Cardiff & District League in the 1899–1900 season and instead began playing friendly matches against local sides, with their first match taking place on 7 October 1899 against Barry West End. Wilson combined his role as club secretary alongside his day job at a local printers. He spent much of his free time at the club's headquarters, a disused stables in Mark Street less than from his home. In 1900, the club secured admission to the Cardiff & District League to play in an organised division for the first time. Wilson oversaw the amalgamation of Riverside and Riverside Albion in 1902. Three years later, Cardiff was officially named a city by King Edward VII and Wilson immediately applied to the South Wales and Monmouthshire Football Association (SWMFA) to change the name of the team to Cardiff City. However, the club was deemed to be playing at too low a level to represent the city. To improve the club's status, the Committee successfully applied for election to the South Wales Amateur League. In September 1908, Riverside A.F.C were officially granted permission by the SWMFA to adopt the name Cardiff City, although they were given the caveat that, should a professional club emerge in the city, the club would be required to forfeit the name. Southern Football League With the new name in place, Wilson sought to capitalise on the growing popularity of the sport. However, when approached by Harry Bradshaw, the secretary of the Southern Football League, the club were forced to turn down the offer of a place in the league due to the poor facilities of their Sophia Gardens ground. The club arranged friendlies against several sides from The Football League; Bristol City, Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace all travelled to Cardiff. Wilson and the club's Committee were encouraged by the turnouts for the matches and decided to focus on securing an appropriate ground to play at. He approached Bute Estate in the hope of purchasing land at Leckwith Common but local Councillor John Mander instead offered the club a piece of land on Sloper Road with the added incentive that Cardiff Corporation would assist in the construction of the ground. The club became leaseholders of the land on 1 April 1909 and set about flattening the former rubbish tip on the site to erect a new football ground. Wilson and solicitor Norman Robertson officially registered Cardiff City Association Football