How Europa League Qualification Impacts Non-Big 6 Clubs

Since UEFA renamed its second tier UEFA Cup the Europa League in 2009, 23 clubs from outside the Premier League's Big 6 (Arsenal, Chelsea. Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur) have qualified for the tournament.

Two of these clubs (Birmingham City and Wigan Athletic) qualified whilst being relegated, and of the remaining 21 clubs, on average the Premier League position has been 2.5 places lower the following season. Only two clubs have improved their Premier League placing from the previous season, and only one club which competed in the Group Stage.

In 2014-15, Southampton finished the Premier League season in 7th place and entered the Europa League in the Third Qualifying Round. After comfortably defeating Vitesse (Netherlands) 5:0 on aggregate to advance to the Play-Off Round, they were eliminated by Midtjylland (Denmark) 1:2 on aggregate.

The four additional games were completed by August 27th and Southampton went on to finish the 2015-16 Premier League season in 6th place, one place higher than the previous season and again qualifying for the Europa League.

The only time a non-Big 6 club has played in the Europa League Group Stage and improved its Premier League placing was in 2023-24 when West Ham United had placed 14th the previous season but had won the Europa Conference League to qualify.

West Ham entered the tournament at the Group Stage, playing six matches against Freiburg (Germany), Olympiacos (Greece) and TSC (Serbia) and advanced to the Round of 16 after winning the group with five wins and one loss.

West Ham again faced Freiburg winning 5:0 at home after losing 0:1 away, and lost in the Quarter-Final against Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 1:3 on aggregate. 

Despite playing these ten matches, West Ham were able to finish 9th in the Premier League, an improvement of five places. 

Three clubs competed in the Europa League and finished in the same position as the previous season. 

In 2009-10, Aston Villa were eliminated in the Play-Off Round after two matches.

In 2019-20, Wolverhampton Wanderers played 17 Europa League matches, losing to the eventual winners Sevilla in the Quarter-Finals, but were able to repeat their 7th place Premier League finish.

In 2020-21, Leicester City entered at the Group Stage and played eight matches before being eliminated in the Round of 32 by Slavia Prague (Czechia). They repeated their 5th place finish of the previous season in the Premier League.

Only two of 23 non-Big 6 clubs have played in the Europa League and finished higher in the PL than the previous season.

Southampton played 4 EL matches in 2015-16 and moved up one place to 6th while West Ham in 2023-24 played 10 EL matches finishing in 9th place in the PL, five places higher.

FA Cup 1945-46

The FA Cup of 1945-56 was the first official football competition in England after World War Two had ended.

Hull City and New Brighton from the Third Division (North) did not enter as neither had a ground available and strangely Second Division Newport County were not given a bye to the Third Round as other First and Second Division clubs were, and entered the competition at the First Round stage.

Conversely, Third Division clubs Cardiff City, Chester, Crystal Palace and Norwich City were all awarded byes to the Third Round.

Chester had finished the 1938-39 Third Division (North) season in 6th place, while Crystal Palace had finished 2nd (behind promoted Champions Newport) in the South with Cardiff City in 13th. Norwich City were newly relegated from the Second Division.

Every tie of the competition from the First Round to the Quarter-Final was played on a two-leg Home and Away basis with the ties drawn on a regional basis. 

The two-leg arrangement was made in order to give clubs additional revenue, as the Football League would not resume its normal schedule until August 1946.

In the event of aggregate scores being level after 90 minutes of the second leg had been played, the FA rules were that the match should be "played to a finish".

Of the 34 First Round ties, only the tie between Mansfield Town and Gainsborough Trinity needed extra-time. Mansfield won the first leg 3:0 but were losing by the same score after 90 minutes in the second leg. Twenty minutes of extra-time was played with Mansfield winning the tie 5:4 on aggregate.

None of the 17 Second Round ties needed extra-time, but in the Third Round there were four ties still undecided after 90 minutes of the second leg had been played. All second leg matches were played in midweek with 2pm kick-off times, and all four undecided ties were played on Wednesday, 9th January.   

Two of the four - the Everton v Preston North End and York City v Chesterfield ties - were tied at 3:3 on aggregate.

Preston's penalty was scored by Bill Shankly, and this is possibly the only 'golden goal' in FA Cup history. Coincidentally, Joe Fagan also scored on this day, twice for Liverpool in a 2:1 win over Chester.

It's unclear whether the rules were meant to mean 'next goal wins' once a 20 minute extra-time period had been completed, or whether additional extra-time periods should be completed until a winner was decided, but apparently Everton decided enough was enough. Rules are made to be broken and if there was a provision for a Golden Goal, it wouldn't have been a new idea since this rule was in place for the Youdan Cup played in 1867, a competition which preceded the FA Cup by four years. 

Norfolk beat Bromhall 1:0 after sudden death overtime. 

The same 'sudden death' rule was also agreed by the captains of Garrick and Wednesday in the Cromwell Cup Final played at Brammall Lane the following year after 90 minutes of play had seen no goals. 

The other two ties without a winner were Nottingham Forest v Watford who had drawn both their matches 1:1 and Queen's Park Rangers v Crystal Palace who had failed to score a goal between then in 180 minutes.  

Both matches, then went into extra time with ten minutes each way to be played, but with no further scoring in this additional period, the ties remained unsettled.

At Crystal Palace, the second period of extra-time was ended after 7 minutes when "the referee called the players off the field in almost total darkness", while at Watford the second 20 minutes of extra-time was completed, but after three minutes of a third, and a total of 133 minutes of play, the referee abandoned the game. With the matches kicking off at 2pm in mid-January, this is understandable.

 

It appears that there had been no thought given to this outcome, but it was quickly ruled by the FA that the ties should be replayed on a neutral ground.

The Queen's Park Rangers v Crystal Palace tie was played at Fulham's Craven Cottage, and won 1:0 by QPR while Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane hosted the Watford v Nottingham Forest replay which was won 1:0 by Watford. 

In the Fourth Round, the tie between Middlesbrough and Blackpool was 5:5 on aggregate after 90 minutes of the second leg, and an hour of extra-time was played before the game was abandoned due to bad light.

The precedent had been set and the replay was held at Leeds United's Elland Road with Middlesbrough winning 1:0. 

Other clubs requiring extra-time to advance from the Fourth Round were Sunderland (who beat Bury) and Preston North End (again) who defeated Manchester United with Bill Shankly again among the scorers.

No Fifth Round or Quarter-Final ties required extra-time, but the second leg of the Bolton Wanderers v Stoke City tie in the Quarter-Final round was marred by tragedy when 33 spectators died in a crush. The incident happened shortly after kick-off and played was stopped after 15 minutes due to encroachment. Players left the field for 26 minutes before the match resumed. The referee, George Dutton, was made aware that there had been fatalities, but stated that he did not pass this information on to the two captains. 

There were no goals in the game and Bolton advanced due to their 2:0 win at Stoke in the first leg. The disaster was the worst in British football at the time. 

The Semi-Final tie between Derby County and Birmingham City needed a replay and extra-time. 

On Saturday, 23rd March, the two teams met at Hillsborough, Sheffield and drew 1:1. Four days later, the replay was held at Maine Road, Manchester and at the end of 90 minutes there had been no goals. A 30 minute period of extra-time was played during which Derby scored four goals.

Derby met Charlton Athletic in the Final and once again required extra-time after Charlton's Bert Turner scored an own goal in the 85th minute and another for his own side a minute later.

In extra-time, Derby scored three more goals, all by the two players who had scored in the semi-final extra-time - Peter Doherty and John Stamps.

Aliens in the English Cup

For many years, the FA Cup was known as the 'English Cup' but there is a long history on clubs from outside England participating in, and on one occasion (Cardiff City in 1927) winning, the competition.

In the early days of the tournament, clubs from both Scotland and Ireland played in the FA Cup.

The first competition was in the 1871-72 season and Queen's Park reached the semi-final without playing a match. In the First Round they were drawn against Donnington School, but both clubs were allowed to advance to the second round "because they could not agree on a venue."

In the Second Round, the same two clubs were again drawn together, and this time the school club withdrew from the competition, meaning that Queen's Park progressed to the quarter-final, still without having played a match.

Queens' Park then drew a Bye in the Third Round, thus advancing to the Semi-Final without having played a match. All Semi-Final matches as well as the Final were at Kennington Oval, but after Queen's Park drew 0:0 with Wanderers, they declined the offer from Wanderers to play thirty minutes of extra-time, and later withdrew from the competition as they could not afford to make a second journey from Glasgow.

The second competition in 1872-73 saw Queen's Park again enter, and to save on travel costs, they were given a Bye in each of the First, Second and Third Rounds meaning they reached the Semi-Final where they were drawn to play Oxford University. Queen's Park then withdrew anyway.

Queen's Park took no further part in the FA Cup until the 1876-77 season, but another team from Glasgow, Clydesdale, entered in 1875-76 but their First Round opponents South Norwood were awarded a walkover.

In 1876-77, Queen's Park were again awarded a Bye in the First and Second Rounds, before being drawn once again against Oxford University in the Third Round, and similar to four seasons earlier, Oxford University were awarded a walkover.

The 1879-80 competition marked the first of four consecutive seasons which saw Queen's Park enter the tournament, be drawn as the away side in the First Round, and for the home side to be awarded a walkover. The 1879/80 season saw Queen's Park return but once again they didn't play a match, with Sheffield being awarded a walkover in their First Round tie.

The following season, Queen's Park were drawn at The Wednesday in the First Round, and again the home side were awarded a walkover.

Queen's Park (Glasgow, Scotland) were beaten finalists in 1884 and 1885, winning a semi-final in Edinburgh in 1885, while in an 1886 tie Partick Thistle of Scotland beat Cliftonville of Ireland 11-0. 

The last Scottish side to play in the competition proper was Gretna who reached the 1st Round in 1991/92 (when in the Northern League) and 1993/94 (when in the Northern Premier League).

In 1991/92, Gretna hosted Rochdale in the First Round, drawing 0:0 before falling 1:3 in the replay.

Two seasons later, Gretna faced Bolton Wanderers away in the First Round and lost 2:3. 

Rochdale and Bolton are the only two league clubs to have eliminated a Scottish team from the FA Cup proper, although several clubs that are now league clubs achieved this prior to the formation of the league in 1888.

Bolton eliminated Third Lanark in the 1886/87 competition, with Blackburn Rovers doing the same against Queen's Park in both 1883/84 and 1884/85 and and Preston North End beating Queen's Park in the First Round in 1886/87 and Renton in the Third Round. 

Other current league sides to have achieved this once are The Wednesday (a walkover versus Queen's Park in 1880/81), Grimsby Town (another walkover versus Queen's Park in 1882/83), and Aston Villa (a 3:1 win in the 1886/87 Semi-Final v Rangers).

As for current league clubs eliminated by a Scottish club, Crewe Alexandra have suffered from this misfortune twice (a 0:10 defeat versus Queen's Park in 1883/84 and a much improved 1:2 defeat against the same side a season later), with Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Lincoln City, Nottingham Forest, Notts County, and Stoke losing once each. 

Aston Villa lost 1:6 to Queen's Park in 1883/84 and in 1884/85 Queen's Park walked over Stoke in the First Round before beating both Nottingham clubs in Home replays - Notts County 2:1 in the Quarter Final and Nottingham Forest 3:0 in the Semi-Final. 

In 1886/87, the First Round saw several English clubs lose to Scottish opponents. There were home defeats for Blackburn Rovers, who lost 0:2 v Renton, Blackburn Olympic (1:3 v Partick Thistle), and Darwin Old Wanderers (1:4 v Cowlairs).

English clubs losing away were Higher Walton (0:5 at Third Lanark), Accrington (0:1 at Renton) and Everton who forfeited their tie against Rangers.

In the Second Round, Rossendale lost 1:10 to Cowlairs, Fleetwood Rangers lost 0:7 at Partick Thistle, Church loat 1:2 at Rangers and Renton defeated Blackburn Rovers 2:0 in a replay after a 2:2 draw. 

In the Fifth Round, Lincoln City lost 0:5 at Rangers who beat Old Westminsters 5:1 in the Quarter-Final. 

FA Cup Third Place

Starting in the 1969-70 season, the FA decided to implement a 3rd place play-off match between the two losing FA Cup Semi-Finalists.

1969-70

Friday 10th April 1970

Highbury, Arsenal

Attendance 15,105

Manchester United (0) 2 (Kidd 2)
Watford (0) 0

Manchester United: Stepney, Stiles, Dunne, Crerand, Ure, Sadler, Morgan, Fitzpatrick, Charlton, Kidd, Best

Watford: Walker, Welbourne, Williams, Garvey, Lees, Eddy, Scullion, Franks, Garbett, Walley, Jennings

1970-71

Friday 7th May 1971

Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace

Attendance 5,031

Stoke City (1) 3 (Bernard, Ritchie 2)
Everton (2) 2 (Whittle, Ball)

Stoke City: Banks, Marsh, Pejic, Bernard, Skeels, Lees, Haselgrave, Greenhoff, Ritchie, Mahoney, Burrows

Everton: Rankin, Wright, Newton, Kendall, Labone, Harvey, Whittle, Ball, Johnson, Lyons, Morrissey

1971/72

Saturday 5th August 1972

St Andrews, Birmingham City

Attendance 23,841

Birmingham City (0) 0
Stoke City (0) 0

Birmingham City: Cooper, Carroll, Pendrey, Smith, Hynd, Harland, Campbell, Francis, Latchford, Hatton, Taylor

Stoke City: Farmer, Marsh, Pejic, Skeels, Smith, Bloor, Robertson, Greenhoff, Ritchie, Hurst, Dobing

Notes: This match was the first FA Cup match to be decided on penalties, Birmingham winning 4:3, and was Geoff Hurst's debut for Stoke.

1972/73

Saturday 18th August 1973

Highbury, Arsenal

Attendance 21,038

Arsenal (0) 1 (Hornsby)
Wolverhampton Wanderers (2) 3 (McCalliog, Dougan 2)

Arsenal: Wilson, Batson, McNab, Price, Blockley, Simpson, Chambers, Ball, Radford, Kennedy, Hornsby

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Parkes, Palmer, Parkin, Hegan, Jefferson, Taylor, McCalliog, Sunderland, Richards, Dougan (sub Hibbitt), Wagstaffe

1973/74

Thursday 9th May 1974

Filbert Street, Leicester City

Attendance 4,432

Leicester City (0) 0
Burnley (1) 1 (Hankin)

Leicester City: Wallington, Woollett, Rofe, Earle, Munro, Cross, Tomlin, Sammels, Stringfellow, Kilkelly, Glover (sub Lee)

Burnley: Finn, Newton, Brennan, Ingham, Thomson, Rodaway, Nulty, Hankin, Noble, Flavell, Flynn

North British League

Evening Despatch - Thursday 03 November 1904

THE NORTH BRITISH LEAGUE

The Football Association will, it is understood, give its sanction to formation of the League to be called the North British League comprising the Edinburgh Hibernians, Heart of Midlothian, Dundee, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United and Sunderland clubs. The Scottish F.A. has already signified its willingness to accede to the request of the new League, and arrangements are being pushed forward as much as possible.

Dundee Evening Telegraph - Saturday 17 December 1904

THE NORTH BRITISH LEAGUE 

Definite information has been received in Edinburgh that the North British League competition, in which the Heart of Midlothian, Hibernians, and Dundee this side the Border, and Newcastle United, Sunderland, and Middlesborough on the other, were to have taken part, cannot now be carried through this season. It is feared that the English Clubs have been lukewarm on the subject, and as an excuse "difficulties among the Scottish Clubs" are spoken of. The three Scottish Clubs not aware of any difficulties in the matter.

Chelsea / Kensington FC

Lancashire Evening Post - Tuesday 20 December 1904

NEW ASSOCIATION CLUB FOR LONDON.

The development of Association football in London is remarkable. No popular sport has made such progress during the last decade, and it is not to be wondered that land speculators are becoming alive to the big opening which exists for up-to-date and fully equipped grounds.

The Football Association prohibits the running of proprietarv teams, but all difficulties in that direction can be overcome by the formation of a company and the registration of a team. I hear (writes our London correspondent) that shares will be offered to the public in connection with a company which is be formed for acquirement of the Stamford Bridge ground - the old home of the London Athletic Club as a football and sports enclosure. A first class team is being raised under the name of the Kensington Football Club, and, encouraged by the success of Woolwich Arsenal, admission to the league (Second Division) is to be sought.

Promotion is by merit, of course, and there no royal road to success in football, otherwise a good round sum would be put down by the promoters of the company named for admission into the First Division the League. The Fulham people are not pleased to know that such serious opposition is threatened, for up to now they have had enormous attendances at their matches. A genuine London First Division team would, however, be a wonderful draw from the beginning.

Scottish Referee - Friday 30 December 1904

It appears that Fulham are to have opposition in the district. The Kensington F.C., with headquarters at Stamford Bridge, is soon to be an existent fact. Instead of the interference with the prosperity of the existing club, which some fear, there is a strong likelihood that if the fresh team be a good one greater interest will be aroused in the district, and gates will go up instead of down.

Fulham Chronicle - Friday 17 March 1905

So Mr. H. A Mears football club is not to associate itself with the self-styled Royal Borough Kensington, after all. It is to be called the Chelsea F.C., although it will be no more connected with the adjoining borough than with Timbuctoo. As in the case of the Fulham Club, a limited liability company is being formed. The capital is to be in 5,000 in 1 shares, and some idea of the interest displayed may be gathered from the fact that one-half of the capital was subscribed at the first meeting. Another gathering took place on Tuesday evening at the Rising Sun Tavern, Fulham Road, when, it is understood, applications from football managers were again considered. Stamford Bridge is, of course, associated with many athletic triumphs in London, but it has never yet been exploited for serious football under Association rules. During the last two months the famous enclosure has undergone many alterations and improvements. Eventually Mr. Mears will make a pretty penny out of Stamford Bridge. We are assured that the sand carted from the place has produced quite a small fortune already.

Charlton / London Athletic

Leicester Evening Mail - Saturday 17 January 1959

Charlton may change name of club

Charlton may change the name of the club. The secretary, Mr. Jack Phillips, confirmed this today.

"The idea has been raised several times, but nothing has ever been decided. No change will be considered this season, but something may be done in the future. I understand that some directors are keen to incorporate the name of London in the club's title," he said.

What would be the reaction of other London clubs?

Mr. Bob Wall, the Arsenal secretary, said today: "I do not think any other club would object if they merely wanted to incorporate the word 'London' in the title.

Nothing In Rules

"However, if they wanted to call themselves simply 'London Football Club,' I doubt whether the management committee of the League would allow it."

Mr. Eric Howarth, assistant secretary of the League, said today, "There is nothing in the rules to stop them changing their name. It is up to the management committee."

The last occasion a Football League club changed its name was in 1946, when Clapton Orient became Leyton Orient.

Daily News (London) - Monday 19 January 1959

NAME ROW AT CHARLTON

Mr. Guy Basan and Mrs. Winifred Jones, who have never met, last night launched a united attack on Britain's youngest Soccer director. They have, they say, nothing personal against 20-year old Mr. Michael Gliksten. They are, however, horrified that he is advocating changing the name of Charlton Football Club.

Mr. Gliksten, who sits on Charlton's board under the chairmanship of his father, confirmed yesterday that he believes a change of name would benefit the club. He has suggested it becomes "London Athletic." 

Housewife Mrs. Jones, 39, is upset on the grounds of tradition. She is secretary of Charlton Supporters' Club. 

Mr. Basan, pre-war champion sprinter, objects for more fundamental reasons. He is secretary of the 95-year-old London Athletic Club, whose H.Q. is at Hurlingham. 

"If they go ahead with this plan they will get strong objections from us." he told me. "For one thing it would lead to enormous confusion.

Is Mr. Gliksten serious? " Certainly, but we shall find out what our supporters think first.' IW (Ian Wooldridge) 

Argonauts

The Argonauts name was used by two separate London football clubs.

The original Argonauts club played home games on South Hackney Common in the 1870s with its first reported matches in 1875. 

The club entered the FA Cup in 1879-80, losing to Hotspur in a first round replay, and by this time the club had moved to Forest Gate.

For the 1880–81 season its captain (J. Wylie) and some of its players had moved to Dreadnought F.C. and the club appears to have been wound up.

The second version was a unique amateur football club based in London. Despite never playing a match or having a published squad, they became notable in the late 1920s for attempting to join the Football League three times.

The team was formed in 1928 by Dick Sloley, Cambridge University and England amateur international, and president of the Ealing Association Football Club as an equivalent to the Scottish Queen's Park club to play in the Football League. 

Stoley claimed to have secured the services of the top amateur players of the day for his new national amateur club and the 100,000 capacity White City Stadium to play in. After objections from local Third Division South clubs Queen's Park Rangers and Brentford, he then proceeded to hire Wembley Stadium as a venue.

The club applied for Football League status that year, falling in third place but earning a creditable 16 votes. The club went inactive for a year, but reapplied in 1929, this time with Lord Lonsdale as club chairman, coming again in third – one place off acceptance but this time with only 6 votes. Yet again, the club became inactive for a year. A third and final attempt was made in 1930; this time no votes were gained whilst even Llanelly gained 4 votes.

Athletic News - Monday 30 April 1928

Argonauts and League Play. 

I am afraid the narrow mindedness of Queen’s Park Rangers and Brentford in objecting to the Argonauts playing at the White City will have a great effect on the support of their present followers. 

Some of the lower clubs in the Third Division deserve to lose their place in the League, as season after season they invariably figure the last half-dozen. 

Providing the Argonauts serve up better football than the existing London Third Division clubs they would command great support and justly deserve it. and it would not matter whether they played the White City or the Stadium.

What is the use of Brentford or any other club spending thousands of pounds on ground improvements and then running a team that is only capable of playing football of a low standard? Some of the leading amateur clubs in London would probably beat London’s Third Division clubs. 

In America they have a good habit of welcoming any newcomers, whether in business or sport, and they take up the challenge in a sporting spirit. It is a pity the welcoming hand is not being extended to the amateurs. 

H. Venn Cousins, Yazur, Marlborough Hill, Wealdstone.

Arsenal / London City

Lewisham Borough News - Friday 10 April 1914

At the Football League Management Committee meeting in Glasgow, permission was given to Woolwich Arsenal to change the club's name to The Arsenal. 

Athletic News - Monday 30 April 1928

ARSENAL’S NAME. 

A Reply to Sir Henry Norris. 

Sir Henry Norris asks whether I am a shareholder in the Arsenal F.C. 

I am not — in the sense of holding scrip and drawing dividends. But in the sense that I pay approximately £2 10s. a season with no dividends or scrip — only the pleasure of watching the team — I am shareholder. 

Sir Henry quotes the difficulty he had to raise capital. In the first place Islington is purely a working-class borough, where the only people who had money to spare were the more prosperous tradesmen. 

Sir Henry admits, as he must, the big and loyal support the club received from the people who might afford a sixpence where any more was impossible. And the tradespeople, what did Sir Henry offer to induce them to buy shares? 

When the directors were asked to change the name and take that of the borough, the most they would was "Arsenal,” which was not even half a load, for the name speaks tor itself. 

Had Sir Henry offered shares in say, "Islington Boro' F.C.,” he would have found the tradespeople and such others as could afford rallying round the name, but there was no feeling - borough or personal — in Arsenal, no interest at all for the name so easily connected with Woolwich. 

If the present directors feel there is no desire tor the change of name among their supporters, let them in the next home match programme print a coupon asking this question, and stating the proposed name. 

I will willingly collect, count, and convey them. 

Arthur R. H. Smellie, 38 Lesley Street, Barnsbury N.7. 

Daily News (London) - Wednesday 27 November 1929

"LONDON CITY," ARSENAL DREAM OF A NEW TITLE. 

For some time past, representations have been made to the Arsenal Football Club to change their name in view of the fact that the headquarters are now so far removed from Woolwich, where the organisation had its origin. A suggested title has been "London City." 

Up to the present, however, Arsenal have not taken any steps to change their name, and Mr. T. Charnley, secretary of the Football League,  denied a statement published last evening to the effect that application had been made to that body for the necessary permission. 

Mr. F. J. Wall. secretary of the Football Association. also stated that he had received no such representations for sanction, and pointed out that if Arsenal desired to alter their name application would have to be made through their County Association. Certainly, the London Football Association have not been notified of Arsenal's reported intention. 

Formed in 1886, as Royal Arsenal, the club became a limited company in 1893, having changed its title to Woolwich Arsenal two years previously. 

In 1914, following the removal of the club, lock, stock and barrel to the present home at Highbury, the name was changed to plain Arsenal.

Holloway Press - Saturday 30 November 1929

Regarding the suggested change of the name of the club, this has been denied in official circles. The project is not a new one by any means. The change should have been made when Arsenal first came to Highhury.

Sporting Times - Saturday 30 November 1929

NEW NAME FOR THE ARSENAL F.C? 

Famous Club may be Known as “London City.” 

The suggestion has been made in certain quarters that the Arsenal F.C., renowned for the purchase of expensive stars, has applied to the official body for permission to change its name to London City.” 

The club in question, however, has officially denied that any such application has been made. From a statement made by the club's manager, Mr. Herbert Chapman, however, it can be taken for granted that the Arsenal favour the change, and realises its superior claim to the title. 

The Sporting Times confidently forecasts that such application will be made in the near future, and that next season the new name will be used.

Sporting Times - Saturday 07 December 1929

IF THE ARSENAL CHANGES ITS NAME 

PROBABLE OPPOSITION BY OTHER LONDON CLUBS. 

Famous Teams That Have Altered Their Titles. 

By THE SCRIBE. 

As announced in last week's Pink 'Un, there is every probability of the Arsenal changing its name to London City. It is a curious fact that since the institution of the Football League there has never been a club with London in its title, though in the early days the F.A. Cup there was a side known as London Swifts, who reached the semi final stage in 1886, only to knocked out by Blackburn Rovers. At the present time, of course, we have the famous amateurs, the London Caledonians. 

Opposition. 

If the Arsenal do apply for permission to change to London City, it is possible that there may be some opposition from certain of the other Metropolitan sides, but except in the case of Queen’s Park Rangers, I think it will be agreed that the remaining London clubs are more or less appropriately named after the districts in which their grounds are situated. 

Old Names.

Glancing through old records, it will be seen that few clubs have changed their names during the last forty years. One or two, like Stoke, have made slight additions, such as adding City, while Leicester dropped the attractive sounding Fosse, and substituted the more imposing, but more hackneyed, City. Strangely enough, both the big Manchester clubs changed, the United formerly being known as Newton Heath, and the City as Ardwick. Birmingham were originally called Small Heath, while Gillingham played as New Brompton until the end of the 1911-12 season.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle - Tuesday 29 April 1930

Will Arsenal Change Name?

Now that the Arsenal football team has taken a sporting distinction to London by winning the English Cup the suggestion of a change of name for the club to "London" may be revived (hints the London correspondent of the "Glasgow Herald").

"The present name is meaningless for a club that has its headquarters at Highbury in North London, he thinks. 

Formerly it was called 'Woolwich Arsenal' and played on a ground near the establishment of that name. Many years ago, however, it transferred itself to the Highbury district, dropping at the same time 'Woolwich' from its name.

If Newcastle, Sunderland, Liverpool and Birmingham, to mention a few, can give their names to football clubs, London ought surely to come into line."

Wigan Athletic

Daily Mirror,  Friday14th April 1972

Top non-league club Wigan are to apply for membership of the Scottish League. Wigan, Northern Premier League champions, linked to Scotland by the M6 motorway, have made thirty-three unsuccessful applications to join the Football League. Last night the directors — encouraged by reports from north of the border — decided to go ahead with a bid to fill a vacancy in the Scottish Second Division next season. The board's decision follows last month's England v Scotland amateur international, staged at Wigan. A club spokesman said: " The Scottish representatives were impressed. Extensive inquiries have been made, and we shall be putting forward an application for membership of the Scottish League."

Liverpool Echo, Saturday 22nd April 1972

Wigan Athletic startled everyone by their decision to apply for Scottish League membership — but it's no gimmick. Wigan are still desperately anxious to get on in the football world and this ambition, combined with a sense of frustration over a continued failure to make the Football League grade, makes them see Scotland as a possible outlet. That disillusion exists at Springfield Park over the club's League chances is shown by long-serving director Tom Hitchen who declares: "Nobody will get into the League unless a club folds up. They all back each other, so What chances has a club like Wigan or Hereford ?"

However, the Torbay Express and South Devon Echo of the same day reported that:

The Scottish League management Committee have rejected applications from Wigan Athletic and South Shields to join the Second Division of the Scottish League.

Gateshead AFC

South Shields were elected to the Football League 2nd Division in 1919. They played at the Horsley Hill Stadium (picture below) which had been the home of South Shields Rugby League Club:

The ground was extended with new terracing and two grandstands. A crowd in excess of 18,000 were in attendance for the first Football League match against Fulham in September 1919.

South Shields remained at Horsley Hill until relegation to the 3rd Division North in 1928. Attendances had dropped sharply and due to financial difficulties, the club asked the Football League for permission to relocate to Newcastle, but following opposition from Newcastle United, the Football League's Management Committee announced at their February meeting that they did "not feel justified in granting permission. If South Shields so desire they might renew their application at the annual meeting."

South Shields decided to try Gateshead, about 10 miles away, and less than a month later were granted permission to move there. 

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 15 March 1930

SOUTH SHIELDS. 

Given Permission to Move to Gateshead. 

Following their decision to allow Hull City and Clapton Orient to change their grounds, the Football League Management Committee have given permission to the South Shields club to remove to new quarters in Gateshead. Recently South Shields asked for sanction to change their ground to Newcastle, but this was turned down although they were granted permission to apply again at the annual meeting the League. 

Their application to move to Gateshead received official sanction in a communication received from the League yesterday. Seeing that Gateshead is situated in County Durham it is assumed opposition from Newcastle United will automatically be dropped. Sunderland, another club interested in any change, are, it is understood, satisfied on the point. The troubles of the South Shields club have been more acute than the officials have admitted, and it has been due only to the generosity of a few sportsmen and guarantors at the bank that they have been able to carry on this season. 

A crowd of over 15,000 saw Gateshead AFC win their first game beating Doncaster Rovers 3-1 at the purpose built Redheugh Park( below):

With only one club promoted from each of the regional Third Division leagues, Gateshead remained in this division until the league was reorganised in 1958, despite finishing runners up twice - in 1931-32 and 1949-50. 

In the 1952-53 season Gateshead reached the quarter finals of the FA Cup, beating Crewe Alexandra, Bradford (Park Avenue), Liverpool, Hull City, and Plymouth Argyle before losing at home to Bolton Wanderers in front of a crowd of 17,692  Bolton went on to reach the Final where they lost to Blackpool. 

Gateshead AFC failed to win re-election to the Football League in 1960 after finishing 22nd of 24 clubs in Division Four.

For the following season (1960/61) the club were one of ten clubs playing in the Northern Counties League alongside Annfield Plain, Ashington, Blyth Spartans, Consett, Horden Colliery, North Shields, Scarborough, South Shields and Stockton.

With just 10 members, clubs played a home and away League Cup for half the season and a traditional "home and away" League in the other half.

Date	Competition	Opponent	H/A	Result	Att.
?		Berwick Rangers	A	Won 1:0
Sat 13.Aug.60	Challenge Match	Stranraer	A
Sat 3.Sep.60	Northern Counties League	Consett	H
Mon 5.Sep.60	Northern Counties League	South Shields	H
Sat 17.Sep.60	Friendly	Alloa Athletic	H	Won 1:0
Mon 19.Sep.60	Northern Counties League	North Shields	H
Mon 26.Sep.60	Northern Counties League	Blyth Spartans	H
Sat 1.Oct.60		Morton	A
Sat 8.Oct.60	Friendly	Dumbarton	H
Sat 22.Sep.60	Northern Counties League	North Shields	A
Fri 28.Oct.60		Raith Rovers	H
Sat 5.Nov.60	FA Cup (First Round)	Barnsley	H	Draw 0:0
Wed 9.Nov.60	FA Cup (First Round Replay)	Barnsley	A	Lost 0:2
Sat 12.Nov.60	Northern Counties League Cup	Blyth Spartans	A
Fre 25.Nov.60	Challenge Match	Stenhousemuir	H
Fri 23.Dec.60		Hamilton Academical	H	Won 6:1
Tue 27.Dec.60	Challenge Match	Falkirk	H	Won 1:0
Mon 2.Jan.61		Berwick Rangers	H	Lost 2:4	5,245
Sat 7.Jan.61		Alloa Athletic	A	Won 1:0	800
Sat 14.Jan.61	Durham Challenge Cup	Murton CW	H
Mon 6.Feb.61	Northern Counties League Cup	Annfield Plain	H
Fri 24.Feb.61		Ayr United	H
Sat 18.Mar.61	Northern Counties League	Ashington	H
Mon 20.Mar.61	Northern Counties League	North Shields	H
Mon 3.Apr.61	Northern Counties League	Consett	H
Sat 15.Apr.61	Grand Challenge Match	Arbroath	H

Gateshead also played 15 friendlies against Scottish League clubs, at home v Alloa Athletic (W 1:0), Dumbarton, Raith Rovers, Stenhousemuir, Hamilton Academical (W 6:1), Falkirk (W 1:0), Berwick Rangers (L 2:4, 5245), Morton, Ayr United and Arbroath, and away v Stranraer, Berwick Rangers (W 1:0), Morton, Alloa Athletic (Won 1:0, Att 800), and Dumbarton.

With one exception (1966/67), the Scottish Second Division was comprised of 19 clubs from 1955 to 1974 meaning that one club was inactive in each round of matches.

In 1961/62, Gateshead again played in the Northern Counties League with the reserve teams of Carlisle United, Darlington and Workington increasing the number of clubs to 13. 

The format for this season was a League Cup in a home or away format, followed by the traditional home and away league competition. 

In 1962/63, Gateshead joined the North Regional League and played there for six seasons (1962/68) winning the title in 1964.    

More friendly matches continued, e.g.1962/63 v Stranraer, 1963/64 v Berwick,


The club had ceased to exist at the end of 72/73 (a club called Gateshead Town played in the very low-level Northern Combination in 73/74), but then in a history-repeating move South Shields moved to Gateshead and (so I thought) kept their Northern Premier League status as Gateshead United. Any further information would be welcome.

Regarding applications to the SFL the only vacancies were in 1966 and 1974. Those were the only occasions when the SFL admitted new members so applications other than those would have been rejected out of hand as there was no vacancy. Much like the OF's attempts to join the Premiership. In 1966 Gateshead were not one of the teams considered. Clydebank won with 30 votes to six for Gala Fairydean and one for Hawick Royal Albert.


In the summer of 1974, Gateshead United applied to join the Scottish League.

In 1974 it was as Gateshead United that they tried to join the SFL. Their name was one of seven which was put to the vote on May 25th 1974. I don't know how well they did as voting figures were only revealed for the final pair with Ferranti Thistle beating Inverness Thistle by 21-16. The other unsuccessful clubs were Elgin City, Forres Mechanics, Ross County and Hawick Royal Albert.

This was the only occasion in which a team from Gateshead were considered for election to the SFL.

http://scottishleague.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2960