Page 25 - RPVFC v Kingstonian

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KINGSTONIAN FC

The Kingstonian club came into
being in 1919 as a result of the
merger between Kingston Town FC
and Old Kingstonians FC. Howev-
er, the club can trace its origins
even further back and celebrated
its centenary in 1985; the reason
for this is that one of its forerun-
ners, Kingston & Surbiton YMCA
FC played its first match on a
ground in Bushy Park in November
1885. In 1887 the YMCA changed Old Kingstonians 1909-1910
its name to Saxons FC. Then
in 1890 it changed to Kingston widely known as the K's, accepted Dulwich, against Stockton, which ing to return to Kingston as the
Wanderers FC and once again to an invitation to join the Isthmian resulted in a 1-1 draw. For the legendary Johnny Whing headed
Kingston-on-Thames Association League as a replacement for the replay Kingstonian had to travel to K's into the lead against Hendon
Football Club (KAFC) in 1893. Civil Service FC, and remained in Darlington, but despite going one in the final at Wembley Stadium.
Unfortunately, in the early 1900s that league until 1998. goal behind after only four min- Two goals in the last three min-
there was trouble in the camp and Greatest accolade utes, the K's came back to win 4-1 utes, though, had the FA officials
in 1908 the club split in two with The K's have a credible history thanks to goals from Gibson, Ur- busily changing the red and white
Kingston Town playing at Norbiton and their blue ribbon period of the peth (penalty) and Whitehead (2). ribbons for green and white ones
Sports Ground and Old Kingstoni- early 1930’s produced players such Wimbledon at Plough Lane as Hendon won the cup for the
ans on what became known as the as Frank Macey, Doug Whitehe- In the following season, 1933/34, first time. To qualify for the final,
"back pitch" at Richmond Road. ad, George Lee and the Whittaker K's bowed out of the Amateur Cup Kingstonian disposed of Histon,
Remained its home brothers achieving in April 1933 in a second round replay to Wim- Letchworth Town, Ferryhill Athlet-
The new Kingstonian set-up start- its then greatest accolade by win- bledon at Plough Lane, but went ic, Carshalton Athletic, and Crook
ed life in the Athenian League, a ning the FA Amateur Cup which on to successfully win the Isthmi- Town in a semi-final tie played at
competition that it won in both well and truly put Kingstonian on an League, a feat they repeated in St James' Park, the home of New-
seasons 1923/24 and 1925/26, the football map. Wins over Port- season 1936/37 and, of course in castle United.
playing its home matches at a land United (after a replay), Ley- 1997/98. Many trophies were won
brand new ground in Richmond ton, South Bank, Dulwich Hamlet, Legendary Johnny Whing The Kingstonian teams of the ear-
Road that remained its home until and Whitehall Printeries took the In season 1959/60 it seemed as ly 1960’s were arguably as good
1988. In 1929 the Kingstonians, K's through to the final, staged at though the Amateur Cup was go- as those of the 1930’s and many

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