YMCA
When people hear the name YMCA, the first thing that comes to mind
is that song by the Village People and dance in which people make the shape of
each letter sung with their arms. You know the song I am talking about. But
what if I told you that a football club, named YMCA, was one of the founding
members of the League of Ireland back on 1922. Yes, a club named YMCA was one
of the pioneers of football in Ireland, and I am about to tell you their story.
Its short and sweet but its one of the 41 'Forgotten Clubs' stories that will
be told on this blog. Here is their story.
Based in Sandymount, Dublin, YMCA football club were founded in
1893, alongside YMCA Cricket Club and YMCA Hockey club, to form what was known
as the YMCA sports group. In their early years they played friendlies whislt
also playing in the Leinster Senior League. That was before the League of
Ireland wws founded in 1921/22.
Alongside fellow Dublin clubs, Bohemiens FC, Shelbourne FC, St
James Gate, Olympia, Dublin United, Jacobs and Frankfort, YMCA were one of the
founding members of the League of Ireland. They would go on to make unwanted
history in League of Ireland football, becoming the first team to finish bottom
of the league, not winning one single game that season. In fact, they only drew
three games out of the 14 they played. They were agajnst Franfort twice, (1-1)
and (4-4) and Jacobs, (2-2). They were inflicted with the biggest away loss of
that season as well, by Bohemians FC, (0-5).
They didnt do much better in the first FAI cup either, losing in
the first round to non-league side, Athlone Town, 5-4 on the 28th January,
1922.
Their stay in the League of Ireland would be a breif one. In fact,
it was for just one season as they failed, alongside Franfort, to get
re-elected for the following season, despite the keague exoanding to 12 teams,
with Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne United, Pioneers, Rathmines Athletic and the
first non Dublkn team.to joim, Athlone Town all taking their place in Irelands
top football league.
The club did not even compete in the FAI Cup the season after
either, despite that competition being extended out to more non-league clubs,
and ones from outside of Dublin, like Sligo Celtic, Cork side, Fordsons and
even Alton United, a club from Northern Ireland, who would go on to win the
cup, beating Shelbourne FC in the final, 1-0.
Whilst the story of YMCA and their participation the League of
Ireland is a short oje, it is one that must be told. First of all they are
still oke of the founding members of our league, and secondly, they hold the
record of being the only club in the history of League of Ireland to have
competed in the league and never have won a game.
At present there is a team named Mount Merrion YMCA FC who play
their football in the Leinster Senior League. Will they ever re-enter the
League of Ireland and recify that unwanted record? Probably not.