History
During the Saxon times there was an area of thick woodland which covered the northern region of Middlesex. This was called "The Great Weald". This area was unpopulated until the 6th century when it was used for farming.
The "Weald Stone" is three feet tall, two feet thick and five feet wide. The stone is not believed to not be from the area. The stone is situated outside the Weald Stone Inn (better known as The Red Lion). This Stone is what the area is named after which meant that the Football Club could adopt the name.
There were, in fact, two separate Wealdstone Football Clubs in existence as far back as the 19th century, but the present club was formed at the start of the 1899–1900 season. It started with a friendly match on 7 October 1899, winning 6–1 at Northwood. Unfortunately, just 7 years later, the club was forced to close down, largely through lack of interest among both players and fans.
It reformed in time for the 1908–09 season, enjoying a successful period before another closedown during World War I, which claimed the lives of a great many of its members. From the 1920s onwards, though now drawing very sizeable crowds for amateur football, the club had little success on the pitch until the 1950s, but beat RAF, Uxbridge in their 3rd successive Middlesex Sports Red Cross Cup final win, in the first-ever amateur match at Wembley stadium.
Wealdstone took part in the first televised broadcast of a football match in 1946 when it played at Barnet in an Athenian League game. It also participated in the first live showing of an FA Cup tie in 1949 v Colchester United at Lower Mead.
Finally, in 1952 it won its first major trophy becoming champions of the Athenian League. The club then began a period of sustained growth, winning three Middlesex Senior Cup titles, in 1959, 1963 and 1964. Major national success was achieved in 1966 when the club won the FA Amateur Cup at Wembley Stadium, beating local rivals Hendon.
Read more about this topic: Wealdstone F.C.
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