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Yesterday marked the 100th year anniversary of the death of William MacGregor: regarded as the founder of the first officially organised association football league in the world. Born in 1846, William moved from his home town of Braco in Perthshire to Birmingham to set-up a Draper’s shop. After moving to the Birmingham area, he became involved with the local football club, Aston Villa: a club he helped to ascertain as one of the foremost teams in England.
Speculation has been made as to why MacGregor was drawn to Aston Villa; some say it was due to the team’s exciting style of play, others believe it was due to the strong Scottish contingent at the club. Whatever the reasons, MacGregor dedicated his life to the glorious game. Dedicated to football he may have been but throughout all of his achievements in football at both club and association level, his Drapers business remained in full operation.
Assuming the role as club administrator, he played a pivotal role in helping the club weather some financial storms; on one occasion, bailiffs seized some of Aston Villa’s possessions. To prevent further seizures from happening, and to protect the club, MacGregor offered up his Drapers shop to be used as storage: a far cry from the different types of storage facility available in the Birmingham and West Midlands areas today.
In the early 1880s, professional football didn’t exist in its current form, with a strong difference in opinion being felt between the north and south of England. MacGregor was a strong advocate of professionalism in the game but this wasn’t the view of everyone. By 1885, the divided schools of thought threatened to split the FA authorities and an emergency conference was called by the FA to deal with the situation. Professional football was born as a result, with MacGregor being instrumental in its fruition. He was the only delegate from the Midlands to voice his honest opinion and concerns. 
Professionalism brought with it its own troubles: now money was involved teams would regularly cancel games in favour of more lucrative ones elsewhere. It was this realisation which brought about the creation of a "League" as we know it today. The league would ensure member clubs were guaranteed fixtures each season. MacGregor wrote to Aston Villa’s committee, as well as that of Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion with the following:
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?
Football author and historian, Peter Lupson said:
"McGregor's one of the three most important men in the history of football.
"As father of the Football League he's effectively the father of all football leagues - the one he founded was the prototype.
"He ranks alongside Ebenezer Cob Morley who gave the world the name soccer as we know it and also Charles Alcock who created the FA Cup and launched international football - he's up there with those people."
William MacGregor is not only a pioneer of the football league, he could also been construed as the first football celebrity with his weekly column in the Birmingham Gazette, as well as endorsing merchandise such as footballs and football boots. He also served as chairman of The Football Association between 1888 and 1894 and is now rightfully immortalised in his statue outside Villa Park, erected in 2009.
For more info on William MacGregor - click here & here
