Army Football
Football has always been the most popular sport in the Army, and probably has the longest history of structured competitions. Several regiments were playing football unofficially in the 1850s and the game in Aldershot appears to have been quickly organised, for in November 1861 it was reported that the “first match of the season” was played in the Camp. In this match the 8th Regiment of Foot played the 53rd Regiment, and a contemporary reporter said that he hoped “to see many such matches played at Aldershot for the amusement of the soldiers, who appear greatly to enjoy the game”.
From the 1870s onwards, organised sport became increasingly popular in the country as a whole, and the rules for the major sports began to be published. Before 1870 football tactics were centred on an individual charge, but the Royal Engineers, Chatham, introduced a new style of play with more long and short passing and much greater emphasis on teamwork. The superiority of this new style was shown in 1871 when the Royal Engineers beat the Wanderers, the leading team of the day. The Wanderers had their revenge in 1872 when they defeated the Royal Engineers in the first FA Cup Final in 1872. The Royal Engineers were FA Cup runners-up again in 1874, finally lifting the Cup in 1875 by beating the Old Etonians 2-0 after a replay.
One of the most important events in the development of Army football was the founding of the Army Football Association in 1888 and the establishment of the Army Challenge Cup in the same year. Based on the successful format of the FA Cup, this was a knockout tournament and 44 units entered the first competition. The first Challenge Cup game to be played in Aldershot was between the 1st Bn Royal Scots and the Medical Staff, played on Thursday 1 November 1888 on the Royal Engineers’ ground. It was reported that the match was played “in wretched weather, and proved a very one-sided game, the Royal Scots winning by no less than six goals to nil”. The Royal Scots played their second round match on Queen’s Parade on 15 January 1889 “in the presence of some thousands of spectators”. They were once again victorious, defeating the 2nd Bn Yorkshire Regiment by 4 goals to 2, after which they “were loudly cheered as they as they returned through the camp to their quarters, the pipers of the regiment turning out and playing ‘The Highland Laddie’ and other Scottish airs.” After another victory in Aldershot against the Somerset Light Infantry, the Royal Scots’ campaign ended when they lost their semi-final to the 2nd Bn South Staffordshire Regiment at Plymouth. The final was played on Wednesday 27 March 1889 at the Kennington Oval, London, between the South Staffordshires and the 2nd Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. In a close match, the Highlanders proved the stronger team and won by 2 goals to nil.
The Army Challenge Cup Final moved to Aldershot in 1893, played on the 1st Brigade ground on Queen’s Parade. A grandstand was erected on the west side of the ground, in the centre of which was a Royal enclosure for the guest of honour, HRH the Duke of Connaught. Around the other three sides were placed seats for the front row, and behind were rows of military wagons “drawn up after the style of an immense laager, allowing ample scope for the vast concourse to witness the game, and displaying the abundant and ingenious resources of the military”. A crowd of around 15,000 watched the game, on a day when “the weather was gloriously fine and the ground was in excellent condition”. Contesting the final were the 2nd Bn Royal West Kent and the 1st Bn Sherwood Foresters. At full time the scores were level at one goal apiece. Half an hour’s extra time brought no more goals, so the match was declared a draw. A replay was ordered for the next day, and this time the Royal West Kent finally won the match 1-0.
Following the success of this event, the Challenge Cup Final became a regular fixture in Aldershot. It was played on Easter Mondays and attracted crowds of up to 20,000, most of them soldiers. Often attended by senior military officers or members of the Royal Family, the Army Cup Finals became a major social occasion as well as a prestigious sporting event.
Leicestershire Regiment
The tubulous days that marked the closing period of the reign of King James II saw the birth of The Royal Leicestershire Regiment. Colonel Solomon Richards was commissioned to raise the Regiment on 27 September 1688, and it deployed to Londonderry the following year. After a brief period of service as marines, the Regiment joined the British Expeditionary Force which was sent to France in 1694, took part in Marlborough’s campaigns, fighting with great valour at Huy, Liege, Venloo and elsewhere. It was then sent to join the army of Lord Peterborough, and at Almanza in Spain in 1707 the Regiment fought until hardly a man was left standing.
Entirely re-organised, the Regiment was employed in the defence of Catalonia, and in 1709 returned home. In 1725 the Regiment was sent to Minorca and remained there for twenty-three years. From 1748-1757 it served in Ireland, and in 1751 the Regiment became the 17th Regiment of Foot.
At the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War in 1756, the Regiment was sent to Nova Scotia, and played a prominent part in the famous siege and capture of Louisburg, Cape Breton, in 1758. It then formed a part of the British force which defeated the French at Crown Point and Ticonderoga, and was present at the capture of Montreal in 1760, which transferred the sovereignty of Canada from France to England.
From 1761 the Regiment served with distinction in the West Indies, in 1762 being present at the capture of Martinique, and then returned to North America, moving to Britain in 1767.
At the beginning of the American War of Independence the Regiment was again sent across the Atlantic, landing at Boston on New Year’s Day 1776. It was actively engaged in all the battles of this campaign. Most notable was the Battle of Princeton in 1777 where the Regiment found itself alone and surrounded by the army of General Washington, only extricating itself by the most vigorous hand to hand fighting. The Regiment was then stationed in Nova Scotia and in Newfoundland until 1788.
In 1782 it received a county title as well – becoming 17th (the Leicestershire) Regiment of Foot and being ordered to cultivate a connection with that county and to recruit from there. It continued to be known largely by its number until 1881.In 1881 the 17th Regiment became The Leicestershire Regiment, comprising two Regular battalions, two Militia battalions, and the Headquarters of the Regimental District at Glen Parva Barracks, South Wigston, Leicester.
Leicestershire Regiment Football Team
The Leicestershire Regiment appears to have entered the Army Cup for the first time in 1892 and never managed to get beyond the second round and competed for the Irish Army Cup on at least one occasion, as well as playing friendly games with other British Army regiments at both home and overseas
In addition, the 17th Leicestershire Regiment stationed a Glen Para regularly entered Leicestershire League and Cup competitions throughout the 1890s.
Leicestershire Regiment |