in 1873, at the latter's Chatham Lines ground; given the Sappers were considered the strongest side in the country, Brondesbury originally tried to withdraw, but, finding that the attempt to do so was not in accordance with regulations, turned up to the match, albeit with only nine players.

Brondesbury had similar bad luck with the draw the following year, being drawn at Cup holders Oxford University A.F.C.

The club's captain at the time, Edgar Field,[6] later became an England international.

[12] The club's colours were black and blue "stripes", which, in the vocabulary of the time, refers to hoops.

[13] The club originally played five minutes from the Edgware Road station in Kilburn,[14] and in 1873 moved to Kensington Park, five minutes from Notting Hill Station, with changing facilities at the ground.