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Seo ceist spòrs dhuibh. Cò ‘athair’ ball-coise Argentina? Tha mi a’ ciallachadh – cò am fear a chuir lìog ball-coise air chois ann an Argentina? ʼS e Albannach a bha ann. 

ʼS e an t-ainm a bha air Alexander Watson Hutton. Rugadh e ann an Glaschu ann an ochd ceud deug, caogad ʼs a trì (1853). Fhuair e foghlam ann an Dùn Èideann. Rinn e eilthireachd do dh’Argentina ann an ochd ceud deug, ochdad ʼs a dhà (1882). Fhuair e obair ann am Buenos Aires mar cheannard Sgoil Albannach Naoimh Anndra.

Bha Watson Hutton dhen bheachd gun robh spòrs bunaiteach do dh’fhoghlam. Dh’fhàg e Sgoil Naoimh Anndra an dèidh dà bhliadhna. Carson? A chionn ʼs nach robh airgead gu leòr aig an sgoil airson goireasan spòrs a thogail. 

Chuir Watson Hutton sgoil ùr air chois – Àrd-sgoil Shasannach Bhuenos Aires. Chuir e ball-coise air a’ chlàr-theagaisg. Thug e fear Albannach – Uilleam Watters – a-null mar neach-trèanaidh.

Bha e annasach mar a thachair, ge-tà. Ann an ochd ceud deug, naochad ʼs a h-aon (1891) chaidh lìog ball-coise a chur air dòigh. Agus cò chuir air dòigh i? Uill, fear Alex Lamont – ceannard Sgoil Naoimh Anndra! 

Mhair an lìog dìreach bliadhna. Cha robh lìog sam bith ann fad bliadhna. An uair sin, chaidh lìog ùr a chruthachadh. ʼS e sin an tè a tha ann am bith fhathast – Comann Ball-coise Argentina. Bha Alexander Watson Hutton an sàs innte gu mòr. Tha e air aithneachadh air sgàth sin mar ‘athair ball-coise Argentina’. Bha sgioba na sgoile aige na bu shoirbheachaile na sgioba sam bith eile aig an àm. Bhuannaich iad an lìog deich tursan.

Feumaidh mi innse dhuibh mun ghille aige, Arnold Watson Hutton. Chluich e airson sgioba na sgoile agus airson sgioba nàiseanta Argentina. Riochdaich e Argentina cuideachd aig ìre nàiseanta ann an criogaid, teanas agus polo-uisge.

Nach math a rinn Alexander Watson Hutton le bhith a’ stèidheachadh lìog ball-coise Argentina. Bhuannaich Argentina Cupa na Cruinne dà thuras. Thug iad Messi agus Maradona don t-saoghal. Saoil dè bha air tachairt an seo nan robh Alexander Watson Hutton air a bheatha a chur seachad ann an Alba?!

Here is a sports question for you. Who is the ‘father’ of Argentinian football? I mean – who is the man who established a football league in Argentina? He was a Scot.

His name was Alexander Watson Hutton. He was born in 1853. He received an education in Edinburgh. He emigrated to Argentina in 1882. He got work in Buenos Aires as the head of St Andrew’s Scots School.

Watson Hutton reckoned that sport was basic to education. He left St Andrew’s School after two years. Why? Because the school did not have enough money to build sports facilities.

Watson Hutton established a new school – the Buenos Aires English High School. He put football on the curriculum. He brought a Scotsman – William Watters – over as a trainer.

It was strange how things transpired, however. In 1891, a football league was established. And who set it up? Well, a certain Alex Lamont – the head of St Andrew’s School!

The league lasted just a year. There was no league for a year. Then a new league was created. That’s the one that still exists – the Argentinian Football League. Alexander Watson Hutton was heavily involved in it. He is recognised because of that as ‘the father of Argentinian football’. His school team was more successful than any other team at the time. They won the league ten times.

I must tell you about his son, Arnold Watson Hutton. He played for the school team and for the Argentinian national side. He also represented Argentina at a national level in cricket, tennis and water-polo.

Didn’t Alexander Watson Hutton do well in establishing an Argentinian football league. Argentina [has] won the World Cup twice. They gave Messi and Maradona to the world. I wonder what might have happened here if Alexander Watson Hutton had spent his life in Scotland?!