William McGregor
William McGregor, founder of the Football League
Born	1847 Braco, Perthshire
Died	1911 Birmingham
Nationality	Scottish
Occupation	Draper, Director of Aston Villa

William McGregor (1847 – 1911) was Director of Aston Villa. After helping establish Aston Villa as one of the great football teams of England. He later went on to found the Football League, the first football league in the world. He chaired both the Football League and the Football Association and he also became President of the Football League. William McGregor Source: Library and Archives Canada William McGregor (June 24, 1836-May 14, 1903) was a Canadian businessman and political figure. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... , Braco is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. ... Perthshire (Siorrachd Pheairt in Gaelic) was a county in central Scotland, which extended from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south. ... This article is about the country. ... Draper is the now largely obsolete term for a merchant in cloth or dry goods, though often used specifically for one who owns or works in a drapers shop or store. ... “Aston Villa” redirects here. ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... “Aston Villa” redirects here. ... The Football Association (The FA) is the governing body of football in England and the Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. ...

Early life

McGregor first became interested in football as a young man in Scotland^{[citation needed]} while he was serving his apprenticeship as a draper. McGregor moved to Aston, Birmingham when he followed his brother Peter down to Birmingham in 1870 with a view to setting up his own drapery business in the area. Initially he became involved with a local football club, Calthorpe, on his arrival in the Midlands. A player (wearing the red kit) has penetrated the defence (in the white kit) and is taking a shot at goal. ... This article is about the country. ... Aston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. ... This article is about the British city. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Drapery refers to cloth or textiles (Latin drappus = cloth and Old French drap) or the trade of selling cloth. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Association with Aston Villa

McGregor though is presumed to have found out that there was a strong Scottish contingent in the Aston Villa side of the time and this persuaded him to became a member of the club in 1877. McGregor's organisational skills and passion for the fledgeling football club soon helped Aston Villa become a better team than Calthorpe resulting in them winning their first trophy, the Birmingham Senior Cup in 1880. By 1887, they had won the FA Cup for the first time becoming only the 9th club in the history of the competition to do so. By the end of McGregor's association with Aston Villa he had seen them win the League 6 times and the FA Cup 4 times. A fact that famously led McGregor to say: 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Birmingham Senior Cup is a football competition for Birmingham County FA club teams, organized by the Birmingahm County Football Associations. ... Year 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... This article is about the English FA Cup. ... This article is about the English FA Cup. ...

For brilliance and, at the same time, for consistency of achievement, for activity in philanthropic enterprise, for astuteness of management and for general alertness, the superiors of Aston Villa cannot be found

Founder of the Football League

It was the success of Aston Villa and the high attendances to their matches that convinced McGregor the public were hungry for more competition. So in early 1888, three years after football had become professional and one year after Villa's first FA Cup, William McGregor wrote to a number of clubs: For the toll-free telephone number see Toll-free telephone number Year 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the English FA Cup. ...

Every year it is becoming more and more difficult for football clubs of any standing to meet their friendly engagements and even arrange friendly matches. The consequence is that at the last moment, through cup-tie interference, clubs are compelled to take on teams who will not attract the public.
I beg to tender the following suggestion as a means of getting over the difficulty: that ten or twelve of the most prominent clubs in England combine to arrange home-and-away fixtures each season, the said fixtures to be arranged at a friendly conference about the same time as the International Conference.
This combination might be known as the Association Football Union, and could be managed by representative from each club. Of course, this is in no way to interfere with the National Association; even the suggested matches might be played under cup-tie rules. However, this is a detail.
My object in writing to you at present is merely to draw your attention to the subject, and to suggest a friendly conference to discuss the matter more fully. I would take it as a favour if you would kindly think the matter over, and make whatever suggestions you deem necessary. I am only writing to the following - Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End, West Bromwich Albion, and Aston Villa, and would like to hear what other clubs you would suggest.
I am, yours very truly, William McGregor (Aston Villa F.C.) P.S. How would Friday, 23rd March, 1888, suit for the friendly conference at Anderton's Hotel, London?

The plans were announced at a meeting at Anderton's Hotel in Fleet Street on March 22, 1888, and the first league kicked off on September 8 the same year with 12 member clubs. The 12 founding members of the world's first football league were: Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The league proved an instant success and McGregor's dream had become a reality. The Second Division was formed in 1892. is the 81st day of the year (82nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the toll-free telephone number see Toll-free telephone number Year 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Accrington Football Club were one of the founder members of the Football League in England. ... Blackburn Rovers Football Club are an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. ... Bolton Wanderers Football Club (also known as The Trotters) are an English professional football club based in Horwich, in the Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, North West England. ... Burnley Football Club, nicknamed The Clarets, is a professional football club based in Burnley, in east Lancashire, England. ... Derby County Football Club are an English football club based in Derby, who play in the Premier League. ... Everton Football Club is an English football club located in the city of Liverpool. ... Notts County Football Club are a football club based in Nottingham, England and is the oldest professional football team in the world. ... Preston North End Football Club are an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the second tier of English league football, The Championship. ... Stoke City Football Club is a football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. ... West Bromwich Albion Football Club (also known as West Brom, The Baggies, Albion, The Albion, The Throstles or W.B.A.) is an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands. ... Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. are an English football club playing at Molineux Stadium. ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Death

He is buried in the grounds of St. Mary's Church, Handsworth in Birmingham. St. ... This article is about the British city. ...

External links

• The History Of The Football League