Rotherham Town F.C. (1878)
| Full name | Rotherham Town Football Club |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1878 (as Lunar Rovers) |
| Dissolved | 1896 |
Rotherham Town Football Club was an English football club from Rotherham, Yorkshire. They briefly played in the Football League.
History
The original club was founded in 1878 as Lunar Rovers, becoming Rotherham in 1882, and eventually Rotherham Town[1]. In 1889 the club became a founder member of the Midland League. They were champions in 1892 and 1893, and were subsequently elected to the Second Division of the Football League in 1893.
The club's League tenure lasted just three three seasons, finishing in 14th, 12th and 15th place (out of 16). At the end of the 1895/96 season they failed to apply for re-election and subsequently folded.[2]
The club played at Clifton Lane and Clifton Grove.
The man widely regarded as the first ever black professional footballer, Arthur Wharton played for the club from 1889-1894.[3] Liverpool Football Club played their first ever fixture against Rotherham Town on 1 September 1892 in a friendly fixture.[4]
A second Rotherham Town formed in 1899, going on to merge with Rotherham County in 1925 to form Rotherham United.
Season-by-season records
| Season | Division[5] | Pos | FA Cup[6] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1883–84 | - | - | 2nd round |
| 1884–85 | - | - | 1st round |
| 1885–86 | - | - | 1st round |
| 1886–87 | - | - | 2nd round |
| 1887–88 | - | - | 2nd round |
| 1888–89 | - | - | 2nd qualifying round |
| 1889–90 | Midland League | 3rd/11 | 4th qualifying round |
| 1890–91 | Midland League | 7th/10 | 4th qualifying round |
| 1891–92 | Midland League | 1st/11 | 3rd qualifying round |
| 1892–93 | Midland League | 1st/13 | 3rd qualifying round |
| 1893–94 | Football League Div 2 | 14th/15 | 1st qualifying round |
| 1894–95 | Football League Div 2 | 12th/16 | 1st qualifying round |
| 1895–96 | Football League Div 2 | 15th/16 | 4th qualifying round |
Records
- FA Cup
- 2nd round - 1883/84, 1886/87, 1887/88
References
- ^ http://thebeautifulhistory.wordpress.com/clubs/rotherham-united/
- ^ http://gottfriedfuchs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/gone-but-not-forgotten-rotherham-town.html
- ^ http://www.arthurwharton.com/the-footballer.html
- ^ http://www.thisisanfield.com/2009/08/no-34-liverpools-first-ever-game/
- ^ http://www.fchd.info/ROTHERHT.HTM
- ^ http://wildstat.com/p/1/club/ENG_Rotherham_Town_FC
  | This article about a defunct English football club is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- Association football clubs established in 1878
- Association football clubs disestablished in 1896
- Defunct Football League clubs
- Defunct football clubs in England
- Defunct football clubs in South Yorkshire
- Sport in Rotherham
- 1878 establishments in England
- 1896 disestablishments in England
- Defunct English football club stubs