Thames Ironworks F.C. had been suspended towards the end of the season. The Irons had not yet played London Welsh and as a result, and probably thanks also to Arnold Hills' presidency of the league and Francis Payne's drafting of the rules, Thames Ironworks F.C. were awarded two wins by default and finished the revised league as runners up. For their season in the London League, the club committee introduced players' insurance for the first time. This meant the players would be covered against loss of wages caused by injuries sustained from playing football. On 11 September 1897, in their first game of
Thames Tradesmen's Rowing Club Thames Tradesmen's Rowing Club The Thames Tradesmen's Rowing Club is a rowing club on the River Thames in London, United Kingdom at Chiswick Boathouse, 100m north-west of Barnes Railway Bridge, London. Established in 1897, its kit colours are white, claret (a form of red) and green Until 1956 the club was one of the leading and few London members of the National Amateur Rowing Association and helped to bring about the gradual merger with the Amateur Rowing Association for people in 'non-physical' work, to which were affiliated the various clubs on the Putney Embankment. Thames Tradesmen compete in the Head