Argonauts F.C.

The Argonauts were a unique amateur football club based in London. Despite never playing a match or having a published squad, they became notable in the late 1920s for attempting to join the Football League three times.

The team was formed in 1928 by Dick Stoley, Cambridge University and England amateur international, as an equivalent to the Scottish Queen's Park club to play in the Football League. Stoley claimed to have secured the services of the top amateur players of the day for his new national amateur club and the 100,000 capacity White City Stadium to play in. After objections from local Third Division South clubs Queens Park Rangers and Brentford, he then proceeded to hire Wembley Stadium as a venue.

The club applied for Football League status that year, falling in third place but earning a creditable 16 votes. The club went inactive for a year, but reapplied in 1929, coming again in third – one place off acceptance but this time with only 6 votes. Yet again, the club became inactive for a year. A third attempt was made in 1930; this time no votes were gained whilst even Llanelly gained 4 votes. The club was never heard of again.

References

• Twydell, Dave (5 November 2001). Denied F.C.: The Football League Election Struggles. Harefield: Yore Publications. pp. 30–31. ISBN 1-85983-512-0.