Thornycrofts (Woolston) F.C. were an English
amateur
An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, autodidacticism, self-taught, user-generated, do it yourself, DI ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club, based in
Woolston, Southampton. The club was formed by employees of
John I. Thornycroft & Company, the Woolston-based shipbuilders and was active from 1917 to 1926, during which time it was a member of the
Hampshire League, other than in
1920–21 when the club joined the
Southern League. The club played regularly in the qualifying rounds of the
FA Cup and in
1920
Events January
* January 1
** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20.
** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...
took
Burnley to a replay.
History
The club was founded during the
First World War and participated in the South Hants War League in 1917–18 and 1918–19, finishing second and third respectively.
In 1919, the club joined the
Hampshire League and entered the qualifying rounds of the
FA Cup, coached by former
Southampton player,
Jim Angell.
After victories over
Dulwich Hamlet
Dulwich Hamlet Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in East Dulwich in south-east London, England. They are currently members of and play at Champion Hill.
History
The club was formed in 1893, by Lorraine 'Pa' Wilson. ...
(won 3–1) and
Sheppey United (won 4–0), the club were drawn against
Burnley. The match, on 10 January 1920, was played at
The Dell and ended in a goalless draw. In the replay three days later, Burnley's pedigree and experience prevailed, winning 5–0, with three goals from
James Lindsay.
In 1920, the
Southern League underwent a complete re-organisation, with most of the professional teams leaving to form the new
Football League Third Division. Thornycroft were elected to join the new English section of the league, but after only four victories from 24 matches, they finished at the bottom of the league table and returned to the Hampshire League.
They continued to enter the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup until 1925 and folded the following year.
[ A new club, Vosper Thorneycroft F.C., was formed in 1960.
]
References
{{Reflist, 2
Defunct football clubs in England
Defunct football clubs in Hampshire
Southern Football League clubs
Association football clubs disestablished in 1926
Association football clubs established in 1917
Sport in Southampton
1917 establishments in England
Works association football teams in England