Their traditional strip consists of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks. Their current strip is blue shirts, white shorts...
. A 10,000 strong crowd saw Thames Ironworks win the game 3-1, with goals coming from David Lloyd, Patrick Leonard and Henderson.
The Ironworks then had to face
Sheppey UnitedA.F.C. Sheppey is a football club based on the Isle of Sheppey, in Kent, England and was formed as Sheppey United in 1890. They were a founding member of the Southern Football League Division Two in 1894 and played in the Southern League Division One for four seasons from 1896-97 to 1899-1900 when...
, who had finished 12th in the 13 team Southern League Division One, and had beaten The Irons two and a half years previously 8-0 in an FA Cup game. The game took place at
Chatham TownChatham Town are an English Association Football club, based in Chatham, Kent. They currently play in the Isthmian League First Division South and are nicknamed "The Chats"....
's ground on 29 April and finished 1-1, with David Lloyd once again the goalscorer. Before a replay could be staged, it was decided to enlarge the top division of the Southern League to 19 teams, thus enabling Thames Ironworks F.C. to join the higher tier.
- See also Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1898-99
During the summer of 1898, Thames Ironworks became a professional outfit for the first time, to match their new status as new members of the Southern League. It was a decision reluctantly taken by Ironworks chairman Arnold Hills, who had always believed in the classical ideal of competitive sport...
1899-1900
To bolster the squad for their first season in
Southern League Division OneThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales....
,
Arnold HillsArnold Hills was an English businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and promoter of vegetarianism.Hills was the first President of the London Vegetarian Society and the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club, and also served as President of a London Vegetarian Rambling Club...
supplied a transfer fund of £1,000 to club secretary
Francis PayneFrancis Payne was one of the men responsible for drafting the rules the London League and became London League members Thames Ironworks F.C.'s club secretary in 1897, succeeding Ted Harsent in the post...
, who raided
Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club, , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English professional football club based in Tottenham, North London which currently plays in the Premier League...
for inside-right Kenny McKay, centre-forward
Bill JoyceBill Joyce was a Scottish footballer who played as a forward.Joyce started his career at Greenock Morton before moving to England and Bolton Wanderers in 1884, where he suffered a broken leg in 1896....
and left-winger
Tom BradshawHenry Thomas Bradshaw was an English international footballer who played in the outside-left and centre-forward positions for Liverpool, Northwich Victoria, Tottenham Hotspur and Thames Ironworks during the late 19th century....
, who was immediately appointed captain of the team. Bradshaw was a former
EnglandThe English national football team represents England in international association football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football in England...
international, who holds the distinction of being
Liverpool'sLiverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club plays in the Premier League, and has won more trophies than any other English club...
first ever player to achieve international recognition. Payne also brought in left-back
Syd KingErnest Sydney "Syd" King was a footballer and manager, and one of the most important figures in the early history of West Ham United.-Playing career:...
from
New BromptonGillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the KRBS Priestfield Stadium...
, who would go on to become West Ham's first manager in 1902. Players to leave the club in the summer included the men Bradshaw had replaced at outside-left and as captain.
Patrick LeonardPatrick Raymond Leonard is an American songwriter, keyboardist and music producer, known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna on many different recordings....
, returned to
Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Manchester. The team is currently a member of the Premier League.The first known competitive fixture was played in November 1880, when the side was known as St...
and
Walter TranterWalter Rogers Tranter was an English association football player.Born in Middlesbrough, Tranter played as a left-back for Thames Ironworks, the team that would later become West Ham United. The club handbook described him as a player that "rushes in where others feared to tread"...
, signed for
Chatham TownChatham Town are an English Association Football club, based in Chatham, Kent. They currently play in the Isthmian League First Division South and are nicknamed "The Chats"....
but would return as a West Ham United player twelve months later. Before the season began, Francis Payne was suspended by
The Football AssociationThe Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
for
tapping-upIn professional team sports, tapping up or tampering is an attempt to persuade a player contracted to one team to transfer to another team, without the knowledge or permission of the player's current team. This kind of approach is often made through the player's agent...
a
BirminghamBirmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham F.C. in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City F.C...
player and soon resigned his post as club secretary. He was replaced in the position by Irons defender George Neill, thus beginning a history of the team appointing from within.
Thames Ironworks lost their first fixture in the Southern League Division One 1-0 away at
ReadingReading Football Club is an association football club, based in the English town of Reading, in Berkshire, who play in the The Championship. Formed in 1871 the club is one of the oldest teams in England, but did not join the Football League until 1920, and never played in the top tier of English...
on 16 September 1899, but managed their biggest league win of the season only two days later with 4-0 home win against Chatham Town. Thames Ironworks recorded their biggest win of the season, in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup on 28 October, trouncing
DartfordDartford F.C. are an English football club based in Dartford, Kent. After finishing as champions of the Isthmian League Division One North in the 2007 - 2008 season, they compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division. They finished in 8th position in their first season...
away 7-0. However, The Irons good form soon ended on 4 November when in a league game they lost 7-0 at
White Hart LaneWhite Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,310....
to Tottenham Hotspur.
Thames Ironworks managed to steady the ship with a 0-0 home draw against New Brompton on 11 November. Only a week later, the teams met again in the next qualifying round of the FA Cup, and after another 0-0 draw, a replay went Thames Ironworks' way 2-0. The win set up a tie against arch rivals
MillwallMillwall Football Club is an English football team based in Bermondsey in the London Borough ofSouthwark, South East London. They currently play in Football League One. Their traditional strip consists of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks. Their current strip is blue shirts, white shorts...
. The clearly ailing Tom Bradshaw, whose health had steadily been deteriorating for some time, was rested for the next two games, in preparation for the tie against Millwall.
The Irons' 9 December
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
game at home to Millwall attracted their biggest attendance of the season with 13,000 Londoners making the tie. Tom Bradshaw, got the only goal in a 1-2 defeat that would be his last game for the club. On 25 December, after lengthy illness, Bradshaw died. His cause of death was recorded as
consumptionTuberculosis is a common and often deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria...
. The disillusioned Thames Ironworks team would record seven successive defeats but a further five wins and four draws would be enough for them to avoid bottom place.
"The Irons" won the last three games of the season, including a 4-1 victory over Southern League Division One Champions and FA Cup Finalists
SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club are a professional English football team, nicknamed The Saints and based in the city of Southampton. The club were relegated from the Championship in 2009, and play in League One in the 2009–10 season...
, with Bill Joyce's second hat-trick of the season making the difference. The last game of the season arrived on 28 April when The Irons beat Millwall away 1-0. Thames Ironworks finished 14 out of 15 in the Southern League Division One and would be required to play a Test Match to preserve their divisional status. Only two days later at a game held at Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane Ground, The Irons faced a
FulhamFulham Football Club is an English professional football club based in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they celebrated their 125th anniversary in 2004, and are in the top tier of English football, the Premier League...
team featuring former centre-forward David Lloyd. Thames Ironworks won 5-1, with Bill Joyce claiming his third hat-trick of the season at his former stomping ground. Thames Ironworks had survived their first season in the top division of the Southern League.
- See also Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1899-1900
For the 1899-1900 season, Thames Ironworks F.C. adopted claret and blue 'uniforms' for the first time. Charlie Dove had got the kits for the club at a very cheap price of £3.10s. They had come from his father William Dove, who was a professional sprinter of national repute, as well as being one...
West Ham United
In June 1900, club chairman Arnold Hill's
Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding CompanyThe Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Limited was a shipyard and iron works based at Leamouth, the junction of Bow Creek and the River Thames...
acquired another engineering firm in a financial takeover and became a limited company for the first time. 4,000 ten shilling shares (50p) were sold to Iron Works staff and the general public, with Arnold Hills generous enough to match sales of any shares one-to-one. At the end of June, Thames Ironworks F.C. resigned from the Southern League and were officially wound up.
On 5 July 1900 they reformed under the new name of
West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London. They have played their home matches at the Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904....
and accepted an offer of the Southern League place left vacant by Thames Ironworks. Len Bowen, a
WelshWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
clerk at the Iron Works Company was appointed as the first West Ham United club secretary. Bowen had previously written Thames Ironworks match reports for the
Thames Iron Works Gazette, also known as
TIWG. He would retain twelve Thames Ironworks players for the following season. These included goalkeeper Tommy Moore, full-backs Syd King and Charlie Craig, wing-halves Charlie Dove and Roddy McEachrane, as well as wingers Frank Taylor, Bob Allan and Fred Corbett. Former club secretary and Ironworks defender George Neill was also retained for the new season ahead. Tom Bradshaw's close friends Bill Joyce and Kenny McKay left for
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey, sometimes called 'The Blues', with their fans known as 'The Blue Army'. They play in the Premier League...
and
FulhamFulham Football Club is an English professional football club based in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they celebrated their 125th anniversary in 2004, and are in the top tier of English football, the Premier League...
respectively, while Albert Carnelly joined arch-rivals Millwall.
Club badge and colours
The original club crest was a crossed pair of riveting hammers, as used in the shipbuilding process, and the 'hammers' would continue to feature in
West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London. They have played their home matches at the Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904....
's badge to the present day. The original colours of the team were dark blue due to Arnold Hills being a former student of Oxford University, although the team used a variety of kits. They often used the claret and sky blue house colours of the actual Iron Works and would also wear all sky blue or white uniforms. They permanently adopted claret and blue for home games in the summer of 1899. Irons right-half
Charlie DoveCharles Dove was born in 1879 in East Ham, England. He was regarded as a super-fit footballer, who in 1895 stood at nearly 6 feet and weighed 12 stone, considered large at the time for a sixteen year old from a working-class area of Essex...
had got the kits for the club from his father William Dove, who was a professional sprinter of national repute, as well as being involved with the coaching at Thames Ironworks. Bill Dove had been at a fair in Birmingham, close to Villa Park, the home ground of Aston Villa and was challenged to a race against four Villa players, who wagered money that one of them would win. Bill Dove defeated them, and when they were unable to pay the bet, one of the Villa players who was responsible for washing the team's kit offered a complete side's 'uniforms' to Dove in payment of the bet. The Aston Villa player subsequently reported to his club that the kit was 'missing'. Thames Ironworks, and later West Ham United, would continue to use their previously favoured colours for their away kits. In recent years the club have committed to a sky blue-white-dark blue rotation, each kit having a one season shelf life.
Home venues
Thames Ironworks F.C. originally played at
Hermit RoadHermit Road was the first home stadium of London football club Thames Ironworks, the team that would become West Ham United, and was located in Canning Town. Thames had taken over the tenancy of the ground in the summer of 1895 from Old Castle Swifts F.C., who were the first professional football...
in
Canning TownCanning Town is an area of East London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Newham and is situated in the area of the former London docks on the north side of the River Thames. It is the location of Rathbone Market...
. They had taken over the tenancy from the defunct
Old Castle SwiftsOld Castle Swifts Football Club, the first professional football club in Essex, was formed by Scottish shipowner Donald Currie in September 1892 as Castle Swifts Football Club. Castle Swifts' demise would have great relevance in the early history of Thames Ironworks, the team who would later...
. Hermit Road had been described as a 'cinder' heap' and 'barren waste'. It was surrounded by a moat and had canvas sheeting for fencing. On 12 October, Thames' had to play their first ever competitive game at the ground of
Chatham TownChatham Town are an English Association Football club, based in Chatham, Kent. They currently play in the Isthmian League First Division South and are nicknamed "The Chats"....
in a preliminary qualifying round of the
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
as the opposing team had rated Hermit Road as "unsuitable".
In October 1897, Thames Ironworks were handed an eviction notice from the Hermit Road ground. The club had violated their tenancy agreement by charging admission fees and building a perimeter fence and pavilion. Thames Ironworks played their next few fixtures at the grounds of their opponents, until, at the turn of 1897,
Arnold HillsArnold Hills was an English businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and promoter of vegetarianism.Hills was the first President of the London Vegetarian Society and the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club, and also served as President of a London Vegetarian Rambling Club...
managed to lease a temporary piece of land for the team, located in
Browning RoadBrowning Road was the home ground of London football club Thames Ironworks, the team that would become West Ham United, towards the end of the 1896-97 season....
,
East HamEast Ham is a place in the London Borough of Newham. It is a built-up district located 8 miles east north-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
. However, the new situation was not ideal, as explained by future Ironworks player and
West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London. They have played their home matches at the Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904....
manager
Syd KingErnest Sydney "Syd" King was a footballer and manager, and one of the most important figures in the early history of West Ham United.-Playing career:...
in his 1906 book:
- "For some reason, not altogether explained, the local public at this place did not take kindly to them and the records show that Browning Road was a wilderness both in the manner of luck and support." -Syd King, 'Book Of Football' (1906)
Arnold Hills earmarked a large piece of land in
Canning TownCanning Town is an area of East London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Newham and is situated in the area of the former London docks on the north side of the River Thames. It is the location of Rathbone Market...
and would eventually spend
£The pound sterling , often simply called the pound, is the currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and British Antarctic Territory...
20,000 on the construction of a new stadium but the ground would not be ready until the following season. The
Memorial GroundsMemorial Grounds was the home stadium of East London football club Thames Ironworks from the beginning of the 1897-98 season, until the end of the 1899-1900 season. The team continued to play at the stadium, under its new name of West Ham United, until they moved to their current home at the...
were opened on
Jubilee DayHeld annually in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, Jubilee Day is the longest-running and largest one-day street fair in the eastern part of the United States with as many as 60,000 people attending annually....
, 1897, to coincde with the sixtieth anniversary of Queen Victoria to the throne. It was situated close to where
West Ham stationWest Ham station is a London Underground and National Rail station on the District Line, Hammersmith & City Line, Jubilee Line and served by c2c train services. It is in Travelcard Zone 3, and is managed by London Underground...
now stands. The site retains its sporting connection in present times as the home East London Rugby Club. Aside from a football pitch, the stadium contained a cinder running track for athletics, a cycle track and tennis courts, as well as the biggest outdoor swimming pool in
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was said at the time that the grounds were "good enough to stage an English Cup Final." On 11 September 1897, in their first game of the new season of the
London LeagueThe London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. . One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was...
and also at their new ground, Thames beat
BrentfordBrentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
1-0. West Ham United would continue to use the stadium until their move to the
Boleyn GroundThe Boleyn Ground, sometimes colloquially referred to as Upton Park, is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:The club rented Green Street House and grounds in the Municipal Borough of East Ham from the Roman Catholic Church from around 1912...
in 1904.
Player records
- These lists feature Southern League, FA Cup and Test Match appearances & goals and do not include London League, friendly or reserve statistics.
Appearances
61 Tommy Moore 1898-1900
42 Tommy DunnThomas "Tommy" Dunn was a Scottish professional association footballer who played as a full back....
1898-1900
41+ Charlie DoveCharles Dove was born in 1879 in East Ham, England. He was regarded as a super-fit footballer, who in 1895 stood at nearly 6 feet and weighed 12 stone, considered large at the time for a sixteen year old from a working-class area of Essex...
1895-1900
36+ Roddy McEachraneRoderick John "Roddy" McEachrane was a Scottish footballer, born in Inverness.McEachrane moved to Canning Town, London at the age of 20, to work at the Thames Iron Works, and joined the works football team, Thames Ironworks FC. He soon settled in the side as a left half-back with a reputation for...
1898-1900
36 Kenny McKay 1899-1900
35 Bill JoyceBill Joyce was a Scottish footballer who played as a forward.Joyce started his career at Greenock Morton before moving to England and Bolton Wanderers in 1884, where he suffered a broken leg in 1896....
1899-1900
34 Albert Carnelly 1899-1900
27+ Henry Hird 1897-1900
27+ Walter TranterWalter Rogers Tranter was an English association football player.Born in Middlesbrough, Tranter played as a left-back for Thames Ironworks, the team that would later become West Ham United. The club handbook described him as a player that "rushes in where others feared to tread"...
1897-1899
23 Syd KingErnest Sydney "Syd" King was a footballer and manager, and one of the most important figures in the early history of West Ham United.-Playing career:...
1899-1900
- A more comprehensive list can be found at
Thames Ironworks F.C. statisticsThis is a list of Southern League, FA Cup and Test Match appearances made, and goals scored, by Thames Ironworks F.C. players from 1895 until 1900. This list does not include London League, friendly or reserve statistics.-Player records:-Record victories:...
|
|
Goals
18 Bill JoyceBill Joyce was a Scottish footballer who played as a forward.Joyce started his career at Greenock Morton before moving to England and Bolton Wanderers in 1884, where he suffered a broken leg in 1896....
1899-1900
14 Albert Carnelly 1899-1900
14 David LloydDavid Lloyd was an English footballer who played for Thames Ironworks, the club that went on to become West Ham United.Lloyd played for the Third Grenadier Guards before moving to the Irons in 1898...
1898-1899
13 Kenny McKay 1899-1900
11+ Jimmy Reid 1897-1900
8 Patrick Leonard 1898-1899
5+ Charlie DoveCharles Dove was born in 1879 in East Ham, England. He was regarded as a super-fit footballer, who in 1895 stood at nearly 6 feet and weighed 12 stone, considered large at the time for a sixteen year old from a working-class area of Essex...
1895-1900
5+ George GreshamGeorge Gresham was a footballer who played inside forward for Gainsborough Trinity F.C. before moving in 1895 to Thames Ironworks F.C., the team that became West Ham United F.C....
1895-1899
5 J. Reynolds 1898-1899
4+ Henry Hird 1897-1900 |
Club Captains
| Captain |
Period |
| Scotland Robert Stevenson Robert "Bob" Stevenson was a Scottish footballer, a versatile full and half back who could also play at centre forward....
|
1895-1897 |
| England Walter Tranter Walter Rogers Tranter was an English association football player.Born in Middlesbrough, Tranter played as a left-back for Thames Ironworks, the team that would later become West Ham United. The club handbook described him as a player that "rushes in where others feared to tread"...
|
1897-1899 |
England Thomas BradshawHenry Thomas Bradshaw was an English international footballer who played in the outside-left and centre-forward positions for Liverpool, Northwich Victoria, Tottenham Hotspur and Thames Ironworks during the late 19th century....
|
1899 |
| England Charlie Dove Charles Dove was born in 1879 in East Ham, England. He was regarded as a super-fit footballer, who in 1895 stood at nearly 6 feet and weighed 12 stone, considered large at the time for a sixteen year old from a working-class area of Essex...
|
1899-1900 |
Honours
- Southern League Division Two
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales....
Champions: 1898-99
- London League
The London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. . One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was...
Champions: 1897-98Thames Ironworks new venue, the Memorial Grounds, was opened on Jubilee Day, 1897, to coincde with the sixtieth anniversary of Queen Victoria to the throne. Thames' new home had cost £20,000 of Arnold Hills' money to build. It was situated close to where West Ham station now stands. The site...
, Runners Up: 1896-97"With reference to the forthcoming season, it has been decided to enter for the English Cup, London Senior Cup, West Ham Charity Cup, South Essex League senior and junior and if possible, one or two others...
- West Ham Charity Cup
The West Ham Charity Cup was an amateur football tournament, known to have existed between 1895 and 1902. It was contested by teams from West Ham and the surrounding area, an area of Essex that has subsequently been absorbed into London....
Winners: 1895-96Thames Ironworks F.C., the club that would later become West Ham United F.C., was founded by Dave Taylor and Arnold Hills in 1895. Taylor was a foreman at the Thames Iron Works and a local football referee...
, Runners Up: 1896-97"With reference to the forthcoming season, it has been decided to enter for the English Cup, London Senior Cup, West Ham Charity Cup, South Essex League senior and junior and if possible, one or two others...
League status
- 1896-1898: London League
The London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. . One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was...
- 1898-1899: Southern League Division Two
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales....
- 1899-1900: Southern League Division One
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales....
See also
- Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company
The Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Limited was a shipyard and iron works based at Leamouth, the junction of Bow Creek and the River Thames...
- Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1895-96
- Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1896-97
- Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1897-98
- Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1898-99
During the summer of 1898, Thames Ironworks became a professional outfit for the first time, to match their new status as new members of the Southern League. It was a decision reluctantly taken by Ironworks chairman Arnold Hills, who had always believed in the classical ideal of competitive sport...
- Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1899-1900
For the 1899-1900 season, Thames Ironworks F.C. adopted claret and blue 'uniforms' for the first time. Charlie Dove had got the kits for the club at a very cheap price of £3.10s. They had come from his father William Dove, who was a professional sprinter of national repute, as well as being one...
- Thames Ironworks F.C. statistics
This is a list of Southern League, FA Cup and Test Match appearances made, and goals scored, by Thames Ironworks F.C. players from 1895 until 1900. This list does not include London League, friendly or reserve statistics.-Player records:-Record victories:...
- West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London. They have played their home matches at the Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904....
- West Ham United F.C. by season
-Thames Ironworks F.C. 1895-1900:* 1895-1896: FA Cup qualifying round, West Ham Charity Cup Winners.* 1896-1897: London League Runners Up, FA Cup qualifying round, West Ham Charity Cup Runners Up.* 1897-1898: London League Champions, FA Cup qualifying round....
External links