Ex-Corinthian, and prominent local G.P, Dr. James Jenkinson Knox started the ‘Hampton Court and East Molesey Association Football Club’ in the Autumn of 1892 (the year the song ‘Daisy Daisy’ came out). The first match was played on Saturday 24th September, when we played hosts to Barnes F.C, winning 14 – 5!
The club changed its name to ‘The Molesey Football Club’ in 1896, when, in an interview the good doctor was quoted as saying, “… I looked about me and started the Molesey F.C., and was appointed its first captain.
The club is gradually growing and I have great ideas as to its future.” However, after the untimely death on Xmas Day, of the 32-year-old doctor following an illness, interest in the club waned, and the club went through the metamorphosis of Molesey Athletic -> Molesey St. Mary’s before Molesey St. Paul’s emerged as the leading club in Molesey in 1905 playing their Kingston & District League home matches at the Royal Oak Ground owned Mr. J. Bouchier Molesey lost the first ever Teck Cup Final, 0 – 6 to runaway league leaders, Teddington in 1909/10 (the only football trophy to be donated by royalty, still going strong today!).
In 1911/12, Molesey St. Pauls amalgamated with a lower-leagued team, Molesey, to form Molesey & St. Pauls United. 1912/13 saw the reserve side win the Surrey Minor Cup (a trophy donated by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), 2 – 1, Vs Tongham, at Woking F.C., and just before WWI, the Surrey Junior Charity Cup was won, 2 – 1, away Vs Chertsey! Discarding the ‘St. Paul’s United’ part, Molesey entered the Surrey Junior League for one season in 1920/21, and won group – section 3. This put them into the semi-finals where they hosted and beat Thornville (Croydon), 4 – 0. In the summer of 1939, Molesey merged with Molesey Athletic (a successful Kingston & District Junior side) to form Molesey United.
With the help of an F.A loan, the present site at 412 Walton Road was purchased for the start of the 1953/54 season. That season would see the Moles play for the first time in black and white (due to the influence of Fulham F.C connections). Sir Stanley Rous opened the new clubhouse and bar in 1960, where the architect won an award for the ‘butterfly roof’ design – unfortunately as Gary Mayne points out, “It didn’t keep the rain out!” Playing in the Athenian League Division Two for four seasons between 1973-77, one Mr. Cyrille Regis (one of England’s first black international players) played for the Moles during 75/76.
The management team of Steve Webb, Peter Lelliott and Alan Maynard enter their 11th consecutive term in charge – winning The Combined Counties in 2014/15.The club gained promotion to their current standing in the Isthmian League South. Peter took over from Steve, who stood down after an impressive 12 years at the club, for the start of the 2016/17.
Who knows what’s in for the Molesey in the upcoming year when they kick off the season in the Isthmian League South early August, please come down and support your local non-league football club.