John McAlery facts for kids
 |
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John McCredy McAlery | ||
| Date of birth | 29 November 1848 (or 1849) | ||
| Place of birth | Rathfriland, Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 3 December 1925 (aged 77) | ||
| Place of death | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| Cliftonville | |||
| National team | |||
| 1882 | Ireland | 2 | (0) |
|
|||
John McCredy McAlery (born 29 November 1848 – died 3 December 1925) was a very important person in the early days of association football in Ireland. He is often called the "father of Irish association football."
John McAlery helped start many important things in Irish football. He organized the first proper football match in Ireland in 1878. He also founded the first Irish football club in 1879. In 1880, he helped create the Irish Football Association (IFA). He even wore the captain's armband for Ireland's first ever international match in 1882.
In 2013, a special blue plaque was put up at Solitude. This is the home ground of Cliftonville F.C. The plaque honors McAlery's amazing work for football.
Contents
Early Life and Interests
John McAlery was born in a town called Rathfriland in County Down. This was either in 1848 or 1849. His father was a farmer.
Later, John moved to Belfast to learn about the drapery business. This means he learned how to sell cloth and clothing. He became very good at it and opened his own shop.
Before football, John was a talented cricketer. He helped start the Cliftonville Cricket Club in 1870. He also worked as the club's treasurer, managing their money.
In 1878, John went on his honeymoon to Scotland. There, he saw his first ever football match. He loved the game so much that he decided to bring it back to Ireland.
Starting Football in Ireland
John McAlery wanted to show people in Belfast how exciting football was. So, on 24 October 1878, he invited two Scottish teams to play. These teams were Caledonian and Queen's Park.
They played an exhibition match at the Ulster Cricket Grounds. Queen's Park won the game 3–2. More importantly, the people of Belfast really enjoyed watching it. This showed John that football could be popular in Ireland.
Founding Cliftonville F.C.
Less than a year later, John decided to create Ireland's first football club. On 20 September 1879, he put an advertisement in two newspapers. It asked people who wanted to join the "Cliftonville Association Football Club" to contact him.
The new club, Cliftonville F.C., played its first match just nine days later. They lost 2–1 to a team of rugby players. But they got their first win on 1 November. They beat Knock F.C. 2–0.
Creating the Irish Football Association
John McAlery knew that football needed an official organization. So, on 18 November 1880, he held a meeting in Belfast. Seven Irish football clubs attended this meeting. These clubs were Alexander, Avoniel, Cliftonville, Distillery, Knock, Moyola Park and Oldpark.
These teams became the first members of the Irish Football Association (IFA). Lord Spencer Chichester became the president, and John McAlery became the secretary. This meant he was in charge of running the IFA. John wrote that he hoped this would create a "strong Association" for football.
The meeting also started Ireland's first official football competition. This was the Irish FA Cup. In the first final in 1881, Cliftonville lost to Moyola Park. They lost again in the 1882 final to Queen's Island.
John McAlery was the captain of Cliftonville and played as a fullback. He finally won the Irish Cup in 1883. His team, Cliftonville, beat Ulster in the final.
After this win, John played less football. He decided to focus on his important role in running Irish football. He even refereed international matches until 1887. He stayed as the Irish FA secretary until 1888.
International Matches
John McAlery was the captain of Ireland's very first international match. This game was on 18 February 1882. He played as a right back.
It was a very cold night in Belfast with rain and hail. Ireland played against England, who were much more experienced. Ireland lost the game 13–0.
A week later, John played his second and last international match. He was captain again as Ireland lost 7–1 to Wales in Wrexham.
Later Life and Death
John McAlery passed away on 3 December 1925. He died at his home in Belfast.
Honours
- Cliftonville
- Irish Cup: 1882–83
