History of Old Isleworthians Football Club

Old Isleworthians Football Club was formed in 1902, by ex-pupils of the Isleworth County School. Originally without their own ground, the club played at various different grounds in the Hounslow and Isleworth areas. The club first played in the Middlesex County Amateur League and were founder members of the Amateur Football Alliance (AFA) in 1907.

The club fielded two teams up to the start of the First World War, and stopped when all football games were suspended by the Government. When football resumed in 1919, all but two of the clubs players had been killed or injured in the war. With no pitch and virtually no funds, the club struggled to survive. However, membership steadily grew until the club could field five teams split between the Nemean League and London Old Boys League. The club won the London Old Boys Cup in 1928 and achieved the double of the AFA Cup and Nemean League Championship in 1934. They also played a traditional Christmas Day friendly against Hounslow Town FC.

Friendly fixtures continued during the Second World War as the Government of the day realised matches were good for morale. These games were usually against locally based members of the armed forces. After the war, unlike in 1919, the club was able to field four sides. Club members, including club legend Jack Luto, set about raising sufficient funds to purchase a ground to act as a memorial to those members who had died during the war. It took seven years until the current ground in Wood Lane, Isleworth, originally an orchard, was purchased and cleared for a clubhouse and pitches. The clubhouse building was originally used to house prisoners-of-war in Osterley Park. The ground is still known as The Memorial Ground.

The school, by then known as Isleworth Grammar School, commenced playing rugby in the 1950s and a rugby section of the Old Boys was formed. The club also has a cricket section and for a time also ran a hockey section.

The football club rejoined the London Old Boys League in the 1990s, which amalgamated with the Southern Olympic League to form the Amateur Football Combination which is where the club play today.. There is also a thriving youth football section.