Founding Fathers of Merseyside Football

Lore & Background

The series originated after the discovery of a sepia photograph of Rev Ben Chambers in a long-lost album of Methodist ministers who served the St Domingo congregation. David France, on behalf of the Everton Shareholders' Association, commissioned artist Wasan Suttikasem to produce a formal portrait of Chambers, then added the other five individuals who influenced Merseyside football. The six pioneers are Rev Ben Chambers, John Houlding, Dr James Baxter, George Mahon, John McKenna, and Will Cuff.

Rev Ben Chambers, a Methodist minister, formed a cricket club for local youngsters and persuaded the Young Men's Bible Class to start St Domingo Football Club in 1878. John Houlding, a brewer and Conservative councillor, served as Everton's first president, moved the club to Anfield, and later founded Liverpool after a rent dispute. Dr James Baxter, a devout Roman Catholic and Liberal councillor, financed the construction of Goodison Park and served Everton as director, chairman, and club doctor for nearly four decades.

George Mahon, an accountant and Liberal politician, clashed with Houlding over rent and lease terms, arranged the lease of Mere Green, and as Everton's first chairman led the club to two FA Cup finals and a 1906 victory. John McKenna, an Ulsterman and Orangeman, sided with Houlding after the split, recruited the 'Team of Macs', and served Liverpool for four decades, winning three League titles. Will Cuff, a solicitor and choir-master at St Domingo Chapel, ran Everton for four decades as secretary, director, and chairman, winning multiple League titles and the 1933 FA Cup, and later became President of the Football League.

Reader's Guide

The Founding Fathers of Merseyside Football represent the administrative and spiritual origins of two of England's most storied clubs. Their significance lies not in athletic achievement but in the organizational vision that turned amateur pastimes into professional institutions. The split between Houlding and Mahon over rent and ground ownership directly created Liverpool FC, while the earlier efforts of Chambers and Baxter provided the moral and financial foundations for Everton. McKenna and Cuff, though aligned with different clubs, maintained a friendship that fostered lasting bonds between the Reds and Blues. The rotating exhibition of their portraits serves as a public reminder that football's heritage is built by figures beyond the players on the pitch. Their legacy endures in the stadiums, traditions, and rivalries that define Merseyside football today.

Did You Know?

• None of the six Founding Fathers ever kicked a competitive football.
• John Houlding served as Lord Mayor of Liverpool and was an Orangeman.
• Dr James Baxter's son Cecil succeeded him on the Everton board and as club doctor, creating an unbroken 65-year family link.