British football clubs tours to South America

British football clubs tours over South America contributed to the spread and develop of football in the region during the first years of the 20th century. The first club to tour on the region was Southampton F.C. in 1904, followed by several teams (mainly from England although some Scotland clubs also visited South America) until 1929 with Chelsea F.C. being the last team to tour.

During those 25 years of tours, British teams performances were decreasing while the South American squads' style of playing improved. Indeed, Southampton won all of their matches in 1904 with 40 goals scored in 1904 while Chelsea was defeated eight times (over 16 games played) in their 1929 tour.[1]

Background

Football (and other British-origin sports like rugby union) were gaining popularity in Argentina and Uruguay and the associations brought foreign teams to their countries as a way of encourage the practise of the sport among the large number of enthusiasts.[2] In fact, Argentine Primera División was the first football league outside of the British Isles,[3] having been held since 1891 to the present.

British teams were considered the best in the world by then, and some of them served as inspiration to establish football clubs in Argentina and Uruguay, helped by the immigration of British citizens that had arrived to worked for British companies (mostly in railway construction). CURCC (in Uruguay), Belgrano A.C., Rosario A.C., Alumni and Quilmes (in Argentina) are some examples of clubs established by British immigrants to South America.[2][4]

Football had been introduced many years ago in both countries, being the first game played in Argentina on June 20, 1867,[5] with the establishment of Buenos Aires Football Club, the first football club not only in Argentina but in South America.[2][6] In Uruguay, football had been introduced in 1870. Argentina organised its first league championship, Primera División, in 1891 while its Uruguayan homonymous held its first championship in 1900.

Both countries considered themselves rivals due to their proximity. Moreover, they had the only organised bodies in South America and had held some earlier competitions such as Tie Cup (1900) or Copa de Honor Cousenier (1905), played by champions of each association.

In some cases, the influence of British clubs on Argentine football extended to the colors adopted by some clubs. Arístides Langone, president of Club Atlético Independiente, was so impressed by the Nottingham Forest squad that beat local Alumni by 6–0 that he suggested to change the jersey colors from white and blue to red. The request was approved and Independiente adopted the color that would later become an identity mark for the club, being known as El Rojo (The Red).[7]

Some versions also state that Quilmes A.C. was another institution that took the colors from a British squad, in this case the white jersey with blue details of the English national team, although there is no evidence to prove that statement.

Tours

Southampton F.C. was the first foreign club to tour South America, followed by Nottingham Forest F.C. in 1905. One of its games, against Alumni in Buenos Aires, was attended by 10,000 spectators, what proves the interest of Argentine fans to see the local forces facing British sides, considered technically superior by them.[8]

The first team to defeat a British side was Argentine Alumni, who defeated the South Africa team (mostly formed by British players) by 1–0 at Sociedad Sportiva Argentina stadium of Palermo, Buenos Aires. The relevance of the victory was expressed by local media, such as La Nación writing: "For our national football, the Alumni v South Africa match was a great triumph that will be remembered for a long time in everyone's memory, serving as example and stimulus for the future", while British-origin newspaper The Standard wrote "it was a glorious victory and what happened in La Sportiva is promising for Argentine football".[9]

Corinthian F.C. of London was the first British club to tour Brazil in 1910, playing ten games in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The team inspired a group of railway workers to establish a club which they named as the British team,[10] therefore S.C. Corinthians was founded in September 1910.[11]

Corinthian F.C. would return to Brazil in 1913,[12] becoming the only British team that toured South America twice.[10]

Exeter City was the first British team to play beyond Argentina and Uruguay[13] when they reached Brazil to play a series of friendly matches in Rio de Janeiro (most of them v. local combined teams), finishing their tour on July 21, 1914, when Exeter played Brazil national team, in which was the first match ever played by the scratch.[14]

Nevertheless, newspapers in Argentina were left disappointed with City's performances during the tour. Tribuna describing them as "the most mediocre team of professionals sent out by the FA from the home of football", and the Buenos Aires Herald complaining that the Grecians were not "sufficiently superior".[15]

Plymouth Argyle thrashed Uruguay national team 4–0 in their first game (Uruguay went on to win the first ever World Cup just six years later) before pulling off another shock by beating Argentina 1–0. Plymouth Argyle was the team that faced Argetina most times, with 4 matches played between both squads.[16]

In the match against Boca Juniors on 9 July 1924, the Boca Juniors supporters invaded the pitch after their team had scored the opening goal and carried all eleven home players shoulder high around the stadium. After a half hour delay, the referee restarted the match, but a further invasion was sparked when the referee awarded a penalty against the home side. When the match was again restarted, the Argyle players had agreed that Patsy Corcoran would take the spot-kick and miss, to prevent another pitch invasion. However, the ultra-competitive Russell was not prepared to accept this, and just before Corcoran was about to take the penalty he was pushed aside by Russell who took it himself and scored. This prompted a further pitch invasion by the Boca fans and this time the match was abandoned.[17]

Chelsea F.C. was the last British club to tour South America, in 1929. Since the first tour in 1904, the South American players had evolved a lot, as they were described as "true masters in tactical play" by Chelsea chairman Kirby himself. He also remarked the style and ball control on offer, perhaps a consequence of the outstanding sporting facilities many of the amateur teams possessed.[18] The evolution of South American football was also evident in the tour results: of 16 games played during their three months tour, Chelsea only won five, with eight loses.[1] On the other hand, the Chelsea players emphasized the "unfair play" of some Argentine players and the violent surrounding atmosphere of the supporters in Argentina. The Chelsea management complained to the Football Association that "non-observance of the laws of the game hindered real football".[19]

Some players that were part of British teams touring South America, would then hired as coaches in the continent. Walter Bull of Totenham Hotspur went to Argentina, John Harley to Uruguay (he died there in 1959) while John Hamilton went to Brazil in 1907, becoming the first professional coach in the country.[8]

List of British clubs by year of tour

Countries visited indicated in each case:

  • Green tick Toured
  • Red X Not toured
Team Year Arg Uru Bra Source
Southampton1904Green tickGreen tickRed X[20]
Nottingham Forest1905Green tickGreen tickRed X[8]
South Africa F.A.1906Green tickGreen tickRed X[9]
Everton1909Green tickGreen tickRed X[21]
Tottenham Hotspur1909Green tickGreen tickRed X[22][23]
Corinthian1910Red XRed XGreen tick[10]
Swindown Town1912Green tickGreen tickRed X[24]
Corinthian1913Red XRed XGreen tick[10]
Exeter City1914Green tickGreen tickGreen tick[25]
Third Lanark1923Green tickGreen tickRed X[26]
Plymouth Argyle1924Green tickGreen tickRed X[27]
Motherwell1928Green tickGreen tickGreen tick[28]
Chelsea1929Green tickGreen tickGreen tick[1]

Matches details (by club)

Complete list of visitors and games played in Argentina, Uruguay[29][30] and Brazil.[12]

     Indicates British clubs defeats.

Southampton

Southampton, the first British club to arrive, in 1904
Southampton
Date Venue Rival Score
26 Jun 1904Sociedad SportivaAlumni3-0
3 Jul 1904Buenos Aires"Británicos" [note1 1]10-0
6-Jul 1904Sociedad SportivaBelgrano A.C.6-1
9-Jul 1904Buenos Aires Argentina8-0
10-Jul 1904Buenos AiresLiga Argentina [note1 2]5-3
? Jul 1904MontevideoLiga Uruguaya [note1 3]8-1
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
6600405
Notes
  1. ↑ British-origin footballers that played in the Argentine domestic league
  2. ↑ All-star team from the Argentine domestic league
  3. ↑ All-star team from the Uruguay domestic league

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest in Argentina, 1905
Nottingham Forest
Date Venue Rival Score
11 Jun 1905MontevideoCURCC6-1
16 Jun 1905RosarioRosario Combined [note2 1]5-0
18 Jun 1905Buenos AiresBelgrano A.C.7-0
22 Jun 1905Buenos Aires"Británicos"13-1
? Jun 1905Buenos AiresRosario Combined [note2 1]6-0
? Jun 1905Buenos AiresAlumni6-0
29 Jun 1905Buenos Aires Argentina5-0
2 Jul 1905Buenos AiresLiga Argentina9-1
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
8800573
Notes
  1. 1 2 Team formed by players of Rosario Central and Rosario A.C.

South Africa

The South Africa team of 1906
South Africa playing Alumni in Buenos Aires, 1906
South Africa F.A.
Date Venue Rival Score
22 Jun 1906Sociedad Sportiva"Universitarios" [note3 1]14-0
24 Jun 1906Sociedad SportivaAlumni0-1
29 Jun 1906Sociedad SportivaBelgrano A.C.6-0
1 Jul 1906RosarioLiga Rosarina9-0
8 Jul 1906Sociedad Sportiva"Británicos"4-1
9 Jul 1906Sociedad Sportiva Argentina1-0
12 Jul 1906Sociedad SportivaEstudiantes (BA)3-2
15 Jul 1906Sociedad SportivaLiga Argentina4-1
18 Jul 1906Parque CentralLiga Uruguaya6-1
22 Jul 1906Sociedad SportivaAlumni2-0
26 Jul 1906Sociedad SportivaQuilmes5-1
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
111001547
Notes
  1. ↑ Team formed for University students

Everton

Everton also toured to Argentina and Uruguay in 1909
Everton
Date Venue Rival Score
06 Jun 1909Sociedad SportivaTottenham Hotspur2-2
10 Jun 1909Sociedad SportivaAlumni4-0
13 Jun 1909Parque CentralLiga Uruguaya2-1
19 Jun 1909Sociedad SportivaTottenham Hotspur4-0
20 Jun 1909Sociedad SportivaLiga Argentina4-1
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
5410164

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur team of 1909
Tottenham Hotspur
Date Venue Rival Score
06 Jun 1909Sociedad SportivaEverton2-2
10 Jun 1909Parque CentralLiga Uruguaya8-0
13 Jun 1909Sociedad Sportiva Argentina1-0
16 Jun 1909Sociedad SportivaLiga Argentina4-1
19 Jun 1909Sociedad SportivaEverton0-4
20 Jun 1909RosarioLiga Rosarina9-0
24 Jun 1909Sociedad SportivaAlumni5-0
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
7511297

Corinthian (1910)

The Corinthian F.C. squad that toured on Brazil in 1910, winning all matches
Corinthian
Date Venue Rival Score
24-8-1910Rio de JaneiroFluminense10-1
26-8-1910Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro Combined8-1
28-8-1910Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro Combined5-2
31-8-1910São PauloA.A. das Palmeiras [note4 1]2-0
2-9-1910São PauloPaulistas Combined5-0
4-9-1910São PauloForeigners Sao Paulo8-2
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
6600386
Notes
  1. ↑ "Associação Atlética das Palmeiras" (not to be confused with S.E. Palmeiras, established in 1914),
    was a football club that merged with members of C.A. Paulistano to form Sao Paulo FC in 1930

Swindon Town

Swindon Town playing Argentina national team at GEBA stadium, July 1912
Swindon Town
Date Venue Rival Score
16 Jun 1912GEBACombinado Norte2-2
22 Jun 1912San IsidroSan Isidro4-1
23 Jun 1912Buenos AiresCombinado Sur2-0
29 Jun 1912RosarioLiga Rosarina3-1
30 Jun 1912Buenos AiresLiga Argentina2-2
4 Jul 1912Buenos AiresEstudiantes (BA)4-0
? Jul 1912MontevideoLiga Uruguaya3-0
9 Jul 1912GEBA Argentina1-0
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
8521216

Corinthian (1913)

Corinthian
Date Venue Rival Score
21 Aug 1913Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro Combined1-2
23 Aug 1913Rio de JaneiroForeigners Rio4-0
24 Aug 1913Rio de JaneiroBrazilians Rio2-1
28 Aug 1913Sao PauloPaulistano2-1
30 Aug 1913Sao PauloMcKenzie College8-2
31 Aug 1913Sao PauloA.A. das Palmeiras1-1
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
6411187

Exeter City

The 1914 Exeter City team that toured on South America
The first Brazil national team ever playing Exeter City in Rio de Janeiro
Exeter City
Date Venue Rival Score
14 Jun 1914Buenos AiresCombinado Norte0-1
21 Jun 1914Buenos AiresCombinado Sur3-0
24 Jun 1914AvellanedaRacing2-0
28 Jun 1914RosarioLiga Rosarina3-1
29 Jun 1914AvellanedaCombined team5-0
9 Jul 1914AvellanedaLiga Argentina3-0
11 Jul 1914Buenos AiresArgentinos0-0
12 Jul 1914AvellanedaLiga Argentina3-1
18 Jul 1914Rio de JaneiroEnglish of Rio3-0
19 Jul 1914Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro Combined5-3
21 Jul 1914Rio de Janeiro Brazil0-2
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
11812278

Third Lanark

Third Lanark (dark jerseys) and Zona Norte combined entering to the pitch, 10 June 1923
Third Lanark
Date Venue Rival Score
10 June 1923Buenos AiresCombinado Norte0-1
17 June 1923Buenos AiresCombinado Sud3-1
19 June 1923Montevideo Uruguay1-1
24 June 1923Buenos Aires Argentina1-1
29 June 1923AvellanedaIndependiente1-2
1 Jul 1923Buenos AiresCombinado Provincia3-2
4 Jul 1923MontevideoPeñarol2-0
8 Jul 1923Buenos AiresArgentina/Uruguay3-2
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
84221410

Plymouth Argyle

Plymouth Argyle v. Argentina national team: English back Russell (left) fights to cut off centre-forward Sosa
Plymouth Argyle
Date Venue Rival Score
22 Jun 1924Sportivo Barracas Argentina1-0
29 Jun 1924Sportivo Barracas Argentina0-3
4 Jul 1924Montevideo Uruguay4-0
6 Jul 1924Newell'sRosario Combined6-0
8 Jul 1924Boca JuniorsRosario Combined1-2
9 Jul 1924Boca JuniorsBoca Juniors0-0
13 Jul 1924Boca Juniors Argentina1-0
18 Jul 1924Montevideo Uruguay1-1
20 Jul 1924Sportivo Barracas Argentina0-1
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
9432147

Motherwell

Motherwell F.C. players entering to River Plate field to play the first match of the tour, May 1928
Motherwell
Date Venue Rival Score
13 May 1928River PlateCombinado Capital0-1
17 May 1928River PlateCombinado Provincia1-2
20 May 1928Sp. BarracasCombinado Capital2-3
25 May 1928IndependienteLiga Rosarina4-3
2 Jun 1928Boca Juniors Argentina3-2
3 Jun 1928River PlateCombinado Rioplatense3-0
5 Jun 1928RacingCombinado del Interior4-1
7 Jun 1928Newell's O.B.Liga Rosarina3-2
9 Jun 1928Buenos AiresBoca Juniors0-2
10 Jun 1928Parque CentralPeñarol1-0
14 Jun 1928Estación PocitosPeñarol1-2
21 Jun 1928das LaranjeirasRio de Janeiro1-1
24 Jun 1928das Laranjeiras Brazil1-4
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
136162422

Chelsea

The Chelsea F.C. team that toured on South America, photographed in Argentina in 1929[31]
Chelsea v. Corinthians, in Sao Paulo. Both captains greet before the match
Chelsea
Date Venue Rival Score
25 May 1929San LorenzoCombinado Capital3-2
26 May 1929Racing ClubCombinado Provincia0-4
31 May 1929River Plate Argentina1-0
2 Jun 1929Boca JuniorsCombinado Capital2-3
8 Jun 1929Buenos AiresSan Lorenzo2-0
9 Jun 1929Estación PocitosPeñarol1-2
15 Jun 1929AvellanedaIndependiente1-1
16 Jun 1929Newell's O.B.Combinado Rosarino1-2
16 Jun 1929Santa FeUnión (SF)0-5
20 Jun 1929AvellanedaRacing0-1
22 Jun 1929Buenos AiresEstudiantil Porteño3-2
23 Jun 1929MontevideoWanderers1-0
28 Jun 1929Rio de JaneiroCombinado R. de Janeiro1-1
30 Jun 1929Rio de JaneiroCombinado R. de Janeiro1-2
4 Jul 1929Palestra ItáliaCorinthians4-4
7 Jul 1929Sao PauloCombinado Sao Paulo1-3
Balance
Pl W D L Gs Gc
165382232

References

  1. 1 2 3 South American Trip of Chelsea FC 1929 by Pablo Ciullini on RSSSF
  2. 1 2 3 Historia del Fútbol Amateur en la Argentina, by Jorge Iwanczuk. Published by Autores Editores (1992) - ISBN 9504343848
  3. ↑ "Salvation army", The Guardian, 4 June 2006
  4. ↑ Plaza Jewell, el club donde nació el deporte rosarino, cumple hoy 145 años, La Capital, 27 Mar 2012
  5. ↑ A un siglo y medio del primer partido de fútbol en la Argentina y en Sudamérica by Oscar Barnade, Clarín, 20 Jun 2017
  6. ↑ Historia de Fútbol de AFA: Orígenes 1891/1899, by Carlos Yametti. Published by Edición del Autor (2011) – ISBN 978-987-05-9773-5
  7. ↑ Independiente y Nottingham Forest unidos para siempre on Olé, 27 Aug 2010
  8. 1 2 3 The World's Game: A History of Soccer, by Bill Murray, William J. Murray
  9. 1 2 A cien años de un triunfazo on Clarín, 24 June 2006
  10. 1 2 3 4 Corinthian FC Football Pioneers by Vince Cooper, 2 Oct 2017
  11. ↑ NO BOM RETIRO, EM 1910, COMEÇA ESTA HISTÓRIA, Folha de S.Paulo, 5 Dec 1976
  12. 1 2 British and Irish Clubs - Overseas Tours 1890-1939 by Javier García on RSSSF
  13. ↑ Exeter City’s 1914 South American Tour & its Legacy Today by R.I. Ngah
  14. ↑ A century of the Seleção: the remarkable story of Brazilian football on The Guardian
  15. ↑ Hamilton, Aidan (2014). Have you ever played Brazil?: The story of Exeter City's 1914 tour of South America. Exeter City AFC Supporters Society. ISBN 0992967600.
  16. ↑ Argentina national team - List of Other Matches 1901-2008 by Héctor Pelayes on RSSSF
  17. 1 2 Chapter 13: 1920-1930 by Colin Parsons on Green on Screen website
  18. ↑ When Chelsea went to Rio on Chelsea FC official site, 12 Jul 2014
  19. ↑ ¡Golazo!: A History of Latin American Football by Andreas Campomar – Quercus Publishing Plc (2014) – ISBN 978-1848668560
  20. ↑ source
  21. ↑ The South American Tour 1909 on Everton Collection website
  22. ↑ Hotspur Towers - Spurs in South America
  23. ↑ Everton & Tottenham Hotspur in South America 1909, Association football around the world, 1863-19378
  24. ↑ When Saturday Comes magazine, Sep 2010
  25. ↑ Exeter City return to Brazil one hundred years after special trip by Kalika Mehta, BBC Sport, 18 July 2014
  26. ↑ Tommy McInally: Celtic's Bad Bhoy? by David Potter - Black & White Publishing (2009) - ISBN 9781845022600
  27. ↑ SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR 1924
  28. ↑ South American Trip of Motherwell FC 1928 by Pablo Ciullini on RSSSF
  29. ↑ British and Irish Clubs - Overseas Tours 1890-1939
  30. ↑ British Clubs in Argentina and Uruguay (1904-1929) (RSSSF)
  31. ↑ Asociación Amateurs Argentina de Football: Memoria y Balance 1929, pag. 159, AFA Library

See also

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