Leamington football success spans a century

MHLC-27-04-13 Brakes Apr92
Brakes playing at home as Premier Division Championship to St Albans City. Action Pictures from New Windmill and celebrations of the shield presentation. — MHLC-27-04-13 Brakes Apr92 Brakes playing at home as Premier Division Championship to St Albans City. Action Pictures from New Windmill and celebrations of the shield presentation.

Leamington Town won the league and cup double in 1912-13 and their exploits have been recorded in a book published by the Leamington FC Vice-Presidents Club.

‘Winning the Double’ by Wyn Grant tells the story of the 1912-13 season and examines the troubles surrounding the ground and how the game was played then.

It is based on articles in the club programme and match reports from the Courier.

That season the Town won the Coventry and North Warwickshire League by five points and “the greatest honour of Midlands amateur football” for the first time in its history - the Birmingham Junior Cup.

But at the start of the season the club was in crisis, evicted from their ground in Tachbrook Road, despite a petition sent to the landowner by 600 residents. At the 11th hour they did find a new home on the Old Warwick Road, next to the Leamington Municipal Boys’ School playing field.

Leamington Town’s success in 1912-13 depended a great deal on their star striker, Gathercole, who hit the net 33 times. In one match he ran the length of the field to score.

The highlight of the season was the Birmingham Junior Cup final played at Villa Park in front of a crowd of 3,000. They beat the Catholic Young Men’s Society from Coventry 4-0. The Courier sports correspondent ‘Looker On’ praised their splendid combination (i.e. teamwork).

The team went on to win the league but had to play five games in a week, including two games in one day, to complete their fixtures on time.

Leamington Town moved back to the Windmill Ground in Tachbrook Road the following season, the name reflecting the fact that there was a derelict windmill (demolished in 1968) next to the site. Over the years this ground was home to Leamington Town, Lockheed Leamington, AP Leamington and Leamington FC, the first match being played there in 1891.

The final league match at the ground was on April 16, 1988, and the New Windmill Ground has been Leamington’s home since 2000-01. The ground is built in the shadow of Chesterton Windmill on Harbury Lane.

Winning the Double, published by Leamington FC Vice-Presidents Club, £5. Proceeds to the club’s ground improvement fund.

Pictured: Brakes players and fans with the Southern League trophy in April this year