Ascot v Southall 041221

CLUB HISTORY - SOUTHALL
The Early Days
Southall Football Club was founded in 1871, the first recorded game being a 1-0 defeat against
local neighbours Uxbridge played at Southall Park on October 21st 1871.
The F.A Cup was first entered in the third year of the competition in the 1873-74 season. It was not
a debut to treasure as Southall were drawn away to the mighty Wanderers who had won the
competition in the first two years. The reason is not known but Southall scratched from the
competition. The first victory in the F.A. Cup came the following season when they beat Leyton 5-
0 after a 0-0 draw at Southall Park. The next 20 years were spent playing friendly matches
against teams in London and the Home Counties together with one season in the West London continued on next
League in 1892-1893. The first piece of silverware was won in 1887 when Southall won the West 2 pages
Middlesex Cup overcoming Uxbridge Crescents 1-0 in the final.
Life in the Southern League
Southall were accepted into the Southern League for the 1896-97 season and remained there for nine seasons. The club
achieved little success but at this time competed on equal terms with the likes of Watford, Fulham, Brighton and Thames
Ironworks, now known as West Ham, as well as local rivals Brentford, who they defeated in the West Middlesex Cup Final of
1896.
In 1904 the club turned professional for what transpired to be their final Southern League season (1904-05) and this venture
cost the club dear. Faced with mounting debts Southall withdrew from all competition for the following season. The club was
re-organised on an amateur basis then merged with Southall Athletic and moved into a new ground at Western Road.
The Great Western Suburban League was entered in September 1907 and the Club remained there until the outbreak of the
First World War. During this period the league title was won in the 1912-13 season and both the Middlesex Senior and Charity
Cups were won for the first time. Indeed, Southall became cup specialists during this period including winning all 3 of their
‘local’ Cups, namely the Middlesex Senior, Middlesex Charity & West Middlesex Cups back to back in the 1911 & 1912 seasons.
The Athenian Years and Cup Exploits
Whilst most clubs suspended playing during the Great War Southall continued to play friendly matches, mainly against
services sides and local firms teams. When hostilities ceased the club spent a season in the United Senior League. Southall
were then elected into the Athenian League in September 1919 and the next twenty years was the most successful period in
the history of the Club. The Athenian League championship was won in the 1926-27 season, the Middlesex Senior Cup was
won five times and the Middlesex Charity Cup four times. On a national level Southall reached the final of the Amateur Cup in
the 1924-25 season only to be defeated 2-1 by Clapton in front of 25230 spectators at the ground of Millwall FC. Two seasons
later Southall reached the semi final of the same competition but were beaten in a replay by Leyton. The first round proper of
the F.A. Cup was reached three times with no success.
The 1935-36 season was an extraordinary one in the history of the Club. Progress in cup matches was so extensive that by
the end of February Southall had played 22 consecutive cup-ties. Southall became the first amateur side to battle all the
away from the extra preliminary round of the F.A. Cup and reach the third round proper. It was a superb run that saw them
defeat Division Three South side Swindon Town 3-1 in the first round and then trounce fellow non leaguers Newport (IOW) by
8-0 to earn a third round game against Watford. This time in front of a record home crowd of 19094 Southall were defeated 4-
1. Southall actually won nothing that season and as a result of their cup exploits they played 23 matches in 32 days to
complete the Athenian League commitments including two matches on the same day on two occasions.
It was not until the 1952-53 season that Southall again hit the headlines. The team battled past Saltash, Bishop Auckland,
Wealdstone and Romford to reach the semi final of the Amateur Cup. Here Southall met the renown Universities side
Pegasus. The game took place at Highbury and the game ended in a hard fought 1-1 draw in front of 29982 spectators.
Southall lost the replay 2-1 the following week at Craven Cottage.