Home > William McGregor

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 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 1880Events January 1 Construction of the Panama Canal begins February 2 The first electric streetlight is installed in Wabash, Indiana February 13 Thomas Edison becomes the second person to observe the Edison Effect. February 17 Bomb explodes in Winter Palace. By 18871887 is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). Events January 20 The United States Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base. January 21 The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is formed January 26 Battle of Dogali: A, they had won the FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup commonly known as the FA Cup is the main "knockout" cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The FA Cup is the oldest football competition in the world. As such its presti for the first time, 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 18881888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). In Germany, 1888 is known as the 1888 Year of Three Emperors. Events January 3 91cm telescope first used at Lick Observatory January 12 ? Blizzards in Dakota and Montana, Minnesota, Nebr, 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 in 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."

The 12 founding members of the world's first football league were: Accrington Stanley, 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 achievment, for activity in philanthropic enterprise, for astuteness of management and for general alertness, the superiors of Aston Villa cannot be found"