A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



Nash Mills, the Rev. J. Kennedy and J. Bar- 

 nard of Aldenham School, H. Chance of 

 Oxford University, F. W. Hotham, W. N. 

 Roe and C. P. Wilson of Elstree School, and 

 F. J. Sparks, a very brilliant centre forward, 

 were among the chief players. Of these, F. J. 

 Sparks and C. P. Wilson both obtained Inter- 

 national honours. One of the most important 

 matches the Rangers played in its later days 

 was an English Cup tie, which took place in 

 1 88 1 at Kennington Oval against the Old 

 Etonians, who eventually won the cup. The 

 Rangers turned up with ten men and were 

 not very badly beaten. It was in the last 

 years of the club that Mr. F. A. Sargent, 

 afterwards the best centre forward in the 

 county, came out as a prominent player. 



In 1874 a local club called 'Clarendon' 

 was formed and lasted until 1888, when it 

 was converted into ' Langley United.' 



The Association game in the meantime 

 had been extending in Watford and St. 

 Albans. The cathedral town had got to- 

 gether a good team by the aid of Messrs. 

 Fred. A. and W. A. Sargent of Watford and 

 other county men. A club was founded by 

 Mr. H. W. Grover in 1881 called Watford 

 Rovers, which soon became the representative 

 club of West Herts. It took part in the 

 competition for the Football Association Cup 

 in 1887, 1888 and 1889, but its best record 

 was in the County Cup competition. They 

 were the runners up for the County Cup to 

 the winners Hoddesdon F.C. in 1887, 1888 

 and 1890, and winners in 1889, 1891, 1892, 

 as well for the fourth and fifth time as 

 West Herts in 1894 and 1897. Many well 

 known players were members from time to 

 time: W. N. Roe (Elstree School), P. H. 

 Morton (Elstree and Cambridge), J. A. 

 Brown (Notts County), J. R. Paull (Alden- 

 ham and Cambridge), A. M. Low (Alden- 

 ham and Cambridge), A. T. B. Dunn (Old 

 Etonians), Rev. J. Kennedy (late head- 

 master Aldenham School), and E. H. Mari- 

 etta (Aldenham School). Other promi- 

 nent players were Messrs. F. A. Sargent, 

 W. Alec Sargent, Chas. H. Peacock, Geo. 

 Waterman, E. E. Villiers, G. D. Morrison, 

 Walter S. Coles, P. Coles and J. Woods. 

 The club was merged into the West Herts 

 Club and Ground in 1892. It is now under 

 the title of Watford F.C., the only professional 

 club in the county. It won the second 

 division of the Southern League in 1 8991900, 

 and was also successful in heading both 

 divisions of the Bucks and Contiguous Coun- 

 ties League. Last year it joined the first 

 division of the Southern League, and although 

 occupying a low position in the League table 



at the end of the season, managed to beat 

 Tottenham Hotspur, who eventually won 

 the Association Cup. They also defeated 

 Reading, and lost both games with South- 

 ampton by the small margin of one goal. 



The Nascot F.C. was started in 1 880, and 

 only lasted three seasons. The principal 

 matches won were against Herts Rangers, 

 Watford Rovers and St. Albans. 



A Watford club called St. Mary's was very 

 successful for some years, bringing out a 

 number of excellent young players, who after- 

 wards joined the West Herts Club. 



Another club called Watford St. Mary's 

 was afterwards formed, and after beating the 

 West Herts club in the County Cup Compe- 

 tition was defeated by Hitchin in the final 

 tie in 1895. The club afterwards amalga- 

 mated with the West Herts Club. 



Other Watford clubs prominent for a time 

 were the Grove and Watford Wanderers. 

 Both of these came to an end, owing to their 

 best players joining the West Herts Club. 



The Old Hitchin Club played their first 

 game in 1865, and joined the Football Associ- 

 ation in 1867 with about sixteen other clubs. 

 They used to play in the ' Dog Kennel 

 Field.' Mr. F. Shillitoe was captain, and led 

 teams against the Old Etonians, Old Harro- 

 vians and Wanderers, for which latter club 

 the following among others played : C. W. 

 Alcock, Cecil Reid, C. I. Thornton, the 

 Hon. A. F. Kinnaird (now Lord Kinnaird, 

 President of the F.A.) and Lord E. Fitz- 

 maurice. Some of the Old Hitchin players 

 still to the fore in athletics are Messrs. W. 

 Tindall Lucas, L. Thompson, W. Hill, W. 

 O. Atkinson, F. Farmer. Mr. Wm. Lucas 

 played in the first club match, and still 

 takes a keen interest in the game. The 

 Hitchin Club has been very successful in late 

 years in the County Cup Competition, having 

 won the cup four times since 1894. 



The Hoddesdon Club was formed in 1879 

 on the same lines as the Herts Rangers, of 

 old public school boys and University men. 

 It turned out several blues, including H. C. 

 Newbery, who played in 1887 and 1888, 

 L. L. Cox, who played in 1889. They both 

 represented Cambridge, and were also members 

 of the Corinthian Club. F. B. Debenham 

 played for Oxford several times, but never 

 against Cambridge. Other prominent players 

 were G. R. Newbery, captain from 1885 to 

 1890, and H. Salway. The club played a 

 very fine team for many years. From 1887 

 to 1890 the club were in the final for 

 the Hertfordshire Cup, winning it in 1887, 

 1888 and 1890, and losing to the Watford 

 Rovers in 1889. During these four years 



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