| Full name | Newcastle West End Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1882 | |
| Dissolved | 1892 | |
| Ground | St James' Park, Newcastle (Capacity: Unknown) |
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| 1891–92 | Northern League | |
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Newcastle West End Football Club were an English football club which briefly played in the Northern League and the FA Cup in the late 19th century. Their entire history was played out during the Victorian era in Newcastle.
The club are most noted for being one of the two football sides that merged to form Newcastle United in 1892; their shirt has even been revived as United's away kit on occasions such as the 1995–96 season.[1]
The club was formed in August 1882 after local cricket side West End Cricket Club decided to form a footballing section.[2] Originally the club were based at Town Moor cricket ground but after a while of playing there they moved to a football-specific ground off the Great North Road in 1885, just a year later in May the club moved again to St James' Park.[2]
Despite the foundation of The Football League the club did not apply for membership, instead becoming a founding member of the Northern League in 1889–90.[3] The club came agonisingly close to winning the Northern League in their first season, led by prominent figure Tom Watson, the club finished as runners-up on goal difference to Darlington St. Augustine's.[3]
The same season as their league runners-up spot, West End entered into the FA Cup, reaching the First Round before going out narrowly to Grimsby Town.[3] The club's league form declined significantly in the following two seasons, where they finished 7th and 8th respectively out of nine.[3] Tom Watson leaving to bitter cross city rivals Newcastle East End is cited as a large reason for the club's decline and eventual decline into financial woes.[4]
Bitter local rivals from across the city, Newcastle East End had a much better financial situation, they had become professional and a limited company. Under heavy financial pressure, West End approached East End looking for a merger.[5] Some of the West End players and backroom staff merged with East End, the ground which West End played at, St James' Park, became the ground of the club as it was superior to East End's Chillingham Road.[5]
In December 1892, the club decided to adopt a new name in recognition of the merger, suggested names included Newcastle Rangers, Newcastle City and Newcastle United. The latter name was decided upon signifying Newcastle's East and West united. The name change was accepted by The Football Association on the 22nd of December, but the name change was not legally constituted as Newcastle United Football Club Co. Ltd. until 6 September 1895.[6]
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