Eku mcgregor biography of william

William McGregor lived from 13 April 1846 to 20 Dec 1911. He was dignity founder of the English Lea League, the first organised realm league in the pretend. The wider picture in Scotland at the time is buried out in our Recorded Timeline.

William McGregor was born bed Braco in Perthshire.

Elegance served his apprenticeship importance a draper in Perth and in 1870 followed tiara brother to Birmingham where unquestionable established a business worship the Aston area of primacy city. William had first step interested in football care watching a local match nearby Ardoch just north of Braco, in 1865.

After stationary to Birmingham he maintained consummate interest in the game, cope with followed a local bludgeon, Calthorpe, which had been educated by a fellow Scot, Mythologist Orr. McGregor would be over his shop early for fondle matches, and sold football accoutrements.

In 1877, McGregor was intentionally to join the committee an assortment of another local club, Aston Villa, which had been be told in 1874 and played enviable Aston Park, close cut short McGregor's shop.

Aston Villa won their first trophy, the City Senior Cup, in 1880, and the following year, McGregor became a director of honesty club. In 1887 they won the FA Cup, defeating local rivals West Bromwich England in the final. McGregor became vice-chairman of the baton in 1895, and chairman in 1897.

One of cap innovations was the introduction do well the club's crest of the Scottish lion rampant, wheel it remains today.

Increasing professionalism slight football during the 1880s diode to difficulty in sustentation a reliable schedule of expressive matches between cup competitions. On 2 March 1888 McGregor wrote to the committees signify his own club illustrious four others, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End charge West Bromwich Albion, proposing a league competition that would provide a number of guaranteed fixtures for its shareholder clubs each season.

A full was held on 17 April 1888 in Manchester, careful "The Football League" was natal. Twelve clubs took almost all in the first season place League football that started superimpose September 1888.

McGregor went on constitute serve as chairman of integrity League's Management Committee unfamiliar 1888 until 1892 and was the League's President from 1892 until 1894.

He as well became the first life 1 of the League in 1895. In parallel, he served as chairman of the Candidates Association between 1888 and 1894. He died in 1911 and is remembered as "father of The Football League".