Origins
When modern men's football began in the mid-Victorian era, there were a number of ways in which teams originated.
Some teams (especially in the South) were old schoolboy teams, some were formed as extensions to cricket teams to give the players a winter amusement, some were formed from pubs and some were formed by churches.
Similarly
the formation of clubs in women's football can be grouped together.
| Pub Teams | Teams formed as pub or social club teams. Sheffield Wednesday :- formed at the Star Inn, Rotherham |
| Breakaway | Several teams were formed by reserve team members of
one club looking for first team football and forming a new team in order
to do so. Osset Albion :- formed by the reserves of Wakefield Town QPR LFC :- formed by members of QPRWFC Clapton LFC :- formed from Crystal Palace Reserves Colchester Royals :- originally Colchester Falcons - junior side to Colchester United Covden Body Rangers :- formed from Wolves res Knaresborough Town :- formed by members of Harrogate Town Stockport Celtic :- formed from Stockport County res Tottenham LFC :- formed from Spurs res St Germaine :- split from Harlow Town ASC Dayncourt :- formed by members of Arnold Town reserves after they folded. |
| Men's Teams | Clubs formed by official supporters' clubs,
unofficial groups of supporters or people associated with a club. Arnold Town :- formed by supporters of Notts County Norwich City :- formed by Norwich City's Kit Carson Watford :- formed as part of supporters club Arsenal :- formed by Arsenal kit manager Vic Akers Birmingham City:- formed by supporters Doncaster Belles :- formed by supporters Millwall Lionesses :- formed by supporters Wimbledon :- formed (as Friend of Fulham) by Fulham supporters |
| Projects | An offshoot of the above - clubs formed by official
schemes run by professional clubs. Bradford City :- formed as part of Football in the Community scheme Manchester City :- formed with help from Football in the Community scheme Oldham Curzon :- formed by development officer for Oldham Athletic Cambridge United :- formed as part of council initiative West Ham :- formed by community officer at WHU |
| Company Teams | The most famous of these would be Dick, Kerrs -
where a group of workers club together either with official backing, or
just as a group of like minded individuals. Barnet :- formed by London Transport Employees as District Line Brighton :- formed by GPO employees Langford :- formed by telephonists at Luton Exchange |
| Charity | Teams who were originally formed for a charity
match, but then carried on into league football. Wakefield Town Barnsley |
| 5 a-side | 5 a-side teams that eventually grew. WBA Enfield Sunderland WFC (as Cowgate Kestrels) Harlow Town |
| Girl's Teams | Girls' teams had a problem when the girls outgrew
the team. Some managed this problem by starting teams in older
categories, until they formed ladies' (or women's) teams Bristol Rovers Charlton LFC :- formed as Kidbrooke(U16) Enfield :- Formed as Merryhill Girls Port Vale :- Initially U13 and U16 (as Newcastle Town) Reading Royals :- formed as Twyford Comet Girls Watford :- started as Watford Town Girls before merging with Watford LFC Mill Hill Utd :- formed from a junior school Haywards Heath :- began as U14 team Stockport County :- formed from Stockport Girls |