KINGSTONIANS
Amalgamation of the Town's Two Senior Clubs.
Old Rivalries Dead.
As the result of a meeting held on Wednesday evening and attended by former officials and supporters of both clubs, there will no longer be either a Kingston-on-Thames or an Old Kingstonian football club as separate organisations, for, with a laudable desire to have done with any differences which may have existed in the past, it was decided to unite and to form one club, and one which should be worthy of the high amateur football traditions of the borough. The new club will be known as the Kingstonians F.C., and their colours will incorporate those of both the old clubs. It is intended that the new combination shall play in the best amateur circles, and that its career shall be opened unhampered by any difficulties, financial or otherwise, which in other years resulted from the existence of two rival senior clubs in the same town.

With the object of giving the club a good send-off, it is proposed, we understand, to hold a big sports fete on August Bank Holiday, and with the requisite support forthcoming from the sportsmen of Kingston, the function should prove successful. The principal difficulty in getting under way, which the temporary committee have to contend with, is that of securing a suitable ground, as at the present time both the old enclosures are unavailable for local football, but it is hoped that by the time the first general meeting of the club is called the committee will be able to report that this problem has been solved.

The Ground Difficulty.
Mr. A. North was elected to the chair at Wednesday's meeting, and, in his opening remarks, said that it was time they sunk any feelings of rivalry between the two clubs which might have lingered, and did their best to form one football club which would keep up the best traditions of football in the locality. (Hear, hear.) The principal difficulty was that of securing a ground. Apparently the Old Kingstonians' ground was lost to them, while the Thorpe-road enclosure had been broken up for allotments.
However, they were still in touch with the Dysart trustees, and he thought that if they were approached on the matter, a ground would be obtainable. It was really of great importance to the town generally that a sports ground should be secured, and the matter was deserving of the united efforts of the supporters of both the old clubs. He proposed that one club be formed from the Kingston and Old Kingstonian clubs.
Seconding the resolution, Mr. West said he wondered if it were still possible to obtain the Norbiton enclosure, which he knew was not to be built upon for at least a year or two.

Room for One Club Only.
Mr. T. P. Sheehy said that undoubtedly the general feeling in the town was that there was only room for one club, which, however, must be a really flourishing one. He pointed out that with only one club running, that organisation could lay claim to both the old bodies of supporters and both subscription lists. Further, he thought, now that the cost of travelling was so high, a great proportion of the people who, before the war, used to support professional football in London, would support a good amateur football club in Kingston in preference. Many men, too, had learned to play and to appreciate football while in the Army, and their support would be forthcoming.
With regard to the ground, Mr. A. H. Daniells said that it was advisable to secure a permanent enclosure at once, because grounds in the future would be increasingly difficult to obtain.
It was pointed out that Kingston tradesmen would support one team where they would support neither of two opposition teams.
The resolution to combine the Kingston and Old Kingstonians' F.C. was then put and carried unanimously.
It was decided to call the new club The Kingstonians, and to combine the colours of the two old clubs- red and white shirts with blue shorts.
It was left to the committee to effect entry into the best amateur league open to them, instructions being given to apply in the first instance to the executives of the Isthmian or Athenian Leagues and then to the London League. It was also decided to enter for the competitions for the F.A. and A.F.A. Cups, the Surrey and London Senior Cups and the Surrey Charity Shield.
Temporary officials were elected as fellows: Hon. Secretary, Mr. A. North; committee, Messrs. T. P. Sheehy, J. R. Knight, T. Wiggins, F. Lynn, E. Barrett, J. West, G. Batson, Reid, and C. Brockwell.