The Old Etonians Association Football Club is an English association football club whose players are alumni of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.
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Full name | Old Etonians Association Football Club | |
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Nickname(s) | OEs | |
Founded | c. 1871; 151 years ago (1871)[note 1] | |
Ground | Dutchman's Playing Fields Pococks Lane Eton | |
Chairman | James Scobie | |
Manager | Iain Botterill | |
League | Arthurian League Premier Division | |
2019 | Arthurian League Premier Division, 3rd of 10 | |
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Having been a member of The Football Association and played several editions of the FA Cup, Old Etonians currently play in the Premier Division, the highest level of the Arthurian League.[4]
Founded by Lord Kinnaird, they were the last amateur or "true blue" club to win the FA Cup on 25 March 1882 when they beat Blackburn Rovers 1–0 at The Oval with a goal from William Anderson. They lost 2–1 after extra time to another Blackburn club, Blackburn Olympic, the following year.
In all, they reached the final six times in nine years between 1875 and 1883, winning twice. They also supplied a number of players for the England team, including three in one match against Wales in 1879.
Old Etonians' last participation in the FA Cup was the 1887–88 edition.
In modern times, Old Etonians are members of the Arthurian League (affiliated to the Amateur Football Alliance) and field two teams there.[4] The 1st XI have won the league's Premier Division title on two occasions.
Several Old Etonians players were capped for England, either while with the club or subsequently.
The following eight scholars played for England whilst with the club (with the number of caps received whilst registered with Old Etonians F.C.):[5]
Anderson, Bury and Whitfeld made their only appearances together, on 18 January 1879 against Wales. Whitfeld scored in a 2–1 victory.
Other Old Etonians who later played for England include:
Club founder Lord Kinnaird made one appearance for Scotland in 1873, the second ever international match.
The Eton Ramblers cricket club, also made up of Old Etonians, occasionally played the existing students in the Eton Field Game in the cricket off-season.[6] In 1882-83 the Ramblers also entered the FA Cup, beating Romford 6-2 in the first round, but lost 7-0 to the Old Carthusians on the Brocas at Eton in the second. Because of a lack of regulation footballs, the tie was played using an Eton Field Game ball, which was much smaller than the Association standard.[7]