Football Clubs Founded in the 1880s
The 1880s transformed English football. The Football League was founded in 1888, creating the world's first league competition. Professionalism was legalised in 1885, allowing play...
41 clubs found from 1880–1889
Ashford United
Est. 1880·Ashford
Billericay Town
Est. 1880·Billericay
Clevedon Town
Est. 1880·Clevedon
Dorchester Town
Est. 1880·Wallingford
Hednesford Town
Est. 1880·Cannock Chase
Heybridge Swifts
Est. 1880·Heybridge
Holywell Town
Est. 1880
Kennington
Est. 1880·Ashford
Leiston
Est. 1880·East Suffolk
Manchester City
Est. 1880·Manchester
Preston North End
Est. 1880·Preston
Ramsey Town
Est. 1880
Royal Antwerp
Est. 1880
Shepherd's Bush
Est. 1880·Hillingdon
Shepherds Bush
Est. 1880·Hillingdon
Street
Est. 1880·Street, Somerset
Trowbridge Town
Est. 1880
Whitby Town
Est. 1880·Whitby
AFC Uckfield Town
Est. 1881
Ampthill Town
Est. 1881
Berwick Rangers
Est. 1881·Northumberland
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic
Est. 1881·Bonnyrigg
Colwyn Bay
Est. 1881·Conwy
Cowdenbeath
Est. 1881·Cowdenbeath
Cowes Sports
Est. 1881·Cowes, Isle of Wight
Downham Town
Est. 1881·Downham Market, Norfolk
East Stirlingshire
Est. 1881·Stenhousemuir
Eastbourne Town
Est. 1881·Eastbourne
Feckenham F.C.
Est. 1881
Kiveton Park
Est. 1881
Leyton Orient
Est. 1881·London
Nelson
Est. 1881
Newcastle East End
Est. 1881
Paulton Rovers
Est. 1881·Bath and North East Somerset
Sileby Town
Est. 1881
Sileby Town F.C.
Est. 1881
Southport
Est. 1881·Sefton
Splisby Town
Est. 1881
Uckfield Town
Est. 1881
Watford
Est. 1881·Watford
Albion Rovers
Est. 1882·Ashford
Football in the 1880s
The 1880s transformed English football. The Football League was founded in 1888, creating the world's first league competition. Professionalism was legalised in 1885, allowing players to be paid. This decade saw the founding of Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and many more clubs that would go on to dominate English football for the next century and beyond.
Questions About 1880s Football Clubs
The Football League was founded in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor. The original 12 clubs were: Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Accrington.
Arsenal (1886), Manchester City (1880), Tottenham Hotspur (1882), Leicester City (1884), Southampton (1885) and many others were founded during this decade.