Leek F.C. was an English football club from the town of Leek, Staffordshire.
| Full name | Leek Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1872 | |
| Dissolved | 1902 | |
| Ground | Westwood Lane | |
| Secretary | Sam Henshaw[1] | |
|
| ||
History
editThe club claimed a foundation date in 1872, and by the 1876–77 season was established enough to have had a season of 20 matches, winning 14.[2]
Leek's first competitive match for the club was in the first Staffordshire Senior Cup in 1877–78, beating Cobridge in the first round, and losing to eventual winners Stoke in the second.[3]
Leek played in the FA Cup from 1884 to 1893, reaching the Fifth Round in 1886–87.[4][5] At that stage the club lost 2–0 at home to the Old Carthusians in front of a crowd of 4,000; Leek twice had the ball between the posts, but both times the score was disallowed.[6]
The club joined the Midland Football League for its inaugural season in 1889, but after one season left for The Combination.[7] Leek lasted five Combination seasons, generally finishing near the bottom,[8] and the club left the league after the 1895–96 season, having lost £120 over the season, despite retaining amateur status.[9] A desperate scheme to pay the club's debts by sending out "collecting cards" was unsuccessful, the exercise not even raising £11,[10] and the club took a berth in the North Staffordshire League. The club continued at this low level until 1902, when it merged with other clubs to form Leek United.[11]
Colours
editThe club wore amber and black until at least 1891.[12] By 1893 the club was wearing white jerseys.[13]
Ground
editThe club originally played at Abney Road, a mile from Leek railway station.[14] By 1879 it was playing at Westwood Lane and used the George Hotel for facilities.[15]
References
edit- ^ Alcock, Charles (1881). Football Annual. London: Cricket Press. p. 136.
- ^ "Football Club". Derbyshire Advertiser: 6. 11 May 1877.
- ^ Alcock, Charles (1878). Football Annual. London: Cricket Press. p. 107.
- ^ "Football Club History Database - Leek".
- ^ "Club Leek, England".
- ^ "Leek v Old Carthusians". Lichfield Mercury: 2. 11 February 1887.
- ^ "England - Midland League". rsssf. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ "England - The Combination". RSSSF. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ "Annual meeting of Leek Football Club". Evening Sentinel: 4. 11 July 1896.
- ^ "Stone". Staffordshire Advertiser: 7. 22 August 1896.
- ^ "Leek United F.C.". Evening Sentinel: 4. 30 August 1902.
- ^ Football Annual 1877–81, 1884, 1887–90
- ^ "Answers to correspondents". Athletic News: 4. 23 October 1893.
- ^ Alcock, Charles (1877). Football Annual. London: Ward, Lock & Tyler. p. 153.
- ^ Alcock, Charles (1879). Football Annual. London: Cricket Press. p. 156.