Middlesbrough Ironopolis
| Full name | Middlesbrough Ironopolis Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) |
The Nops The Washers |
| Founded | 1889 |
| Dissolved | 1894 |
| Ground | Paradise Ground, Middlesbrough |
| Capacity | 32,000 |
| 1893–94 | Football League Second Division |
Middlesbrough Ironopolis Football Club was a football club based in Middlesbrough, England.
Although it was only in existence for five years, the club won three Northern League titles, two cup competitions and once reached the FA Cup quarter-finals.
They were based at the Paradise Ground.
The club was formed in 1889 by some members of Middlesbrough F.C. – an amateur club at the time – who wanted Middlesbrough to have a professional club.
The team played its first ever non-competitive game against Gainsborough Trinity on 14 December 1889 at home. The match ended in a 1–1 draw.
Middlesbrough Ironopolis played in the Northern League from 1890 to 1893, winning three consecutive titles. In their first season, they reached the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, losing to Darlington.
During the 1892–93 season, the team reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup before losing to Preston North End in a replay, after drawing the first game.
Following an abortive attempt to enter the Football League in combination with Middlesbrough F.C., under the name Middlesbrough and Ironopolis, Ironopolis was accepted into the Second Division for the 1893–94 season, replacing Accrington which had resigned. Competing in the league alongside them were Liverpool, Newcastle United, and Woolwich Arsenal (now known simply as Arsenal). Ironopolis finished 11th out of 15 clubs, recording impressive wins against Small Heath (now Birmingham City), 3–0, and over Ardwick (now Manchester City) 2–0. They played in total 28 games, won 8, draw 4, lost 16, scored 37 goals, conceded 72, and finished with 20 points. The squad that season was: G. Watts; J. Ellliott, Philip Bach; Thomas Seymour, Robert Chatt, R. Nicholson; J. Hill, Archibald M Hughes, Thomas McCairns, P. Coupar, Wallace McReddie.
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