If you know your history you will be aware that Johnny Madden, the Scotland internationalist who played up front for Celtic in their first ever match against Rangers in 1888, is widely considered to be the father of Czech football.
Yet, the significant role which the former centre-forward, who had worked as a riveter in the Glasgow shipyards before he was appointed Slavia Prague manager in 1905, played in the rise of the sport in Slovenia is less renowned.
However, Igor Evgen Bergant, a presenter and commentator with national broadcaster TV Slovenia, believes the Dumbarton man should take a great deal of credit for the development of the beautiful game in his homeland.
“Football came to Slovenia from Scotland via Prague,” said Bergant as he looked ahead to the Nations League match between the two countries in the Stožice Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
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Slavia had built up quite a reputation across Europe by the time Madden took them to play Ilirija – the first football club to be formed in Slovenia in 1911 - in an exhibition match at Tivoli Park in Ljubljana in 1913 and there was huge excitement among the locals about their visit.
The Scottish coach had completely transformed the fortunes of a club which had been founded by university medical students in 1892 and whose side had initially comprised of intellectuals and scholars after taking charge by introducing modern training methods and tactics.
Based in Bohemia in the old Austro-Hungarian empire, they quickly became the dominant force in the central European kingdom under the guidance of the strict disciplinarian.
They also regularly took on and defeated rivals from other countries, including England and Scotland. Slowly but surely, other Czech sides started to adopt the same approach to the game in order to compete.
Their success won them a lot of admirers in Slovenia too. Many of their football teams wore the same red and white-coloured jersey with a five-pointed star in honour of their Slavic idols.
Slavia romped to an emphatic 10-0 triumph when they took on Ilirija. But the one-sided encounter opened the eyes of their hosts. They were greatly impressed their professionally-trained opponents. It proved to be a major turning point in their history.
“It was the first appearance of a top European team in what is now Slovenia,” said Bergant. “Slavia could compete with the best teams on the continent at the time and were a symbol of Slavic pride.
"The presence of this famous Prague side in the city was a sensation and a huge boost to Ilirija. They became the model for Slovenian clubs after that.”
Madden, the former Dumbarton, Grimsby Town, Celtic, Dundee and Spurs player, agreed to allow a member of his team, Jaroslav Jirkovský, to remain behind in Ljubljana to coach Ilirija during discussions with their officials after the match.
Jirkovský, an accomplished ice hockey player who would go on to represent Czechoslovakia in the Winter Olympics in France in 1924, put on Madden-inspired training sessions in the weeks which followed. They had an immediate impact.
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The following month his side took on HASK Zagreb, the eminent team in neighbouring Croatia at the time, and avenged the 9-1 loss they had previously suffered by recording a wildly-celebrated 3-1 triumph. It was the first international victory by any Slovenian side.
“It has long been suggested by football historians that Slovenia is one of the few countries in Europe where the introduction and early development of football was not influenced by British expatriates,” said Bergant.
“But Madden was involved. There is a famous photograph of the two teams that was taken minutes before they played that was only discovered 100 years later. The Scot, who is wearing a tartan cap and a tie, can be seen standing at the side of the 28 men in the picture.
“The presence of Madden and Slavia in Ljubljana that day in 1913 certainly inspired one of the Ilirija players greatly. Stanko Tavčar, their defender, would go on to become one of the most important figures in the history of Slovenian football.
“He was the first Slovenian footballer to represent Yugoslavia and he played for Madden at Slavia briefly when he was studying medicine and dentistry and Charles University in Prague many years later. He would return home after that and become an influential Ilirija official
“Madden’s involvement in Slovenian football was brief and indirect. But it definitely had a lasting effect. The match between Slavia and Ilirija was a massive turning point for the game in this country. There was a major Scottish influence on Slovenian football thanks to a man from Dumbarton.”
Madden played up front for Celtic in their inaugural match against Rangers in front of a crowd of 2,000 spectators at Parkhead on May 28, 1888, and helped the home team to record a 5-2 win over their Glasgow rivals.
He rejoined them permanently from his home town team the following year and won the Scottish title three times and the Scottish Cup once before departing, after being awarded a benefit match against Rangers, for Dundee in 1897.
The Scotland strikers who will take part in the Group B1 match against Slovenia in Ljubljana tomorrow afternoon – and Kieron Bowie, Oli McBurnie and Robbie Ure will all be hoping to get the nod from their new manager Sebastien Pocognoli - will be doing well to match their predecessor’s heroics at international level.
He made just two appearances for his country but he netted five goals. He was on target four times in an 8-0 triumph over Wales at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham in 1893 and netted again in a 2-2 draw against the same opponents at the same venue two years later.
Madden, who was Slavia Prague manager for 25 years, passed away at the grand old age of 82 in 1948. His former club named a stand after the pioneer of the Czech football at their Eden Arena stadium in 2017 when they played a pre-season friendly against Celtic.
“It would be entirely appropriate if there was a plaque to Johnny Madden somewhere in Slovenia as well given the influence he had on the game here,” said Bergant.
