| Club: | Royal Arsenal F.C. |
| Season: | 1890–91 |
| Manager: | None |
| Chairman: | None |
| Stadium: | Invicta Ground |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | First Round Proper |
| Cup2: | London Senior Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Winner |
| Cup3: | Kent Senior Cup |
| Cup3 Result: | Semi-final |
| Highest Attendance: | 10,000 vs. 93rd Highlanders/Heart of Midlothian (11 October 1890/30 March 1891) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 2,500 vs. London Caledonians (30 April 1890) |
| Prevseason: | 1889–90 |
| Nextseason: | 1891–92 |
The 1890–91 season was the fifth in the history of Royal Arsenal, the club that was to become Arsenal F.C. This was the club's first season as a professional side, with overwhelming support to do so from the players. Their achievements in the previous season saw them granted direct admission to the first round proper of the FA Cup, marking their first full appearance in the competition. This season also saw them move grounds from Manor Field to the Invicta Ground, also in Plumstead. During the season, the team played in three cup competitions: the FA Cup, the London Senior Cup and the London Charity Cup. After finishing as runners-up the previous season, they won the London Senior Cup for the first time. Turning professional meant that they rescinded their membership of both London and Kent FAs, though support for the club continued to soar, with average attendances of 6,600, higher than half the teams in The Football League.[1]
Royal Arsenal played 35 matches during the 1890–91 season, of which 27 were friendlies, 8 were competitive fixtures, with one of these being a first-class FA Cup fixture.
| Date | Opponent | Ground | Comp. | Score | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 September 1890 | 93rd Highlanders | H | 1–1 | 7,000 | ||
| 13 September 1890 | Casuals | H | 5–4 | 7,000 | ||
| 20 September 1890 | Ilford | H | 6–0 | 6,000 | ||
| 27 September 1890 | London Caledonians | H | 3–1 | 9,000 | ||
| 4 October 1890 | Chiswick Park | A | 4–0 | 200 | ||
| 11 October 1890 | 93rd Highlanders | H | 4–1 | 10,000 | ||
| 18 October 1890 | Old St. Marks | A | 4–0 | 1,000 | ||
| 25 October 1890 | St. Bartholomews Hospital | H | 1–0 | 3,000 | ||
| 1 November 1890 | South Shore | H | 2–2 | 8,000 | ||
| 8 November 1890 | Ilford | A | 3–0 | 2,000 | ||
| 15 November 1890 | Clapton | A | 1–2 | 5,000 | ||
| 22 November 1890 | Gainsborough Trinity | H | 2–1 | 7,000 | ||
| 1 December 1890 | Cambridge University | H | 5–1 | 6,000 | ||
| 6 December 1890 | Casuals | H | 0–0 | 5,500 | ||
| 13 December 1890 | Old Westminsters | A | LSC | 4–1 | 5,500 | |
| 17 January 1891 | Derby County | H | FAC | 1–2 | 8,000 | |
| 24 January 1891 | Millwall Athletic | A | 1–0 | |||
| 26 January 1891 | Everton | H | 0–5 | 7,000 | ||
| 31 January 1891 | Old Westminsters | A | LSC [2] | 4–5 | 5,000 | |
| 7 February 1891 | St. Bartholomews Hospital | H | 5–4 | 5,000 | ||
| 14 February 1891 | Crusaders | H | LCC | 1–0 | 7,000 | |
| 21 February 1891 | Casuals | H | LSC | 3–2 | 9,000 | |
| 28 February 1891 | Clapton | N[3] | LSC | 3–2 | 6,000 | |
| 7 March 1891 | St. Bartholomews Hospital | N | LSC (Final) | 6–0 | 6,000 | |
| 14 March 1891 | Old Harrovians | H | 5–1 | 6,000 | ||
| 21 March 1891 | Sheffield United | H | 1–1 | 5,000 | ||
| 27 March 1891 | 71st Highland Infantry | H | 3–1 | 6,000 | ||
| 28 March 1891 | Old Harrovians | H | 5–0 | 4,000 | ||
| 30 March 1891 | Heart of Midlothian | H | 1–5 | 10,000 | ||
| 31 March 1891 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–5 | 7,000 | ||
| 4 April 1891 | Old Carthusians | N[4] | LCC | 1–1 | 6,000 | |
| 8 April 1891 | Old Carthusians | N | LCC[5] | 2–2 | 3,000 | |
| 11 April 1891 | Old Carthusians | N | LCC | 1–2 | 6,000 | |
| 18 April 1891 | Clapton | H | 3–1 | 6,000 | ||
| 25 April 1891 | Sunderland | H | 1–3 | 7,000 | ||
| 30 April 1891 | London Caledonians | H | 1–1 | 2,500 | ||
| 2 May 1891 | 1st Highland Light Infantry | H | 5–1 | 3,000 |
Below is a list of all players who made at least one appearance for Arsenal over the season. Interestingly, this was also the first season in which an official substitution was recorded, with HT. Offer coming on and some point during the 25 April 1891 game against Sunderland. Players making their debut for Arsenal are shown in Bold, Goalkeepers are marked in Italics.
| [6] | FA Cup | Other cups | Friendlies | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | |
| H. W. Barbour | 1 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 18 | 14 | 28 | 21 | |
| J. M. Bates | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| E. Bee | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| T. H. Bennett | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| J. Campbell | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| W. C. Campbell | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 10 | |
| A. E. Casselton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| A. F. Christmas | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 19 | 11 | 27 | 14 | |
| Collins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| C. Collins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| E. Collins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| P. Connolly | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 24 | 2 | 34 | 6 | |
| Croxen | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| A. Croxen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| D. Croxen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| G. Croxen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
| W. Croxen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| W. Everett | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| J. Fleming | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Fletcher | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| W. E. Fry | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 4 | |
| A. W. George | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| D. Gloak | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 19 | 7 | 28 | 10 | |
| J. L. Houghton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| D. Howat | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 28 | 0 | |
| Hutchings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Jenkins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Johnson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Johnstone | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Jones | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| J. W. Julian | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 26 | 2 | 36 | 2 | |
| E. Linton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |
| J. D. McBean | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |
| McHardy | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| McKenzie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| J. W. Meggs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| R. Mills | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 2 | |
| H. T. Offer | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 17 | 8 | 25 | 13 | |
| Parkinson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| J. Pell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Ross | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| R. Russell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| J. Sheppard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| W. S. Stewart | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 29 | 1 | |
| E. Taylor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| W. J. Wood | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |