Figure 9.10 Harwell football team, 1911-12 season in the North Berks League.
Standing: B.].(]ack) Harris, Harold Lay, W.Brown, Ron Rice, A.Booth
Seated: Richard Rice, Stanley Greenwood, Bill Marchant, A.Faraday
Cross-legged: Fred Mulford, W Campbell.
Harwell Football Club
Formed in 1886, Harwell F.C. is one of the oldest Clubs in the area. As in most clubs the players first started with friendlies against neighbouring villages, players making their way to the game either on foot or by horse and cart. As matches became more serious and therefore more competitive the Club looked for alternatives to friendlies and decided to enter the newly formed North Berkshire Football Association in 1909. Their first success came in the season 1912-13 when they became winners of the Lady Wantage Shield. Since that time they have won many trophies, going from strength to strength as the years went by. By the end of the season 1983-84 the first and reserve team between them had won 46 trophies in the North Berks Competitions during their reign of 98 years. To add to these successes the Club takes part in six-a-side competitions both local and in other counties and the teams are renowned for their ability in this field. During 1971 the Club had probably its most successful season and was champion in eighteen competitions. The Club had played in this competition since the cup was first presented in 1907 but reputedly because of a curse placed on them by a gipsy the players had never previously been successful.
Harwell players featured often in the 1984 North Berks Honours and are quoted in the minutes as having "A season of unparalleled success in the history of North Berks". They achieved the following successes: winners of the North Berks Cup, Charity Shield, A.G. Kingham Cup and Nairn Paul (first and reserve team sections) and Division One runner-up. In addition to this the Club was taking part in the Reading Senior and Junior Cups and the Berks and Bucks Intermediate and Junior Cups.
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