The Amateur English Side Who Became First World Champions

Before nan large names of Chelsea and Paris St-Germain were going head-to-head successful a bid to go champions of nan world, an amateur broadside from County Durham erstwhile vied to do nan same.

West Auckland Town, of nan Northern League Division One, nan ninth tier of nan English shot convention structure, are recognised arsenic nan first world champions by Fifa.

They earned that crown much than 100 years ago, successful 1909, but it is simply a badge of honour nan nine person worn pinch immense pridefulness ever since.

But really precisely did an amateur side, made up of ember miners, extremity up representing England successful a world shot tournament?

BBC Sport takes a look...

Twenty-one years earlier Uruguay lifted nan first Fifa World Cup, location was different effort to create a world shot tournament, pinch clubs alternatively than countries.

Sir Thomas Lipton, philanthropist and creator of Lipton Ice Tea, created a shot title that saw Europe's elite look disconnected against each other.

With nan title group to beryllium held successful Turin, Italy, invitations were sent to nan shot associations of England, Germany, Italy and Switzerland - nan predominant powerhouses of nan crippled - pinch each but nan English FA accepting nan connection to nonstop 1 of their champion teams to return part.

Germany and Switzerland sent their respective champions, Stuttgart and Winterthur, while Italy sent a mixed Turin and Piemonte side.

Not wanting to spot England spell unrepresented astatine nan tournament, Lipton turned his attraction to nan Northern League and West Auckland Town.

Why precisely nan amateur outfit were chosen is simply a overmuch speculated taxable but, according to section historiographer Martin Connolly, location are a mates of imaginable scenarios.

"The story was that Sir Thomas Lipton had asked for Woolwich Arsenal Football Club, WAFC, and his caput made a mistake, but my investigation shows that is not correct," he told BBC Real Time successful 2014.

"The Northern League was 1 of nan oldest leagues successful England pinch awesome teams and it's thought that Bishop Auckland mightiness person been nan target - but, successful fact, West Auckland sewage nan invite."

Mistake aliases not, amateur broadside West Auckland duly accepted nan invitation and nan shape was group for nan first World Cup, or, by its charismatic and very imaginative name, nan Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy.

West Auckland's players had to salary money retired of their ain pockets to make nan trip, pinch immoderate reportedly having to waste furnishings and different belongings to spend it.

But they jumped astatine nan once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

They journeyed by autobus to Darlington, caught a train to London, earlier hopping connected a ferry to Calais successful France and past travelled connected to bluish Italy, to look German champions Stuttgart. A astonishment 2-0 triumph to group up nan last against Swiss broadside FC Winterthur.

Again, West Auckland notched a 2-0 triumph to cement themselves arsenic world champions without moreover conceding a goal.

"In position of achievement, this rates arsenic astir nan champion ever," said Connolly.

"When you see that a mining team, group from nan pit, travel up retired of nan pit, spell to Turin and hit immoderate of nan champion teams successful nan world. Achievement? Major."

Two years later, West Auckland were invited backmost to take sides their trophy - arsenic is only right.

And, incredibly, they won nan batch again.

This clip around, Torino and Juventus some took portion successful nan tourney and nan amateurs from England faced them both.

They edged past Torino 3-2 connected Easter Sunday to group up a last against early Italian giants Juventus.

West Auckland triumphed 6-1 to clasp their title and were awarded nan trophy outright.

It wasn't each sunshine and rainbows for West Auckland.

Upon their return location from their 2nd triumph successful 1911, nan nine hardly had clip to show disconnected their beloved trophy because of financial issues.

Within a twelvemonth of returning to nan north-east, nan prize had been sold to a section landlady for £40 to thief West Auckland salary disconnected debts.

She held it for 48 years, earlier trading nan trophy backmost to nan nine successful 1960 for £100.

The nine displayed nan trophy successful nan West Auckland Working Men's Club and it remained location until January 1994 - erstwhile it was stolen.

The original trophy has ne'er been found. Instead, nan nine now owns an nonstop replica.

Yet nan theft has not stopped nan colony shouting large and proud astir their accomplishment to this day.

Should you ever find yourself driving into West Auckland, you will beryllium met by roadworthy signs reading: "Welcome to West Auckland - Home of nan First World Cup."

There is besides a commemorative bronze statue of nan triumph that has stood proudly connected nan town's greenish since its completion successful 2013.

More than £200,000 was raised to guarantee nan statue could beryllium completed and erected adjacent nan stadium wherever West Auckland Town now play their matches.

Robert Yorke was County Councillor for West Auckland erstwhile section authorities reorganisation was implemented successful 2008 and said he felt it important to observe nan "outstanding sporting accomplishment of West Auckland FC".

"We quickly group astir raising costs from section events arsenic good arsenic penning to various arts groups and foundations for donations," Yorke explained.

"Everybody successful nan colony participated and this highlighted really important an accomplishment this was wrong our community."

While nan communicative of West Auckland whitethorn not beryllium arsenic celebrated arsenic that of Uruguay 1930, Yorke remains defiant connected his reply of who nan existent first World Cup winners are.

He added: "Although nan communicative of West Auckland FC winning nan first World Cup is mostly known wrong County Durham, it's not good known extracurricular nan area.

"It was specified an accomplishment backmost successful 1909 for these footballers to raise nan money and past recreation to Europe to play and past triumph nan world's first shot tournament.

"So nan adjacent clip you are asked who won nan first World Cup, you cognize nan reply is West Auckland FC!"