Acton was an English

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

club, founded in 1873 under the name St Stephens (Westminster). In 1879 the club changed its name to Acton F.C. and moved to a ground near the Mill Hill Tavern, Gunnersbury Lane,

Acton Acton may refer to: Places Antarctica * Mount Acton Australia * Acton, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra * Acton, Tasmania, a suburb of Burnie * Acton Park, Tasmania, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, formerly known as Acton Canada ...

History

Although the club was founded as a Westminster club, it originally played at Battersea Park. Its membership was limited to 30. The club first entered the

FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...

in 1877-78, losing in the first round to

Remnants Remnant or remnants may refer to: Religion * Remnant (Bible), a recurring theme in the Bible * Remnant (Seventh-day Adventist belief), the remnant theme in the Seventh-day Adventist Church * ''The Remnant'' (newspaper), a traditional Catholic ne ...

. It next entered two years later, by which time the club had changed its name to Acton. The club then entered every year until 1885-86. However the club only won two ties; a first round tie against

Kildare Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional cen ...

in 1880-81, after a replay, and against

Finchley Finchley () is a large district of north London, England, in the London Borough of Barnet. Finchley is on high ground, north of Charing Cross. Nearby districts include: Golders Green, Muswell Hill, Friern Barnet, Whetstone, Mill Hill and H ...

in 1881-82, again after a replay. The club's last tie was a home defeat to Old Carthusians in November 1886, by a score given as 6-1 or 7–1. The club was a founder member of the

London Football Association The London Football Association (LFA) is the regional Football Association for inner areas of London. The London FA was established in 1882 and is affiliated to The Football Association. The London FA administers all levels of men's, women's and ...

in 1882. It claimed to have played 44 matches in the 1884–85 season, winning 13, drawing 12, and losing 19, which would have made it one of the most active clubs in London. Within two years however the club was in abeyance. The club revived in 1888–89, with a new secretary and new colours (chocolate and blue), but playing at the same ground. The revival seems to have lasted only one season. By 1894, the club's ground had been taken over by amateur club Ealing F.C.

Colours

The club's colours were scarlet and dark blue hooped shirts, with white shorts, and either scarlet or blue stockings.

References

Defunct football clubs in England Defunct football clubs in London Association football clubs established in 1873 Association football clubs disestablished in the 19th century {{England-footyclub-defunct-stub