1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season Thames Ironworks F.C., the club that would later become West Ham United F.C., was founded by Dave Taylor and Arnold Hills in 1895. Taylor was a foreman at the Thames Iron Works and a local football referee. Thanks to Ironworks owner Arnold Hills' financial backing, he was able to announce on 29 June 1895 the following in the company's weekly journal: Fifty would-be players paid half-a-crown for a year's membership, and Taylor spent the summer arranging the fixtures for Thames Ironworks F.C. and their reserves. Before the Irons played their first game Taylor returned to
Thames A.F.C. Thames A.F.C. Thames Association Football Club were an English football club from Custom House, east London (at the time part of Essex), who briefly played in the Football League between 1930 and 1932. Unlike other AFCs such as Sunderland A.F.C., the word Association was initially presented as part of the club name – i.e. Thames Association or Thames Association FC. The "Association" was abbreviated upon joining the Football League, giving the team the more regular name of Thames AFC. They were founded in 1928, in a similar manner to Sheffield United, Liverpool, New Brighton Tower and nearby Chelsea: to play