The Evening Standard London Five-a-Sides was an annual indoor football tournament organised by the Sports Council (now Sport England). As the competition name suggests it featured Football League clubs from the capital city. The latter years of the event was open to Football League clubs outside London.
History
The competition usually took place towards end of the domestic football season in April or May. The competition was on six-year hiatus from 1961 to 1966 and then a seven-year break between 1986 and 1992.
The first venue of choice was the Empress Hall, Earls Court. The second edition was transferred to the Harringay Arena. The event moved to Empire Pool Wembley in 1959. It shared a home with the National Five-a Side tournament that ran from 1968 to 1986.
ITV (Thames Television) covered the best of the action on its late evening show Midweek Sports Special for London and surrounding areas only. Commentary came from Brian Moore. The final three editions in the 1990s were shown by Sky TV to a wider audience.
Originally, only First Division and Second Division clubs from the Football League were eligible to participate.
List of Finals
Years Winners Score Runners up Ref 1954 Charlton Athletic 3–1 Tottenham Hotspur 1955 Fulham 4–1 West Ham United 1956 Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 Fulham 1957 Fulham 3–2 West Ham United 1958 Leyton Orient 1–0 Crystal Palace 1959 Crystal Palace 4–1 Charlton Athletic 1960 Tottenham Hotspur 3–1 West Ham United No competition between 1961–66 1967 West Ham United 4–0 Arsenal 1968 Charlton Athletic 2–1 Crystal Palace 1969 Crystal Palace 2–0 Brentford 1970 West Ham United 2–1 Tottenham Hotspur 1971 Queen's Park Rangers 1–0 West Ham United 1972 Queen's Park Rangers 3–0 Southampton 1973 Chelsea 2–2(Pens) Millwall 1974 Queen's Park Rangers 2–1 West Ham United 1975 Charlton Athletic 5–3 Millwall 1976 Leyton Orient 6–1 Queen's Park Rangers 1977 Arsenal 2–1(aet) West Ham United 1978 Millwall 3–2 Queen's Park Rangers 1979 Millwall 3–2 Crystal Palace 1980 Queen's Park Rangers 2–1 Charlton Athletic 1981 Arsenal 2–2(2–1 p) West Ham United 1982 Fulham 2–0 Charlton Athletic 1983 Millwall 3–2 Brentford 1984 West Ham United 2–1 Tottenham Hotspur 1985 Queen's Park Rangers 3–3(Pens) Arsenal No competition between 1986–92 1993 Watford 1–1(1–0 p) Wimbledon 1994 Wycombe Wanderers 0–0(1–0 s) Wimbledon 1995 Wycombe Wanderers 0–0Shootout Luton Town
Titles by Club Team Finals Won Finals Lost Winning years Losing Years Queen's Park Rangers 5 2 1971, 1972, 1974, 1980, 1985 1976, 1978 West Ham United 3 7 1967, 1970, 1984 1955, 1957, 1960, 1971, 1974, 1977, 1981 Charlton Athletic 3 3 1954, 1968, 1975 1959, 1980, 1982 Millwall 3 2 1978, 1979, 1983 1973, 1975 Fulham 3 1 1955, 1957, 1982 1956 Crystal Palace 2 3 1959, 1969 1958, 1968, 1979 Tottenham Hotspur 2 3 1956, 1960 1954, 1970, 1984 Arsenal 2 2 1977, 1981 1967, 1985 Leyton Orient 2 – 1958, 1976 Wycombe Wanderers 2 – 1994, 1995 Chelsea 1 – 1973 Watford 1 – 1993 Brentford – 2 1969, 1983 Wimbledon – 2 1993, 1994 Luton Town – 1 1995 Southampton – 1 1972
References
External links Midweek Football Coverage 1968/69 - 1982/83 Midweek Football on TV. Evening Standard London 5-a-Sides, 1983 The Football Attic.