[Football] The top ten oldest English professional football clubs

[RossyG]

I’d expect to see the two Sheffields in the top five, maybe Notts Forest, too.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

i thought Arsenal were up there. Woolwich Arsenal they were called i beleive.

1886.

 

[smillie's garden]

Notts County, Sheffield Utd, Stoke City, Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Wolves, Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers, Preston, Sheffield Wednesday. Knew a couple, the rest guesses.

 

[Taybha]

Is that Reading? I mean who’d have funk it.

Yup , speechless.

 

[dennis]

Having watched the previously mentioned English Game which is based on fact, I would imagine Blackburn were the first based on the fact that they were openly paying their players, but is it a question purely about English clubs? Because Jimmy Love and Fergus Suter were two Scottish professionals who moved to England for better money.

I also wonder if Darwin were one of the first pro clubs too?

Other guesses would be based on the original twelve football league clubs

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

Notts County
Notts Forest
Sheffield Weds
Port Vale
Middlesboro
Stoke
Mansfield
Sheff Utd
Huddersfield
Crewe Alexandra

I think Wrexham are possibly older than some of the above but are obviously not very English

Third oldest professional club in the world!

 

[Bansko Seagull]

Does Blackpool make the list?

Stockport was very industrial so possibly Stockport County?

 

[theboybilly]

Does Blackpool make the list?

Stockport was very industrial so possibly Stockport County?

Stockport County 1883 (as Heaton Norris Rovers)

Blackpool 1887

 

[Poojah]

Fairly sure Grimsby are up there somewhere (1878/9 depending on whether you count the solitary year as Grimsby Pelham), but not sure whether we make the cut for the top 10. Must be close either way.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Yup , speechless.

I mentioned them but didn’t realise they’d be in top ten let alone 5. Go me.

Just remember Thames Valley Royals and the protests

 

[atfc village]

Is that Reading? I mean who’d have funk it.

Played in every FA Cup along with Maidenhead United.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Not Huddersfield. We were the founding members of Rugby League though.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Not Huddersfield. We were the founding members of Rugby League though.

Notts county
Stoke?
Forest
Wednesday
Arsenal( woolwich)
The original man United?

 

[Taybha]

Here's the top ten (apparently )

1. Notts County 1862
2. Stoke City 1863
3. Notts Forest 1865
4. Sheff Weds 1867
5. READING WTF 1871
6. Aston Villa1874
7. Bolton Wanderers 1874
8. Birmingham City 1875
9. Blackburn Rovers 1875
10. Middlesbrough 1876 Port Vale 1876 , Macclesfield Town 1876

Chesterfield would of made it into the top ten but nobody remembers them anyway , they were founded in 1867 .
Wrexham are indeed very old 1864
The oldest club listed worldwide was TSV 1860 Munchen

What the hell Tinpot are doing in the top 10 god only knows but that stat blew my tiny mind .

 

[dennis]

Are the Macclesfield Town players from 1876 still waiting for their wages too?

Just to make you realise how long ago that is the year Middlesbrough, Port Vale and Macclesfield turned professional was the same year as Custer made his last stand at Little Big Horn! Incredible really

 

[TugWilson]

Not even the oldest professional club in London.

I took it for granted that you knew how old/young L. Orient were , seeing as you made a point of telling me . So know that the answer`s are up and i can`t give anything away , L . Orient are the second oldest London club . They are older than Spurs, W.H.U. ,Chelsea ,Arsenal , Palace , Brentford , Q.P.R. , and Charlton . I am always happy to learn about Football , but i prefer those correcting me to know what their talking about .

 

[Tokyohands]

I recall a Palace fan once saying to me "haha how do you feel having a pier named after our club!" to which I of course replied "Our pier is older than your club, so how do you feel?"

 

[perth seagull]

List of football clubs in England and Wales by year formed.

 

[The Large One]

I took it for granted that you knew how old/young L. Orient were , seeing as you made a point of telling me . So know that the answer`s are up and i can`t give anything away , L . Orient are the second oldest London club . They are older than Spurs, W.H.U. ,Chelsea ,Arsenal , Palace , Brentford , Q.P.R. , and Charlton . I am always happy to learn about Football , but i prefer those correcting me to know what their talking about .

Fulham are older.

 

[The Large One]

Here's the top ten (apparently )

1. Notts County 1862
2. Stoke City 1863
3. Notts Forest 1865
4. Sheff Weds 1867
5. READING WTF 1871
6. Aston Villa1874
7. Bolton Wanderers 1874
8. Birmingham City 1875
9. Blackburn Rovers 1875
10. Middlesbrough 1876 Port Vale 1876 , Macclesfield Town 1876

Chesterfield would of made it into the top ten but nobody remembers them anyway , they were founded in 1867 .
Wrexham are indeed very old 1864
The oldest club listed worldwide was TSV 1860 Munchen

What the hell Tinpot are doing in the top 10 god only knows but that stat blew my tiny mind .

Cracking work, fella.

Port Vale's foundation is disputed. Some say 1876, some say 1879.

As stated earlier, TSV1860 didn't form a professional football club until 1899.

Additional - although Reading FC were formed in 1871, they didn't turn professional until 1895. Does that change things at all?