Roy of the Rovers "Best of Roy of the Rovers" books, featuring successive runs of strips from the 1980s and 1970s, were published in June 2008 and 2009 respectively. As of August 2016, Roy of the Rovers and the rest of the Fleetway comics library is owned by Rebellion Developments. The story followed Roy Race, a striker for the fictional football team Melchester Rovers, based in a town of the same name in an unspecified part of England, where Roy lived with his family. In the first episode, a teenaged Roy and his best friend, Blackie Gray, signed for the Rovers after being spotted
Hampton Rovers Football Club but as the incentive to play in a higher standard became apparent, another competition was sought. In 1931, Hampton Rovers was admitted to the Metropolitan Football League and played Richmond United at Burnley in its first game. In 1933 the club joined the Victorian Amateur Football Association and changed the colours to the current Green & Gold. The club has won a total of 9 senior premierships including an A Section flag in 1951. Added to this are 9 reserve and 9 under 19 premierships. 1963 saw the club move from Ludstone Street to their present home, Cnr David Street