Euro-Founders & Formers

As football became imbedded in Scotland and Scottish culture and Scots, from Caithness to The Borders and points in-between travelled, even emigrated, into Continental Europe, so the most contemporary versions of the game went with them as players, clubs were founded where there had been none and existing clubs were lifted and carried forward not just by Caledonian coaches cum managers but also administrators. Of the last Italy's Genoa and Galatasary in Turkey are the best examples, St. Petersburg, indeed all Russia, another, Tallinn in Estonia too . Of the first they are Belfast and Porto, Barcelona, Barga and much of Scandinavia, whilst new clubs would emerge in Belgium and, more than anywhere else, in Spain. In Barcelona "Escoces" would form and flower for just a year but play an integral part not just in the consolidation of the city's current, major club but also officiating in Catalonia and beyond. And Recreativo de Huelva from Andulasia, founded before many English clubs in 1889, remains the country's oldest club still playing and Aguilas from Mercia has its oldest ground and in El Rubial it second-oldest stadium.