English football’s clubs are famous throughout the world. On every continent, there are fans of Premier League, Championship or clubs even further down the English football pyramid.
While the English club names might be familiar now, in the past, many of England’s biggest clubs used to be known by different names. Here are just some examples:
Liverpool (Everton Athletic)
The story of Liverpool’s founding in 1892 is well-told. At the time, Everton refused to pay the rent at Anfield to John Houlding, the club’s president and owner.
The Toffees decided to relocate to Goodison Park, and Houlding decided to set up a new club to play at Anfield. Initially, the new club was called Everton F.C. and Athletic Grounds Ltd, shortened to Everton Athletic.
However, the FA wouldn’t allow the name, as it was too close to the Toffees name. So, in March 1892, the new club was named the Liverpool Football Club, and the rest is history.
Everton (St. Domingos)
Talking of Everton, the Toffees started life as St. Domingos in 1878. Members of the St. Domingo Methodist New Connexion Chapel in Breckfield Road North started the club.
The club was created so that the members of the church could partake in sports all around, as they played cricket in the summer.
Just a year after being founded, the club was renamed Everton after the area in which St. Domingos was located. Everton doesn’t, in fact, play in the area it’s named after, as Goodison Park is in neighbouring Walton.
Manchester United (Newton Heath LYR Football Club)
The Red Devils were initially formed as Newton Heath in 1878 by the wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. Their first games were against other departments of the company, as well as other railway companies. The club broke away from the railway company, so were then just called Newton Heath.
In season 1892/93, they had their first experience of the First Division. However, after just a few seasons, they suffered relegation to the second tier of English football.
In January 1902, the club were served with a winding-up order due to financial issues. However, four local businessmen came to the club’s rescue.
The four businessmen invested £500 each. On 24th April 1902, the new owners changed the club’s name to Manchester United.
Tottenham Hotspur (Hotspur Football Club)
Spurs were originally named Hotspur Football when founded in 1882. The club was founded by a group of schoolboys who were already members of Hotspur Cricket Club.
After a request from the boys, a bible school teacher at All Hallows Church, John Ripsher, assisted the boys and became the club’s first president and also treasurer.
Similarly to Everton, the football club was formed to give the cricket players a sport to play in the winter as they waited for summer cricket.
In April 1884, Hotspur Football Club became Tottenham Hotspur Football Club to avoid a clash with another football club in the area called Hotspur.
Arsenal (Dial Square Football Club / Royal Arsenal / Woolwich Arsenal)
Arsenal haven’t just had one other name in their history, but numerous different names.
In October 1886, a group of 16 munition workers, including Scot David Danskin, formed Dial Square Football Club. The club was named after a workshop in the centre of the Royal Arsenal.
In January 1887, the club were renamed as Royal Arsenal. In 1891, the club became the first-ever capital club to become professional.
Royal Arsenal once again changed its name in 1893 when the club became Woolwich Arsenal. However, the club were close to bankruptcy in 1910.
Businessmen Henry Norris and William Hall came to the club’s rescue and decided to move the club across the water to Highbury. In 1915, the club became known simply as Arsenal.
Fulham (Fulham St Andrews Church Sunday School F.C)
The Cottagers first took seed in 1879, when the early version of the club was called Fulham St Andrews Church Sunday School F.C.
The church from which the early club took its name has a commemorative plaque honouring the fact that it was Fulham’s birthplace.
Having experienced some early success, the club shortened its name to just Fulham in December 1888.
Bournemouth (Bournemouth Rovers/Bournemouth Dean Park)
The south coast outfit began life in September 1875 as Bournemouth Rovers. On Tuesday, 26 November 1875, the club took part in one of the first floodlit games.
In 1888, Bournemouth moved to Dean Park, which led the club to change its name to Bournemouth Dean Park. However, the name didn’t last long, as in 1889, they became Bournemouth Football Club after merging with another local club, Bournemouth Arabs.
West Ham United (Thames Ironworks)
The Hammers were formed in 1895 as Thames Ironworks. However, the club from London’s east end reformed in 1900 as West Ham United.
Leicester City (Leicester Fosse)
The club from the Midlands were first formed in 1884 as Leicester Fosse. They were elected to the Football League ten years later. In 1919, the club became known by their current name, Leicester City.
Wolverhampton Wanderers (St. Luke’s F.C.)
The Midlands outfit began life as St. Luke’s F.C. in 1877. However, in 1879, the club became known by their current name, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wolves became a founding member of the Football League in 1888.
Southampton (Southampton St. Mary’s)
The Saints were founded in 1885 as Southampton St. Marys and joined the Southern League in 1894. The club from the south coast then shortened their name to just Southampton in 1897.