History
Norsemen FC has a long and distinguished history that goes back well over 100 years.
In the early 1890’s at Clapton, North London, the Orion Gymnasium was a flourishing club. At that time the Orion also ran a football team but some of the players, dissatisfied with the poor arrangements offered and with the lack fixtures, decided to form their own club. At the end of the 1894/95 season, Vic Homer and Jack Stapleton got together some of these members and an inaugural meeting was held at the Homer residence in May 1895, at which the club was founded and officers elected for the coming season.
Apparently the selection of a name presented some difficulty and the Northmen Football Club was suggested as all members lived in and about Clapton, North London. However, it was realised that the name was unsuitable and recourse was eventually made to the Scandinavian Norsemen, which embodied the
original suggestion and at the same time came into line with, the then fashion of clubs adopting such descriptive names as Druids, Olympians, Foxes, etc.
The first pitch was on open ground at the rear of the now demolished Cross Keys public house, near Edmonton Green Station, the public house providing the
dressing room. It is said that this early contact with licensed premises was influential in the formation of the character and behaviour of the members of the Club throughout its history.
The Club’s first match was against the Druids at Neasden on 28th September 1895, the game resulting in a victory by 2 goals to 1.
As a result of the first year’s experience a new pitch was sought for the following season and the Edmonton Cricket Club was approached, and they agreed to rent a pitch to the newly born club.
As is known, we have remained at this old-established cricket club ever since, the Norsemen owing a great deal to the staunch friendship of Edmonton during this period, especially during the two world wars. The first team pitch today is practically in the same position as it was in 1896.
Since those early days we have expanded to run eight adult sides and the Norsemen Youth Football Club have 10 sides. We now provide “football for life.”
In the early 1890’s at Clapton, North London, the Orion Gymnasium was a flourishing club. At that time the Orion also ran a football team but some of the players, dissatisfied with the poor arrangements offered and with the lack fixtures, decided to form their own club. At the end of the 1894/95 season, Vic Homer and Jack Stapleton got together some of these members and an inaugural meeting was held at the Homer residence in May 1895, at which the club was founded and officers elected for the coming season.
Apparently the selection of a name presented some difficulty and the Northmen Football Club was suggested as all members lived in and about Clapton, North London. However, it was realised that the name was unsuitable and recourse was eventually made to the Scandinavian Norsemen, which embodied the
original suggestion and at the same time came into line with, the then fashion of clubs adopting such descriptive names as Druids, Olympians, Foxes, etc.
The first pitch was on open ground at the rear of the now demolished Cross Keys public house, near Edmonton Green Station, the public house providing the
dressing room. It is said that this early contact with licensed premises was influential in the formation of the character and behaviour of the members of the Club throughout its history.
The Club’s first match was against the Druids at Neasden on 28th September 1895, the game resulting in a victory by 2 goals to 1.
As a result of the first year’s experience a new pitch was sought for the following season and the Edmonton Cricket Club was approached, and they agreed to rent a pitch to the newly born club.
As is known, we have remained at this old-established cricket club ever since, the Norsemen owing a great deal to the staunch friendship of Edmonton during this period, especially during the two world wars. The first team pitch today is practically in the same position as it was in 1896.
Since those early days we have expanded to run eight adult sides and the Norsemen Youth Football Club have 10 sides. We now provide “football for life.”
