Ilford F.C.

Ilford Football Club is a football club based in Ilford, East London, England. Affiliated to the Essex County Football Association, they are currently members of the and play at the Cricklefield Stadium. Nicknamed the Foxes, the club play in blue and white hoops or stripes. History The original Ilford Football Club was established in 1881 by a group of teenagers. They were founder members of the Southern League in 1894, joining Division One. They finished bottom of Division One in 1895–96, losing all 18 matches and subsequently faced a promotion-relegation test match against Wolverton LNWR; after losing 2–0, Ilford resigned from the league. They then became founder members of the London League, where they were placed in Division One for the 1896–87 season. However, they also left the London League after two season, this time joining Division One of the South Essex League. In 1905 Ilford were founder members of the Isthmian League, which their treasurer George Clarke had played a key role in establishing. Although the club finished bottom of the table in the league's first season, they were champions the following season and runners-up in 1911–12. Following World War I, the club were runners-up in the 1919 season and then won back-to-back league titles in 1920–21 and 1921–22. In 1925–26 they reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time; after beating London Caledonians 2–1, they lost 1–0 at Clapton in the second round. The club went on to finish as league runners-up in 1926–27, and reached the second round of the FA Cup again the following season, losing 5–3 at Exeter City. In 1928–29 Ilford were finalists in the FA Amateur Cup, beating Leyton 3–1 at Highbury in front of a crowd of 35,000. They retained the cup the following season, beating Bournemouth Gasworks Athletic 5–1 in the final at Upton Park. The club were Isthmian League runners-up again in 1931–32, and reached a third FA Amateur Cup final in 1935–36. However, after the first match at Crystal Palace against Casuals ended in a 1–1 draw, they lost the replay at Upton Park 2–0. The club finished as Isthmian League runners-up in 1937–38 and again the following season.