Trains and Soccer (Yes, There is a Connection)
When I found out that I’d be taking the train next week from New York to the New Jersey shore (maybe an hour ride), where my friend has a house, I was inordinately excited. My friend didn’t get it. “It’s only a commuter train,” he said. But that doesn’t matter to me. My fascination with trains comes from having grown up taking the commuter train from suburban Philadelphia into day care in the city, where my mom worked. Every day, I’d come home and report dutifully to my dad which train we had taken: “The 614 in the morning and the 829 in afternoon.”
My childhood crush: the SEPTA train (photo: Wikipedia)
Even now, nearly 25 years later, I retain my fascination with trains. On a trip to Argentina, I took the grungiest, dirtiest train I’ve ever seen from Buenos Aires to La Plata – and loved it (the owner of the bed and breakfast where I was staying couldn’t understand that I wasn’t being sarcastic in saying so).Perhaps you’re wondering why I’m discussing my fascination with trains on a blog called Culture of Soccer. Well, it’s an extremely roundabout way of introducing a topic I’ve been thinking about recently: the connections between of trains and soccer. Yes, really, I have been thinking about it.
Throughout history trains have played an important part in the development of soccer. In the 19th century, it was British railway workers sent abroad who brought the game to many parts of the world. In Argentina, for example, the first recorded football match in 1867 was played by British railway workers and sailors. As Tim Vickery of the BBC wrote in 2005, “At first the locals looked on nonplussed while groups of English sailors and railway workers kicked a ball around. But soon simple curiosity gave way to a desire to have a go at this new activity.”
A grand old steam train (photo: Canadian National Archives)
While these first games were informal, teams were soon formed, and many of these teams consisted of railway workers. Many teams remain with names that hint at their past, although their players, of course, no longer work on trains.
The Argentine second division club commonly known as Ferrocaril Oeste were founded in 1904 as Club Atlético de los Empleados del Ferrocarril Oeste de Buenos Aires (or Athletic Club of the Employees of Buenos Aires Western Railway). Lokomotiv Moscow were given their name because they brought together many talented players who all lived around a train junction. Today, the Railway Ministry of Russia owns the team and provides economic support for the team. Their new stadium is, as the Independent put it in 2003, “notable for the neon- lit railway locomotive atop one of the stands.”
Apparently, the resemblence to a locomotive is more apparent when the stadium is lit up because I sure don’t see it (photo: www.stadiumguide.com)
Many other teams around the world have trains in their history. The full name of Korea’s Incheon Korail is Korea National Railroad FC (the original name, Joseon Railway Football Club, was given by the Japanese colonizers who founded the team during World War II; its name was later changed to give it a more Korean feel, but the railway link remains). Japan’s JEF United are backed by the JR East Railway Company. And India has enough teams to hold an annual All India Railway Football Championship.
There are so many railway teams because soccer was growing in popularity at a time when trains were, in many places, the primary mode of transportation. Were soccer rising to prominence today, many of the teams might well be called Toyota FC or United Airlines Sporting Club.
It wasn’t mere coincidence, though, that railway building was booming at a time of great growth for soccer. Indeed, trains were at least partly responsible for the sport’s rise. In England in the late 19th century, David Goldblatt writes that, “The industrialization of transport technologies and infrastructure underwrote the increasing size of crowds and the enlarged geographical scope of leagues and cup competitions” (53).
The symbiotic relationship between trains and soccer teams was evident within cities as well, continues Goldblatt, and “[t]he presence of railway stations was a factor in determining where new grounds and clubs were based.”
Tottenham Hotspur settled at White Hart Lane right next to a station that could handle tens of thousands of fans arriving in less than two hours. Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s ground, was consciously built next to the Underground stop Fulham Broadway. Having established a ground and transport links first, Stamford Bridge’s owners simply created Chelsea as a club to use them. Arsenal’s move to Highbury in north London from their home in Woolwich, south of the river, was primarily determined by the availability of land next to a Piccadilly Line station (53-54).
This tube station was renamed Arsenal in 1932 for the soccer team that played near it. Arsenal have since left the area, but the station’s name remains. (photo: Arsenal.com)
They may not get the credit deserve in this area, but trains have been central to the development of soccer around the world throughout history. It was, after all, British railway workers who initially brought their odd game to foreign lands. The ability of soccer to spread throughout nations was made possible by the nationwide connectedness trains provided. And teams were formed by railway companies, many of which remain to this day.
So the next time your train taking you to work is delayed, don’t curse its lateness. Instead, contemplate the profound influence that form of transportation has had on soccer. And if you come up with other ways trains have shaped the beautiful game, leave a comment below.
August 7th, 2007 22:42
Another good post my friend. After the industrial revolution which created the conditions for the game to flourish amongst the working class across England it was the railways that enabled a national league to be formed and teams to travel across and between the north and south.
Just one thing about Arsenal, you say they moved from the wonderful Highbury to the present stadium out of the area, but it’s pretty much the same area, a matter of a few hundred yards to Drayton Park, so the Arsenal station still serves as the Underground for the Gunners.
August 7th, 2007 22:48
One other thing. Even today, trains play a major part in football. The extension of Liverpool’s new stadium to the desired capacity of circa 75,000 is contingent on the club re-opening the Bootle freight line as a passenger service in order to deal with the increased logistics and extra bodies coming into an already crowded area. Liverpool will have to contribute to the building of a new station along the line in partnership with Merseyrail.
August 7th, 2007 23:51
A big reason why stadiums can consistently draw unbelievably large crowds (aside from having outstanding lineups) is outstanding public transportation systems, which usually are mainly subway lines. On a recent trip to Europe, I loved being able to get on the ‘tube’ and head across town just to get a glimpse of some hallowed grounds – Parc de Princes, Emirates, and Nou Camp just to name a few. I wish we had more trains in the States!
August 8th, 2007 01:16
That’s one of the reasons I’m wary of Atletico Madrid’s move out of Vicente Calderon stadium–apparently the new stadium won’t be easily accessible via public transport. Ugh, hope this is wrong.
August 8th, 2007 03:22
Trains & Beer – look no further than Germany of course:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,498603,00.html
This is hilarious eh! I just hope the majority of the koolaid was of the stout variety. Cheers to everyone from an ignorant soccer fan still learning about the crazy game.
Finally, everyone give love to my Seattle Sounders who crushed Colorado 5-0 tonight up here! We’re en fuego! Bring on Dallas!! I vow to drink from thy US Open Cup or else……….soccer is not a legit sport. By the way, can Seattle get an MLS team yet? If anyone out there can pull any strings on that one please do.
PS – Will Beckham ever play a game here? Congrats Barry Bonds, one of the most talented players ever (even if he did take steroids). I’m not saying I’d want kids looking up to him or anything crazy like that of course.
August 8th, 2007 09:41
After I finished this post last night, I realized I hadn’t talked at all about trains’ role in contemporary times. So, it was heartening to wake up this morning and see everyone’s comments, which made many of the points I intended to make in that area. Thanks for your comments, everybody!
August 8th, 2007 10:25
All this talk of the J-League and Korea is great, but you missed the most well known example of trains influencing the game. A club called “Newton Heath L&YR F.C.” was founded in 1878, “L&YR” stood for Lancashire and Yorkshire railways and that club went on to become Manchester United.
Thanks? Maybe not…
August 8th, 2007 14:17
Alex – Thanks (really). I didn’t know that about Man U.
August 8th, 2007 15:44
You are welcome to Norway any time, so that you can take the most beautiful train trip in the world and see the fjords! Great article btw, and as always a very entertaining prose.
http://www.norwaynutshell.com/default.asp
August 10th, 2007 19:06
You may (or may not) be interested to know that The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Class B17 steam locomotives came in English soccer team flavours.
See here: http://www.lner.info/locos/B/b17.shtml
August 10th, 2007 22:19
Dan – Yes, I definitely am interested in that! I had no idea and it’s fascinating. Thanks for the info.
August 11th, 2007 08:49
Enjoy NJ Transit, you will find it very reminiscent of SEPTA, and the Hoboken Terminal has been the subject of a nice restoration. Take a ferry there if it is convenient.
And without in anyway wishing to engage in spamming, you might find our recent discussion of “railway clubs” at One Touch Football below to be of interest.
http://www.onetouchfootball.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=011317;p=1#000007
August 21st, 2007 07:14
[...] Football and trains, no seriously (Culture of Soccer) [...]
August 21st, 2007 08:05
Nice blog.
I write to you from Barcelona.
The train system here is awful.
but, to travel relaxed in Spain, I always reccommend to take a train.
April 5th, 2009 13:15
Hi, i’m a fen of railway team in Turkey; it’s called Adana Demirspor. Adana is a city of Turkey, at the south coast. Demir means rail. And also i’m interested in railway teams all over the world. If you want to send me some data, please don’t hesitate to write me. i’ll be very appreciate… yavuzy82@gmail.com Thanks…
December 26th, 2009 04:13
I still use Arsenal station to get to the Arsenal games, they are still in the area. Good post though, match day wouldn’t be the same without the atmosphere on the tube half an hour before the game!