- Old Merchant Taylors' FC
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This article concerns the rugby club. For a list of eminent Old Merchant Taylors' please see Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood#Old Merchant Taylors (OMTs)
Old Merchant Taylors' 200px Full name Old Merchant Taylors' Football Club Nickname(s) OMTFC Founded 1882[1] Location , Northwood, London, England Ground(s) War Memorial Sports Ground, Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood (Capacity: .) Official website http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/omtrugby/ The Old Merchant Taylors' Football Club is an open rugby union club founded as a team for the old boys of Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood, themselves known as Old Merchant Taylors. It is one of the oldest clubs in London. It is notable not only for its longeivity, but also for the prominence it once attained on the club circuit and for the number of eminent players that have been members of the club, some of whom gained their international caps whilst at the club.
Contents
History
Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood had been playing football since 1859, though by Association rules until 1861. Thereafter it also adopted Rugby School rules.[1] The first club to be formed by old boys of Merchant Taylors was founded in 1867. However, it was open to membership from outside of the Merchant Taylors' alumni, and the team was named Wasps. In 1882, the seventeen year old Leo, a pupil at Merchant Taylors, wrote to the school magazine, the Taylorian, asking for old boys to join a club for old boys.[1] Within a few months the club was formed and in its first season played six games.[1]
The club was regarded as one of the best in London by 1900 and from 1900 to 1902 had its most impressive record, due in main to the attacking prowess of John Raphael, the sporting phenomenon woh had won 14 blues at Oxford University.
In World War I the club lost a number members[1] but continued a first class fixture list. The Second World War also took its toll. By the 1960s the club was struggling to maintain the levels of performance it once displayed and dropped its first class fixture list. The club also became an open rugby club.[1]
Ground
The club has played at a number of grounds, but now plays at the War Memorial Sports Ground, Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood.
Notable players and former players
The school from which the club arose has produced many internationals, most of whom played for the OMTFC.
Internationals
Source: OMT Centenary programme[2]
Old Merchant Taylors' Internationals Name Country Caps Span Notes J. E. Bentley England 2 1871-72 The first ever international.
Bentley's appearance predates the formation of OMTFCH. H. Taylor England 5 1879-82 Taylor's appearance predates the formation of OMTFC A. S. Taylor England 4 1883-86 N. C. Fletcher England 4 1901-03 J. E. Raphael England 9 1902-06 C. T. O’Callaghan Ireland 7 1910-12 J. G. Will Scotland 7 1912-14 W. I. Cheesman England 4 1913 R. Cove-Smith England 29 1921-29 (Captain 1927-28) R. R. F. MacLennan England 3 1925 T. F. Huskisson England 8 1937-39 Also made 7 appearances for England during WWII from 1939-42 D. G. S. Baker England 4 1955 British and Irish Lions
Old Merchant Taylors' British & Irish Lions Name Tour Test Caps Non-test matches played Notes Edward Newman Fuller Argentina 1910 1 Classed as an R.F.U. not officially Lions Peter Denny Strang Argentina 1910 1 Classed as an R.F.U. not officially Lions J. E. Raphael Argentina 1910 1 Captain; Classed as an R.F.U. not officially Lions R. Cove-Smith South Africa 1924 4 Captain T. F. Huskisson Argentina 1936 Classed as an R.F.U. not officially Lions D. G. S. Baker South Africa 1955 2 Other
Merchant Taylors has also produced eight more players who have represented the Barbarians, eight England trialists, one Ireland trialist, eleven Oxford Blues (plus 3 War time representatives), eight Cambridge Blues (plus 1 War time representatives); one Southern Counties representative; numerous London and London Counties representatives and many players who have played at county level representing at least 16 counties.
Barbarians
- E. H. Gunnery 1892-93
- G. L. Crimp 1896-97
- N. C. Fletcher 189899
- G. T. Hankin 1898-99
- R. P. Dalton 1913-14
- A. G. Johnson 1929-30
- T. F. Huskisson 1936-37
- D. G. S. Baker 1952-53
See also
- Old Merchant Taylors
- Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
References
Categories:- Merchant Taylors
- Old Merchant Taylors
- English rugby union teams
- Sports clubs established in 1882
- Rugby union clubs in London
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