English United FC v Real Madrid 1918

[holtie96]

Does anyone know anything about English Utd FC who played a friendly against Real Madrid on 26/12/1918?
Thanks for any help

[Texas Rangers]

Are you sure of the date. According to this Real Madrid played a friendly on Christmas Day that year. Maybe Real Madrid reserves in your case ?


25 diciembre de 1919. Amistosos. En Madrid (O´Donell)
MADRID FC - LA CHAUX DE FONDS (SUI) 4-1
Arbitro: Bertrán
Goles: 0-1 Frantz, 1-1 Sansinenea (p),
2-1 Víctor, 3-1 González,
4-1 Víctor.
Madrid FC:
P.Hernández Coronado; Manzanedo, Peris, Monjardín, Sansinenea,
Cominges, De Migue,l Víctor, González, Mengotti, Gutiérrez.
La Chaux de Fonds:
Beretta; Handeschild, Albioetti, Roth, Mauche, L. Donze,
Dancaurt, Pernud, Robert, Frantz, M. Donze

[holtie96]

Thank you
I will try and translate it this weekend and let you know

[Five and In]

According to records I have found, English United FC based in Gibraltar were not officially founded until 1943.

I also agree with Texas Rangers about the Real Madrid Christmas Day friendly.

The translation is Team of the English United FC of Gibraltar who recently played in this short.

Is your item kit related?

Any more clues to help, like the venue etc Holtie?

[holtie96]

Thanks again
I'm off to work so will check this weekend
Thanks everyone

[Texas Rangers]

Post any other images you have. I studied Spanish a few years ago and will be able to make out most if not all of it.

[holtie96]

Hi again
I have managed to get team line ups etc just not sure who English Utd were!

[Texas Rangers]

From the same source from my earlier post

26 diciembre de 1918. Amistoso. En Madrid (O´Donnell)
MADRID FC - ENGLISH UNITED 4-1
Arbitro: Larrañaga
Goles: 0-1 Rolls, 1-1 Gomar,
2-1 S. Bernabéu, 3-1 Sunyé,
4-1 S. Bernabéu.
Madrid FC:
Cárcer; Garrido, Castell; López, Sansinenea, Cominges;
De Miguel, MA Muguiro, S. Bernabéu, Gomar, Sunyé.
English United:
P. Pridham; W. Watts, G. Bickford; Johnes, A.Viagas, D.Rocca;
Arthur, A. Balbuena, W. Rolls, Carruana, J. Risso.

* El rival era un equipo procedente de Gibraltar.
Con el Madrid jugaron Cárcer y Gomar del Athletic, y Garrido de la Gimnástica


Definitely a team from Gibraltar and interestingly Madrid played two players from Athletic ( Madrid I guess) and one from Gimnastica. The report basically is just a match report describing primarily the goals. Maybe it's a select team put together for a friendly as there doesn't seem to be any record of English United at that time that I can find.

[holtie96]

Many thanks

[Pete’s Picture Palace]

Very interesting to see the name Bernabeu in the Real Madrid line-up.

I don't know much about Real Madrid's history prior to the late 50's but this must be their most illustrious player - possibly of all time. (apart from CR7 of course!).

[Five and In]

Pete’s Picture Palace wrote:

Very interesting to see the name Bernabeu in the Real Madrid line-up. I don't know much about Real Madrid's history prior to the late 50's but this must be their most illustrious player - possibly of all time. (apart from CR7 of course!).

Santiago Bernabeu spent 67 years at Real Madrid as a player, manager, assistant manager, Director of football and President.
Strangely enough though, he only played around 50 games for the club (scoring nearly as many goals), but when the stadium was built he had been there for nearly 40 years and was the President, so I guess it was an easy choice.
PS - I knew bits of this, but Wikipedia helped too