Our History

1906

On 4th October an advert appeared in a publication called “The Cricket, Hockey and Football Player” announcing that “The Old Boys of Stationers’ School have formed a Football Club. A ground has been obtained in Palmers Green and the programme involves matches with Weybridge, Old Aldenhamians, Carshalton, Old Johnians and Old Bancroftians”.

In the early years after formation, OSFC played their home games in Durnsford Road, Bounds Green (near where the tube station now stands). There was a regular programme of “friendly” matches every season until the outbreak of the 1st World War in 1914

 

Other notable events

 

1907/08 Amateur Football Alliance (AFA) and Southern Amateur League (SAL) both formed

 

1908/09 Old Boys League formed

 

1913/14 Old Boys Senior Cup first played

 

1919 OSFC was reformed after the war, fielding two XIs. The club was invited to join the Old Boys League

 

1921/22 The club moved to Whitchurch Lane, Edgware

 

1923/24 The club won their first League title with the 2nd XI triumphing as Old Boys League Junior Division 3 Winners

 

1924/25 The 1st XI won their first League title as winners of the Old Boys League Senior Division 2; the 2nd XI also won the Junior Division 2 Title.

 

1927/28 The 1st XI triumphed as Old Boys League Senior Division 1 Champions

 

1928/29 The club moved to Barnet Lane, Barnet (home for the next 75 seasons!)

 

1929/30 The 1st XI completed the “double” winning the Old Boys League Senior Division 1 Championship and, for the first time, the Old Boys Senior Cup

 

1932/33 The 1st XI having again completed the “double” the previous season, joined the Southern Amateur League (SAL).

The 1st XI’s debut in the SAL resulted in a 0-1 defeat at Ibis, the first victory was the following week, 3-1 at National Provincial Bank. The 1st XI eventually finished their first season in the SAL 7th in Division 3. The winners of the SAL Senior Division 1 Championship that season were Ipswich Town!

 

1936/37 The club was by now running 7 XIs and along with Liverpool Collegiate Old Boys FC we shared the honour of being the largest Old Boys Football Club in England!

We also had the distinction of being included in the Ardath Tobacco Co Ltd, cigarette card series of 110 photocards entitled “Southern Football Teams” (1936).  Old Stationers FC appear at no.58 (Tottenham Hotspur FC are at no.57 and Arsenal at no.60….whatever happened to them!)

 

1946/47 The club was reformed after the 2nd World War

 

1952/53 The 1st XI won the SAL Senior Division 3 title, our first SAL success

 

1957/58 25 years after joining the SAL and 5 years after becoming Champions of Division 3, the 1st XI won the SAL Senior Division 2 title to compete in the top Division for the first time. To complete a “double” the Old Boys Senior Cup was again won, for the sixth time.

 

1958/59 1st XI finished Runners-Up in SAL Senior Division 1 and reach the Semi-Final of the AFA Senior Cup

 

1960/61 The 5th XI became the first OSFC side to win an SAL Sectional Division 1 Championship.

 

1964/65 The 1st XI won the SAL Senior Division 1 Championship (for the only time in our history….so far); finishing 5 points clear of runners up, West Wickham.

In the same season the 2nd XI won their first SAL title becoming SAL Reserve Section Division 2 winners. They also won the 2nd XI Old Boys Cup for the third time and became the first OSFC side to reach an AFA Final, unfortunately losing 2-4 to Civil Service 2nd XI. Completing an outstanding season, and following soon after the 2s defeat, the 3rd XI became the first OSFC side to win an AFA Cup, beating the Stock Exchange 3-2 (the 3rd XI also won the SAL Junior Division 2 Title)

 

1965/66 The 2nd XI became the third OSFC XI to win their Sectional SAL Division 1 Championship

The 5th XI won their second Sectional SAL Division 1 Championship

 

1966/67 The 1st XI reached the AFA Senior Cup Final for the first time. The Final, against Old Salesians was played at Dulwich Hamlet FC and resulted in a 1-1 draw. Unfortunately OSFC lost the replayed game 0-4 at Hounslow FC.

The 2nd XI retained the SAL Reserve Team Division 1 Championship

 

1971/72 The 5th XI won their Sectional SAL Division 1 Championship for the third time in 12 seasons

 

1974/75 The 1st XI returned to SAL Senior Division 1 after finishing narrow runners up to Old Bromleians in SAL Senior Division 2

 

1975/76 A 9th XI was introduced to play in friendly games. Initially known as “The Gentlemen of Barnet” then shortened to GoBs, they eventually adopted the rather unflattering name of “Gobblers”

 

1976/77 1st XI drew an AFA Senior Cup game against Mill Hill Village 8-8!! After leading 4-0 at half time, and in the days before penalty shoot outs, lost the replay 2-3!

 

1979/80 The “Vets” (over 35s) won the Old Boys Veterans Cup for the first time, beating Old Westminster Citizens 3-1 in the Final

 

1981/82 Gordon Rose became the original “Special One” as 1st XI Manager, having  agreed to “give it a go for a month”, Gordon continued in the role for the rest of the 1980s! The 1st XI won SAL Senior Division 3 Title.

 

1983 Stationers Company School, 1858-1983 (up until then the source of our talent!!) closed it’s doors for the last time.

 

1983/84 1st XI won SAL Senior Division 2 Title to return to Division 1 for the first time in 11 seasons

The 3rd XI were defeated in the AFA Junior Cup Final, 0-2 by Crouch End Vampires

 

1985/86 The 8th XI won the 8th Team Section Division 1 Championship

 

1987/88 The 3rd XI won the AFA Junior Cup (1-0 against South Bank Poly), the Old Boys Cup (7-3 against Old Esthameians) and the SAL Junior Division 2 Title

 

1988/89 The club’s most successful season since the mid 60’s. The 1st XI won the AFA Senior Cup (for the only time in our history….so far) defeating Old Ignations 1-0 in the Final. They added the Old Boys Senior Cup (defeating Alleyn Old Boys 2-0) and finished runners-up in SAL Senior Division 2. To add to the club’s glory the 8th XI won the AFA Junior Novets Cup (beating Norsemen 3-2 in the final), The Old Boys Seventh XI Cup (winning 2-0 against Old Esthameians in the final) and the SAL 8th  Team Section Division 1 Championship for the second time in 3 years. For good measure the 4th XI won the Old Boys Fourth XI Cup.

 

1989/90 The 4th XI won their first SAL Sectional Division 1 Championship (and the Old Boys Cup again)

 

1990/91 The 4th XI reached their first AFA Minor Cup Final, unfortunately losing 2-3 to EBOGs (who also defeated us in the Old Boys Fourth Team Cup Final a week later)

 

1991/92 The 8th XI again won their SAL Sectional Division 1 Championship and the “Vets” won the Old Boys Veterans Cup for the second time, beating Old Wilsonians 3-2 in the Final

 

1992/93 The 3rd XI reached the AFA Junior Final losing 1-2 (AET) to Nat West Bank

 

1993/94 The 4th XI won their SAL Sectional Division 1 Championship for the second time in 4 years

 

1994/95 The “Vets” won the Old Boys Veterans Cup for the second time in 4 years, defeating Old Esthameians 3-1 in the Final held at Old Esthameians!

 

1995/96 First game for the Mega Vets (over 45s) under the leadership of Marsden Hubbard

 

1996/97 Despite losing 3 out of their first 4 games, a run of 17 wins out of the remaining 18 games saw the 3rd XI crowned SAL Sectional Division 1 Champions for the first time

 

1997/98 The 1st XI won the SAL Senior Division 3 Title, the first Senior Title since 83/84

 

1998/99 The 7th XI won their SAL Sectional Division 1 Championship

 

2001/02 The club was awarded the Ian Hamilton Memorial Trophy for Sportsmanship and Hospitality by the SAL

 

2002/03 Following unsuccessful discussions (deteriorating pitches and a massive rent increase not helping) with Barnet Council over a new lease for the ground at Barnet Lane, it was decided to leave our “home” after 75 years to seek pastures new. We hired 3 pitches at Tottenhall Road, Palmers Green and used a local pub, The Bird in Hand as our “clubhouse”.

 

2004/05 After two seasons at Tottenhall Road the club was able to return to our “spiritual home” in Barnet as tenants at the Old Elizabethans Memorial Ground in Mays Lane (2 miles from our “old” ground in Barnet Lane)

The 4th XI gained the club’s fifth AFA Cup success beating Nottsborough 3-2 in the Final (the 4s also won SAL Minor Division 2 North)

 

2006/07 100 Years Old!!! The club celebrated it’s Centenary in fine style. Liam Gallagher wrote an impressive book chronicling our history entitled “As Far As You Roam” A Centenary History of Old Stationers FC.

On Sunday the 22nd October the club hosted two celebratory fixtures at home at the Old Elizabethans Memorial Ground. The Mega Vets played an SAL Mega Vets XI and the 1st XI played against an SAL Representative XI. The Centenary celebrations culminated with a Dinner on Friday 10th November at The Imperial Hotel, London attended by over 200 players, ex-players and guests

 

2008/09 The 1st XI finished bottom of SAL Senior Division 3 (for the first time in our history)

 

2009/10 The 3rd XI won the AFA Junior Cup beating Nottsborough 2-1 (and also the Old Boys Minor Cup defeating Old Salesians 3-0)

 

2011/12 The 5th XI became our first side to win their Sectional SAL Cup, the Junior Novets Cup defeating Broomfield 3-1 (AET), (the SAL Cups had been introduced for 3rd XIs and below in the 1995/96 season) The 5s also won the SAL Minor Division 5 (North) by a clear 13 points

 

2013/14 OSFC awarded FA Charter Standard Status

 

2014/15  ???

 

The above timeline lists the major achievements and milestones of the club since it’s creation in 1906 but obviously does not include every single Sectional Division and Cup the club has won.

 

Below is the full list of our honours to date:

 

1st XI

AFA Cup: Winners 1988/89, Runners-Up 1966/67

SAL Senior Division 1: Winners 1964/65

SAL Senior Division 2: Winners 1957/58, 1983/84

SAL Senior Division 3: Winners 1952/53, 1981/82, 1997/98

Old Boys League Senior Division 1: Winners 1927/28, 1929/30, 1931/32

Old Boys League Senior Division 2: Winners 1924/25

Old Boys Senior Cup: Winners 1929/30, 1931/32, 1936/37, 1946/47 (joint), 1948/49, 1957/58, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1965/66, 1972/73, 1988/89

 

2nd XI

AFA Intermediate Cup: Runners-Up 1964/65

SAL Reserve Section Division 1: Winners 1965/66, 1966/67

SAL Reserve Section Division 2: Winners 1964/65, 1972/73, 2003/04

SAL Reserve Section Division 3: 2010/11

Old Boys League Junior Division 2: Winners 1924/25, 1930/31

Old Boys League Junior Division 3: Winners 1923/24

Old Boys Junior Cup Winners: 1953/54, 1961/62, 1964/65, 1967/68, 1968/69 (joint), 1971/72 (joint), 1972/73, 1974/75, 2001/02

 

3rd XI

AFA Junior Cup: Winners 1964/65, 1987/88, 2009/10  Runners-Up 1983/84

SAL Junior Division 1: Winners 1996/97

SAL Junior Division 2: Winners 1987/88, 2005/06

SAL Junior Division 3: Winners 1983/84, 2013/14

Old Boys League Junior Division 3: Winners 1934/35

Old Boys Minor Cup: Winners 1958/59, 1965/66, 1966/67, 1967/68, 1970/71, 1987/88, 2009/10

 

4th XI

AFA Minor Cup: Winners 2004/05   Runners-Up 1990/91

SAL Fourth Team Section Division 1: Winners 1989/90, 1993/94

SAL Fourth Team Section Division 2: Winners 1965/66, 1970/71, 1995/96,

SAL Minor Section Division 2 (North): Winners 2004/05

SAL Minor Section Division 3 (North): Winners 2009/10

Old Boys League Junior Division 4: Winners 1934/35

Old Boys Fourth Team Cup: Winners 1981/82, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1994/95, 1995/96

 

5th XI

SAL Fifth Team Section Division 1: Winners 1960/61, 1965/66, 1971/72

SAL Fifth Team Section Division 2: Winners 1970/71, 1975/76, 1987/88, 1999/00

SAL Fifth Team Section Division 3: Winners 1980/81

SAL Minor Section Division 5 (North): Winners 2011/12

SAL Junior Novets Cup: Winners 2011/12

Old Boys Fifth Team Cup: Winners 1965/66, 1974/75, 1991/92, 1996/97, 1997/98, 2000/01

 

6th XI

SAL Sixth Team Section Division 1: Winners 1996/97

SAL Sixth Team Section Division 2: Winners 1972/73

SAL Sixth Team Section Division 3: Winners 1990/91

Old Boys Sixth Team Cup Winners: 1983/84, 1984/85

 

7th XI

SAL Seventh Team Section Division 1: Winners 1965/66, 1998/99

SAL Seventh Team Section Division 2: Winners 1993/94

Old Boys Seventh Team Cup: Winners 1985/86, 1993/94, 1997/98

 

8th XI

AFA Junior Novets Cup: Winners 1988/89

SAL Eighth Team Section Division 1: Winners 1985/86, 1988/89, 1991/92

SAL Eighth Team Section Division 2: Winners 1981/82

Old Boys Seventh Team Cup: Winners 1987/88, 1988/89

 

Veterans (Over 35)

Old Boys Veterans Cup: Winners 1978/79, 1991/92, 1994/95