Monday, October 19, 2015

English Football Team Names (Part Two)...

Carrying on from where I left of last week, here are some more unusual footy team names!

Continental Star

Not exactly a name that you would expect from an English footy team, but are another West Midlands club, competing in the Midland League Premier Division.  They were formed in 1973, have undergone several name changes.  With no home venue of their own, they have shared a number of grounds, and are currently sharing Rushall Olympic's ground at Dales Lane.

Leicester Nirvana

The current Leicester Nirvana club was established in 2008 following the merger of Thurnby Rangers and the previous incarnation of Leicester Nirvana.  This new team was originally known as Thurnby Nirvana, switching back for the start of the 2015-16 season.  Based in Hamilton, near Leicester, they compete in the United Counties Fottball League.

Kirby Muxloe

Although appearing unusual, the team name is simply the name of the Leicestershire village (population of approximately 4,500) where they play!  Founded in 1910, the club has a long and continuous history, with the exception of a break during the Second World War.  They currently compete in the Midland League Premier Division.  Their most famous player has to be Scottish international David Speedie, who make quite a name for himself at Chelsea and Liverpool.

Bemerton Heath Harlequins

From Salisbury in Wiltshire, the team finished last season 13th in the Wessex League Premier Division.  The club was formed in 1989 with the merger of Bemerton Athletic, Bemerton Boys, and Moon F.C.

Bristol Manor Farm

A member of the Western Football League Premier Division, the club's home is - quite unsurprisingly - the city of Bristol!  They were founded in 1960.

Corinthian Casuals

Once again, the current club was established as the result of a merger.  This time however, it was not the merger of a couple of local league teams, but the merger of two legendary teams from the early days of the sport; Corinthian F.C. (who still hold the all-time record victory over Manchester Utd - 11-3 in 1904), and Casuals F.C. (an amateur club who supplied a number of England international players.

Corinthian Casuals were founded in 1939, play in the Isthmian League, and are based in Tolworth, Surrey, just a few minutes from where I was born and raised.

Spelthorne Sports

Another Surrey side, the club dates back to 1922.  Nicknamed "The Spelty", they finished 6th in in the 2014-15 Combined Counties League Premier Division.

Abbey Hey

Abbey Hey is actually an area of Gorton, in Manchester.  The team was founded in 1902, and strangely enough, the club's home ground, The Abbey Stadium, is actually outside the Abbey Hey boundary!  They compete in the North West Counties League Premier Division.  Abbey Hey F.C.'s achievements over the years include six-time Manchester League Championships,

Handsworth Parramore

From Handsworth, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, Handsworth Parramore F.C. were formed by a merger between Handsworth F.C. and Worksop Parramore F.C..  The merger was completed just last year, and the team plays in the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East Football League.

Shepshed Dynamo

The Leicestershire club's history dates back to 1879, when they were founded as Shepshed Albion.  The name Shepshed Charterhouse was adopted in  1975, and after experiencing financial difficulties, they reformed in 1994 under the current name.

Shepshed have had some big names on their books, particularly from the Charterhouse era.  These include David Nish, Terry Hennessey, and Ian Storey-Moore.  However, while the name "Shepshed Dynamo" may seem strange to Americans, it is nothing compared to the location of the Midland League club's home ground.  The Dovecote Stadium really is found on Butthole Lane!

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