ALFRED Ormond Edwards had high hopes for the football club he helped establish in 1899.
The Powys border born businessman was one of 12 men who met in a room in Milan's Hotel du Nord on Wednesday, December 13, 1899 and form the club which became AC Milan.
Edwards was born on October 12, 1850 in in Skyborry near Knighton and moved to Milan with his wife in 1899 where he served as the British vice consul.
A letter printed in the London Standard on March 17, 1896 records Edwards' reaction to a riot in Miland.
Alfred Edwards.
'Since the street riots in this city last week, I have received several telegrams and letters from English travellers asking if it is perfectly safe to visit Milan.
'Would you kindly, through the medium of The Standard, inform those of your readers who may still be uncertain, and wishful to visit this city and vicinity, that the excitement has entirely subsided, and that business, as also the usual entertainments, are proceeding as quietly and orderly as in the past.'
Edwards rose to one of the most respected men in Milan during this time.
Whether out of a desire to establish a football club or to establish British sporting culture in the city, Edwards had been one of 12 men to establish Milan Football and Cricket Club and served as the inaugural chairman.
The Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Monday, December 18, 1899: 'Finally! After so many unsuccessful attempts, finally the Milan sports club will also have a club for the game of football.
'For now, although we cannot give an advantage, we can already ascertain that the members are in their fifties and that the applications for admission The aim of this new sports club is the very noble one of forming a Milanese team to compete in the Italian Cup next spring. The new club warns that anyone wishing to learn football will only have to go to the Trotter on the established days and will find instructors and playmates.'
Nottingham-born co-founder Herbert Kilpin had suggested red as homage to his home city club as well as black to intimidate opponents.
The club known as the Rossoneri came into existence.
Alfred Edwards and an early AC Milan team.
However it had been Edwards who had insisted Milan needed two clubs to ensure the growing city rivalled Turin which had four clubs and Genoa which had two clubs to ensure the growth of football and the city.
Also according to the Gazzetta, the heroic beginnings had the Fiaschetteria Toscana in Berchet as the company headquarters, while the matches were played at the Trotter field in Piazza Doria.
In the same years he became also president of the English-capital company that built the first tourist settlements on the island of Ischia.
San Siro.
In 1908, Milan experienced a split caused by internal disagreements over the signing of foreign players, which led to the forming of another Milan-based team, F.C. Internazionale Milano,
In 1909 Edwards returned to Shropshire and moved to Bridgnorth and during World War One had led efforts to find homes for Belgian refugees in the town.
He died aged 72 on April 4, 1823 and buried in the town cemetery.
AC Milan would go on to move to the San Siro Stadium in the 1930s and become one of the world's leading clubs with nine European titles and 18 Serie A championships.
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