The original Wanderers existed from 1859 to 1887 and can be credited with contributing to the foundation of the FA Cup, the Football Association, and international football. London's oldest club was formed by brothers Charles & John Alcock. The club played friendly matches for 4 years but were so highly regarded that they were invited to the inaugural meeting of the FA in 1863.
The club's heyday saw them lift the first FA Cup Final in 1872, retain it in 1873, and win it three times in a row between 1876 and 1878 - a feat only equalled once ever since.
Sadly, with the advent of professionalism and the introduction of 'Old Boys' teams, the best players headed north to earn a living or joined their alma mater. This lack of players meant that Wanderers ceased to exist in 1887.
150 years after they were formed, the club was reborn with the support of the Alcock family to raise money for good causes. We started with a Wednesday night kickabout and three friendly matches. Then we entered teams in the Surrey South Eastern Combination, sixteen leagues below the Premier League, and secured three promotions in three years. Our aim is to return to the FA Cup by 2031-32 and we need roughly four more promotions to do it.
2019 marks the 10th anniversary of the club's reformation and our 160th anniversary. We now have two Men's XIs, a Women's XI, partner clubs providing an under-21s team in London and under-13s and under-15s teams in Ghana, and a team of six qualified coaches and numerous eager volunteers. We have around 300 members and run a lively social calendar for them, including an annual overseas tour. The weekly kickabout is still a key part of the club's ethos, offering affordable and accessible football to all and donate our profits to charity.
