William McGregor
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For the Canadian businessman and political figure, see William McGregor (politician).
William McGregor (Braco, Perthshire 1846 – 1911 in Birmingham) was a Scottish draper, Director of Aston Villa and founder of the Football League. McGregor went on to chair both the Football League and the Football Association and became President of the Football League.
McGregor first became interested in football as a young man in Scotland while he was serving his apprenticeship as a draper. McGregor ended up in 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. However, McGregor must have found out there was a strong Scottish contingent in the Aston Villa side of the time which 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.
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:
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.
By the end of McGregor's association with the 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:
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
He is buried in the grounds of St. Mary's Church, Handsworth, in Birmingham.
