Aberdare spent six seasons in the League, with their best season being 1921–22, when they finished 8th. In 1926, Aberdare merged with nearby Aberaman Athletic. The first team continued to compete in the Football League under the name Aberdare Athletic, while the reserve team played in the Welsh League under the name Aberdare & Aberaman Athletic.
However, in the next season, 1926–27, Aberdare Athletic finished bottom of the Third Division South and failed to gain re-election to the League, with Torquay United taking their place.[2] Aberdare's loss of their Football League place was controversial. In the first ballot, Aberdare and Southern League side Torquay, the latter having previously applied to join the League in 1923, tied with 21 each. That round of voting was marred by controversy as there was reported to be one spoilt ballot paper (for Aberdare?). Aberdare's secretary claimed that one of the scrutineers was "an interested party". Aberdare lost the second ballot with 19 votes to Torquay's 26; fellow League side Watford, who had finished second-bottom, were comfortably re-elected with 44 votes.[3] The merged club fully renamed themselves as "Aberdare & Aberaman Athletic", and rejoined the Southern League.
is the arsenal one a later production? it's dated 25 years before sheffield wednesday became known as sheffield wednesday. or did they use what would only have been a nickname at the time?
Then there was this East Wickham FC fixture card that appears to have belonged to the Vice Captain, Fred Palmer.
Never heard of East Wickham or the club's they faced but would love to find out more. What league even?
Can't offer much -
Gibsons Meadow was probably somewhere on the land of East Wickham Farm, sometimes known as Gibsons Farm - a search came up with this on Bexley Archives' farcebook page.
1897 OS map shows the main farm buildings on the corner of what's now Upper Wickham Lane / Wickham Street, and a Sunday School on what's now the corner of Berwick Road, which might be the school they mention.
There's a couple of slightly later OS maps if you use the 'map finder' function on there, but neither 1909 or 1933 maps shows anything that gives any more clues.
There's a mention on the 'non league matters' forum of Plumstead Villa, who by the 1907/8 season were in division 2 of the Woolwich and District league, along with Charlton who were champions and promoted to division 1 at the end of the season.
Comments
Never heard of East Wickham or the club's they faced but would love to find out more. What league even?
No idea what happened to them
Founded in 1893, Aberdare were Welsh Cup runners-up, in 1903–04, 1904–05 and 1922–23. In 1920–21, they joined the Welsh Section of the Southern League and finished runners-up in their first season. That gained them entry to the Football League Third Division South in time for 1921–22.[1]
Aberdare spent six seasons in the League, with their best season being 1921–22, when they finished 8th. In 1926, Aberdare merged with nearby Aberaman Athletic. The first team continued to compete in the Football League under the name Aberdare Athletic, while the reserve team played in the Welsh League under the name Aberdare & Aberaman Athletic.
However, in the next season, 1926–27, Aberdare Athletic finished bottom of the Third Division South and failed to gain re-election to the League, with Torquay United taking their place.[2] Aberdare's loss of their Football League place was controversial. In the first ballot, Aberdare and Southern League side Torquay, the latter having previously applied to join the League in 1923, tied with 21 each. That round of voting was marred by controversy as there was reported to be one spoilt ballot paper (for Aberdare?). Aberdare's secretary claimed that one of the scrutineers was "an interested party". Aberdare lost the second ballot with 19 votes to Torquay's 26; fellow League side Watford, who had finished second-bottom, were comfortably re-elected with 44 votes.[3] The merged club fully renamed themselves as "Aberdare & Aberaman Athletic", and rejoined the Southern League.
Quite a lot for the time.