Gainsborough Trinity
Formed 1873
Elected to Division Two 1896. Failed re-election 1912.
Kit History
1885-1886 g
1886-1887 b
1887-1888 b
1889-1890 b
1890-1892 g
1896-1900 a
1900-1904 a d e
1904-1907 c f
1909-1912 a
Background
The club began life in 1873 as "Trinity
Recreationalists," the brainchild of the vicar of Holy Trinity church
in the Lincolnshire town of Gainsborough. Sometime later they became Gainsborough Trinity, a title that was probably intended to broaden their appeal. The club joined
the Midland League in 1889 and won the championship in 1891. After finishing as runners-up the following season, Trinity were elected to Division Two of the
Football League.
The club's best season was 1904-05 when they finished in sixth place. Otherwise Trinity had an undistinguished career and in 1912 they were voted out after finishing last, their place being taken by their local rivals, Lincoln City.
Trinity rejoined the Midland League and won the title three times (1928, 1949 and 1967) before becoming founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1969. The club currently play in the Conference and still wear blue shirts.
Photograph courtesy of spiksley.com.
Sources
- (a) Association of Football Statisticians - provided by Pete Wyatt
- (b) Ralph Nicholson
- (c) Simon Monks
- (d) British File institute (Youtube)
- (e) Football and the First World War
- (f) Athletic News (7 August 1905) & Birmingham Daily Gazette (23 October 1906) submitted by Richard Essen
- (g) Charles Alcock's Football Annuals researched by Robin Horton