La fundación del Sevilla FC en 1890 y el North British Daily Mail

El Departamento de Historia del Sevilla FC ha vuelto a descubrir un importantísimo documento para la historia del fútbol español. En esta ocasión, se trata de un viejo artículo publicado por el periódico escocés North British Daily Mail el día 11 de abril de 1890. En dicho artículo, se detalla perfectamente cómo el Sevilla FC organizó y ganó el primer partido de fútbol jugado en España entre dos clubes. El histórico encuentro se disputó en Sevilla el 8 de marzo de 1890. 

El artículo prosigue y, entre otros muchos detalles, describe también la importante victoria del Sevilla FC en el primer partido de tenis disputado en España entre dos clubes. 

 

FOOTBALL

DEPORTES EN ESPAÑA. —Hace unos meses, varios británicos residentes en Sevilla mantuvieron una reunión en la que decidieron fundar un club de fútbol. Habiéndose concedido permiso para el uso de los terrenos del hipódromo y una vez obtenidas las porterías y demás aparatos necesarios; tras unos partidos de entrenamiento, se remitió una invitación al recién fundado club recreativo de Huelva para que mandasen un equipo a Sevilla y probar fuerzas. El partido se disputó el día 8 de marzo, pero lamentablemente el tiempo no fue favorable, aunque, aun así, en medio de un aguacero, se disputó el que se considera que es el primer partido de fútbol en España, resultando a favor de los jugadores del Sevilla por dos goles a cero. Los equipos fueron: — Huelva — Portero, Gibson; defensas, Curtis y Alcock; centrocampistas, Coto, Daniels y Broadley; delanteros, Wakelin, Duclos, Kirk y Yates. Árbitro auxiliar, Mr. Palin. Sevilla — Portero, Manday; defensas, Annandale y MacColl; centrocampistas, Stroneger y Logan; delanteros, Ritson, Welton, White y Greig. Árbitro auxiliar, Dr. Langdon. Juez árbitro, Mr. Johnston. Por la noche, los dos equipos cenaron juntos en el Hotel Suizo, bajo la presidencia del Sr. Johnston, vicecónsul británico. El sábado 29 de marzo tuvo lugar el partido de vuelta en Huelva. El equipo de Sevilla estuvo, como anteriormente, capitaneado por el señor MacColl, exmiembro de los clubes Pollokshields Athletic y Ulster, y el equipo de Huelva por el señor Alcock, de Rio Tinto. El tiempo fue en esta ocasión más propicio, y tras un partido muy igualado, el resultado fue de empate, con dos goles cada equipo. Uno de los goles del Sevilla, sin embargo, fue discutido bajo el argumento de que el balón estaba fuera de juego, decidiendo un árbitro auxiliar a favor y otro en contra; y dado que el árbitro principal, desde su posición, no podía ver la línea, se decidió lanzar el balón desde el centro del campo y dejar la cuestión sin resolver. Por la noche los equipos cenaron juntos en el Hotel Colón, bajo la presidencia del Sr. Adams de la fábrica de gas. Una peculiaridad de este encuentro fue el té servido en el descanso y al final por parte de algunas de las amigas de los socios del Club Huelva. Los equipos fueron— Sevilla— Portero, H. Lindberg; defensas, MacColl y Stroneger; centrocampistas, Logan, J. Lindberg y Henderson; delanteros, Ritson, Welton, Pollock y Crombie. Árbitro auxiliar, Sr. Johnston. Huelva — Portero, Wakelin; defensas, Brunton y Mathews; centrocampistas, Rollet, Duclos y Coto; delanteros, Stephen, Alcock, Coto, Young y García. Árbitro auxiliar, Dr. Mackay. Juez Árbitro, Sr. Palin. Antes de este último encuentro un equipo del Sevilla disputó un partido de tenis frente a un equipo onubense, con el siguiente resultado:

Número de juegos — Sevilla, 28; Huelva, 23.

Ángel María Villar visits Sevilla FC’s history since 1890

Last March 2015, the president of the Royal Spanish Football Association, Ángel María Villar, visited the exhibition 1890. The Origins of Sevilla FC. As shown by the picture below, the president of the RFEF was presented with a framed copy of the article published by The Dundee Courier and Argus in 1890, which describes the founding of the Sevilla Football Club and their victory in the first football match played in Spain. This visit was later picked up by the official magazine of the highest body of football in Spain

 

The president of the RFEF, Ángel Villar, and Sevilla FC’s president,  José Castro, visited the area in the Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium that recreates the history of the Seville club. They both contemplated the showcases that collect some of the moments of the long history of the club, like some of the kits worn in the first years of the club’s history, which is now more than 100 years old.

Documentary: "1890, 125 years of 'sevillista' football"

The documentary "1890, 125 years of ‘Sevillista’ football" is a magnificent work dedicated to the foundation of Sevilla FC, which took place on January 25, 1890. It was premiered at Sevilla FC Televisión on January 25, 2015, coinciding with the 125th anniversary of the club.

The British Library publishes an article about the foundation of Sevilla FC in 1890

The following video, developed by Sevilla FC Television on October 12, 2012, gives an account of the article published by the prestigious British Library on the founding of Sevilla Football Club in 1890. Definitely, it is a great honor for the Seville club, as the British Library is perhaps the most prestigious cultural institution in the world.

The president of the Spanish Football Association (RFEF) visits the exhibition on the foundation of Sevilla FC in 1890

Ángel María Villar, president of the Royal Spanish Football Association (RFEF), visited the exhibition "1890. The Origins of Sevilla FC". The highest leader of the Spanish football admitted to be delighted with the museum, congratulating the president of the “Sevillista” club for its inauguration. Finally, as the following video proves, the president of the RFEF received a framed copy of the page of the Scottish newspaper The Dundee Courier, which describes the foundation of Sevilla FC on January 25, 1890 and the first football match played in Spain, with Sevilla FC winning 2-0 against Huelva Recreation Club.

Biris: a banner to commemorate 1890

On November 1, 2017, just before the Champions League match between Sevilla FC and Spartak Moscow, Biris, the famous Sevilla FC’s group of fans, displayed a wonderful banner to pay tribute to the founding of their club in 1890. Undoubtedly, a fantastic work of art, worthy of the oldest Spanish football fans, as they witnessed the first football match ever played on Spanish soil.

The Courier: Sevilla FC honour for Courier.

A Courier cutting from 1890 has taken pride of place in a permanent exhibition at top Spanish football club Sevilla FC’s stadium, to mark the 125th anniversary of Spain’s oldest club.

The article documented the founding of the club by British residents in Seville and how they won the first football match ever played on Spanish soil.

The story was written by a Seville correspondent and sent to The Courier shortly afterwards — and Tuesday was exactly 125 years since it was published on March 17 1890.

That old article was fantastic news in Spain, changing the history of Spanish football.

Thanks to The Courier Sevilla FC is now celebrating the 125th anniversary of the club’s origins.

A few days ago, as part of a series of events to commemorate this anniversary, Sevilla FC inaugurated a permanent exhibition at the club’s stadium, where the Dundee Courier edition of March 17 1890 plays a pivotal role.

As you see, discovering that old Courier’s article was very lucky for the club as Sevilla FC are now the current Uefa Europa League winners.

Sevilla 1890 en The Wall Street Journal

El 25 de mayo de 2012, el prestigioso periódico estadounidense The Wall Street Journal, diario de mayor tirada en dicho país, publicaba un interesantísimo artículo ("More than a Game in Spain") sobre el origen y desarrollo del fútbol en España. Al recoger las palabras del afamado escritor y periodista James Burns, se narra cómo los británicos llevaron el football a Río Tinto y como, desde allí, se extendió inmediatamente a Sevilla, desde donde se exportó al resto de la geografía española. Efectivamente, así debió ser, pues apenas se fundó el Sevilla FC en 1890, la entidad hispalense invitó al Recreation Club de Huelva a jugar el primer partido de fútbol en la historia de este deporte en España, disputado el 8 de marzo de ese mismo año en la capital de Andalucía.

Extraemos las siguientes palabras del artículo:

Aunque no pudieron convertir a los lugareños a la Iglesia de Inglaterra, pronto convirtieron a muchos de ellos en apasionados jugadores de fútbol. El juego se extendió a Sevilla y luego a todos los rincones de España.

Sevilla FC turns 127 (1890-2017)

Sevilla FC turns 127 in La Liga TV Channel.

Sevilla FC 1890 en Oxford University Press

La prestigiosísima editorial británica Oxford University Press se hace eco de la fundación del Sevilla FC en 1890. De este modo, miles de niños, alumnos de primaria en colegios bilingües, podrán aprender cómo se originó el fútbol en nuestro país.

En su apartado dedicado a los hechos significativos que tuvieron lugar a lo largo del siglo XIX, encontramos lo siguiente:  

Many of Spain's oldest football clubs were formed in the late 19th century. The two oldest teams, Recreativo de Huelva and Sevilla FC, played the first official game in Spain in 1890. Sevilla won 2-0.

La correspondiente traducción sería: "Muchos de los clubes más antiguos de España fueron fundados a finales del siglo XIX. Los dos clubes más antiguos, Recreativo de Huelva y Sevilla FC, jugaron el primer partido oficial de fútbol en España en 1890. El Sevilla ganó 2-0."

FIRST FOOTBALL MATCH IN SPAIN

The following article, unearthed in The British Newspaper Archive by Sevilla FC's History Department, describes in full detail how Sevilla FC was founded in 1890 and how Spanish football was born when Sevilla FC beat Huelva Recreation 2-0 during the first football match ever played on Spanish soil.

FIRST FOOTBALL MATCH IN SPAIN
(FROM A SEVILLE CORRESPONDENT)

Some six weeks ago a few enthusiastic young residents of British origin met in one of the cafés for the purpose of considering a proposal that we should start an Athletic Association, the want of exercise being greatly felt by the majority of us, who are chiefly engaged in mercantile pursuits. After a deal of talk and a limited consumption of small beer, the “Club de ‘Football’ de Sevilla” was duly formed and officebearers elected. It was decided we should play Association rules, and so that no time might be lost we determined to have a practice game next (Sunday) morning. Accordingly next morning at eight o’clock some ten of us started from the Regatta House on the Guadalquivir, and rowed down to the Tablada or Racecourse, a distance of about a mile and a half. Permission had already been obtained from the Racecourse Club, and goal posts, &c., duly rigged up.

 

We were about half and half Spanish and British, and had a very pleasant game - five a-side - working hard, and stiffening our joints for a few days to come. In the course of events it was found we were to have difficulty in getting a turnout on the Sundays, not so much, I am afraid, as a matter of principle as the question of turning out of bed. As you have at home, we do not enjoy the advantage of the Saturday half-holiday; but immediately the various members put the matter to their commercial chiefs we had no difficulty in getting the concession. Consequently, for some Saturdays pass we have had very fair fields, and lately came to think something of ourselves. 

 

There being a Recreation Club amongst our compatriots in Huelva, we wrote asking them if they could form an eleven and come to Seville and try their strength against us, and in a few days got a wire that they would meet us on Saturday, 8th March. Last week we had glorious weather, though somewhat chilly; but, altogether, prospects were bright, and the Saturday looked forward to with great expectations. The local press puffed us, we were assured of a good field of spectators, but, unfortunately, with the arrival of our friends from Huelva came rain. However, they had come eighty miles to play us, and play we had to. The ground was in very good condition notwithstanding the steady downpour, and at 4.45 a start was made, before about twelve dozen spectators. The players presented a motley appearance, all kinds of costumes being in requisition, and our left wing, never before having the honour of belonging to any athletic club, appeared on the scene in night dress, in the shape of a fantastically patterned suit of pyjamas. He was hailed with shouts of derisive laughter, and dubbed by the natives as the Clown Yugles. The game was a most pleasant one of two thirty-fives, resulting in a win for Seville by 2 to 0, Ritson drawing first blood, followed shortly after by the Clown Yugles, unexpected by all, not less so by himself. It is only fair to state that the Huelva Club had never played together before, and had also that morning a railway journey of four hours, and consequently played under great disadvantages. 

 

Our English doctor acted as umpire for Seville, the Secretary of the Recreation Club acting in a similar capacity for Huelva, the British Vice Consul discharging the duty of referee to everyone's satisfaction. This being the first known football contest in the south of Spain, probably in all Spain, it was thought worthy of a special banquet, and at eight o’clock covers for thirty were laid in the saloon of the Suizo Restaurant. After a sumptuous dinner, part Spanish, part French, with a slight inkling of British fare thrown in, Mr Edward Johnston, who presided, in a few well chosen remarks, toasted our Queen, Prince of Wales, and Royal Family, together with the Queen Regent and young King of Spain, touching feelingly on Alfonso XIII.’s recent illness. It is needless to say the toast was drunk with due enthusiasm. The evening was pleasantly spent with toast, song, and sentiment; the non-success of the "Clown Yugles" in endeavouring to balance himself on a vacant chair not even marring the harmony of the meeting. It is just likely Seville will visit Huelva in a few weeks, and we look forward to the repetition of as pleasant a time as Huelva had here; and no doubt the inauguration of the game in this part of the country will be followed by organisations of a similar kind in all parts where a British colony exists in Spain.

March, 17 1890. The Dundee Courier

Moray’s link to top Spanish football club

El siguiente artículo fue publicado por el periódico escocés The Northern Scot el 31 de mayo de 2013. A continuación, se ofrece la transcripción literal del mismo, con la intención de publicar su traducción en un próximo post.

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A Moray museum is officially recognising the remarkable link between an Elgin man and one of Spain’s top football clubs.

‘The Northern Scot’ reported last December that historians at Sevilla Football Club had pinpointed the team’s founder as being Edward Farquharson Johnston, of Newmill, Elgin.

Newspapers reports that were unearthed, from 1890, also confirmed Sevilla as being Spain’s oldest football club.

Elgin Museum has now captured the previously long-forgotten fact with a special display, encased in glass, that will be open to the public throughout the season.

The Northern Scot. May 31, 2013

Volunteer Mary Shand said the museum was keen to acknowledge the link between Elgin and Sevilla.

Staff from the museum have also been in further contact with the Spanish club, she pointed out, and have been told that Sevilla has now set up a new annual award –in the name of Mr Johnston- which recognises organizations which represent the club best internationally.

“We obviously want to keep the connection there, and keep people interested in the connection”, she said.

“The Scots seem to have got everywhere and introduced football everywhere! I understand that it was Scots who introduced football to Brazil”.

Javier Terenti, a historian with Sevilla FC, explained: “The prize will be awarded every year to a person or institution for international cooperation, since Edward Johnston was characterized by this in helping the development of many projects between Spain and the UK”.

“In that sense, he was a key figure here in Seville developing areas such as sports, culture, business through the shipping company MacAndrew & Co, public works; and also for his help and charity during the terrible floods that Seville suffered at that time.”

Researchers in Spain have found that Mr Johnston, the club’s first president, was born in Newmill on October, 14 1854.

Also known as Ned, he was the son of James Johnston and Margaret Miller Farquharson.

According to Mr Johnston’s obituary, he was educated first at Weston House –once a noted seminary in Elgin, which at the same time taught Alexander Graham Bell- and afterwards at Mill Hill, the famous English Public School near London.

On completing his education, Mr Johnston entered into a business house that was connected to his mother, and had extensive business connections in Spain and Asia.

Through his work, he was sent to Seville in the 1870s. He established a life with his family, and on January, 23 1879, was appointed as British vice-consul in Seville until his retirement on October 5, 1906.

On January 25, 1890, a group of young residents of British origin in Seville met at a café and formed the current Sevilla FC.

Mr Johnston was elected as president, while Glasgow man Hugh Maccoll became first captain.

A few weeks after founding the club, its members wrote a letter to a recreation club in Huelva asking them if they could form an 11 and come to Seville to play a match.

The game took place on March 8 1890, the match being the first one ever on Spanish soil, and Sevilla won 2-0. At the turn of the century, members of Sevilla Football Club sourced striped red and white strips to play in – the colours in which the team still plays today.

It is thought that they may have wanted to use the same colours as Sunderland AFC, since Sevilla’s first captain, Hugh Maccoll, lived there at that time.

The club’s fascinating link to Moray went undiscovered for many decades.

It was only recently when the club founded a history department, under the leadership of current club president  Jose Maria del Nido, that its origins became clearer.

Published by The Northern Scot
Joe Millican
May 31, 2013

The Courier: Courier proves Seville’s claim as Spain’s oldest football club

A 123-year-old page of The Courier is to hang in the offices of the Spanish Football Association after it was revealed that, thanks to an article in the paper that day, Sevilla FC can officially claim to be Spain’s oldest club.

Seville FC president José María del Nido and club historian Carlos Romero with the page from The Courier.

The Courier revealed in September that the discovery of the club being founded 15 years earlier than previously thought was due to the story on page four of the paper from March 17 1890, which details how a group of young British, mainly Scottish, men met in a pub in Seville on January 25 that year to celebrate Burns Night.

Along with some Spanish friends, they decided to form the country’s first official football club, and, word having reached back to Dundee, 'The Courier' carried an article documenting the club’s act of constitution.

 

As a result, current members of the club say the article can be considered the founding document of Sevilla FC.

The president of Sevilla FC, José María del Nido, was presented with a copy of the page, certified by the British Newspaper Archive, by the club’s history department on January 25, 123 years after the club’s formation.

Another print of the page will be presented by the club to the Spanish FA.

 

Grant Millar, marketing executive of Dundee online company brightsolid, which hosts the online version of the British Newspaper Archive, was told of the presentations by Spanish researcher Javier Terenti.

Javier said: “The page in question contains a treasure for the history of Spanish football, since it is an article that describes in detail how the club was founded 15 years earlier than it was thought, thus being Spain’s oldest football club."

The article that is extremely rich in detail shows how the club’s founding date was not a coincidence.

 

Everything suggests that that Saturday 25 January, 123 years ago, a group of young British, mainly Scots, along with other young men of Spanish origin, met at one of the cafes in the city and celebrated Burns Night with the excuse of founding the first football club in Spain.

Among the most prominent Scots was the club’s first president, EF Johnston, and first captain, Hugo MacColl, who later, upon returning to the UK, became chairman of Sunderland Burns Club.

 

The discovery of the club’s Act of Constitution within an old edition of the Dundee Courier has been published not only in Spain but also in several important newspapers outside the country.

Mr Carlos Romero, director of the club’s history department, said: It’s a beautiful article that chronicles the adventures of those first ‘Sevillistas’, in which the following paragraph appears: ‘Some six weeks ago a few enthusiastic young 
residents of British origin met in one of the cafés for the purpose of considering a proposal that we should start an athletic association, the want of exercise being greatly felt by the majority of us, who are chiefly engaged in mercantile pursuits. After a deal of talk and a limited consumption of small beer, the “Club de Football de Sevilla” was duly formed and office bearers elected.'

Mr Millar added: “The reason why this important report was published in the Dundee Courier is probably due to the fact that, at that time, tonnes and tonnes of Seville oranges were loaded on steamships, travelling from Seville to Dundee for the manufacture of the city’s famous marmalade."

“However, this connection between Seville and Dundee could even go further if we take into account that two of the members of the Sevilla Football Club at that time, D. Thomson and Robert Thomson, could have been related to DC Thomson, founders of the Dundee Courier.”

Published by The Courier
Alan Wilson 
7 February 2013

Wearside Echoes: Sunderland businessmen founded UEFA Cup winners Seville FC

SUNDERLAND manufacturing firm with links to one of Spain’s oldest football teams is the topic of today’s Wearside Echoes.

HUNDREDS of Victorian vessels – from trawlers to paddle-boats – were once powered by engines crafted by a Sunderland firm.

But the history of MacColl and Pollock, a once prosperous global enterprise based at Wreath Quay, has never been officially documented – until now.

Dr Brian Newman, of Newcastle University, has spent years researching the work of the marine engine building firm, talking to former workers as well as ancestors of the founders.

And his findings will come under the spotlight during an illustrated talk at High Southwick Methodist Church this Saturday at 2pm, hosted by Southwick History and Preservation Society.

“Despite their great achievements, there is no detailed history of any of the marine engine builders of the North East coast – be they large, or small,” said Dr Newman.

“One of the least well-known of these firms was MacColl and Pollock (M&P), a company which engined almost 400 vessels between 1896 and 1931.”

M&P, probably the last new engine building company to be developed on the River Wear, was founded early in 1895 as Jameson and MacColl.

“The site at Wreath Quay had previously been employed for boiler-making, and it was this facility that Jameson and MacColl occupied,” said Dr Newman.

“They expanded the works to include engine building, but only two engine contracts were secured by the fledgling firm before Jameson’s sudden death at the age of 35.”

John Jameson, who was living in Azalea Terrace North when he died, originally hailed from Castle Eden and is believed to have worked with Hugh MacColl at a Hartlepool engine firm for a time.

It was to another old pal – and former footballing colleague – that MacColl turned to following Jameson’s death. Businessman and engineering expert Gilbert Reid Pollock.

“Pollock came across from Manchester to become a partner in the firm, which was re-named MacColl and Pollock. It seems they knew each other from working in Spain,” said Dr Newman.

“The firm occupied the same site until 1935 although, as one of the last available riverside sites, the topography was difficult – a very cramped and narrow space for manufacturing.

“This constrained the firm to a narrow range of customers for their machinery, but also had a surprising result in the form of a world-first for Sunderland.”

This world-first was an electric cantilever crane – a giant piece of machinery with a capacity of 60 tons, which was installed in 1905 at the Wreath Quay Works.

The firm went on to be incorporated as a Limited Company in 1903 and, by 1914, it was specialising in the supply and fitting of marine engines and boilers, as well as repairs to ships.

“A legion of boys learned their skills at M&P and, in the process, were forged into men,” said Dr Newman. “It put shoes on the feet of many a child, food in many a pantry, and kept a fire burning in many a parlour.

“Yet the passage of time has effaced almost all evidence of this firm and its valuable contribution to the prosperity of the local community.”

Dr Newman, a university research associate, developed a life-long interest in the mechanics of ship engines and cranes while serving as an apprentice at Wallsend Slipway and Engineering Company.

Detailed information on specific pieces of equipment, however, proved difficult to track down and, when he discovered a picture of the M&P crane some years later, he decided to delve further.

“It was the first time I’d heard of it,” he recalls. “I spent the next few years trying to find out more, eventually tracing relatives of MacColl, who kindly allowed me access to the firm’s records.

“My presentation is largely based on the unique photographs and drawings provided by them, as well as my interviews with ex-employees – which add some interesting and amusing anecdotes.”

M&P traded for more than 30 years, employing 500 men at its peak. The last engine, however, was built in 1930, and the firm dealt only with repairs until closing in 1935.

“The site was stripped, with much of the equipment taken to Wales,” said Dr Newman. “Only a crane was left, which was taken to pieces in 1941 and the parts used for a similar one in Scotland.

“The base of the crane was slowly covered by dust from Wearmouth Colliery. But there are still signs that the firm was there, if you know what to look for, and I’ll be mentioning them in the talk.”

Dr Newman is hoping his talk will spark further discussion about M&P, and is appealing for people with more information to come forward – with the aim of compiling a detailed history on the firm.

“It is my intention to preserve for future generations some of the history of M&P,” he said. “It was once someone’s whole life, and a part of the life of the whole community, too.”

Dr Newman can be contacted via email at brian.newman@ncl.ac.uk or via post at: The School of Marine Science and Technology, Armstrong Building, The University of Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU.

Sunderland Echo - Friday 5 April 2013

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Company's links with top Spanish football team

HUGH MacColl and Gilbert Reid Pollock weren’t just business parters – they were team mates too.

“Both worked at the Portilla and White foundry in Spain for a while, playing football during their free time,” said Pam Tate, chair of Southwick History and Preservation Society.

“Apparently Hugh, who was known as Hugo, was the first captain of Seville FC, while Gilbert scored the first goal for the team. What an amazing piece of history.”

Records show that football was introduced to Seville in the late 19th century by British workers living and running businesses in the city – mainly owners and managers of manufacturing firms.

The first documented football match took place in 1890, between a team from Seville and Huelva Recreation Club – attracting crowds of laughing Spaniards who found the game hilarious.

It would be another 15 years, however, before Seville FC was incorporated as an official club, by which time the team’s first captain and first goal scorer were hard at work in Sunderland.

“I have been emailed by football researchers in Spain, who have confirmed the original Seville FC was founded by Hugo and Gilbert, amongst others. It is one of the oldest teams in Spain,” said Pam.

“The Seville strip in the early years was very similar to Sunderland’s, being red and white stripes, and the club’s crest still features these stripes. Surely that can’t be a coincidence.

“Finally we know how Hugh MacColl got his new business partner when Jameson died – he had already worked, and played footy, with Pollock in his ‘younger’ days.”

Published by Sunderland Echo

February, 23 2012