Bootle F.C.

Bootle Football Club was an English football club based in Bootle, Lancashire. Founder members of the Football Alliance, the club was one of the first two clubs to resign from the Football League. and also one of only two clubs (the other being Middlesbrough Ironopolis F.C.) to spend a single season in the League. History Bootle F.C. were formed in 1879 as Bootle St Johns AFC and played their first fixture in October 1880 against Everton. Later that year the club changed its name to Bootle F.C. and then entered the FA Cup for the first time the following season. In 1887 Bootle signed former Scotland international Andrew Watson, the first black international player. If, as is likely, he was paid then he was the first black professional footballer in history, pre-dating Arthur Wharton.