William McGregor (football)

Born in Braco in Perthshire, Scotland, McGregor first became interested in football after watching a match between locals and visiting artisans at Ardoch.{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|publisher=Willow Books|year=1988|isbn=0-00-218242-4|page=1}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pkc.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=14372#page=12|title=The FA and Braco|publisher=Perth & Kinross Council|date=5 January 2011|access-date=10 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216181045/http://www.pkc.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=14372#page=12|archive-date=16 December 2013}} He served an apprenticeship as a draper in Perth, and in 1870, following the example of his brother Peter, moved to Birmingham,{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=31}} and opened his own drapery business in Aston, an area then just outside the city.{{cite news|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2008/04/03/william-mcgregor-statue-a-step-closer-thanks-to-aston-villa-supporters-97319-20714293/ |title=William McGregor statue a step closer thanks to Aston Villa supporters |work=Birmingham Mail |access-date=16 July 2008 |date=3 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515211444/http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2008/04/03/william-mcgregor-statue-a-step-closer-thanks-to-aston-villa-supporters-97319-20714293/ |archive-date=15 May 2008 }} Upon his arrival in the English Midlands he became involved with a local football club, Calthorpe F.C., which had been formed by a fellow Scot, Campbell Orr.{{cite ODNB|first=Tony|last= Mason|title=McGregor, William (1847–1911)|year=2004|doi= 10.1093/ref:odnb/50401|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/50401|access-date=24 July 2008}} (accessible with a UK library card) McGregor was enthusiastic enough about the game to arrange for his shop to close early on Saturdays to allow him to watch matches, and he later sold football kits at the shop, which became a popular meeting place for football enthusiasts.

McGregor was married to Jessie, and the couple had a daughter and a son, also named Jessie and William.{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=363}} A teetotaller, McGregor was a supporter of the temperance movement,{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=108}} and was active in the local branch of the Liberal Party until his membership lapsed in 1882 due to the increasing amount of time he devoted to football. He was involved in the early attempts to establish a baseball league in the United Kingdom, and served as the honorary treasurer of the Baseball Association of Great Britain and Ireland. Despite his commitment to sport, he continued his drapery business throughout his life.

McGregor was a committed Christian who was widely respected for his honesty and integrity. He worshipped for forty years at the Congregational church in Wheeler Street, Aston. His pastor, the Revd. W.G. Percival said that the best thing about him "was not so much the genial, kindly, honest sportsman, but the Christian behind it all". He described him as "a man of absolutely unblemished personal character".{{cite book|title=Thank God for Football!|first=Peter|last=Lupson|publisher=Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge|year=2010|isbn=978-1-902694-30-6|page=8}}

File:AstonVilla1896-97.jpg and the FA Cup|alt=A group of men pose in two lines, one standing and the other seated. Eleven of the men are wearing dark-coloured football shirts with lighter sleeves, white shorts, shin pads and football boots. The remainder of the men are wearing formal suits. Almost all of the men sport moustaches. Displayed in the centre of the group are two large trophies.]]

In 1877, McGregor was invited to become a committee member of Aston Villa, a football club formed three years earlier. He also umpired matches for the club.{{ref label|ump|A|}}{{cite web|url=http://origin-www.premierleague.com/page/aston-villa|title=Club Profile: Aston Villa|publisher=The Premier League|access-date=10 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413125352/http://origin-www.premierleague.com/page/aston-villa|archive-date=13 April 2014}} At the time the club played at Aston Park, close to the premises of McGregor's business. He became interested in joining Villa due to the strong Scottish contingent in the club's ranks, the team's exciting style of play, and the club's connection to a Wesleyan Chapel.{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=3}} He quickly assumed the post of club administrator, helping the impecunious club to survive its financial troubles. After some of Aston Villa's possessions were seized by bailiffs, McGregor allowed the club to use his shop as a store to prevent further seizures. Under McGregor's leadership, Aston Villa won their first trophy, the Birmingham Senior Cup, in 1880,{{cite web|url=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/HistoryRamsay/|title=Hall of Fame: George Ramsay|publisher=Aston Villa F.C|access-date=30 June 2012}} shortly after which McGregor became the club's president.

The following year McGregor became a member of the club's board of directors. Villa's standing within the game continued to grow, and, in 1887, the club became the first from the Midlands to win the FA Cup, defeating local rivals West Bromwich Albion in the final.{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of British Football|first=Phil|last=Soar|author2=Martin Tyler |publisher=Willow Books|year=1983|isbn=0-00-218049-9|page=24}} In 1895, McGregor became vice-chairman, and went on to become the club's chairman in 1897. During his time at the club he was noted for his organisational skills and ambition,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/4703991.stm|title=Demolition for Villa birthplace|publisher=BBC|work=BBC News|date=21 July 2005|access-date=24 July 2008}} and was responsible for adopting the lion rampant depicted on the Royal Standard of Scotland, as the club's crest.{{cite book|title=The Aston Villa Miscellany|first=Dave|last=Woodhall|publisher=Vision Sports Publishing Ltd|year=2007|isbn=978-1-905326-17-4|page=16 }}

As the 1880s progressed, the balance of power within English football began to change. The first national competition, the FA Cup, had previously been dominated by amateur clubs from privileged backgrounds, such as Wanderers and Old Etonians. However the 1883 FA Cup Final saw the first victory by a working-class team, Blackburn Olympic.{{cite book |last=Goldblatt |first=David |title=The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football |publisher=Penguin|location=London |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-14-101582-8|pages=37–47}} At this time professionalism was not permitted. Clubs from urban areas in the north were strong advocates of the practice, but the southern amateur teams and the FA authorities were firmly opposed. Though not initially an advocate of professionalism, McGregor came to favour its introduction.{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=4}} By 1885 the issue threatened to split the FA when a group of clubs, predominantly from Lancashire, announced their intention to leave and form a rival British Football Association if professionalism was not accepted. An emergency FA conference was called in response. Representing Aston Villa, McGregor spoke in favour of professionalism, the only delegate from the Midlands to do so, and was one of the few delegates to admit that his club had been paying players. Though not as outspoken as stronger proponents, such as Preston North End's William Sudell, McGregor was well respected. The conference ended with the FA accepting professionalism, although each club was permitted only to pay players who had been born or lived for at least two years within six miles of its home stadium.

Professionalism brought fresh complications for club administrators. Many friendlies were cancelled due to opponents' FA Cup or county cup matches taking precedence or clubs simply failing to honour a fixture in favour of a more lucrative match elsewhere. This made it hard for the clubs to pay players' wages on a regular basis.{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of British Football|first=Phil|last=Soar|author2=Martin Tyler |page=162}}{{cite book|title=Boots, Balls and Haircuts: An Illustrated History of Football from Then to Now|first=Hunter|last=Davies|pages=39–41|publisher=Cassell Illustrated|year=2003|isbn=1-84403-261-2}} McGregor took action after seeing Villa matches cancelled, to the increasing frustration of the club's fans, on five consecutive Saturdays. On {{Nowrap|2 March}} 1888,{{cite book|title=National Pastime: How Americans Play Baseball and the Rest of the World plays Soccer|first=Stefan|last=Szymanski|author2=Andrew S. Zimbalist|publisher=Brookings Institution Press|year=2006|isbn=0-8157-8259-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/nationalpastimeh01szym/page/41 41]|url=https://archive.org/details/nationalpastimeh01szym/page/41}} he wrote to the committee of his own club, Aston Villa, as well as to those of Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion,{{cite book|title=The Football League 1888–1988 The Official Illustrated History |first=Bryon |last=Butler|publisher=Macdonald Queen Anne Press |year=1987|isbn=0-356-15072-0 |page=11}} suggesting the creation of a league competition that would provide a number of guaranteed fixtures for its member clubs each season. Corinthian F.C. founder Nicholas Lane Jackson, writing in 1899, stated that McGregor took his inspiration from the existing league set-up used in American baseball,{{cite book |first=Stefan |last=Szymanski|author2=Andrew S. Zimbalist |title=National Pastime: How Americans Play Baseball and the Rest of the World Plays Soccer |pages=43–44}} although McGregor himself cited the County Cricket Championship as his inspiration.{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=7}} McGregor's letter to the clubs read:{{cite web|url=http://www.11v11.com/early-history-football/139-part-17-football-league.html|title=The Football League – Part 17 of the History of Football|publisher=The Association of Football Statisticians|work=11v11.com|access-date=10 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413181922/http://www.11v11.com/early-history-football/139-part-17-football-league.html|archive-date=13 April 2014}}

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, 23 March 1888, suit for the friendly conference at Anderton's Hotel, London?

McGregor chose 23 March as the date of his proposed meeting because it was the day before the FA Cup final and representatives of the country's top clubs would be in London. Representatives from ten clubs attended, including the FA Cup finalists West Bromwich Albion and Preston North End,{{cite book |last=James |first=Gary |title=Manchester – A Football History |publisher=James Ward |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-9558127-0-5|page=45}} but it quickly became clear that clubs from the South of England were not interested in McGregor's proposal and none attended. A second meeting was held in Manchester on {{Nowrap|17 April}}, and details concerning the new competition were finalised. McGregor's suggested name for the competition, "The Association Football Union" was rejected as too similar to that of the Rugby Football Union and "The Football League" was chosen, despite McGregor's opposition on the grounds that he felt it might invoke associations with the unpopular Irish Land League.{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of British Football|first=Phil|last=Soar|author2=Martin Tyler |page=16}} The term English League was avoided, to leave the possibility of future applications from Scottish clubs.{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=15}} McGregor also proposed a rule that only one club from each town should be included. The other founders agreed to this rule, which caused controversy, as it meant Birmingham team Mitchell St. George's were denied membership in favour of McGregor's Aston Villa. Twelve clubs kicked off the first season of League football in September 1888.{{cite web|url=https://www.fchd.info/lghist/fl1889.htm|title=Football League 1888–89|publisher=The Football Club History Database|access-date=16 July 2008}}

File:JJBentley.jpg, McGregor's successor as Football League president, criticised McGregor for his failure to attend many meetings during his later spell as League president.|alt=A head and shoulders view of a man with thinning hair and a moustache. He is wearing a suit jacket and tie.]]

McGregor served as the first chairman of the League's Management Committee. One of the committee's main jobs was handling issues of discipline, but committee members were not barred from involvement in decisions involving their own clubs. In fact, the first disciplinary meeting saw fines issued to three of the four clubs with representatives on the committee.{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=18}} McGregor was re-elected unopposed in 1891. Earlier he had spoken of his pleasure that "of the 132 matches in which the League clubs have taken part and in which about 300 players have taken the field, not a single fatal accident has to be recorded".{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=23}} A year later he oversaw the expansion of the Football League into two divisions when the rival Football Alliance was merged into the competition, but he relinquished his post later that year due to ill health, which caused him to miss meetings.{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=26}}

After stepping down as chairman, he was unanimously elected to an honorary position of president, a role he kept until 1894, and was named the first-ever life member of the League in 1895.{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of British Football |first=Richard |last=Cox|author2=Dave Russell |author3=Wray Vamplew |publisher=Routledge|year=2002|isbn=0-7146-5249-0|page=3}} The role was that of a figurehead with little actual authority, but he was used as a mediator to resolve league disagreements.{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=32}} In the second half of the decade McGregor's failure to attend many committee meetings led to criticism from John Bentley, his successor as president. Bentley's criticism achieved the desired effect; from 1899 until his health deteriorated in 1910, McGregor seldom missed a meeting.{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=46}} During this period McGregor was noted for his reserved nature. He was silent for large parts of committee meetings, but would contribute enthusiastically on the occasions he felt his input was necessary.

Between 1888 and 1894 McGregor also served as chairman of The Football Association (the FA), English football's overall governing body, which had existed since 1863. He became known as a football celebrity, writing a weekly column for the Birmingham Gazette and endorsing products such as footballs, and a type of football boot which the manufacturer billed as the "McGregor lace-to-toe boot".{{cite book|title=League Football and the Men Who Made It|first=Simon|last=Inglis|page=85}} Though he held many different administrative posts in his lifetime, McGregor never played the sport competitively; his only on-pitch involvement was occasional goalkeeping during Aston Villa practices in the 1870s.

In 1890 McGregor was appointed President of the Aston Villa baseball club, for the upcoming professional 1890 National League of Baseball of Great Britain.{{cite news|title=Notes on Outdoor Sports|publisher=Derby Daily Telegraph|date=11 June 1890|page=4}}

File:Statue of William McGregor outside Villa Park2.jpg|alt=A bronze statue of a man with a large beard, wearing a long coat, leaning on a walking stick, and holding some papers]]

Although McGregor envisaged the League as a friendly union, within which clubs would share ticket revenues and work together in their mutual best interests, the immediate effect of its creation was that football came to be treated as a business for the first time, as opposed to something that players and officials simply regarded as a pastime. All the clubs involved experienced significant increases in their turnover, which at Aston Villa, McGregor's own club, increased more than sixfold between 1889 and 1899. The wages paid to players, however, remained low due to restrictions imposed by the FA, so clubs were able to use their increased profitability to build larger stadiums and accommodate ever larger crowds of spectators.{{cite book|title=National Pastime: How Americans Play Baseball and the Rest of the World plays Soccer |first=Stefan |last=Szymanski|author2=Andrew S. Zimbalist |page=46}} Although the League initially contained a small number of clubs, all of which were based in the northern half of the country, by the early years of the twentieth century it included clubs from all parts of England. At its peak nearly 100 clubs played in the Football League, and it remained the pre-eminent competition in English football until the 1990s, when the top clubs broke away to form the Premier League.{{cite web|url=http://www.fchd.info/lghist/fl.htm|title=Football League|publisher=The Football Club History Database|access-date=17 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031113813/http://www.fchd.info/lghist/fl.htm|archive-date=31 October 2012|url-status=dead}} In keeping with McGregor's views on mutual support and co-operation, gate receipts were shared amongst the clubs until the 1980s, which helped to ensure that a select few wealthy clubs were not able to dominate the competition.{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of British Football |first=Richard |last=Cox|author2=Dave Russell |author3=Wray Vamplew |page=173}} McGregor himself had little interest in the business aspect of football, and was adamant that the Football League should not challenge the longstanding authority of the FA. The success of the Football League directly inspired the creation of similar competitions in other countries, beginning with Scotland, where the Scottish Football League was formed in 1890.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/sportscotland/asportingnation/article/0010/page02.shtml|title=A Sporting Nation – Scottish League formed|publisher=BBC Scotland|access-date=17 February 2009}}

In May 1910, McGregor was taken ill and later confined to a nursing home.{{cite book|title=The Legends of Aston Villa|first=Tony|last=Matthews|page=117}} His condition worsened towards the end of 1911. His last public appearance was a committee meeting on {{Nowrap|4 December}}, and he underwent an operation on {{Nowrap|19 December}}. However, after a brief improvement in his condition he relapsed and died the following day.{{cite news |title=Death of Mr William McGregor |work=The Times |page=13 |date=21 December 1911}} Although a devout Congregationalist, he is buried in the grounds of a Church of England church, St. Mary's, in the Handsworth district of Birmingham, alongside his wife, who died in 1908. McGregor is remembered as the "father of The Football League",{{cite book|title=The Leaguers: The Making of Professional Football in England, 1900–1939|first=Matthew|last=Taylor|publisher=Liverpool University Press|year=2005|isbn=0-85323-649-6 |page=48}} an Aston Villa legend,{{cite news

|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2011/07/07/aston-villa-the-day-the-claret-and-blues-won-the-baseball-league-97319-29010957/

|title=Aston Villa: The day the claret and blues won the baseball league

|publisher=Trinity Mirror

|work=Birmingham Mail

|date=7 July 2011 |access-date=30 June 2012 |url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001235906/http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2011/07/07/aston-villa-the-day-the-claret-and-blues-won-the-baseball-league-97319-29010957/

|archive-date=1 October 2012 }} and a legend of football in general.{{cite web|url=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/HistoryMcGregor/|title=History: McGregor|publisher=Aston Villa F.C|access-date=30 June 2012}}

Shortly before his death, the FA presented McGregor, who was at that time a vice-president of the association, with a long service medal.{{cite news |title=The Football Association |work=The Times |page=12 |date=12 January 1912}} After his death, Aston Villa dedicated a bed in the children's ward of one of Birmingham's hospitals in his honour,{{cite book|last=Butler|first=Bryon|title=100 Seasons of League Football|date=1998|publisher=Queen Anne Press|location=England|isbn=1-85291-595-1|page=392}} and the Birmingham County Football Association unveiled a commemorative drinking fountain, which is now preserved at Villa Park, current home of his former club. In the modern era, Aston Villa selected him as one of the twelve inaugural members of its Hall of Fame,{{cite web|url=http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HallOfFame/0,,10265,00.html |title=Hall of Fame |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |access-date=16 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070603031135/http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HallOfFame/0%2C%2C10265%2C00.html |archive-date=3 June 2007 |url-status=dead }} and named a hospitality suite at Villa Park after him.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8377219.stm|title=Fans' tribute to football's 'saviour' |publisher=BBC News |date=28 November 2009 |first=Sitala|last=Peek|access-date=15 September 2010}} In 2008, the Aston Villa Supporters' Trust announced plans to further honour him with a bronze statue outside the stadium.{{cite news|url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/local-news/aston-villa-fans-approve-statue-3960996 |title=Aston Villa fans approve statue of first chairman |work=Birmingham Post |date=2 April 2008 |first=Lisa |last=Smith |access-date=10 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408214336/http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/local-news/aston-villa-fans-approve-statue-3960996 |archive-date=8 April 2014 }} The statue, by sculptor Sam Holland, is displayed outside the Directors' Entrance of the Trinity Road Stand, and was unveiled on {{Nowrap|28 November}} 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10265~1796350,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228020651/http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10265~1796350%2C00.html |archive-date=28 December 2009 |title=Fitting Tribute |date=14 September 2009 |publisher=Aston Villa F.C. |access-date=14 September 2009 |url-status=dead }} The Trust also raised £1,000 to restore and rededicate McGregor's grave in 2011.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-16247593|title=Football League founder William McGregor's grave rededicated|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=20 December 2011|access-date=20 December 2011}}

• A. {{note|ump}} In the 1870s the concept of the referee had not been introduced to football. Matches were officiated by two umpires, one supplied by each of the two teams involved.

{{Reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}

{{Aston Villa F.C. Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McGregor, William}}

Category:1846 births

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Category:19th-century English businesspeople

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Category:Anglo-Scots

Category:Aston Villa F.C. directors and chairmen

Category:Baseball in the United Kingdom

Category:English football chairmen and investors

Category:English Football Hall of Fame inductees

Category:Founders of association football institutions

Category:Presidents of the English Football League

Category:Scottish drapers

Category:Sportspeople from Perth and Kinross