Houghton-le-Spring Football teams: Houghton Rovers, Houghton Mechanics and more

Visit the Houghton-le-Spring Heritage Centre
[ YOU ARE HERE: Houghton Heritage > Articles > Leisure & Entertainment > Football Teams ]
[ RELATED PAGE: Houghton Heritage > Photos > Houghton Folk ]

Football teams in Houghton-le-Spring

Football was a favourite pastime amongst Houghton's many miners and several teams and leagues existed across the coalfields. The photographs in this section of the Houghton Heritage website show a selection of the teams, including: Houghton Rovers Association Football Club, Houghton Juniors, Houghton Wednesday, and Houghton Colliery Mechanics teams.

CLICK TO ENLARGE
THEN BACK TO RETURN HERE

A view of a Houghton football team in the late 1800s.

CLICK TO ENLARGE
THEN BACK TO RETURN HERE

Houghton Rovers Association Football Club sitting for a photograph during the 1904 - 1905 season.

Pictured are, from left to right: FIRST ROW - R.D.MArshall; Dr Langenberg; R.Marshall; W.Brandford; J.Beston; C.Scott; S.Coxon (Sec & Vice Captain); T.Shields (Vice President); and R.Dawson (Treasurer).

MIDDLE ROW - Fred Scott; R.Roxby; D.Linden (Trainer); W.Wardle; J.Miller; R.Fenton; R.Delap (Trainer); W.Vickers; and J.Lowrif (Chairman).

CLICK TO ENLARGE
THEN BACK TO RETURN HERE

A footballer from Houghton Juniors poses during the 1913-1914 season.

CLICK TO ENLARGE
THEN BACK TO RETURN HERE

A footie team at Newbottle School in August 1945. This was one of the first school football teams to be formed in the Houghton area after the War.

CLICK TO ENLARGE
THEN BACK TO RETURN HERE

This is a school-time photograph of Paul Lanagan's Granddad Geordie (back row, fourth from left). It was taken at Newbottle County Boys School, 1948-49.

CLICK TO ENLARGE
THEN BACK TO RETURN HERE

Houghton Colliery Mechanics Football team in the early 1950s. This team played Sunderland AFC in the final of the Houghton Aged Miners’ Cup and won 3-1.

CLICK TO ENLARGE
THEN BACK TO RETURN HERE

Houghton Wednesday Football Team outside the Welfare Hall's sports pavillion in 1951. The team was so called because the league took place on a Wednesday afternoon when many businesses and shops in the Houghton district were closed.

If you have enjoyed this article and would like to make a donation to Houghton-le-Spring Heritage Society, please click DONATE for PayPal or to have your name recorded in the Book of Benefactors & Supporters click BOOK:

Paul Lanagan wishes to place on record his thanks to the following:

:: Thanks to everyone who shared photographs, including: my grandfather, George Davison; Charles Scott of Dallas, Texas, for sharing football team photos of his grandfather; Frank Forester; and Joe Snowball. Copyright © Books of the North 2000 - 2011.

[ YOU ARE HERE: Houghton Heritage > Articles > Leisure & Entertainment > Football Teams ]
[ RELATED PAGE: Houghton Heritage > Photos > Houghton Folk ]

PAGE UPDATED: 31/07/2011
Houghton-le-Spring in Old Picture Postcards
Old photos of Houghton-le-Spring
Houghton Heritage
History of Houghton
Photos of Houghton folk
CDV stands for Carte de Visite or "calling card", the small cards popular from 1860 to the late 1800s
Old photos of people and places in Houghton Le Spring In Kelly's Directory Durham 1890 Houghton le Spring Plews Chris, Photograper, Stockfield Pl, On the 1901 Census Admin county: Durham Civil Parish: Houghton le Spring Christopher Plews age: 51 b:Yorks Castle Bolton Occupation: Postmaster Photographer
Christopher Plews on the 1891 Census at Sunderland Street, Houghton le Spring, Durham. Christopher Plews 41 married Photographer born Castle Bolton Yorks with wife Elizabeth and children One son Christopher born in Greenvile America he aged 15 in 1891. 1881 Census Christopher Plews living at Coulsons Houses, Houghton le Spring, Durham with wife and children.