Finchley Football Club was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

football club based in Finchley, Greater London. Established in 1877, the club merged with

Wingate Wingate may refer to: Places New Zealand * Wingate, New Zealand, a suburb of Lower Hutt United Kingdom * Wingate, County Durham * Wingate Quarry, a Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham * Old Wingate, County Durham * Wingat ...

to form Wingate & Finchley in 1991.

History

The club was founded in 1877 by N. L. "Pa" Jackson under the name of "Finchley Petrels Football Club". The club was renamed "Finchley FC" after its first season.History
Wingate & Finchley FC In 1902 the club joined Division Two of the London League, and after finishing fourth in 1903–04, they were promoted to Division One. League reorganisation saw them placed in Division One B for the 1909–10 season, after which they left the league. They returned to Division One for the 1910–11 season, but left in 1912 to become founder members of the

Athenian League The Athenian League was an English amateur football league for clubs in and around London. The league was originally to be called the Corinthian League,Athenian Football League minutes 1912-1921 (National Football Museum, Preston). but this nam ...

. In 1914 they rejoined the London League, playing in the Amateur Division, but did not return after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

until 1923–24, when they were placed in the Premier Division. In 1929 the club rejoined the

, but returned to the London League after a single season. They were Premier Division champions in 1936–37, and returned to the Athenian League for the 1939–40 season, which was abandoned due to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. After the war the club rejoined the Athenian League. They reached the first round of the

FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...

for the first time in 1946–47, losing 5–0 at

Port Vale Port Vale Football Club are a professional football club based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England, which compete in . Vale are the only English Football League club not to be named after a place; their name being a reference to the valley o ...

. In 1952–53 they reached the first round again, where they defeated Kidderminster Harriers 1–0. In the second round they beat

Crystal Palace Crystal Palace may refer to: Places Canada * Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick * Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario * Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition building ...

3–1 at home, before losing 2–0 at

Shrewsbury Town Shrewsbury Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of English football. The club plays its home games at the New Meadow, having mo ...

in the third round. The following season they were Athenian League champions, and reached the first round of the FA Cup again, losing 3–1 at home to

Southend United Southend United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. As of the 2022–23 season, the team competes in the National League, the fifth tier of English football. Southend are known as ...

. When the league added more divisions in 1963 they were placed in the Premier Division, where they remained until being relegated to Division One at the end of the 1969–70 season. In 1973 they transferred to Division Two of the Isthmian League. In 1980–81 they finished bottom of a (renamed) Division One, and were relegated to Division Two. They were placed in Division Two North after restructuring in 1984, and after finishing second in 1984–85, were promoted to Division One. However, they were relegated back to Division Two North after finishing bottom of Division One in 1986–87. Suffering from financial problems, the club merged with Wingate in 1991 to form Wingate & Finchley. The new club continued to play at Finchley's Summers Lane ground, which was renamed the Harry Abrahams Stadium after a long-term Wingate supporter.

Colours

The club's original colours were scarlet and black; in hoops with a petrel badge in 1876-77, in halves with an FFC logo on a shield thereafter. By the 1940s the club was wearing white shirts and blue shorts.

Honours

*Athenian League **Champions 1953–54 *London League **Premier Division champions 1936–37 * London Senior Cup **Winners 1932–33, 1951–52, 1952–53

Former players

1. Players that have played/managed in the Football League or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.
3. Players that hold a club record or have captained the club. *

Warren Gravette Warren Gravette (born 13 September 1968) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a forward and right back In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks du ...

* Billy Sperrin * George Robb 4. Jimmy Sontag. Brilliant Goalkeeper in the late 1950s 5. Johnny Dixon. A very lively Number 9. 6. Arthur Wastel Captain in 1950s early 60's

References

{{reflist Association football clubs established in 1874 Association football clubs disestablished in 1991 Defunct football clubs in London Sport in the London Borough of Barnet Defunct football clubs in England London League (football) Isthmian League Athenian League 1874 establishments in England 1991 disestablishments in England F.C.