1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season

The club was founded by Dave Taylor and Arnold Hills in 1895 as the works team of the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company.

[4] The Swifts that joined the Ironworks team were right-back and winger Robert Stevenson and forwards Jamie Lindsay and George Sage.

[4] Looking to bolster their attacking strength, the Irons had also recruited Ironworks employee George Gresham, an inside-forward who had played for Gainsborough Trinity, who would go on to score many goals for the club in the following four seasons.

In the semi-finals of the West Ham Charity Cup held on 15 February 1896, Thames Ironworks beat Park Grove 1–0, in a game staged in Plaistow.

Following a number of trials against local sides, 16 March saw an experimental 'floodlit friendly' at the Hermit Road ground for Thames Ironworks, in their first encounter with Woolwich Arsenal.

[7][8] These early attempts at floodlighting were set up using Thames Iron Works engineers and equipment, and caused an amount of notoriety.

[8][7] The following day, an epic confrontation followed as Thames Ironworks faced Barking in the final of the West Ham Charity Cup on 21 March 1896 at The Old Spotted Dog Ground in Upton Lane.