West Stanley F.C.


West Stanley Football Club was a football club based in the mining village of West Stanley, County Durham, England.
Originally known as "Oakey's Lillywhites", the club was founded in 1889 and became founder members of the North Eastern League in 1906. Their highest league position was in 1949–50, when they finished as runners-up to North Shields.
The club first entered the FA Cup in 1905–06 when they were defeated in the 4th Qualifying Round by Northampton Town. The club's greatest success came in 1919–20, when they defeated Gillingham of the Southern League 3–1, before going out to Tottenham Hotspur of the Football League Second Division. The club also reached the first round proper in 1925–26, losing 4–0 to Rochdale, and 1931–32, when they lost 3–0 to Tranmere Rovers.
The club last entered the FA Cup in 1950–51 when they lost 2–1 in the first qualifying round to fellow mining village club Ashington.
West Stanley F.C. folded in 1959.

Players

Amongst the professional footballers whose careers included a spell at West Stanley were: