Northampton Town had risen to prominence under the management of Herbert Chapman, a pioneering manager[3] who would later go on to win the Football League with Huddersfield Town and Arsenal.[4] Northampton won their only Southern League title in 1909, and joined the Football League when the Southern League was merged into it as Third Division South in 1921 [4] The 1909 Charity Shield remains their only appearance in a national cup final.[5]