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![]() The Royal Arsenal - bronze cannon |
1886 | team formed by workers at The Royal Arsenal munitions factory in Woolwich, beside the Thames | |
11 Dec 1886 |
first match as Dial Square FC: beat East Wanderers 6-0 |
![]() the sundial - the original Clock End? |
25 Dec 1886 | club founded as Royal Arsenal at a meeting at The Royal Oak (now The Pullman) | |
first set of shirts and ball provided by Nottingham Forest |
![]() original factory buildings |
1887 | friendlies played on Plumstead Common, then Plumstead Marshes, then Manor Field | |
1888 |
played 22, lost 4 nicknamed 'Woolwich Reds', attendances up to 1000 |
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1888/89 |
24 friendlies first entry to FA Cup qualifying rounds first trophies - Kent Senior Cup, London Charity Cup |
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1890/91 |
moved to Invicta Ground - terracing and dressing rooms attendances up to 12000 reached first round proper of FA Cup v. Derby County - lost 1-2 turned professional (first club in South) |
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1891/92 | 57 friendlies | |
1892/93 | 56 friendlies |
1893/94 | joined Football League's new Second Division as Woolwich Arsenal FC |
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moved back to Manor Ground - purchased for £4000 first league match v. Newcastle United: 2-2 first victory 11 Sep, 4-1 v. Walsall Town Swifts finished 9th out of 15 |
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1896/97 | lowest ever position - 10/16 in Division 2 | |
1903/04 | finished 2nd - promoted to 1st Division for first time | |
1905/06 | reached semi-final of FA Cup for first time (lost 0-2 to Newcastle) | |
1906/07 | lost in FA Cup semi-final again - 1-3 to Sheffield Wednesday | |
1912/13 |
worst ever top division season - 20/20 - relegated back to Div. 2 worst record in top division until 1985 (Stoke City) |
Links
On Arsenal.com: fuller account of early
years, every result ever in Superbase
Much more on Arseweb's history
section, including: full
record of league positions, 1500
word history, longer
history to 1956
Steve Gleiber's The
Glorious History (to 1993)
Boring-boring-Arsenal: all
results ever;
history section
North Bank 2 Double 02 - "We're the North Bank . . . " - Arsenaalstraat - Awesome Arsenal |
pictures:
© North Bank (except where obviously not - eg from The
Royal Arsenal Woolwich Home Page);
usual conditions apply
Updated:28 June, 2002
Michalská
comments & suggestions to: m.shade@btinternet.com