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{{Short description|English rugby union club, based in London}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby team
  | teamname   = Old Alleynians
  | image      =
  | fullname   = Old Alleynian Football Club
  | nickname   =''OAs''
  | union      = [[Kent Rugby Football Union|Kent RFU]]
  | location = [[Dulwich]], [[London Borough of Southwark|Southwark]], London, England
  | country    = 
  | founded    = {{Start date and age|1898}}<ref name="London2"/>
  | ground     = [[West Dulwich|Dulwich Common]]
  | capacity   =
  | chairman   = {{flagicon|England}} Phil Kent
  | coach      = {{flagicon|England}} Ned Barker, {{flagicon|England}} Charlie Thompson, {{flagicon|England}} Laurence Boyle, {{flagicon|England}} Josh Winduss
  | captain    = {{flagicon|England}} Gill Crouch
  | league     = [[Regional 1 South Central]]
  | season     = 2024–25
  | position   = 1st ([[Regional 2 South East]] 2023-24)|
| pattern_la1    = _thin_blackhoops
| pattern_b1     = _navyhoops
| pattern_ra1    = _thin_blackhoops
| pattern_so1    = _sky_blue_on_top
| pattern_sh1    = <!-- these are for specific uploaded kit images-->
| leftarm1       = 000080
| body1          = 000000
| rightarm1      = 000080
| shorts1        = 000000
| socks1         = 000000
| pattern_la2    = _sky_hoops
| pattern_b2     = _lightbluehoops
| pattern_ra2    = _sky_hoops
| pattern_so2    = _sky_blue_on_top
| pattern_sh2    = <!-- these are for specific uploaded kit images-->
| leftarm2       = FFFFFF
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| rightarm2      = FFFFFF
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  | url        = https://www.oarfc.rfu.club/
}}

The '''Old Alleynian Football Club''' is an open rugby union club founded as a team for the old boys of [[Dulwich College]], themselves known as [[Old Alleynians]]. Founded in 1898, it is one of the oldest clubs in London and was the last of London's old boys clubs to become a fully open club. It is notable not only for its longevity, but also for the prominence it once attained on the club circuit and for the number of eminent players that have been members of the club, some of whom gained their international caps whilst at the club.

The club runs four senior sides and have a flourishing junior set up with many players going onto to play 1st team rugby. After winning [[London 3 South West]] in 2011-12 the 1st XV had been competing at Level 7 until 2022-23 when they finished champions of [[Counties 1 Kent]], promoting them to Level 6 [[Regional 2 South East]] where they won consecutive league championships in the 2023-24 season for the first time in their history, promoting them to Level 5 [[Regional 1 South Central]] for the 2024-25 season. As part of a league structure revamp the RFU allowed 2nd and 3rd teams compete in the league ladder system from the 2022-23 season onwards. OA's entered a 2nd XV at level 9 [[Counties 3 Kent]], and won promotion to [[Counties 2 Kent]] during the 2023-24 season for finishing runners up. The 3rd team were successful in winning Kent Metropolitan League A during the 2023-24 season and entered the league ladder system at Level 11 [[Counties 5 Kent]] for the 2024-25 season. The 4th XV play in the Kent Metropolitan Leagues, winning the league in 2022-23 and finishing runners up in 2023-24.

==History==
[[Dulwich College]] had been playing football using [[Rugby School]] rules since 1858 and the school had been playing against scratch sides of old boys since the 1890s.<ref name="London2">Dick Tyson, ''London's Oldest Rugby Clubs'', p102 (JJG Publishing), 2008</ref> In October 1897 a former pupil of [[Dulwich College]] wrote to the school magazine (''The Alleynian'') bemoaning the fact that despite the school having an old boy representative ''"in almost all the first-class football clubs"''<ref name="London2"/> the fact that it did not have an old schoolboy team, ''"such as Old Merchant Taylors, Old Leysians, Old Carthusians, [[Marlborough Nomads]]"'', meant that it was missing out on ''"the greater athletic reputation [it] would otherwise have obtained."''<ref name="London2"/> Within a few months R.M. Everett, a member of the school's first XV, and William Leake, an Assistant Master at the school and former Cambridge rugger Blue, had joined forces to promote the formation of the club. In June 1898 Leake published an invitation in ''"The Alleynian"'' to ''"all OAs desirous of joining"''.<ref name="London2"/> In September 1898, the club played its first match, drawing with Croydon 3rds (Croydon FC being the name by which Old Whitgiftians were known at the time). On 8 October 1898, the club's first general meeting was held, rules approved, officers elected and the dark blue, light blue and black hooped jerseys were decided upon.<ref name="London2"/>

The club was regarded as one of the best in London by 1913 and in that year five of its players, who had all played together in the school's 1st XV, were selected to play in the [[Varsity Match]]. The five were [[J. E. Greenwood]], [[Cyril Lowe]], [[Eric Loudoun-Shand]], [[Graham Donald]] and [[W. D. Doherty]]. They were known at the school as the ''"famous five"'', having played in an unbeaten school side, all going on to play in the Varsity Match and all going on to represent their countries, two as captain.

In [[World War I]] the club lost 76 members<ref name="London"/> but Leake, "Slacker" Christison and Major Everett revived the club by 1919 and the club (and therefore the school to which it was affiliated) produced the captains of both Oxford and Cambridge in the Varsity Match.<ref name="London"/> This was the first and only team this had happened. The 1920s saw the clubs strength grow and it produced its first international cap (to be won by a player playing for the club) in 1927 in the person of [[Kendrick Stark]].<ref name="OASpHnr"/> In 1931 [[Eric Whiteley]] repeated the distinction.<ref name="OASpHnr"/> The club had over 600 members and was beating clubs like [[Rosslyn Park F.C.|Rosslyn Park]].<ref name="London"/>

The [[Second World War]] took a heavy toll on the members, with 49 losing their lives.<ref name="London"/> So weakened was the club that it merged with its oldest of rivals, [[Old Whitgiftians]], for a year in 1945.<ref name="London"/> A modest resurgence took place at the turn of the decade, with [[Ian Coutts (sportsman)|Ian Coutts]] gaining his Scottish caps, and the likes of [[London Irish]], [[London Welsh]] and [[Wasps RFC|Wasps]] falling to the OAs. However, by the late 1960s the OAs played strong local opposition rather than "1st class" clubs. In the 1980s the club continued to be strong, arguably the strongest of all Old Boys clubs in London, with the topping of the Combined London Old Boys Merit Table in 1988 as testament to this. In 1987 the league system introduction led to the club being placed in the Courage League London South 2. In 1989 the club were promoted to London One, won the Surrey Rugby Union Cup, topped the Combined London Old Boys Merit Table once again and qualified for the [[Middlesex Sevens]] Finals.<ref name="London"/>

A second Surrey Cup win in 1992 was followed by a three year slide, seeing the club drop three divisions to [[London 3 South West]]. In 1995 the Old Alleynians became the last of the Old Boys clubs to become fully open membership. 
The 1999/00 season was to see another slide down the leagues with three successive relegations to Level 10 playing in [[Surrey 2]].

The 2002/03 season saw the start of a resurgence and stability under the captaincy of James Franklin and Tim Sandars, when Old Alleynians beat Shipston upon Stour 16 -10 in the final of the Powergen Junior Vase,<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 April 2003 |title=Shipston pipped at Twickers |url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/other-sport/shipston-pipped-at-twickers-3165019}}</ref> held at [[Twickenham Stadium|Twickenham]], with future [[Northampton Saints|Nothampton]] and [[Sale Sharks|Sale]] Number 8, [[Mark Easter]] starting in the match.<ref name="London"/> From 2003 the coaching position was held by old [[Dulwich College|Dulwich]] schoolmaster Rick Wilson, and under his guidance OA's gained two runner-up promotions from [[Surrey 2]] during the 2005/06 season and from [[Surrey 1]] during the 2007/08 season. Four years at Level 8 [[London 3 South West]] were to follow, when under the captaincy of ex-[[Cambridge University|Cambridge]] blue Johnathan Wright OA's were crowned champions in the 2011/12 season and promoted to Level 7 [[London 2 South West]] for 2012/13. 

After staving off relegation on the final day of the 2012/13 season with a 26-24 victory away at [[Portsmouth RFC|Portsmouth]], OA's began to establish themselves as Level 7 side. During a ten year stay at this level there were notable appearances from future [[Bristol Bears|Bristol]] and [[Ospreys (rugby union)|Ospreys]] winger Toby Fricker (2013-14 season), and [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]] and [[England national rugby union team|England]] Hooker [[Theo Dan]] (2018-19 season). 

The 2022-23 season, under captains turned coaches James Knox and Charlie Thompson, saw OA's win their first league and national cup double. OA's secured the league championship of [[Counties 1 Kent]] in February of that season, with a club record 90-7 win against [[Charlton Park RFC|Charlton Park]] gaining promotion to Level 6 [[Regional 2 South East]] for the first time since the 1993/94 season. In May 2023, [[Twickenham Stadium]] would once again play host to a successful national cup run, gained with victories over [[Grasshoppers RFC]] (44-42), [[Wimborne RFC|Wimborne]] (29-17), [[Dagenham RFC|Dagenham]] (44-27) and [[Chobham Rugby|Chobham]] (29-17) culminating in a 34-7 victory over [[Harlow Rugby Club|Harlow]] in the inaugural Papa Johns Community Cup.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 May 2023 |title=Captain Crouch achieves lifelong dream as Old Alleynians win at Twickenham|url=https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/sport/17052023-captain-crouch-achieves-lifelong-dream-as-old-alleynians-win-at-twickenham}}</ref> 

The 2023-24 season saw OA's success continue, as back to back promotions were secured with a 29-13 victory, and 10th consecutive win, at [[Medway RFC|Medway]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 April 2024 |title=Medway 13 Old Alleynians 29: Regional 2 South East match report|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/medway-end-season-in-top-three-304675/}}</ref> on the final day of the season gaining promotion to [[Regional 1 South Central]]. The 2024-25 season will see OA's compete at Level 5 for the first time since a four season stint between 1989-93.

In April 2024, [[Fiona McIntosh (rugby union)|Fiona McIntosh]] became the first Old Alleynian woman to earn an international cap when she was selected for [[Scotland women's national rugby union team|Scotland]] against the country of her birth, [[England women's national rugby union team|England]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/live-blog/12321/13114037/women-s-six-nations-live-england-on-top-in-crunch-clash-vs-scotland |title=Women's Six Nations: 14-player England cruise past - as it happened |website=[[Sky Sports]] |date=13 April 2024 |access-date=13 April 2024}}</ref>

==Ground==
The club played on the Norwood club's ground in [[Norwood Park, West Norwood|Norwood Park]] between 1899 and 1901.<ref name="London2"/> A semi-nomadic existence then ensued as the club moved on a yearly basis from Elm Grive, Sydenham to Cavendish Road, Merton to Horn Park Farm, Lee.<ref name="London2"/> Then in 1905 the Dulwich Estate allowed the club to settle at [[West Dulwich|Dulwich Common]] where they play to this day.<ref name="London2"/> In 2003 a fire saw the club lose half of its clubhouse, which was rebuilt shortly afterwards.

==Notable former players==
===Notable chiefly as rugby players===
====International caps whilst playing for OAs====
*{{flagicon|England}} - [[Kendrick Stark]] ''(1904–1988)'', England international (first capped 1927)<ref name="OASpHnr">[http://www.dulwich.org.uk/Sport_Document_1.aspx?id=8:1212&id=8:1189&id=8:1181&id=8:1179&id=8:1789 Old Alleynians Sporting Honours] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519215412/http://www.dulwich.org.uk/Sport_Document_1.aspx?id=8%3A1212&id=8%3A1189&id=8%3A1181&id=8%3A1179&id=8%3A1789 |date=19 May 2011 }}</ref>
*{{flagicon|England}} - [[Eric Cyprian Perry Whiteley]] ''(1904–1973)'', England international (first capped 1931)<ref name="London">Dick Tyson, ''London's Oldest Rugby Clubs'', p103 (JJG Publishing), 2008</ref>
*{{flagicon|Scotland}} - [[Ian Coutts (sportsman)|Ian Coutts]] ''(1928–1997)'', Scotland international (first capped 1951)<ref name="London"/>

===Internationals and first class players===
==== Professional era ====
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Theo Dan]] ([[Hooker (rugby union)|Hooker]]) ''(b. 2000)'', professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]] and [[England national rugby union team |England]] '''''(12 Caps)'''''.
*{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Fiona McIntosh (rugby union)|Fiona McIntosh]] ([[Rugby union positions#Locks|Second Row]]) ''(b. 1999)'', professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Richmond Women|Richmond]], [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]], [[Edinburgh Rugby Women|Edinburgh]] and [[Scotland women's national rugby union team|Scotland]] '''''(1 Cap)'''''
*[[Toby Fricker]] ([[Wing (rugby union)|Wing]]) ''(b. 1995)'', professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Bristol Bears|Bristol]] and [[Ospreys (rugby union)|Ospreys]].
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Beno Obano]] ([[Prop (rugby union)|Prop]]) (b. 1994), professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Bath Rugby|Bath]] and [[England national rugby union team |England]] '''''(4 Caps)'''''
*[[Tom O'Flaherty (rugby union)]] ([[Wing (rugby union)|Wing]]) ''(b. 1994)'', professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Ospreys (rugby union)|Ospreys]], [[Exeter RFC|Exeter Chiefs]] and [[Sale Sharks|Sale]].
*[[Tom Mercey]] ([[Prop (rugby union)|Prop]]) ''(b. 1987)'', ex-professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Northampton Saints]] and [[England national under-20 rugby union team |England U20's]].
*[[Mark Easter]] ([[Number eight (rugby union)|No. 8]] or [[Flanker (rugby union)|Flanker]]) ''(b. 1982)'', ex-professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Northampton Saints]] and [[Sale Sharks]].
*{{flagicon|England}} [[David Flatman]] ([[Prop (rugby union)|Prop]]) ''(b. 1980)'', ex-professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]], [[Bath Rugby|Bath]] and [[England national rugby union team |England]] '''''(8 Caps)'''''.<ref name="DCOASport" />
*{{flagicon|England}} {{flagicon|British & Irish Lions}} [[Andrew Sheridan]] ([[Prop (rugby union)|Prop]]) ''(b. 1979)'', ex-professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Sale Sharks]], [[England national rugby union team |England]] '''''(40 Caps)''''' and [[British & Irish Lions]] [[2005 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand |(2005)]] & [[2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa |(2009)]].  <ref name="DCOASport">[http://www.dulwich.org.uk/OA_Document_1.aspx?id=1:29463&id=1:29454&id=1:29431/ Dulwich College – Old Alleynians : Eminent Old Alleynians : Sport]</ref>
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Nick Easter]] ([[Number eight (rugby union)|No. 8]]) ''(b. 1978)'', ex-professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Harlequin F.C.|NEC Harlequins]] and [[England national rugby union team |England]] '''''(54 Caps)'''''.
*[[Sam Blythe]] ([[Hooker (rugby union)|Hooker]]) ''(b. 1976)''  ex-professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Exeter RFC|Exeter Chiefs]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/site/1/PLAYERS.html?&ar_item=1100 |title=Exeter Chiefs |access-date=26 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030123119/http://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/site/1/PLAYERS.html?&ar_item=1100 |archive-date=30 October 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[Nick Lloyd (rugby union)|Nick Lloyd]] ([[Prop (rugby union)|Prop]]) ''(b. 1976)'' ex-professional [[rugby union]] player for [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]]; selected for [[Scotland]] in 2006 but had to withdraw due to injury.

==== Amateur era ====
*{{ru|Argentina}} - [[C. H. Scott]] Rugby Union International for Argentina (first represented Argentina in 1922)<ref name="DCSport" />
*{{ru|Argentina}} - [[Carlos Mold|C. T. Mold]] ''(b. 1885)'' Rugby union international for Argentina (first represented Argentina in 1911)<ref name="DCSport" />
*{{ru|Argentina}} - [[K. G. Drysdale]] Rugby union international for Argentina (first represented Argentina in 1911)<ref name="DCSport" />
*{{ru|Argentina}} - [[W. H. Bridger]] Rugby union international for Argentina (first represented Argentina in 1911)<ref name="DCSport" />
*[[British & Irish Lions]] - [[George Isherwood]] ''(1889–1974)'' Rugby union international for Great Britain (first represented Great Britain in 1910)<ref name="DCSport" />
*[[British & Irish Lions]] - [[David Trail]] ''(1875–1935)'', represented a forerunner of the [[British & Irish Lions]], known as the Anglo-Welsh on their tour of Australasia in 1904.
*{{ru|England}} - [[Cyril Mowbray Wells]] ''(1871–1963)'' – Played [[Rugby Union]] for England<ref name="DCSport">[http://www.dulwich.org.uk/Sport_Document_1.aspx?id=8:1189&id=8:1181&id=8:1179/ Dulwich College Sporting Honours]</ref> as well as being a first-class [[cricketer]] (represented [[Cambridge University Cricket Club|Cambridge University]], [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey]] and [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]] as a Right-handed and [[Bowler (cricket)|bowler]].)<ref name="GPC 96">Webster F.A.M., (1937), ''Our Great Public Schools'', page 96, (Butler & Tanner: London)</ref>
*{{ru|England}} - [[Group Captain]] [[Cyril Lowe|Cyril Nelson "Kit" Lowe]] <small>[[Military Cross|MC]] [[Distinguished Flying Cross (UK)|DFC]] RAF</small> ''(1891–1983)'' English [[rugby union]] footballer representing England in 25 consecutive matches,<ref name="GPC 96" /> [[First World War]] [[flying ace]], and supposedly the inspiration for [[W. E. Johns]]' character "[[Biggles]]".<ref name="DCOASport" />
*{{ru|England}} - [[Bernard Charles Hartley|Jock Hartley]] ''(1879–1960)''  Rugby union international for England (first represented England in 1902)<ref name="DCSport" />
*{{ru|England}} - [[John Eric Greenwood|J. E. Greenwood]] ''(1891–1975)'' Rugby union international for England (first represented England in 1912)<ref name="DCSport" /> Later captained England.<ref name="GPC 96" />
*{{ru|Ireland}} - [[William David Doherty|W. D. Doherty]] ''(1893–1966)'' Rugby union international for Ireland (first represented Ireland in 1921)<ref name="DCSport" /> Later captained Ireland<ref name="GPC 96" />
*{{ru|Scotland}} - [[Eric Loudoun-Shand|E. G. Loudoun-Shand]] ''(1893–1972)'' Rugby union international for Scotland (first represented Scotland in 1913)<ref name="DCSport" /><ref name="GPC 96" />
*{{ru|Scotland}} - [[Grahame Donald]] ''(1891–1976)'' Rugby union international for Scotland (first represented Scotland in 1914)<ref name="DCSport" /><ref name="GPC 96" />
*{{ru|Scotland}} - [[Albert Wade|A. L. Wade]] ''(1884–1917)'' Rugby union international for Scotland (first represented Scotland in 1908)<ref name="DCSport" />
*{{ru|Uruguay}} - [[Eric Arthur Cleugh|E. A. Cleugh]] ''(1894–1964)'' – Rugby Union International for Uruguay (first represented Uruguay in 1922)<ref name="DCSport" />
*{{ru|Uruguay}} - [[C. E. Cat]] Rugby Union International for Uruguay (first represented Uruguay in 1922)<ref name="DCSport" />
*{{ru|Uruguay}} - [[J. M. Cat]] – Rugby Union International for Uruguay (first represented Uruguay in 1922)<ref name="DCSport" />
*{{ru|Uruguay}} - [[L. P. Bridal]] – Rugby Union International for Uruguay (first represented Uruguay in 1922)<ref name="DCSport" />

===Notable chiefly in other fields===
*[[Edward Dolman]]
*[[Edward George, Baron George]]
*[[Roger Knight]]

==Club honours==
*'''[[London 1 South|London 2 South]], [[Regional 2 South East]] Champions (2):'''
**1988-89, 2023-24
*'''[[Counties 1 Kent]] Champions''':
**2022-23
*'''[[London 3 South West]] Champions''':
**2011-12
*'''[[Papa Johns Community Cup]] Winners''':
**2022-23
*'''[[RFU Junior Vase]] Winners''':
**2002-03
*'''[[Surrey Cup]] Winners (2)''': 
**1989, 1992

==See also==
*[[:Category:People educated at Dulwich College]]
*[[Dulwich College]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.alleynian.org/rugby/ Old Alleynian Football Club]

[[Category:People educated at Dulwich College|*Football Club]]
[[Category:Rugby union teams in England]]
[[Category:Rugby clubs established in 1898]]
[[Category:1898 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Rugby union clubs in London]]
[[Category:Sport in the London Borough of Southwark]]
[[Category:Dulwich College]]