On this day: 13th February

The 1904 game was against Richmond Association, a suffix you rarely see. Some historians on the Non-League Matters forum surmise that the ‘Association’ suffix came as an attempt for clubs to differentiate themselves from which code of football they were playing – between the ‘Harrow’ rules, which would evolve to football as we know it today, and the ‘Rugby’ rules, which would form the sport of the same name.

Richmond Association formed in 1898 and joined the Metropolitan Amateur League for 1902-3 when using a ground at Wood Lane (which was built on in 1907 as part of the ‘White City’). They spent the season in abeyance because they were suspended by the FA for failing to submit accounts for a tour to Germany. In 1903/4 they were believed to have played at a ground in Walthamstow, but not in any league, so our London Senior Cup game with them would have been one of their few competitive fixtures that season.

The 13th is considered unlucky for some, and it proved to be for Napier Athletic, who were on the wrong end of our biggest every victory: 12-2 in the 2nd round of the London Senior Cup. We’d eventually reach the semi-finals, losing to Dulwich Hamlet.

The 1988 defeat to Macclesfield Town in the 3rd round of the FA Trophy remains the club’s furthest venture into that competion. On the way, Leyton Wingate beat King’s Lynn (1-0 in a replay after a 1-1 draw), VS Rugby (3-2), Leytonstone Ilford (3-1), Welling United (6-1) and Bosting United (5-2). Macclesfield would go out 2-0 to Wokingham Town in the next round. Despite the run, Leyton finished 17th in the Premier Division of the Isthmian League.

Thanks to club historian David Chapman, Charlie Ward and Steve Howe for the compilation of the club’s playing record.