The Royal Engineers AFC is a football team founded in 1863, under the leadership of Major Marindin of the Corps of Royal Engineers, the Sappers. They enjoyed a great deal of success in the 1870s, winning the FA Cup in 1875. They were the first football team to go on a tour ( Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield in 1873).The Engineers were the equals of the northern professional Football League teams, regularly beating them until the late 1880s and were arguably the last bastion of the once great 'gentleman' teams. They have maintained their character as an amateur team and have not played in top competition since the 1890s, competing instead in matches against other armed forces teams.