The 1891 Argentine Primera División final was a match contested by St. Andrew's and Old Caledonians. Both teams had been declared champions of the 1891 Argentine Primera División38 campeones de futbol argentino 1891-2010 by Diego Estévez. Ediciones Continente, Buenos Aires, 2010. ISBN 9789507543012Historia del fútbol de AFA orígenes 1891 -1899 by Carlos Yametti. CIHFSolo cinco equipos y dos campeones: así fue el primer torneo del fútbol argentino on TyC. 12 Apr 2024 but the match was held only to determine which of them would be awareded a medal.Argentina 1891 by Osvaldo Gorgazzi at RSSSF.com
The match was organized by the Argentine Association Football League whose president was F.L. Wooley. This league only lasted one season, so in 1892 no championship was held. In 1893 other Association with the same name would be established by Alexander Watson Hutton becoming current Argentine Football Association."Orígenes de la Asociación" on AFA websiteAlexander Watson Hutton, el padre del fútbol argentino: el impulso de Domingo Sarmiento y la fundación de la AFA on TyC, 10 Mar 2023
St. Andrew's defeated Old Caledonians 3–0 in extra time with three goals by forward Charles Douglas Moffatt.
Qualified teams Team Previous finals app. St. Andrew's (none) Old Caledonians (none)
Venue
The match was held in Flores Old Ground (also known as "Old Polo Ground" or "Old Polo Field"The Standard, British language newspaper edited in Buenos Aires, 1892 or "Flores Polo Ground"Historia cronológica de la ciudad de Buenos Aires 1536-2014 by Leonel Contreras, Editorial Dunken, Buenos Aires, 2014 - ), home venue of defunct Flores Athletic Club.
Located in the barrio of Caballito, Buenos Aires,Historia del Fútbol Amateur en la Argentina, by Jorge Iwanczuk. Published by Autores Editores (1992) – just behind the Buenos Aires Western Railway freight sheds,El día que los ferroviarios se llevaron las medallas, Página/12, 18 Oct 2010 it hosted several polo, rugby union, association football and cricket matches during the period Flores A.C. was active.Historia del Flores Athletic Club, 12 Jun 2013
Background
The 1891 season was the first edition of a Primera División league in Argentinam with six teams taking part of the competition.
At the end of the season, St. Andrew's (a sports club established by Scottish immigrants from the St. Andrew's Scots School, the oldest private school of Argentina.A 125 años del primer torneo: un legado que perdura by Oscar Barnade, Clarín, 13 Apr 2016) and Old Caledonians (also established by Scottish immigrants, in this case employees of British studio Bateman, Parsons & Bateman, hired to build the main drainage in the city of Buenos Aires.La primera fecha! by Jorge Gallego on CIHF, 16 Apr 2016) finished at the top position with 13 points each and identical records: both had won 6 matches, tied 1 and lost 1.
Although Old Caledonians had a better goal difference (+21) and despite their claims based on The Football Association rules,En 1891 en Buenos Aires se realizó el histórico 1er. campeonato oficial organizado por la Argentine Association Football by Atilio Garrido on AHIFU (Uruguayan football researchers). 4 Apr 2025 both teams were declared champions after a decision taken in an AAFL meeting. The Association also obliged two teams to play a match to decide which team would be awarded medals.El desempate de 1891 by Jorge Gallego on the CIHF
Due to serious financial problems, the AAFL decided to charge for admission to the match in order to balance its finances.
Match As the Association crowned both, St. Andrew's and Old Caledonians as champion, this match was held only to determine which team got to keep the medals.
GK F. V. CarterDF L. C. PenmanDF William A. Waters (c)MF F. FrancisMF H. BarnesMF Alexander BuchananFW John CaldwellFW Charles MoffattFW Alexander LamontFW E. MorganFW J. Buchanan
GK W. GibsonDF M. ScottDF J. Riggs (c)MF W. AngusMF R. PhillipsMF R. SmithFW H. WhiteFW J. ClarkFW Jack Sutherland FW E. L. WilsonFW R. Corsner
Aftermath
During an interview in 1934, striker Charles Douglas Moffatt stated Old Caledonians was the best team of all that participated in the tournament, also saying that St. Andrew's had won the championship "by chance". Moffatt also praised Old Caledonians' Scottish forward Jack Sutherland, highlighting his dribbling and skills with the ball.Charles Moffatt, primer campeón de fútbol on El Gráfico. 30 Jan 2019 (original interview published in 1934)
The Argentine Football Association had not included this title in its previous annual reportsMemoria y Balance 1936, p. 28 on Biblioteca AFA so the body was established in 1893 and did not organise the championship. Nevertheless, on AFA's official website only St. Andrew's is mentioned as 1891 champion.Campeones de Primera División on AFA website, retrieved 1 Aug 2025
References