Salisbury City F.C. was an English football club based in Salisbury, Wiltshire, unrelated to the later Salisbury City F.C. and the current Salisbury F.C.
History Salisbury City were formed in 1895. They joined the Western Football League in 1905–06, having previously played in the Hampshire League since 1902.Robinson, Michael (ed.), Non-League Football Tables 1889–2006, Soccer Books, 2006 The following season the club turned professional, moving into the Southern League, where they stayed until 1911. Having been suspended by the FA following a wages dispute, the club reverted to amateur status and returned to the Hampshire League. A Tabulated History of the Hampshire League by Stephen Farmery
Salisbury City resurfaced in the Western League in 1927, left again in 1929, and rejoined in 1930. They remained in Division Two of the Western League throughout the 1930s, finishing as runners-up three times, and left the league for the final time in 1939. City were also regular entrants in the FA Cup, reaching the Fourth Qualifying Round twice in 1928–29 and 1931–32.
With the advent of World War II, the club was forced to cease operations, and it was unable to pay its rent. In August 1940, three boys, playing with matches in the empty stand, lit a small bonfire and left, mistakenly thinking they had extinguished the fire. However, helped by long grass which had grown around the stand while the ground was empty, the stand was completely gutted. The consequence was that the club did not re-start operations after the war, and entered voluntary liquidation in 1947.
League history Salisbury City's seasons of Western and Southern League football are listed below. SeasonDivisionPositionWDLFAPts1905–06Western League, Division Two5 of 108282934181906–07Southern League, Division Two7 of 1292114042201907–08Southern League, Division Two7 of 106483546161908–09Southern League, Division Two6 of 7318243671909–10Southern League, Division Two A4 of 621571851910–11Southern League, Division Two12 of 120319169231927–28Western League, Division One11 of 113215237281928–29Western League, Division Two7 of 95382836131930–31Western League, Division Two2 of 1722469350481931–32Western League, Division Two2 of 18235612250511932–33Western League, Division Two6 of 18164149270361933–34Western League, Division Two4 of 1818797137431934–35Western League, Division Two2 of 1821678641481935–36Western League, Division Two11 of 18138136065341936–37Western League, Division Two3 of 1820959745491937–38Western League, Division Two5 of 18184129476401938–39Western League, Division Two17 of 188323509319
Colours
The club wore black and white striped shirts and blue knickers.
Ground
The club originally played at Victoria Park, which was owned by the city council, and which required advance permission for use. In 1933 the club agreed to buy the Free Churches Sports Ground in Britford Lane, at a cost of £1,300. However the plans failed to materialise and the club instead rented a ground for 24 years (at £20 per annum) off the Stratford Road.
Local rivalries Salisbury City had a number of local rivals, most notably Salisbury Corinthians who played in the Hampshire League from 1924 until their demise in 1949.A History of the Hampshire League 1896-1996 by Norman Gannaway The two clubs frequently met each other in the FA Cup with the games generating much local interest. The FA Challenge Cup Complete Results (by Tony Brown)
Successor clubs See Salisbury City and Salisbury.https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/sport/salisburyfc/lookingback/
Links Football Club History Database
References