Father of League’s legacy is honoured

Apr 7 2009 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THE legacy of Braco born William McGregor is being celebrated south of the border.

They might not know it, but Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo owe a huge debt of gratitude to the man from Perthshire.

McGregor is hailed as the man who kicked-off the world’s first formal football league.

Now, his 19th Century exploits are being heralded in Birmingham, as a £4.15 million church springs-up on the site where he changed the course of world sporting history.

McGregor served an apprenticeship as a draper in Perth before moving to Birmingham in 1870 to start his own business with his brother in Aston.

There, he joined the Aston Villa Methodist Church in Lozells which made history in 1874 when congregation members decided they needed a winter sport to fill the cold months when they couldn't play cricket.

They opted for football and Aston Villa Football Club was born.

In later years it was the enterprising McGregor's inspiration and vision that led to the formation of the world's first club league, revolutionising the way football was played forever.

And McGregor’s influence is still felt at Villa today – it was his idea that the Scottish symbol of a lion be incorporated on the now iconic club badge.

Due to spiralling ongoing costs, the historic Villa church was scheduled for demolition in 2005.

But now the site that played a pivotal role in the history of British football is set to offer a “beacon of light” to what is now one of the most deprived areas of Birmingham.

The framework of the new church and community centre being built on behalf of the New Testament Church of God is already in place.

Born in Braco on April 13, 1846, McGregor first became interested in football after watching a match between locals and visiting artisans at Ardoch.

In Birmingham, his love of football was so strong it’s said he closed the shop early on Saturdays to take in the game.

McGregor also spotted a retailing opportunity, selling kits at his store.