Old Merchant Taylors' FC
| Full name | Old Merchant Taylors' Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | OMT |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Location | Northwood, Hillingdon, London, England |
| Region | Middlesex RFU |
| Ground(s) | War Memorial Sports Ground, Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood (Capacity: .) |
| Official website | |
| www |
|
This article concerns the rugby club. For a list of eminent Old Merchant Taylors' please see Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood#Old Merchant Taylors (OMTs)
The Old Merchant Taylors' Football Club is an open rugby union club that was founded as a team for the old boys of Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood, who are known as Old Merchant Taylors. It is one of the oldest clubs in London. It used to be prominent on the club circuit. Many eminent players have been members of the club, some of whom gained their international caps whilst at the club.
Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood, had been playing football since 1859, though by Association rules until 1861. Thereafter it also adopted Rugby School rules. The first club to be formed by old boys of Merchant Taylors was founded in 1867. However, it was open to membership from outside of the Merchant Taylors' alumni, and the team was named Wasps. In 1882, the seventeen-year-old Leo, a pupil at Merchant Taylors, wrote to the school magazine, The Taylorian, asking for old boys to join a club for old boys. Within a few months the club was formed and in its first season played six games.
The club was regarded as one of the best in London by 1900 and from 1900 to 1902 had its most impressive record, due in main to the attacking prowess of John Raphael, the sporting phenomenon who had won 14 blues at Oxford University.
In World War I the club lost a number of members but continued a first class fixture list. The Second World War also took its toll. By the 1960s the club was struggling to maintain the levels of performance it once displayed and dropped its first class fixture list. The club also became an open rugby club. The next 40 years saw a period of decline, in line with many "old boy" Clubs.
The relocation to the new clubhouse and grounds in 2011 have a new impetus to the Club, in its 130th Season. Recruitment has expanded considerably, and over the next three seasons the Club gained three successive promotions, reaching London 2NW (level 7) in the 2014/15 season. It also expanded to three regular adult men's sides, with the 2nds (Lambs) and 3rds ("A's") playing in the Herts/Middx Merit Tables. The 2nds also gained promotion and in 2015/16 will play in Division 2.
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