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Sunday, 7th September 2008

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Queen's Park in line for Fifa Order of Merit



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Published Date: 07 March 2008
By Angus Wright
FIFA president Sepp Blatter will be invited tomorrow to recognise the Scottish Second Division club Queen's Park as trailblazers of the modern game.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, First Minister Alex Salmond and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson are backing the Scottish Football Association's campaign to have the Glasgow club honoured with FIFA's Order of Merit.

Only two clubs, Real
Madrid and Sheffield FC, who are the oldest club in the world, have been awarded the FIFA honour previously, while Pele, Nelson Mandela and the late Bobby Moore rank among a select band of individual recipients.

Queen's Park are the world's second-oldest club, having formed in 1867, and they arranged the first international match when Scotland met England in 1872.

Scottish FA president George Peat will hand over the application document to Blatter, who will attend tomorrow's meeting of the International FA Board at Gleneagles.

Peat will make the nomination of Queen's Park "in recognition of their outstanding role in the development of the modern game and for 140 years of service to football."

Queen's Park, who founded the SFA in 1873, will be feted at FIFA's annual congress in Sydney at the end of May if the SFA succeed with their push for recognition.

The Prime Minister said: "Queen's Park's contribution to football, both on a local and worldwide scale, cannot be over-stated. As the first club to play to the passing style and rules of football in the 19th century, their legacy is the brand of football played across the globe today.

"Some of the most fundamental elements of the modern game owe their existence to this special club. I can think of no more fitting recognition than the FIFA Order of Merit."

Salmond explained: "By forming the SFA, Queen's Park helped lay the foundations for the development of football in Scotland and beyond."

Ferguson, 66, began his playing career 50 years ago with the staunchly amateur club, and said: "Being brought up in the Queen's Park way as a 16-year-old was the foundation which helped form the player and the person I was to become.

"I believe they should be recognised by the very body who champion these committed football lovers."

Peat hopes Blatter will accept the submission and add Queen's Park to the ranks of the world greats.

The SFA are housed at Hampden Park, which Queen's Park opened in 1873, where they and Scotland continue to play.





The full article contains 415 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 07 March 2008 12:55 AM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Queen's Park FC
 
1

Football Historian,

UK 09/03/2008 08:26:43
Sadly, someone at the Scottish Football Association has not done their homework properly.

And this could blow up in the faces of Fifa, the Sottish F.A and with Queens Park.

The claims by Queens Park on their website and on this website are completely without foundation.

Lets take them point by point

Queens Park are the worlds second oldest club - Incorrect.

Five other clubs were formed before Queens Park -

One being Notts County formed December the 7th 1864 and having played informally since 1862

Claim two. That of being the worlds oldest amateur club

Again. False.

That distinction is universally recognised as belonging to Hallam FC in 1860.

So, i fail to believe how the Scottish FA can be advised so incorrectly, when all the history is open for public view.

No-ones denying the role that Queens Park have played in world football. But to back that role up with blatant and easily verifiable inaccuracies is stunning, to say the least. And such glaring mistakes could backfire on everyone that has supported this application with factual inaccuracies.

2

Scotch Professor,

Glasgow 09/03/2008 10:30:02
Football Historian - be careful with taking media reports word for word if you have not read the actual application. You are right to highlight much of the press inaccuracies in your post - but none of them are mentioned in the actual application.

The Scottish FA are only involved as the appropriate National Association - protocol for presenting an application to FIFA dictated that the SFA should present it on the club's behalf. George Peat, as President of the SFA, was also asked to provide a letter of support. As the reports suggest, other leading names from football and politics also contributed.

The research was provided by a number of historians connected to the Scottish Football Museum, some of whom have spent decades in the field, and one of whom has recently published a book on the history of the club. Original archival sources from the Queen's Park collection and the Scottish FA collection were used. There will be no 'blow up' for Queen's, the SFA or FIFA in relation to the factual inaccuracies presented in the media reports.
3

Football Historian,

09/03/2008 11:34:33
Scotch Professor

Thank You for your excellent response.

I had only the official website of Queens Park to go on. And its statement regarding the application.And given that, that in itself is literally from the horses mouth, caused my concern.One would have thought that more care would have gone into its submission on the web.

So my concern, did not only arise from the media.

Please be assured this isnt a comment borne out of a desire to see failure, far from it.

Queens Park added a quality to the game of football that was lacking and indeed a style of play that became a forerunner to the game and techniques still used today.

They deserve this award fully.

I just did not want to see failure in their application because of misdirected editing of a few.

Queens, all the best with the application.I for one will toast any success.
4

Scotch Professor,

Glasgow 09/03/2008 12:16:14
Football Historian - you make a very relevant point in relation to the club's website, I have just looked at it. I suspect that this information was lifted by the media when the story first came to light. The website administrator I am sure will correct the errors once they have been brought to his attention.

 

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