Football heritage in Hampshire

Winchester Reserves - one of Hampshire's early football teams

Hampshire's county archives reflect what the game was like in the days before millionaire players and super stadia.

The Football Crazy exhibition celebrates the game's history in the county over the last century.

The archive includes collection of diverse football material including films, photographs and personal and club records.

It reveals a sport which has changed massively over the years.

Photographs highlight the changes in styles of football kit and the players themselves - big baggy shorts and the outlandish moustaches were considered fashionable and stylish at the start of last century.

Motorcycle football was apparently popular in the 1920s and 30s

Other unusual snaps include ladies football teams which sprang up in munitions factories during the World War I.

The archives include a record of a motor-cycle football game held at Basingstoke in the 1920s or 30s.

Unfortunately little is known locally about this mechanised version of the national sport.

Soccer evolution

Football as we know it today has evolved over the years with public schools such as Winchester College leading the way in 1863 by devising sets of rules more akin to rugby than "soccer", which were adopted and then adapted by local Football Associations in Hampshire.

The archives also celebrate the small town and village clubs which made up the early Hampshire leagues in the early 20th century.

The exhibition charts the history of local football over more than 100 years

With colourful names such as Fordingbridge Turks, Ringwood Hornets, Portsmouth Sunflowers, Bournemouth Gasworks Athletic and Bournemouth Arabs, the early league fixtures were a mix of mostly small town, armed forces and works teams.

However the history of football in the county shows that money in the game is far from a new phenomena. It was wealthy backers and support from local councils in building stadia which helped some clubs develop and others stay as village teams.

Saints were originally a church team in the St Mary's area of Southampton, Pompey were a navy side and Aldershot drew its players from army ranks.

So it seems accidents of history and the lack of some early investment prevented the likes of Fordingbridge Turks from being in the premiership today.

David Bond, Archive Education Officer, Hampshire Archives & Local Studies says:

"The event is aimed at families, especially fathers and sons but will appeal to sports fans, local and family historians on the look-out for ancestors amongst the many team photos on display. The event will also increase awareness of the other fascinating materials held in our collection".

Football Crazy exhibition at Hampshire Archives Office, Sussex Street, Winchester, SO23 8TH continues until late October.