156:
135:
114:
142:
128:
328:
Thames' spell in the
Football League was a short and unhappy one. The club struggled to attract spectators. It established a supporters' group, which at one point had over 1,000 members. However, this effort did not translate into a reliable supporter base that would regularly attend matches. Despite
329:
the stadium's capacity of 120,000 (making it the largest ground in
England to regularly host League football), the club holds the record for the lowest known attendance for a Saturday Football League match; just 469 fans paid to watch Thames play
679:
In total, 103,698 fans watched all of Thames' games, at an average of 2,469 per game, which ranks them as 122 out of all the 130 Football League teams in terms of attendance. The club's record highest attendance was approximately 8,000, against
360:). This prompted the club directors' decision not to seek re-election to the League for the following season and wind up the club, despite an approach from Clapton Orient to merge the two clubs. Their league place was taken by
285:
racing which took place during the week, leaving
Saturdays free. The directors of the stadium decided to form a professional football club to play on Saturdays, to bring in additional revenue to the stadium.
149:
121:
352:, Thames struggled. By December 1931, the club was under severe financial pressure. To keep the club afloat, the players agreed to take a pay cut. They finished 20th out of 22 clubs in
652:
Thames' record for their two seasons in the
Football League was played 84, won 20, drew 17, lost 47, scored 107 and conceded 202. The club's record league win was 6β3, against
1127:
317:. The success of their application required them to suddenly upgrade the quality of the team. To achieve this objective, the newly promoted club placed an advert for
1645:
852:
1640:
915:
1120:
1057:
1113:
1090:
261:: to play on a ground which had no football club in residence. In Thames' case, they were formed by a group of businessmen who had built the
504:
467:
1136:
1675:
1650:
1660:
325:. Thames continued to field a reserve side in the Southern League for a single further season, before withdrawing entirely in 1931.
367:
Thames AFC are not the same club as Thames
Ironworks FC, a club that predated them by over 30 years, and would go on to be renamed
1670:
1665:
1655:
1027:
582:
543:
977:
298:
294:
625:
776:
701:
919:
950:
860:
644:
Thames' home colours were red and blue quartered shirts with white shorts and black socks with red and blue trim.
357:
353:
1401:
1002:
601:
229:. The "Association" was abbreviated upon joining the Football League, giving the team the more regular name of
1408:
1251:
1534:
1479:
633:
609:
242:
202:
198:
17:
1519:
1065:
1554:
1273:
163:
1222:
1491:
1228:
629:
290:
270:
1367:
1286:
1266:
1259:
1147:
254:
1635:
1569:
1541:
1526:
1505:
1306:
337:
664:
on 28 March 1932. The furthest they ever reached in the FA Cup was the First Round proper, in
293:
Eastern
Division, and finished 14th in their first season and third in the season after that (
1352:
1207:
246:
1575:
1512:
368:
349:
310:
266:
190:
186:
73:
8:
1587:
1498:
1453:
1344:
812:
653:
282:
194:
1581:
1465:
1382:
1325:
1215:
1199:
1191:
1183:
1105:
673:
669:
665:
587:
548:
509:
341:
1472:
1428:
1331:
1243:
946:
302:
214:
1035:
959:
1593:
1562:
1415:
1360:
1313:
681:
262:
68:
1547:
1485:
1235:
1164:
657:
330:
1599:
1446:
1422:
1281:
361:
314:
306:
305:. Their request to join the league was considered alongside applications from
274:
250:
1629:
617:
605:
345:
322:
621:
258:
897:
1459:
1337:
661:
916:"Forum citing Fulham Facts and Figures by Dennis Turner and Alex White"
613:
94:
1319:
278:
1095:
751:
1100:
726:
1613:
Listed according to division last performed in. Defunct clubs in
656:
on 2 April 1932, while their record league loss was 8β0, against
388:
336:
Unable to compete with established teams nearby that included:
702:"'Thames AFC and the Football League's lowest-ever attendance"
221:
was initially presented as part of the club name β i.e.
1096:
Thames
Association F.C. on Football Club History Database
1135:
297:). This was enough for them to gain election to the
27:
Defunct association football club in London, England
387:
1646:Association football clubs disestablished in 1932
1627:
356:, and 22nd (i.e., bottom) the following season (
1101:Thames A.F.C. on Football Club History Database
777:"A History Of Admission To The Football League"
1641:Association football clubs established in 1928
1121:
940:
813:"England β Southern League Final Tables"
902:Leyton Orient FC Supporters Club Scandinavia
600:Notable players for Thames included former
319:"First Class Players Wanted. All Positions"
1128:
1114:
647:
14:
1628:
853:"Football League Records: Attendances"
721:
719:
277:); the stadium was primarily used for
1109:
1091:Aerial photograph of West Ham Stadium
558:Football League Third Division South
519:Football League Third Division South
423:
384:
381:
265:, with a capacity of 120,000, in the
1394:Fourth tier (by election, 1958β1987)
1137:Former English Football League clubs
1028:"All Time League Attendance Records"
744:
299:Football League Third Division South
113:
716:
704:. The 1888 Letter. 30 November 2019
301:in the middle of 1930, in place of
24:
1439:Fourth tier (relegated since 1987)
25:
1687:
1676:1932 disestablishments in England
1651:Defunct football clubs in England
1084:
418:
1661:Defunct football clubs in London
882:"Critical week for Thames AFC".
857:Football League official website
480:Southern League Eastern Section
443:Southern League Eastern Section
433:
154:
147:
140:
133:
126:
119:
112:
44:Thames Association Football Club
1064:. 16 April 1995. Archived from
1050:
1020:
1003:"Thames 1931/32 playing record"
995:
978:"Thames 1930/31 playing record"
970:
934:
908:
890:
269:area of Essex (now part of the
193:, east London, which played in
1671:1928 establishments in England
1666:Southern Football League clubs
875:
845:
830:
805:
797:"First Class players wanted".
790:
769:
756:Football Club History Database
731:Football Club History Database
694:
428:
398:
289:The club began playing in the
13:
1:
1656:English Football League clubs
1462:(1991β2001, 2005β13, 2015β18)
1157:First tier (League 1888β1992)
837:"Support of the Right Kind".
687:
408:
413:
7:
403:
321:in the June edition of the
10:
1692:
1176:Second tier (1892βpresent)
639:
595:
557:
518:
479:
442:
374:
236:
213:Unlike other AFCs such as
1609:
1438:
1393:
1297:Third tier (1920βpresent)
1296:
1175:
1156:
1143:
554:
515:
476:
439:
432:
427:
422:
417:
412:
407:
402:
397:
394:
245:, in a similar manner to
176:
104:
100:
90:
82:
64:
56:
48:
40:
1480:Dagenham & Redbridge
1252:Middlesbrough Ironopolis
964:Historical Football Kits
271:London Borough of Newham
1299:North/South (1921β1958)
1148:English Football League
1058:"McGrory's goal a game"
839:Portsmouth Evening News
208:
1555:Rushden & Diamonds
1520:Kidderminster Harriers
1409:Bradford (Park Avenue)
941:Bob Bickerton (1998).
648:Records and statistics
660:on 11 April 1931 and
241:They were founded in
227:Thames Association FC
1602:(1929β2004, 2012β16)
1590:(1927β2007, 2009β14)
1530:(1997β2012, 2018β20)
1508:(1921β2017, 2021β23)
1502:(1921β93, 1998β2002)
1488:(1921β89, 1990β2010)
1476:(1931β2000, 2004β09)
1223:Gainsborough Trinity
922:on 19 September 2011
752:"Thames Association"
333:on 6 December 1930.
1492:Forest Green Rovers
1068:on 20 February 2008
886:. 11 December 1931.
863:on 17 December 2007
195:the Football League
37:
1516:(1972β97, 2006β12)
1402:Accrington Stanley
1368:Stalybridge Celtic
1289:(1977β92, 2000β04)
1287:Milton Keynes Dons
1267:Northwich Victoria
1260:New Brighton Tower
841:. 10 January 1931.
255:New Brighton Tower
223:Thames Association
35:
1623:
1622:
1570:Scunthorpe United
1527:Macclesfield Town
1506:Hartlepool United
1307:Aberdare Athletic
1229:Glossop North End
898:"Homes of Orient"
593:
592:
338:Charlton Athletic
215:Sunderland A.F.C.
180:
179:
172:
171:
16:(Redirected from
1683:
1535:Maidstone United
1353:Rotherham County
1208:Burton Wanderers
1130:
1123:
1116:
1107:
1106:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1073:
1054:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1043:
1034:. Archived from
1024:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1013:
999:
993:
992:
990:
988:
974:
968:
967:
956:
938:
932:
931:
929:
927:
918:. Archived from
912:
906:
905:
894:
888:
887:
879:
873:
872:
870:
868:
859:. Archived from
849:
843:
842:
834:
828:
827:
825:
823:
809:
803:
802:
794:
788:
787:
785:
783:
773:
767:
766:
764:
762:
748:
742:
741:
739:
737:
723:
714:
713:
711:
709:
698:
684:in August 1931.
632:went on to be a
435:
430:
425:
420:
415:
410:
405:
400:
379:
378:
263:West Ham Stadium
247:Sheffield United
185:were an English
158:
157:
151:
150:
144:
143:
137:
136:
130:
129:
123:
122:
116:
115:
106:
105:
69:West Ham Stadium
38:
34:
21:
1691:
1690:
1686:
1685:
1684:
1682:
1681:
1680:
1626:
1625:
1624:
1619:
1605:
1576:Southend United
1542:Oldham Athletic
1513:Hereford United
1434:
1389:
1298:
1292:
1171:
1152:
1139:
1134:
1087:
1082:
1081:
1071:
1069:
1062:The Independent
1056:
1055:
1051:
1041:
1039:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1011:
1009:
1001:
1000:
996:
986:
984:
976:
975:
971:
958:
953:
939:
935:
925:
923:
914:
913:
909:
896:
895:
891:
881:
880:
876:
866:
864:
851:
850:
846:
836:
835:
831:
821:
819:
811:
810:
806:
796:
795:
791:
781:
779:
775:
774:
770:
760:
758:
750:
749:
745:
735:
733:
725:
724:
717:
707:
705:
700:
699:
695:
690:
650:
642:
636:international.
612:internationals
598:
377:
369:West Ham United
350:West Ham United
291:Southern League
239:
211:
168:
167:
160:
159:
155:
152:
148:
145:
141:
138:
134:
131:
127:
124:
120:
117:
77:
72:
33:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1689:
1679:
1678:
1673:
1668:
1663:
1658:
1653:
1648:
1643:
1638:
1621:
1620:
1618:
1617:
1610:
1607:
1606:
1604:
1603:
1597:
1591:
1588:Torquay United
1585:
1579:
1573:
1567:
1559:
1551:
1545:
1539:
1531:
1523:
1517:
1509:
1503:
1495:
1489:
1483:
1477:
1469:
1463:
1457:
1454:Aldershot Town
1451:
1442:
1440:
1436:
1435:
1433:
1432:
1426:
1420:
1412:
1406:
1397:
1395:
1391:
1390:
1388:
1387:
1379:
1371:
1365:
1357:
1349:
1341:
1335:
1329:
1323:
1317:
1311:
1302:
1300:
1294:
1293:
1291:
1290:
1278:
1274:Rotherham Town
1270:
1264:
1256:
1248:
1240:
1232:
1226:
1220:
1212:
1204:
1196:
1188:
1179:
1177:
1173:
1172:
1170:
1169:
1160:
1158:
1154:
1153:
1151:
1150:
1144:
1141:
1140:
1133:
1132:
1125:
1118:
1110:
1104:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1086:
1085:External links
1083:
1080:
1079:
1049:
1038:on 27 May 2007
1019:
994:
969:
951:
933:
907:
889:
874:
844:
829:
804:
801:. 3 June 1929.
789:
768:
743:
715:
692:
691:
689:
686:
654:Mansfield Town
649:
646:
641:
638:
604:international
597:
594:
591:
590:
585:
580:
577:
574:
571:
568:
565:
562:
559:
556:
552:
551:
546:
541:
538:
535:
532:
529:
526:
523:
520:
517:
513:
512:
507:
502:
499:
496:
493:
490:
487:
484:
481:
478:
474:
473:
470:
465:
462:
459:
456:
453:
450:
447:
444:
441:
437:
436:
431:
426:
421:
416:
411:
406:
401:
396:
392:
391:
386:
385:League record
383:
376:
373:
342:Clapton Orient
275:Greater London
238:
235:
210:
207:
178:
177:
174:
173:
170:
169:
161:
153:
146:
139:
132:
125:
118:
111:
110:
109:
102:
101:
98:
97:
92:
88:
87:
84:
80:
79:
66:
62:
61:
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
42:
31:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1688:
1677:
1674:
1672:
1669:
1667:
1664:
1662:
1659:
1657:
1654:
1652:
1649:
1647:
1644:
1642:
1639:
1637:
1636:Thames A.F.C.
1634:
1633:
1631:
1616:
1612:
1611:
1608:
1601:
1598:
1595:
1592:
1589:
1586:
1583:
1582:Sutton United
1580:
1577:
1574:
1571:
1568:
1565:
1564:
1560:
1557:
1556:
1552:
1549:
1546:
1543:
1540:
1537:
1536:
1532:
1529:
1528:
1524:
1521:
1518:
1515:
1514:
1510:
1507:
1504:
1501:
1500:
1496:
1493:
1490:
1487:
1484:
1481:
1478:
1475:
1474:
1470:
1467:
1466:Boston United
1464:
1461:
1458:
1455:
1452:
1449:
1448:
1444:
1443:
1441:
1437:
1430:
1427:
1424:
1421:
1418:
1417:
1413:
1410:
1407:
1404:
1403:
1399:
1398:
1396:
1392:
1385:
1384:
1383:Wigan Borough
1380:
1377:
1376:
1372:
1369:
1366:
1363:
1362:
1361:South Shields
1358:
1355:
1354:
1350:
1347:
1346:
1342:
1339:
1336:
1333:
1330:
1327:
1324:
1321:
1318:
1315:
1312:
1309:
1308:
1304:
1303:
1301:
1295:
1288:
1284:
1283:
1279:
1276:
1275:
1271:
1268:
1265:
1262:
1261:
1257:
1254:
1253:
1249:
1246:
1245:
1241:
1238:
1237:
1233:
1230:
1227:
1224:
1221:
1218:
1217:
1213:
1210:
1209:
1205:
1202:
1201:
1200:Burton United
1197:
1194:
1193:
1192:Burton Swifts
1189:
1186:
1185:
1181:
1180:
1178:
1174:
1167:
1166:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1155:
1149:
1146:
1145:
1142:
1138:
1131:
1126:
1124:
1119:
1117:
1112:
1111:
1108:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1088:
1067:
1063:
1059:
1053:
1037:
1033:
1029:
1023:
1008:
1004:
998:
983:
979:
973:
965:
961:
954:
952:0-600-59542-0
948:
944:
937:
921:
917:
911:
903:
899:
893:
885:
884:Northern Whig
878:
862:
858:
854:
848:
840:
833:
818:
814:
808:
800:
799:Athletic News
793:
778:
772:
757:
753:
747:
732:
728:
722:
720:
703:
697:
693:
685:
683:
677:
675:
671:
667:
663:
659:
655:
645:
637:
635:
631:
627:
623:
619:
618:Moses Russell
615:
611:
607:
606:Jimmy Dimmock
603:
589:
586:
584:
581:
578:
575:
572:
569:
566:
563:
560:
553:
550:
547:
545:
542:
539:
536:
533:
530:
527:
524:
521:
514:
511:
508:
506:
503:
500:
497:
494:
491:
488:
485:
482:
475:
471:
469:
466:
463:
460:
457:
454:
451:
448:
445:
438:
393:
390:
380:
372:
370:
365:
363:
359:
355:
351:
347:
343:
339:
334:
332:
326:
324:
323:Athletic News
320:
316:
312:
308:
304:
300:
296:
292:
287:
284:
280:
276:
272:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
234:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
206:
204:
200:
196:
192:
188:
184:
183:Thames A.F.C.
175:
166:
165:
108:
107:
103:
99:
96:
93:
89:
85:
81:
75:
70:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
32:Football club
30:
19:
1614:
1561:
1553:
1533:
1525:
1511:
1499:Halifax Town
1497:
1473:Chester City
1471:
1445:
1414:
1400:
1381:
1374:
1373:
1359:
1351:
1345:New Brighton
1343:
1332:Merthyr Town
1305:
1280:
1272:
1258:
1250:
1244:Loughborough
1242:
1234:
1214:
1206:
1198:
1190:
1182:
1163:
1070:. Retrieved
1066:the original
1061:
1052:
1040:. Retrieved
1036:the original
1031:
1022:
1010:. Retrieved
1007:footballsite
1006:
997:
985:. Retrieved
982:footballsite
981:
972:
963:
943:Club Colours
942:
936:
924:. Retrieved
920:the original
910:
901:
892:
883:
877:
865:. Retrieved
861:the original
856:
847:
838:
832:
820:. Retrieved
816:
807:
798:
792:
780:. Retrieved
771:
759:. Retrieved
755:
746:
734:. Retrieved
730:
706:. Retrieved
696:
678:
651:
643:
599:
366:
335:
327:
318:
303:Merthyr Town
288:
267:Custom House
240:
230:
226:
222:
218:
212:
191:Custom House
182:
181:
164:Home colours
162:
74:Custom House
29:
18:Thames A.F.C
1594:Yeovil Town
1578:(1920β2021)
1572:(1950β2022)
1563:Scarborough
1550:(1921β2023)
1544:(1907β2022)
1326:Durham City
1322:(1894β2019)
1263:(1898β1901)
1247:(1895β1900)
1231:(1898β1915)
1225:(1896β1912)
1195:(1892β1901)
1072:16 November
1012:16 November
987:16 November
867:16 November
822:16 November
761:16 November
736:16 November
682:Exeter City
630:Eddie Perry
626:Henry White
588:First round
549:First round
510:First round
257:and nearby
219:Association
217:, the word
1630:Categories
1486:Darlington
1429:Workington
1236:Leeds City
1165:Accrington
957:Cited in:
688:References
658:Luton Town
614:Len Davies
331:Luton Town
231:Thames AFC
189:club from
95:Louis Dane
36:Thames AFC
1600:York City
1596:(2003β19)
1584:(2021β24)
1566:(1987β99)
1558:(2001β06)
1538:(1989β92)
1522:(2000β05)
1494:(2017β24)
1482:(2007β16)
1468:(2002β07)
1456:(2008β13)
1450:(1932β92)
1447:Aldershot
1431:(1951β77)
1425:(1921β78)
1423:Southport
1419:(1930β60)
1416:Gateshead
1411:(1908β70)
1405:(1921β62)
1386:(1921β31)
1378:(1930β32)
1370:(1921β23)
1364:(1919β30)
1356:(1919β25)
1348:(1923β51)
1340:(1921β31)
1334:(1920β30)
1328:(1921β28)
1316:(1921β29)
1314:Ashington
1310:(1921β27)
1282:Wimbledon
1277:(1893β96)
1269:(1892β94)
1255:(1893β94)
1239:(1905β19)
1219:(1891β99)
1211:(1894β97)
1203:(1901β07)
1187:(1892β93)
1168:(1888β93)
608:, former
395:Division
362:Aldershot
315:Argonauts
307:Aldershot
279:greyhound
251:Liverpool
57:Dissolved
41:Full name
1548:Rochdale
1032:NUFC.com
960:"Thames"
782:11 March
727:"Thames"
624:striker
555:1931β32
516:1930β31
477:1929β30
440:1928β29
346:Millwall
311:Llanelli
283:speedway
197:between
187:football
91:Chairman
83:Capacity
1615:italics
1285:Became
926:21 June
674:1931β32
670:1930β31
666:1929β30
640:Colours
622:Arsenal
620:and ex-
602:England
596:Players
382:Season
375:Seasons
358:1931β32
354:1930β31
295:1929β30
259:Chelsea
237:History
86:120,000
49:Founded
1460:Barnet
1375:Thames
1338:Nelson
1216:Darwen
1184:Bootle
1042:28 May
949:
708:15 May
662:Fulham
389:FA Cup
78:London
65:Ground
817:RSSSF
634:Welsh
610:Welsh
1320:Bury
1074:2007
1044:2007
1014:2007
989:2007
947:ISBN
928:2011
869:2007
824:2007
784:2021
763:2007
738:2007
710:2021
672:and
616:and
583:22nd
544:20th
468:14th
348:and
313:and
281:and
243:1928
209:Name
203:1932
201:and
199:1930
60:1932
52:1928
576:109
505:3rd
434:Pos
429:Pts
273:in
225:or
1632::
1060:.
1030:.
1005:.
980:.
962:.
945:.
900:.
855:.
815:.
754:.
729:.
718:^
676:.
668:,
628:.
579:23
573:53
570:26
561:42
540:34
537:93
534:54
531:21
525:13
522:42
501:40
498:60
495:80
486:17
483:32
472:β
464:31
461:74
458:67
455:18
449:13
446:36
371:.
364:.
344:,
340:,
309:,
253:,
249:,
233:.
205:.
1129:e
1122:t
1115:v
1076:.
1046:.
1016:.
991:.
966:.
955:.
930:.
904:.
871:.
826:.
786:.
765:.
740:.
712:.
567:9
564:7
528:8
492:9
489:6
452:5
424:A
419:F
414:L
409:D
404:W
399:P
76:,
71:,
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.