Freemantle F.C.
| Full name | Freemantle Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Magpies |
| Founded | 1884 |
| Dissolved | 1905 |
| Ground | Civil Service Sports Ground |
Freemantle Football Club were a football club based in the Freemantle area of Southampton, England who were active at the end of the nineteenth century. During their brief heyday, they were rivals to Southampton F.C.. The club spent two seasons in the lower divisions of the Southern League.
The "Magpies", as Freemantle were known, were formed in 1884 and appear to have had strong links with Christ Church, Freemantle; one of the parish’s curates, Rev. George D'Arcy, featured in their ranks in their formative days. In early editions of the Hampshire F.A. Handbook, their headquarters were recorded as the Waterloo Arms, the pub next door to the church.
On 21 November 1885, Freemantle played a team from St. Mary's Young Men's Association on the "backfield" of the County Ground in Northlands Road, where the Hampshire Bowling Club was later established. This was the first of many local "derbies" against the "Saints", who ran out as 5–1 victors. The two clubs played a return match the following January, again on the County Ground, which St. Mary's won 1–0.
In 1888, Freemantle took a lease on a new ground off Shirley Road from the Atherley family, where the club remained until their demise 17 years later. The ground later became the Civil Service Sports Ground.
In August 1892, St. Mary's were looking to sign new players to strengthen their team; after a failed attempt to sign George Ridges from Freemantle, they succeeded in luring Jack Dollin across Hill Lane, who thus became the "Saints" first professional player. Dollin was paid £1 per week and found a job, although his status as a professional was kept a secret for a number of years. Dollin only remained with the Saints until the end of the season, before knee injuries caused him to revert to amateur status, rejoining Freemantle. Ridges did make one appearance for St. Mary's, when he played on loan in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup against Maidenhead on 29 October 1892. The match was played at the Antelope Ground and ended 4–0 to the visitors, with F.W. Janes scoring a hat-trick – this was St. Mary's first defeat in a cup competition since their foundation seven years earlier. Shortly after the FA Cup match, St. Mary's and Freemantle met in a friendly, with the match ending 3–3.
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