Reigate Priory F.C.

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Reigate Priory Football Club, in Surrey, UK, can trace its history as far back as 1870, not long after the FA was formed in 1863. In 1871, the club was one of only 15 teams that played for a £20 silver trophy, the first ever FA Challenge Cup competition. The team went out to the Royal Engineers, who went on to lose in the final.

Reigate Priory was also present when the Surrey County Football Association (founded in 1887) decided to become affiliated to the Football Association on the 16 March 1882. The club was one of the original 10 teams present at the meeting that took place in Guildford. At the same time, a County Senior Cup competition was introduced. The first winners of this trophy, Priory were victorious six times in the competition before the end of the century.

The club is one of the oldest football clubs in the world still playing on its original ground. It numbers among its former members WW Read, with whom it enjoyed a long and happy association right through his sporting life.^[1]