Clapham Common Club

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C.C.C.
Full nameClapham Common Club
Nickname(s)C.C.C.
Founded1864
Dissolved1872
GroundClapham Common

Clapham Common Club, usually known by its initials C.C.C., was a mid-nineteenth century amateur English football club based at Clapham Common.

History[edit]

The club was active during the period between 1864 and 1871, playing both association football and codes closer to rugby football.[1][2] The club was a member of the Football Association from 1864[3] to 1872,[4] although it did not enter the FA Cup.

The club's first recorded match was a 2-1 win over a "scratch eleven" on 4 January 1864,[5] the scratch eleven being made up of other members of the club. The first genuine external match followed on 16 January, a 2-0 home win against the Montague Club.[6]

The club played the Blackheath Rugby Club under the latter's rules (similar to rugby, but with a different offside rule) in 1865, winning 4-0.[7] The biggest win was a 6-0 win for a C.C.C. thirteen against a 20-man Clapham side;[8] the club's most notable win was a 1-0 win over the Wanderers in a match played to Westminster School rules, albeit the Wanderers were hampered by having to use substitutes (one of whom was C.C.C.'s Edward Tayloe) as only seven players - albeit including Charles W. Alcock and Alexander Morten - turned up.[9]

The last reported match was on 18 March 1871, a 0-0 draw at home to Sydenham F.C., in which the club was "represented on this occasion by an exceptionally weak team".,[10] although the club was still active within the FA committees at this time, with captain P.V. Turner being on the committee to choose players for the unofficial internationals.[11]

The formation of the Clapham Rovers was a factor in the decline of C.C.C.; the club's captain and secretary in 1868, John Tayloe, was captain of the Rovers in the latter's first match in 1869.[12] In the 1869-70 season, the club only played seven matches, with three 0-0 draws, three 1-0 defeats, and scoring just the one goal, in a win over Brentwood School.[13] By 1872, two of the C.C.C. regulars were playing for the Civil Service F.C., others played for the original Crystal Palace club, and others - including the Dealtry brothers, Soden, and Ker, who had played in the club's very first matches - retired from the game.

Colours[edit]

Until 1870 the club listed its colours as being a black velvet cap with a red tassel and red stockings.[14] In 1871 the club changed to red and black.[15]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Crystal Palace v. Barnes". Field: 20. 9 December 1865.
  2. ^ "King's College v. C.C.C.". Sportsman: 3. 26 January 1871.
  3. ^ Brown, Tony (2011). Football Association 1863-1883: A Source Book. UK: Soccerdata. p. 23.
  4. ^ Brown, Tony (2011). Football Association 1863-1883: A Source Book. UK: Soccerdata. p. 62.
  5. ^ "report". Bell's Life: 5. 9 January 1864.
  6. ^ "report". Bell's Life: 6. 23 January 1864.
  7. ^ "report". Bell's Life: 4. 7 January 1865.
  8. ^ "report". Sportsman: 1. 20 November 1866.
  9. ^ "report". Sportsman: 1. 5 February 1867.
  10. ^ "report". The Sportsman: 3. 23 March 1871.
  11. ^ "report". The Sportsman: 3. 21 February 1871.
  12. ^ "Clapham Rovers v Wanderers". Sportsman: 3. 28 September 1869.
  13. ^ "report". Sportsman: 4. 4 November 1869.
  14. ^ Lillywhite, John (1869). Football Annual. John Lillywhite. p. 7.
  15. ^ Alcock, Charles (1871). Football Annual. Paternoster Row: Virtue & Co. p. 56.