Alexander Watson Hutton

Who was Alexander Watson Hutton?

Alexander Watson Hutton was a Scottish teacher and sportsman who is considered the Father of football in Argentina. In 1893 he founded the "Argentine Association Football League", which is now known as the Asociación del Fútbol Argentino. He also founded the Buenos Aires English High School and Alumni Athletic Club, the team that dominated the Amateur era in Argentine football.

Watson Hutton was born in the Gorbals, in Glasgow, in 1853. He graduated from Edinburgh University and emigrated to Argentina in 1882. He worked at St Andrew's Scots School for two years. He was a keen sportsman and believed that sports were of fundamental importance in education. In 1884 he founded Buenos Aires English High School.

In 1891 Alec Lamont, headteacher St Andrew's founded the "Argentine Association Football League" and Argentine league, which was won by a team of Scots from St Andrew's. The five team league only lasted one season and is not officially recognised. The Association and league only lasted one season.

On 21 February 1893 Watson Hutton restarted the "Argentine Association Football League", and formed the first officially recognised league outside the British Isles.