User:Ytfc23/YTFC Sandbox/Early History

The history of Yeovil Town Football Club between 1895 and 1955 covers their time from the club's foundation,

Early years
Association football put in its first appearance in the small town of Yeovil around 1885, known there had already been one Yeovil Football Club by 1887, playing on a well patronised field in West Hendford. At that time also a club playing in East Coker, in December 1887 due to debts of the other club the Mayor of Yeovil presided over a meeting where the two clubs agreed to amalgamate and play at West Hendford. Ground was used during the summer for cricket, with rugby and football being played alternatively when fixtures allowed from October. Club reformed again in 1889. Club played in white. Joint football/rugby.
 * Pre-history

Club survived until 1895, talk of the need for a recreation ground in Yeovil (Mayor offered £1,000 for the development). By the end of July at the club AGM announced a debt of £25, proposal to split the two codes and the club was wound up on 24 August 1895.

On 27 August 1895 at the Victoria Hall, Yeovil Casuals Football Club was formed with Fred Bon given the joint task of captain and honorary secretary. Taking half the debt of the previous club, with all club members obliged to wear green and white ties and caps. While the rugby club continued at West Hendford, Casuals secured usage of an enclosure on a sloping field at the back of the Pen Mill Hotel, next to Yeovil Pen Mill railway station. The field was christened the Pen Mill Athletic Ground. Casuals were boosted by the amalgamation of a number of smaller clubs in the town, including Yeovil Swifts and Yeovil Rovers played their first ever match, a friendly 4-3 defest away against Sarum Swifts. Their first competitive matchwas a 0–0 draw away at Wincanton. Poor league season finishing third from bottom of the Somerset Senior League, but won Somerset Challenge Cup beating Radstock 3-2 in a replay. Catapulted them to a premier position in the town.
 * 1895–96 Formation

Enter FA Amateur Cup for the first time, lost in the third qualifying round to Bristol St George 8-0 having beaten Clifton and Weymouth. Won the Somerset Senior League by 1 point from Radstock.
 * 1896–97

Lost in Amateur Cup QR2, Somerset Cup SF, 2nd in Senior League
 * 1897–98

Joined Dorset & District League for the first time to run alongside Somerset Senior League due to lack of fixtures. 3rd place in both leagues. Challenge Cup final against Bridgwater 0–0 AET in original fixture, replay say Yeovil win 4–1. Subject to protest from Bridgwater regarding one of Yeovil's players (H Lowe) having not been resident in the county for the statutory 28 days (in fact he had lived there only 25 days before registering). Matter referred from the County FA to the FA who ordered the final to be replayed and this time Bridgwater won 1-0 to consign Yeovil to runners-up. After not being back by the Somerset FA Yeovil did not enter the following season
 * 1898–99

Enter FA Cup for the first time, drew 3–3 with Street but forfeited the tie rather than replay mid-week. Also forfeited in the Amateur Cup after the FA ordered a replay of their victory of Devizes Town. Declared joint winners of the Senior League along with Bristol East after the latter refused to play to the final 14 minutes of an unfinished match between the sides. Yeovil having been leading 3–2.
 * 1899–1900

Lost to Weymouth QR3 of FA Cup, Bedminster St Francis Amateur Cup QR4. Thrown out of the Dorset & District League along with Dorchester for non-attendance of league meetings.
 * 1900–01

Applied to join the Western League but rejected, invited to Bristol & District League but instead joined Wiltshire League. For the new season the players were given a generous donation of half a guinea by the chairman to purchase a kit so that all the players wore the same shirt, green with white collars and cuffs. Lost to Swindon in QR3 of FA Cup in front of 2,000. QR4 Amateur Cup. SF of Challenge Cup. Failed bid for Huish field owned by Brewery. Season saw record defeat 15–0 away at Devizes, adter six players took the wrong train at Trowbridge and the remaining fice, plus six subs scraped up by took the field after the home side refused to play a friendly instead.
 * 1901–02

Lost to Swindon again in FA Cup QR3. 4th in Som, 6th in Wilts.
 * 1902–03

3rd in Wiltshire League, poor season in Somerset League 6th including 15–1 Final Day loss to Paulton.
 * 1903–04

Birth of Petters United
Birth of Petters United
 * 1904–05

Record crowd of 1,500 paid £14 to see victory in Charity Cup against Petters
 * 1912-13