George Gresham was a footballer

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 who played inside forward for Gainsborough Trinity F.C.

Gainsborough Trinity F.C.

Gainsborough Trinity Football Club are an English football club based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.Between 1896 and 1912 they were members of the Football League. They are currently in the Conference North, and play their home matches at The Northolme, which has a capacity of 4,304...

 before moving in 1895 to Thames Ironworks F.C.

Thames Ironworks F.C.

Thames Ironworks Football Club, the club that later became West Ham United, was founded by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd owner Arnold Hills and foreman Dave Taylor in 1895. Thames Ironworks took over the tenancy of The Old Castle Swifts' Hermit Road ground in Canning Town until their...

, the team that became West Ham United F.C.

West Ham United F.C.

West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...

In an experimental 'floodlit friendly' on 16 March 1896, Thames Ironworks F.C. faced Woolwich Arsenal

Arsenal F.C.

Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...

 for the first time. George Gresham scored twice, in a game that Woolwich Arsenal won 5-3.

He was a regular for three seasons for the "The Irons", and was part of the team that were London League

London League

The London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. . One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was...

 champions in the 1897-98 season and Southern League Division Two

Southern Football League

The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...

 champions the following year.

See also

• Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1895-96
• Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1896-97
• Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1897-98