By SIMON MULLOCK and MARK METCALF
ASTON VILLA might have expected
an invitation into the European Super League - given they are one of only five
English clubs to have lifted the European Cup.
Yet when the midlands club played
a key role in the formation of the Football League 132 years ago, it became
clear that profits and politics would always come first in football.
A statue of William McGregor
stands outside Villa Park. A draper by trade, the 42-year-old Scot had become a
committee member at his local club in Aston in 1877.
Eleven years later, he became the
driving force behind the Football League after realising it was the only way
forward following the game's turn towards professionalism.
Cash was needed to pay the players
– and high-profile FA Cup ties and friendly matches were not going to meet the
bills.
McGregor took his inspiration
from the baseball leagues in the United States and so in April 1888 a meeting
was convened at the Royal Hotel in Manchester to formalise the Football League.
The 'Cricket and Football Field'
sporting newspaper reported that “a dozen association clubs,
who style themselves the pick of the talent have joined hands for their own
mutual benefit, apparently without a care for those unhappily shut out in the
cold.”
Sound familiar?
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez may have
even taken his inspiration from McGregor when he asked Manchester United,
Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham to join the ESL last
weekend.
Both men certainly wanted more bang for their buck.
McGregor decided that the Football League would be
based around the railway network of the midlands and north west to meet
transport needs.
He spent months working undercover to gauge opinion
before putting his plan in motion.
Bolton Wanderers jumped on board immediately – and
Trotters secretary John Bentley proposed another eight clubs to go with the
five already invited by McGregor.
The Villa administrator had decided on a one-town,
one-club policy.
That meant Villa's Birmingham-based rivals Mitchell
St George’s were out.
McGregor's view that gate money should be divided
by both clubs was immediately dismissed and replaced by a guarantee that
visiting clubs would be paid £15.
Derby County were admitted despite having little
kudos at the time.
And it was decided that Everton would represent the
city of Liverpool ahead of local rivals Bootle because their Anfield stadium
was reserved for football and not shared with a cricket club.
In Nottingham, three teams vied for inclusion – but
Notts County occupied Trent Bridge and were given the nod ahead of the stronger
teams at Forest and Notts Rangers.
Stoke's invitation ahead of rivals Port Vale may
have had something to do with their secretary Harry Lockett being already lined
up to become the Football League's first secretary.
Halliwell missed out to Bolton – despite recently
beating their neighbours 4-1.
And with Sheffield's rail service considered poor,
there was no room for The Wednesday.
So Accrington, Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Burnley,
Derby, Everton, Notts County, Preston, Stoke, West Brom and Wolves became
founding members of the Football League.
Some additional info that was not included in the article:-
In 1887, professionalism
was only legally two years old
On the eve
of the 1888 FA Cup Final, which saw West Bromwich Albion surprisingly beat
Preston North End, seven clubs met.
Then on 17
April 1888 at the Royal Hotel, Manchester the twelve clubs concerned formalised
affairs.
In
Nottingham, County were weaker than Forest and Notts Rangers but they occupied Trent
Bridge. This promised a better gate.
Bolton
Wanderers had been well beaten 4-1 in March 1888 by neighbours Halliwell who
should have been Bolton’s League representative especially as they were also
superior to Blackburn Rovers, FA Cup winners in 1884, 1885 and 1886.
Once the 12
announced their plans, Forest, Halliwell and the Wednesday, which suffered
because Sheffield at the time had a poor train service, wrote asking to join
the League. They were left disappointed, rejected on grounds that it was
impossible to find sufficient dates for additional fixtures.
Forest and
Sheffield Wednesday became part of an extended league system in 1892-93. No
such fortune for Halliwell who went bust in May 1889.
And of the
original 12, only one is no longer in existence – Accrington, who folded in
1896.
