 In 1882, the seventeen-year-old Leo, a pupil at Merchant Taylors, wrote to the school magazine, "The Taylorian", asking for old boys to join a club for old boys.Within a few months the club was formed and in its first season played six games.The club was regarded as one of the best in London by 1900 and from 1900 to 1902 had its most impressive record, due in main to the attacking prowess of John Raphael, the sporting phenomenon who had won 14 blues at Oxford University.