h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

another post for testing only at the mo'...

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Background of Newcastle United Football team

The first recorded football game in Tyneside took place on the 3rd of March 1877 at the Elswick Rugby Club. Shortly after this football match Newcastle United was formed. Tyne was the north-east's first entry into the FA Cup in November 1879.

Newcastle Rangers were formed in 1878 and first played on the Drill Field, Alexandria Road in Gateshead as they could not find a football pitch in Newcastle. Newcastle then bought the enclosed ground close to Leazes Terrace in September 1880. The pitch was named St James' Park.

The local newspapers reported that, 'The new ground is very nicely situated and is close to the centre of town. It is 120 yards x 60 yards broad and is completely level.' The pitch has a slope, a drop of fully 18 feet from the north to south goal.

In 23rd January 1880 the Northumberland and Durham Football Association was formed at a meeting in the Turk's Head Hotel which became the first controlling football body. Ten clubs were already in membership and new association began to form a network of local teams.

1882 was an important year in the history of Newcastle United Football Club as two of the newly formed clubs had formed into the present-day Magpies.

Newcastle United's was formed from two minor football clubs on the east of the city, Stanley and Rosewood.

Records indicate that the Newcastle football team turned out in dark blue, chocolate and blue stripes, occasionally black and white, as well as red, or red and white striped shirts and they also wore navy blue jerseys with an orange stripe.

The history of West Ham football club

The Chairman of The Thames Ironworks Mr. Arnold Hills took a genuine interest in the well-being of his employees and was a believer in a 'sport for all'. In 1895, one of the foremen Dave Taylor, also an ameateur local soccer referee, came up to Mr. Hills with the idea of starting a works football team, which Mr Hills agreed with and it became known as The Thames Ironworks Football Club the 'Irons' were formed.

Thames did not join the football league straight away, but took part in friendlies, FA Cup, Essex & London Junior Cups & the local West Ham Cup.

In 1898-89, the football club entered the Second Division of the Southern League, and gained promotion to its First Division at their first attempt. Thames chairman Hills had become more and more disappointed with the increasing professionalism in the 'works' club and in June 1900 Thames Ironworks Football Club resigned from the Southern League, which dissolved itself as a club. The foottball clun immediately reformed as West Ham United Football Club and they were elected back into their former position in the Southern League First Division.

Arnold Hills continued to back the the football club (now known as West Ham footbal club) financially as it became a public limited company and its ground were at Boleyn Ground, Upton Park.

Newcastle United football team was my favourite team when I lived in Ashington in Northumberland and West Ham United football team was my favourite team when I lived in Plaistow in London.

The history of football

Football was recorded in English history in the 13 century. It that time it was a more rougher game now without any rules. The matches were with town against town chasing the ball throughout the streets, across fields and rivers. It attracted drunkeness, fighting and riots.

In the mid 19th century the game was taken up by the Public Schools Eton, Harrow, Winchester etc with the emphasis on order, fair play, disipline and team spirit. Each public school had their own rules for the game and it was not until 1863 when a housemaster, Mr Thring at Uppingham school, published "Thrings Simplest Rules of Football" and along with the forming of several London clubs meant it was very important to have set and standardised rules.

On October 26 1863 the representatives of these London clubs met at the Freemasons Tavern in Lincoln's Inn Field. The teams that were represented were the No Names of Kilburn, The War Office, Crusaders, Forest (Leytonstone), Barnes, Percival House (Blackheath), Crystal Palace, Blackheath, Kensington School, Surbiton, Charterhouse, and Blackheath Proprietary School. They then decided to standardise the rules and at the same time the formation of the Football Association which was carried by 11 votes to 1. The rules being published in November of that year and became known as the "London Rules."

The game slowly began to spread to all other parts of the country and then matches were organised on a inter-county friendly basis and it continued like this until the 20 July 1871 when the F.A. Cup was established.

Many of the other football clubs did not like the idea of "competition" being in football and fought against it but in 1871-1872 15 clubs took part in the first F.A. Cup Competition and the final was at the Oval in which Wanderers beat the Royal Engineers 1 - 0 before 2000 spectators. Football then became more and more competitive and in July 1885 professional football was legalised by the F.A. due to the increasing number of "working class" players that were coming into the game and of the revenue gained from increased spectator numbers.

By the time of 1886 - 1887 football the progess of the growth of the game in Lancashire and the West Midland was amazing and in just under 10 years they had quickly caught up with the Southern clubs. They were playing more successful football and they also had some of the most powerful voices in the organisation of the Football Association.