Rotherham Town F.C. (1878)

Rotherham Town

Full name

Rotherham Town Football Club

Founded

1878 (as Lunar Rovers)

Dissolved

1896

Home colours

Rotherham Town F.C. was a football club based in Rotherham, England. The club were members of the Football League between 1893 and 1896.

History

The original club was founded in 1878 as Lunar Rovers, becoming Rotherham in 1882, and eventually Rotherham Town.^[1] In 1889 the club became a founder member of the Midland League. They were champions in 1892 and 1893, and were subsequently elected to the Second Division of the Football League in 1893.

The club's League tenure lasted just three seasons, finishing in 14th, 12th and 15th place (out of 16). At the end of the 1895/96 season they failed to apply for re-election and subsequently folded.^[2]

The club played at Clifton Lane and Clifton Grove.

Arthur Wharton, the man widely regarded as the first ever black professional footballer, played for the club from 1889 to 1894.^[3] Liverpool Football Club played their first ever fixture against Rotherham Town on 1 September 1892 in a friendly fixture.^[4]

A second Rotherham Town formed in 1899, going on to merge with Rotherham County in 1925 to form Rotherham United.

League and cup history

Rotherham Town League and Cup history^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]
Season	Division	Position	FA Cup
1883–84			2nd Round
1884–85			1st Round
1885–86			1st Round
1886–87			2nd Round
1887–88			2nd Round
1888–89			2nd Qualifying Round
1889–90	Midland League	3rd/11	4th Qualifying Round
1890–91	Midland League	7th/10	4th Qualifying Round
1891–92	Midland League	1st/11	3rd Qualifying Round
1892–93	Midland League	1st/13	3rd Qualifying Round
1893–94	Football League Division 2	14th/15	1st Qualifying Round
1894–95	Football League Division 2	12th/16	1st Qualifying Round
1895–96	Football League Division 2	15th/16	4th Qualifying Round

Honours

Midland League
- Champions: 1891–92, 1892–93

Records

Best league performance: 12th, Football League Division 2
Best FA Cup performance: Second round, 1883–84, 1886–87, 1887–88

References

↑ Rotherham United The Beautiful History
↑ Gone But Not Forgotten Gottfried Fuchs
↑ The Footballer ArthurWharton.com
↑ Liverpool's First Ever Game This Is Anfield
↑ FA Cup Archive The FA
↑ Rotherham Town WildStat
↑ Rotherham Town Football Club History Database
↑ British Newspaper Archive

Former Football League clubs

First tier (League 1888–1992)

Accrington (1888–93)

Second tier (1892–present)

Bootle (1892–93)
Burton Swifts (1892–1901)
Burton United (1901–07)
Burton Wanderers (1894–97)
Darwen (1891–99)
Gainsborough Trinity (1896–1912)
Glossop North End (1898–1915)
Leeds City (1905–19)
Loughborough (1895–1900)
Middlesbrough Ironopolis (1893–94)
New Brighton Tower (1898–1901)
Northwich Victoria (1892–94)
Rotherham Town (1893–96)
Wimbledon (1977–92, 2000–04)

Third tier (1920–present)
North/South (1921–1958)

Aberdare Athletic (1921–27)
Ashington (1921–29)
Durham City (1921–28)
Merthyr Town (1920–30)
Nelson (1921–31)
New Brighton (1923–51)
Rotherham County (1919–25)
South Shields (1919–30)
Stalybridge Celtic (1921–23)
Thames (1930–32)
Wigan Borough (1921–31)

Fourth tier (by election, 1958–1987)

Accrington Stanley (1921–62)
Barrow (1921–72)
Bradford Park Avenue (1908–70)
Gateshead (1930–60)
Southport (1921–78)
Workington (1951–77)

Fourth tier (relegated since 1987)

Aldershot (1932–92)
Aldershot Town (2008–13)
Boston United (2002–07)
Chester City (1931–2000, 2004–09)
Dagenham & Redbridge (2007–16)
Darlington (1921–89, 1990–2010)
Halifax Town (1921–93, 1998–2002)
Hereford United (1972–97, 2006–12)
Kidderminster Harriers (2000–05)
Lincoln City (1892–1908, 1909–11, 1912–20, 1921–87, 1988–2011)
Macclesfield Town (1997–2012)
Maidstone United (1989–92)
Rushden & Diamonds (2001–06)
Scarborough (1987–99)
Stockport County (1900–04, 1905–2011)
Tranmere Rovers (1921–2015)
Torquay United (1927–2007, 2009–14)
Wrexham (1921–2008)
York City (1929–2004, 2012–16)

Listed according to division last performed in. Defunct clubs in italics

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