To this end, the AAC began well and by 1868 the club had opened a very well received running ground for amateurs at Lillie Bridge, which became the headquarters.

[citation needed] It has been argued that the cause of the demise of The Amateur Athletic Club was drafted into its original constitution.

This caused debate and unease from the beginning and by 1879, the Northern Athletics Association, whose membership was wider than that of its southern counterparts, threatened to boycott the AAC's annual championships.

[6] It entered the FA Cup in 1873–74 but scratched when drawn to play Clapham Rovers because of an inability to get a team together.

[11] Home matches were originally played at Beaufort House[12] but by 1872 the club was based at Lillie Bridge.