RMLI Gosport F.C. were an army football club based in Gosport, Hampshire who won the FA Amateur Cup in 1910. They were latterly known as Royal Marines Portsmouth.

History

RMLI Gosport

The club were formed in the early 1900's as the football team of the Royal Marine Light Infantry - based at Forton Army Barracks in Gosport. During this time there were a number of short-lived regimental sides from the military playing in various local competitions, but they were the most successful.Association Football in Hampshire until 1914 by Norman Gannaway

RMLI Gosport joined the United Services Portmouth League and soon emerged as a force, winning the title three times. In 1908 they reached the Hampshire Senior Cup Final but lost 0–1 against Southampton Reserves at Fratton Park, Portsmouth in front of a 5,000 crowd.Hampshire Football Association Centenary History 1887–1987 by Norman Gannaway

Their most successful season was in 1909/10 when they won a famous cup double. RMLI Gosport won the Army Cup after a 2-0 victory against the 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers. The match was played at the Army Athletic Ground in Aldershot in front of 20,000 fans including the Prince and Princess of Wales with Princess Mary. After the game, the Commander organized a bicycle ride to rally Bandsmen living in the area so that the returning team would be properly greeted on their arrival back at Gosport Railway Station. The Marines then made the long journey to the North East to Bishop Auckland where they defeated South Bank 2–1 to win the FA Amateur Cup, this achievement was made more remarkable after progressing through nine rounds without playing a single home game. Crowds gathered in the streets to again welcome the victorious team home.https://www.royalmarinesfootball.com/class-of-1910

After the Great War, the team reformed and again won the United Services League title in 1921. There was another triumph a year later when they won the Hampshire Senior Cup - beating Bournemouth Poppies in the final (the score is not known). These succcessses led to them joining the Hampshire League for the 1922–23 campaign when they finished 6th in the County Division (later to be renamed Division 1). That season they again enjoyed a good county cup run, but lost a semi-final 0–2 against Thornycrofts (Woolston).A History of the Hampshire League 1896–1996 by Norman Gannaway

Royal Marines Portsmouth

In 1923 it was decided that the Royal Marines should become a single fighting force. It meant that the RMLI would amalgamate with the Royal Marine Artillery and just be known as the Royal Marines. Consequently, that year everything was transferred across to the Eastney barracks in Portsmouth, thus ending the association with Forton, which then became a new home for the Royal Navy. https://www.thegosportglobe.co.uk/forton-barracks-royal-marine-light-infantrys-home/

This saw RMLI Gosport merge with RMA Eastney (who had just reached the quarter finals of the FA Amateur Cup) The FA Amateur Cup Complete Results by Fred Hawthorn, P30. Soccer Books. to create Royal Marines Portsmouth and they remained in the Hampshire League until 1928.https://www.royalmarinesfootball.com/history However, despite this they continued to enter the same cup competitions, and in 1930 reached another Hampshire Senior Cup final, losing 1-3 to Cowes at the The Dell, Southampton. In 1938 they returned to the county set-up and finished runners-up in Division 2 before the outbreak of War a year later.A Tabulated History of the Hampshire League by Stephen Farmery Despite numerous changes in personnel, the Marines still participated in war-time competitions and were twice beaten finalists in the Hampshire Senior Cup.

The post-war era saw success achieved in the Navy FA Cup, winning the competition on three occasions before disbanding. https://royalmarinesfootball.co.uk/royal-navy-cup.html

A successor team called Royal Marines Eastney would later play throughout the sixties and seventies, winning the United Services League title twice and its cup once.https://fulltime.thefa.com/newsArticle.html?league=57246946&noticePlacementID=820182111&noticeID=792278876

Honours FA Amateur Cup Winners 1909/10 Army Cup Winners 1909/10 Navy Cup Winners 1946/47, 1948/49 and 1956/57 Hampshire Football Association Hampshire Football Association Yearbook 2005/06 Senior Cup Winners 1921/22, Finalists 1907/08, 1929/30, 1940/41 and 1943/44 Hampshire League Division 2 Runners-up 1938/39 United Services League Champions 1906/07, 1907/08, 1908/09, 1912/13, 1920/21, 1938/39 and 1939/40 Charity Cup Winners 1907/08, 1910/11, 1922/23, 1923/24, 1927/28, 1939/40 and 1943/44.

Playing records

Hampshire League

SeasonDivisionPositionSignificant events1922/23County Division6/171923/24County Division6/16Became Royal Marines Portsmouth1924/25County Division4/161925/26County Division11/16 1926/27County Division11/161927/28County Division13/16Left competition1922-38 1938/39Division 22/15Runners-up

FA Cup SeasonRoundOpponentsResult1925/26Extra-Preliminary RoundH v East Cowes VictoriaW 3-1 Preliminary RoundH v Gosport AthleticW 2-0 1st Qualifying RoundA v Gosport AlbionW 5-3 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Southampton Civil ServiceW 2-1 3rd Qualifying RoundA v Salisbury CityL 1-4 1926/271st Qualifying RoundH v Ryde SportsW 3-1 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Portland UnitedW 4-3 3rd Qualifying RoundH v Poole TownD 2-2 ReplayA v Poole TownL 0-21927/28Preliminary RoundA v SandownW 14-0 1st Qualifying RoundH v Portsmouth Gas CoW 3-1 2nd Qualifying RoundH v Ryde SportsD 1-1 ReplayH v Ryde SportsD 1-1 1928/291st Qualifying RoundH v Blandford UnitedW 2-0 2nd Qualifying RoundA v RAOC HilseaL 0-1 1929/30Preliminary RoundH GosportW 4-3 1st Qualifying RoundH v Portsmouth Gas CoW 3-0 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Salisbury CorinthiansL 1-21933/34Extra-Preliminary RoundH v TottonD 0-0 ReplayA v TottonL 1-51934/35Extra-Preliminary RoundA v Osborne AthleticW 6-1 Preliminary RoundA v Blandford UnitedL 1-3

FA Amateur Cup SeasonRoundOpponentsResult1908/091st Qualifying RoundA v Ryde SportsL 0-21909/101st Qualifying RoundA v 16th Company RGAW 4-3 2nd Qualifying RoundA v 37th Company RGAW 4-0 3rd Qualifying RoundA v RAMC AldershotW 2-1 4th Qualifying RoundA v 2nd Scottish RiflesW 2-0Round 1A v WorthingW 4-0 Round 2A v BournemouthW 3-1 Round 3A v Bromley W 2-1 Round 4A v Custom HouseW 2-0 Semi-FinalN v Tufnell ParkW 4-0 FinalN v South BankW 2-11910/11Round 1H v Dulwich HamletL 0-21911/12Round 1A v 1st Kings Royal RiflesL 1-51912/133rd Qualifying RoundA v 1st Heavy Brigade RGAW 3-2 4th Qualifying RoundA v Gosport UnitedW 5-1Round 1A v 1st Loyal Lancs RegimentD 1-1ReplayH v 1st Loyal Lancs RegimentW 3-1 Round 2A v 1st Kings Royal RiflesL 0-11913/142nd Qualifying RoundA v Southsea St SimonsW 3-1 3rd Qualifying RoundH v HMS ExcellentW 3-2 4th Qualifying RoundA v Portsmouth AmateursL 1-41919/202nd Qualifying RoundA v RMA PortsmouthW 3-1 3rd Qualifying RoundH v Portsmouth AmateursD 0-0 ReplayH v Portsmouth AmateursW 2-0 4th Qualifying RoundH v Bournemouth TramwaysW 2-1 Round 1A v Guildford CityW 4-3 Round 2H v IlfordL 1-21920/21Round 1A v Gosport AthleticW 3-2 Round 2H v Swindon VictoriaL 0-11921/22Preliminary RoundA v Portsmouth CaledoniansW 3-0 1st Qualifying RoundA v RGA GosportD 2-2 ReplayH v RGA GosportW 3-1 2nd Qualifying RoundA v BournemouthL 1-41922/231st Qualifying RoundH v NewportW 6-0 2nd Qualifying RoundA v RN Depot PortsmouthW 4-1 3rd Qualifying RoundH v RE SouthamptonW 4-1 4th Qualifying RoundA v HMS ExcellentL 1-31923/241st Qualifying RoundH v HMS ExcellentW 1-0 2nd Qualifying RoundH v Southampton CSW 1-0 3rd Qualifying RoundH v RN Depot PortsmouthW 2-1 4th Qualifying RoundH v Gosport AthleticW 1-0 Round 1A v WorthingW 2-1 Round 2A v NunheadD 1-1 ReplayH v NunheadD 1-1 2nd ReplayN v NunheadW 2-1 Round 3A v ClaptonL 1-61924/25Round 1A v BournemouthW 5-3 Round 2A v NunheadL 0-21925/261st Qualifying RoundH v RAOC PortsmouthW 5-1 2nd Qualifying RoundH v Gosport AlbionW 5-2 3rd Qualifying RoundA v 2nd Argyl & Sutherland HighlandersL 0-31926/272nd Qualifying RoundH v NewportW 3-0 3rd Qualifying RoundH v 2nd Argyl & Sutherland HighlandersW 2-0 4th Qualifying RoundH v HMS ExcellentD 2-2 ReplayA v HMS ExcellentL 1-21927/281st Qualifying RoundA v Lymington TownW 5-4 2nd Qualifying RoundH v RAOC HilseaW 4-2 3rd Qualifying RoundA v FarehamW 3-2 4th Qualifying RoundA v HMS ExcellentD 0-0 ReplayA v HMS ExcellentW 1-01928/291st Qualifying RoundH v FarehamD 3-3 ReplayA v FarehamL 1-61929/301st Qualifying RoundH v Osborne AthleticW 6-3 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Dorchester TownD 2-2 ReplayH v Dorchester TownW 3-0 3rd Qualifying RoundA v Bournemouth Gasworks AthleticL 2-31930/311st Qualifying RoundA v FarehamL 0-21931/321st Qualifying RoundA v Dorchester TownW 6-1 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Bournemouth Gasworks AthleticL 0-41932/331st Qualifying RoundH v Portsmouth Gas CoL 2-61933/341st Qualifying RoundA v Poole TownL 0-31934/351st Qualifying RoundH v RAOC HilseaL 1-31935/36Preliminary RoundA v TottonL 1-3

Successor Club

The Royal Marines Football Association continues to run football teams for its bases and training centres across the country. The present day Portsmouth squad regularly participates in inter-service matches, combat cups, and the Royal Navy Inter-Regional/Inter-Command competitions. Players now also play for United Services Portsmouth F.C.

External links

https://www.royalmarinesfootball.com/

References