Trojans F.C. (1869) Explained

Trojans F.C. (1869) should not be confused with Trojans F.C..

Clubname:Trojans
Fullname:Trojans F.C.
Nickname:the Leytonites[1]
Founded:1869
Dissolved:1877?
Ground:West Ham Park
Mgrtitle:Secretary
Manager:W. F. Fearn,[2] Joseph Warry,[3] W. Ringrose[4]
Pattern La1:_thin_blackhoops
Pattern B1:_thin_blackhoops
Pattern Ra1:_thin_blackhoops
Leftarm1:ffffff
Body1:ffffff
Rightarm1:ffffff
Shorts1:ffffff
Socks1:000000

Trojans was an English association club based in Leyton.

History

The club gave its foundation date as 1869[5] although its first recorded match was a 1–0 defeat away to Leyton in January 1871.[6] The club's members also played cricket over the summer, in which its XI proved more adept than at football.[7]

The club had strong connections with the legal profession, first captain/secretary Fearn and Segar Bastard both being solicitors, Fearn giving the club's correspondence address as the legal department at Bishopsgate railway station.[8]

The club entered the FA Cup on two occasions, never playing a match. In the first round in 1873–74, the club was drawn to play at Farningham, who scratched;[9] in the second round (the last 14), the club drew the Cup holders, and Trojans decided they "were not bold enough to face the redoubtable Wanderers".[10] In 1876–77 the club was drawn to play at Sheffield and again scratched.[11]

The final recorded match for the club was on 24 February 1877, a 1–1 home draw against Hawks.[12] For the 1877–78 season, some of the Trojans players joined other clubs based at West Ham Park, including Dreadnought F.C., Spartan Rovers, and Grasshoppers, and the Trojans club seems to have disbanded.

Colours

The club's colours were described black and white stripes, which probably refers to the design being hoops,[13] other than in 1875, when they were referred to as blue and white stripes.[14]

Ground

Its original ground was five minutes' walk from Leyton station,[15] but in 1874 the club moved to West Ham Park.[16]

Notable players

Notes and References

  1. South Norwood v Trojans . Sportsman . 5 December 1873 . 3.
  2. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1872 . 61.
  3. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1874 . 96.
  4. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1875 . 143.
  5. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1872 . Virtue & Co . 61.
  6. match report . Bell's Life . 28 January 1871 . 4.
  7. Trojan v Woodford Wells . Essex Times . 10 June 1871 . 7.
  8. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1872 . 61.
  9. report . Sportsman . 23 October 1873 . 4.
  10. report . Bell's Life . 6 December 1873 . 5.
  11. Web site: Football Club History Database .
  12. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1877.
  13. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1876.
  14. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1875 . 143.
  15. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1872 . Virtue & Co . 61.
  16. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1874 . Virtue & Co . 96.
  17. Clapton Pilgrims v Trojans . Sportsman . 11 November 1871 . 6.
  18. Leyton v Trojans . Stratford Express . 29 October 1872 . 6.
  19. Pilgrims v Trojans . Bell's Life . 1 November 1873 . 8.