The United North of England Eleven (UNEE) was an itinerant cricket team founded in 1869 by George Freeman and Roger Iddison with the backing of Lord Londesborough who became the team's president.[1][2] As its name suggests, its purpose was to bring together the best players of England's northern counties and play against all-comers. The team was thus one of several spinoffs from William Clarke's original All-England Eleven (AEE).
Unfortunately for the team, it was founded at a time when the demand for exhibition matches was in decline. This was due to an excess of supply as there had been several predecessors and there was a greater interest in county cricket, which had developed in the 1860s. Another factor was competition, particularly from the United South of England Eleven (USEE) which featured cricket's main attraction W G Grace.[3] The UNEE had a short existence and it folded in 1881.[1]