Casuals FC - Non-League Day 2024

This is the final feature in a series of articles about seven of Athletic Club's past English opponents that are currently playing Non-League football. These clubs not only played a pivotal role in Athletic's early years, but also in helping football become a global sport.

Invited to Bilbao as part of Athletic Club’s ‘Dia de Reyes’ (January 6) celebrations in 1923, Casuals FC came to The Basque Country with a squad containing nine players who had also turned out for Corinthian FC, playing Los Leones twice during their stay.

The 14-man travelling party included the following players: W.S. Watkinson, H.G. Payne, F.H. Plaistowe, A.M. Gamble, F.V. Smith, A.C. Kirby, B.C.A. Patchitt, A. Platts, S.F. Hepburn, H.M. Morris, H.F. Dubuis, J.H. Lockton, E. Martin, R.G. Pinfield and R.M. Gross. The team manager was G. Davison-Brown and R.W. de Koven travelled as a linesman.

Both Casuals (formed in 1883) and Corinthian FC (founded in 1882) played crucial roles in popularising football during the late 19th century. Corinthians were the first club to tour outside Europe and were particularly influential in Brazil, former player Charles Miller is even considered the father of Brazilian football. On 1 September 1910, five Sao Paulo railways workers, inspired after seeing Corinthian FC face Associação Atlética das Palmeiras, decided to form SC Corinthians Paulista.

One of the most iconic teams in Brazilian football, they have won seven league championships, three Copas do Brasil, one Recopa Sudamericana, one Copa Libertadores and two Club World Cups. Their early club badges were based on the English sides as are their kit designs – white shirt and black shorts.

Corinthian FC even left their mark on LaLiga. Real Madrid’s decision to play in white upon their founding was reportedly inspired by the famous amateur English club. In fact, in the 1925/26 season, Los Blancos chose to don black shorts in homage to Corinthian FC but reverted to all-white the following campaign.

For their part, Casuals FC were a stalwart of English amateur football in the early 20th century. They were founding members of the Isthmian League in 1905, they regularly toured Europe (beating teams like Benfica, MTK Budapest and Slavia Prague), won the AFA Senior Cup (an exclusive tournament for amateur sides) in 1908 and 1913, and lifted the FA Amateur Cup in 1936. On top of that, a large number of the Corinthians’ players were taken from Casuals’ ranks.

First match

The first clash was marked by the typically rainy Bilbao winter, which had turned San Mames into a mud bath. Athletic’s Laka opened the scoring with a low shot from outside the area in the 20th minute. Moments later Laka netted a second, picking up a rebound to finish in the same place.

Playing up front, Jose Antonio Aguirre – future president of the Basque Country – was posing problems for the English outfit and hit the crossbar with a shot.

Casuals soon pulled one back, reports stating the inside-right and right winger played a quick one-two leading to a goal for the latter.

However, Athletic responded quickly to make it 3-1. Laka got on the end of a German cross in front of goal to secure his hat-trick.
The game followed a similar pattern after the restart with Athletic dominating affairs. Aguirre got the Lions’ fourth after being set up by Laka.

Casuals’ outside right then managed to squeeze one past an injured Vidal with the game then finishing 4-2 to Athletic.

Curiously, Athletic Club manager Mr Fred Pentland was also the match referee on the day.

Second match

The following day Athletic dominated again as the two sides met under similarly wet conditions.  However, on this occasion the match finished 4-4.

Agirrebegoña put the Zurigorri ahead and Casuals subsequently equalised from the spot after an Anton foul on the English side’s inside-right. Some good work down the right wing saw Laka finish at close range to make it 2-1 at half-time.

It turned into a game of back and forth. Casuals levelled, Elexpuru re-established Athletic’s lead with a penalty, the English equalised again thanks to a defensive mistake and Los Leones scored a fourth via an own-goal.

Just as Athletic seemed set to secure another victory, Casuals hit the Zurigorri “with one of their quick escapes” to get the draw.

Although both British and Basque reports bemoaned the standard of refereeing in the two duels, the English newspapers reserved special praise for the “great hospitality” offered by the Bilbao side.

Athletic Club president José María Vilallonga gave a speech addressing the Casuals’ travelling party at a post-match dinner party in which he expressed that his “greatest satisfaction would to be to hear it said on their return home [to England] that Athletic Club understood and put into practice real sportsmanship”.

Modern Day

After years of close affiliation, Casuals FC and Corinthian FC formally merged in 1939 to create Corinthian-Casuals FC.

The side remains a beacon for non-league football in London, currently competing in the Isthmian Football League’s South Central Division and playing their home fixtures at King George’s Field, where they proudly sport an Athletic flag in one of the stands.

On Non-League Day, Corinthian-Casuals FC will take on Badshot Lea at home, with kick-off at 15:00 GMT and tickets costing £12 per adult, £8 for concessions, £4 for students and £1 for Under-12s.

Flag exchange and retro jersey raffle

As part of Athletic Club’s collaborations with our historical opponents, we have sent each of the seven clubs in this series an Athletic flag to hang at their ground and a retro jersey to raffle off among their fans.

In return, each club has donated a flag to Los Leones. These colours will be on show at different grounds throughout Euskal Non-League Day and then given to the AC Museum.

Euskal Non-League Day

Drawing inspiration from the UK version, Athletic has organised Euskal Non-League Day with the aim of celebrating grassroots football in the Basque Country and recognising the important role our affiliated clubs play in their respective communities in addition to producing players for Athletic.

Coinciding with the Non-League day in the UK, on the weekend on March 23-24, 86 of our partner clubs will be participating in this second edition of Euskal Non-League Day.

Historical English opponents

Our features on the seven English teams are being published in chronological order based on the date of their first match against Athletic.

(Click to read)
Monday 18th: Civil Service FC (morning), United Hospitals (evening)
Tuesday 19th: Eastbourne Town FC
Wednesday 20th: Merton FC
Thursday 21st: Bromley FC
Friday 22nd: Dulwich Hamlet (morning), Corinthian-Casuals FC (evening)

These are the details of the sides’ Non-League Day fixtures. If you’re an Athleticzale in England over the weekend of March 23-24, we encourage you to attend one of these matches.

Civil Service FC vs Old Carthusians. March 23, 13:00 GMT. King’s House Sports Ground
Eastbourne Town vs Shoreham. March 23, 15:00 GMT. The Saffrons
Merton FC vs Winchmore Hill. March 23, 14:00 GMT. Joseph Hood Recreation Ground
Bromley FC vs York City. March 23, 15:00 GMT. Hayes Lane
Bognor Regis Town vs Dulwich Hamlet. March 23, 15:00 GMT. Nyewood Lane
Corinthian-Casuals vs Badshot Lea. March 23, 15:00 GMT. King George’s Field