On this day: 22nd December

Our first fixture on this day was against Upton Park, who were one of 15 clubs to play in the inurgural FA Cup in 1871. Their first incarnation lasted 21 years (1866-1887), and while they were reformed in 1891, they only lasted 20 more years. They were however crucial to the history of modern football, being responsible for proposing two law changes; namely the abolishion of all outfield players being able to handle the ball, and the introduction of the position of goalkeeper.

The game against Crouch End Vampires in 1900 was in fact a re-arranged game after the first attempt to play the London Senior Cup fixture was abandoned due to bad light a week earlier. The 2-2 draw in the 4th qualifying round meant the two sides would go head to head again on the 5th of January 1901, Leyton prevailing 4-1. The cup run wouldn’t go on for Leyton though, losing 6-2 to Old Malvernians in the first round proper.

Perhaps most of note, was the 1951 victory over Cambridge United in the first round of the FA Amateur Cup. Leyton would, of course, go on to reach the final of the competition at Wembley, losing 2-1 to Walthamstow Avenue in front of an estimated crowd which appears to have grown every year since. Most recent estimates have the figure at 120,000

Bishop’s Stortford’s 3-1 victory over us at Hare and Hounds was the 10th game in a row where Leyton had failed to win, a run that would go well into the new year, with the duck eventually being broken after 15 attempts at Purfleet in the Essex Thamside Trophy in January. Leyton only won twice more all season, eventually being relegated from the Isthmian League Premier Division.

This only just eclipses the 2007-8 season when a 1-0 defeat to Great Wakering in 2007-8 was the 11th game in a row Forest had failed to win following the departure of manager Danny Honeyball. This run would come to an end the following week with a 4-2 victory at Ilford.

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