'Coming on with Leaps and Bounds in the Metropolis': London Football in the Era of the 1908 Olympics

Abstract

The football tournament at the London Olympics of 1908 attracted little public interest, even though the UK team emerged victorious. It would be misleading, however, to see this as a reflection of the state of football in London and the enthusiasm of Londoners for the game. Although sometimes overshadowed in the sports history literature by developments in the north, it is clear that London had a thriving football culture by 1908. This embraced enthusiasm for professional clubs and for amateur football at all levels right across the capital. Football, whether engaged in as a player or a spectator, helped Londoners to achieve a sense of local identity in a rapidly growing metropolis.