Cowdenbeath

190px
Full name	Cowdenbeath Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Blue Brazil, Cowden, The Miners
Founded	1881
Ground	Central Park, Cowdenbeath, Scotland (Capacity: 4,370 (1,622 seated[1])
Chairman	Donald Findlay[2]
Manager	Colin Cameron (player/manager)
League	Scottish First Division
2011–12	Scottish Second Division, 1st (Promoted)
Home colours Away colours
Current season

Cowdenbeath Football Club are a professional Scottish football team based in the town of Cowdenbeath, Fife. They currently play in the Second Division of the Scottish Football League. The club plays its home games at Central Park in the centre of the town which has the unusual feature of a motor racing track around the playing surface as the ground hosts regular stock car racing events. As they are a small, provincial club, they have had little major successes in the Scottish game, particularly in the modern era.

They are managed by Colin Cameron.

History[link]

Cowdenbeath traditionally date their origin to the merger of two local clubs, Cowdenbeath Rangers (formed 1880) and Cowdenbeath Thistle, which occurred in 1881.^[3] However, research by the club's historian^[4] suggests the Cowdenbeath Rangers name continued to be used at this time and the founding of Cowdenbeath F.C. should properly be dated to 1882,^[5] when another merger saw Rangers combine with a local club called Raith Rovers (formed 1881 and unrelated to the present Kirkcaldy club). The establishment of one club to represent the town thus coincided with the establishment of the Fifeshire Football Association that year. Cowdenbeath, who are the oldest surviving football club in Fife, lost in the inaugural Fife Cup final in 1883 but won the Cup for the first time in 1885. The club were relegated in the 1933–34 season but claimed their third Division Two championship in the 1938–39 season. This feat was in no small part aided by Rab Walls' 54 League goals – the second highest seasonal total in Scottish League history – as well as Daniel Swann's 87th minute winner in the last game of the season, securing the championship for Cowdenbeath. However, the outbreak of the Second World War cut short Cowden's return to Division One, and the club closed down for the duration of hostilities. When peacetime football resumed, the club were controversially placed in the new (second tier) B Division.

While a 1949 League Cup success over Rangers at Ibrox was a highlight of the early post-war period, Cowden struggled to return to the elite level of Scottish football. This was finally achieved under popular manager Andy Matthew in the 1969–70 season, but the solitary season in Division One that followed remains the club's only top flight campaign since the 1930s. More recently, hopes for the future were raised when Cowden were promoted to the First Division in season 1991–92, but they soon slumped back to the basement of the Scottish League amidst a run of 38 League games without a win at Central Park.

A more professional approach was ushered in with the appointment of former Scotland defender Craig Levein, who had begun his playing career with Cowdenbeath, as manager in 1997. Promotion from the Third Division was achieved in the 2000–01 season, although they would be relegated again two years later. After a third place finish in the 2004–05 season. The 2005–06 campaign saw the team achieve their first divisional title win for 67 years with player-manager Mixu Paatelainen when they won the Third Division. Season 2008/09 saw Danny Lennon's side miss out on promotion in a penalty shoot-out after a scoreless 2 legged match and extra time against Stenhousemuir. However, they were promoted to the second division for the 2009–10 season as Livingston were demoted to the Scottish Third Division after breaching the league's rules on insolvency. After a tough start to life in the Scottish Second Division, Cowden soon found their feet and finished in 3rd place. Amazingly they went onto defeat Alloa and Brechin in the play-offs to secure promotion.

Prior to the 2010/11-season Jimmy Nicholl was appointed new manager.^[6] They were relegated from the First Division to the Second Division on Saturday 14 May 2011 after losing their relegation/promotion play-off semi-final tie 4–2 on aggregate to Brechin City with the first leg at Glebe Park ending 2–2 and the second leg at Central Park ending 2–0 to Brechin City. It was a massive blow to the club especially after being 2–0 up at half time in the first leg in Brechin.

Under new manager Colin Cameron,^[7] Cowdenbeath Immediately regained promotion the following season, winning the league with 2 games remaining.^[8]

Honours[link]

• Scottish First Division:^[9]
  • 1913–14,^[10]1914–15,^[11] 1938–39^[12]

• Scottish Second Division:
  • 2011–12^[13]

• Scottish Third Division:
  • 2005–06^[14]

Club records[link]

Biggest win: 12–0 vs Johnstone in Scottish Cup on 21 January 1928^[15]

Biggest league loss: 1–11 vs Clyde on 6 October 1951^[15]

Biggest home attendance: 25,586 vs Rangers on 21 September 1949^[15]

Managers[link]

Coaching staff[link]

^[33][34]

• Manager: Colin Cameron^[35]
• Assistant Manager: Lee Makel^[36]
• Goalkeeper Coach: Jim McQueen
• Defensive Coach: Samuel Pannell
• Fitness Coach: Dougie Anderson
• Under-19 Manager: Derek Nicholson
• Under-19 Coach: Colin McHale
• Under-17 Coach: Gordon Mcleod
• Under-16 Coach: Steven Gray, David Scott
• Under-15 Coach: Leslie Hallet, Jack Martin, Sean Baldwin
• Under-14 Coaches:Mark Oliver, Chris Rae
• Under-13 Coach: Max Nicholson, Gavin Harrower, Kevin Cafray
• Youth Goalkeeper Coach: Jim Watt

Players[link]

Current squad[link]

As of 18 May 2012.^[37][38]

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player GK Thomas Flynn GK Lee Wilson DF Kenny Adamson DF John Armstrong DF Dean Brett DF David Cowan DF Scott Linton DF Joe Mbu DF Thomas O'Brien MF Colin Cameron (Player Manager)

No. Position Player MF Lee Makel (Player Assistant Manager) MF Kyle Miller MF Lewis Milne MF Mark Ramsay FW Lewis Coult FW Liam Cusack FW Derek Lyle FW Marc McKenzie FW Greg Stewart

Transfers[link]

For recent transfers, see Cowdenbeath transfers in 2011–12 season.

Noted players[link]

The following former Cowdenbeath players are all members of the club's Hall of Fame or recent players who are still playing at a higher level in Scotland (as well as some notable loan players).

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Official site

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008)

Coordinates: 56°07′N 3°21′W / 56.11°N 3.35°W / 56.11; -3.35

Cowdenbeath
Scottish Gaelic: Cùl Dùn Beithe
Scots: Coudenbaith[1]
View down Cowdenbeath High Street from the North End War Memorial.
Cowdenbeath  Cowdenbeath shown within Fife
Population	11,640 [2]
OS grid reference	NT160916
Council area	Fife
Lieutenancy area	Fife
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	COWDENBEATH
Postcode district	KY4 8, KY4 9
Dialling code	01383
Police	Fife
Fire	Fife
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
Scottish Parliament	Cowdenbeath
	Mid Scotland and Fife
List of places: UK • Scotland •

Cowdenbeath ( listen (help·info);  Scots: Coudenbaith, Scottish Gaelic: Cùl Dùn Beithe)^{[citation needed]} is a town and burgh in west Fife, Scotland. It is 5 miles north-east of Dunfermline and 18 miles north of the capital, Edinburgh. The town grew up around the extensive coalfields of the area and became a Police Burgh in 1890. According to a 2008 estimate, the town has a population of 11,640.

History[link]

The earliest indication of human activity in the immediate vicinity of the current site of Cowdenbeath was provided by the discovery of late bronze-age vessels containing incinerated human remains, in 1928. An article by A.D. Lacaille F.S.A Scot ^[3] details the find of a late bronze-age cemetery near Tollie Hill. One of the urns found contained fragments of processed Arran pitchstone, indicating some economic activity & commerce.

There is no evidence of a permanent settlement establishing itself around the current site of Cowdenbeath until the designation of the original Beath Kirk as a parish church in 1429/30 to act as a focal point to serve the surrounding area. The earliest written record of Beath (Beth), was found in a charter of Inchcolm Abbey, dated 6 March 1178. This charter makes reference to the Chapel of Beth. Although it is generally accepted that the word ‘Beath’ in Gaelic means ’birch wood’, P.W. Brown suggests that the word means ‘abode’ or ‘a settlement.’ In 1643, the Parish of Beath was separated from Dalgety Bay and Aberdour. This significant date followed the building of a new church in 1640 at Beath, to replace the ruins of a sanctuary, which had fallen into sad disrepair.^[4]

By 1790 the records show that the parish of Beath had about 100 families whose livelihood came mainly from the soil. The fact that Beath Church served a very large area led to the creation of many "kirke roads", roads that form right-of-way even today.^[5] This church was replaced by the present church, built in 1832 and enlarged in 1886.

Cowdenbeath first came into prominence around 1820 as a stop on the north-bound coaching route to Perth. Indeed, Queen Victoria's entourage stopped at the Cowdenbeath Coaching Inn to change horses, on her first trip to Scotland in 1842, en route for Balmoral. The coaching inn, the Old Inn, was established at the junction of roads from North Queensferry, Perth, Dunfermline and Burntisland. When the new turnpike road from Queensferry to Perth was constructed, the Inn gained more importance.^[6]

Prior to 1850, Cowdenbeath was just a collection of farms within the Parish of Beath. The area was divided into four districts named after local farms: Kirkford, Foulford, White Threshes and Cowdenbeath farm, located close to the present-day site of Central Park.^[7] Local inhabitants of these focal points of growth, which were merging into a single town, met to decide on a name for the emerging town. The eventual decision was narrowed down to either White Threshes or Cowdenbeath and Cowdenbeath was the chosen name. The arrival of the Oakley Iron Company around 1850 was to have a long-lasting impact upon Cowdenbeath and make the name synonymous with coal-mining for almost 100 years. Shafts were sunk in the vicinity of the old Foulford Washer. It was in the mining for ore that the discoveries of the coal seams were made, and pits were sunk at every corner of the town. Prior to this, coal had been mined at Fordell for over a century, but the discovery of the coal seams at the depth they were found came as a pleasant surprise, considering the dip in the coal strata at Fordell, as it was previously thought that the seams at Cowdenbeath would be at such a depth as to be almost unworkable.^[8]

By 1850, the flourishing coal pits of Kelty, Lochgelly, Donibristle, Fordell and Hill of Beath surrounded the hamlet of Cowdenbeath. Within the greater area, which later became the Burgh of Cowdenbeath, there was little mining activity. Gibson, of Hill of Beath, and the Symes, of Cartmore, had opened small pits in the vicinity of Jubilee Park at the southern border of the Burgh, and other small pits appear to have been worked in the vicinity of Union Street. However, the situation was about to change when (contrary to earlier speculation) the Oakley Iron Company proved the area was rich in iron and coal. The opening of the Dunfermline-Thornton railway, via Cowdenbeath, in 1848, enhanced the prospects for mining and pits were literally sunk in every corner of the area, primarily for ironstone, but when this became uneconomic around the late 1870s, for coal alone.

The Forth Iron Company took over the Oakley Iron Company around 1860 then amalgamated with the Cowdenbeath Coal Company in 1872. When the Fife Coal Company subsequently took them over in 1896, the Cowdenbeath Coal Company's pits were listed as: Lumphinnans Nos. 1, 2, 7, 11; Cowdenbeath Nos. 3, 7, 9; Foulford No. 1 and Mossbeath. This effectively made the Fife Coal Company one of the largest coal mining concerns in Scotland. Such was the upsurge in mining activity that the population of Cowdenbeath doubled (4,000 - 8,000) in the ten years between 1890 and 1900 and gave rise to the nickname "Chicago of Fife". This was a significant increase on the 1820 figure of 120.^[9]

Such was the extent of the importance of Cowdenbeath to coal mining at the turn of the century (circa 1900) that several institutions essential to mining became established there. The headquarters offices of the Fife Miners’ Association were opened in Victoria Street on 8 October 1910, the first Mine rescue station opened at Cowdenbeath on 4 November 1910 on Stenhouse Street, opposite Beath High School.^[10] The Central Works, Cowdenbeath, (commonly referred to as "The Workshops") were built in 1924 by the Fife Coal Company Limited in order to centralise its supervisory staff and to cope with the greater amount of manufacturing and maintenance work caused by the intensive mechanisation programme which was being introduced in its mines.^[9]

Another significant mining-related building, which reflected Cowdenbeath's growing status at the forefront of mining technology, was the establishment of the Fife Mining School in 1895. The school had humble origins, operating out of two rooms in Broad Street School, until it was transferred to the basement of Beath High School on Stenhouse Street. It was not until 1936 that Fife Mining School acquired its own custom-built building on the site of the old Woodside House on Broad Street. The new Fife Mining School was erected at a cost of £22,500, and was opened on 22 March by Mr Ernest Brown, MP, then Parliamentary Secretary to the Mines Department.^[11] The school trained apprentices in all aspects of the mining trade, however, it did have a temporary change of use during both World Wars, when it was used to train women working in the munitions industry. The mining school closed in 1976, reflecting the diminishing role of coal-mining in the community.^[9]

Geography[link]

Cowdenbeath lies in south-western Fife, near to the larger town of Dunfermline. Its precise coordinates are 56.11°N 3.35°W. The town lies in a low, undulating, arable landscape to the south east of the Ochil Hills. Whilst for the main part Cowdenbeath is fairly level, there are significant portions of the town which have succumbed to subsidence as a result of the network of mineshafts and tunnels underlying the town. Notably, there are photographs of Cowdenbeath High Street published in Stenlake Publications ^[12] which depict Cowdenbeath High Street circa 1900, and which shows a flat High Street in which it is possible to view its entire length from north to south under the overarching railway bridge. This is impossible today, as the subsidence on the High Street has been so great that the railway bridge now obscures the view from one end to the other.

The south and eastern boundaries of Cowdenbeath are circumscribed by the A92 main road to Kirkcaldy, and beyond that the peat-bog and petrochemichal plant of Mossmorran.

The western perimeter of Cowdenbeath merges into the neighbouring village of Hill of Beath, and is bound by the natural landscape of the gentle slopes of the hill itself, and by Loch Fitty. The proximity of the M90 motorway to the south of Cowdenbeath, and to the east at a lesser extent also serves to define its lower boundary.

The northern boundary of Cowdenbeath is characterised by a rural landscape, which merges into the Lochore Meadows Country Park ("The Meadies"). This formerly industrial/mining landscape which was host to a number of pit-heads (including the Mary Pit - whose winding gear structure dominates the park as a monument to its mining legacy) is now a very pituresque area which provides leisure and recreational outdoor amenities.

Sport and Leisure[link]

Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre is located in Pit Road, next to Central Park in the centre of the town and has a swimming pool, gym, indoor sports facilities and three all-weather pitches for tennis or football. A small skatepark is situated outside the leisure centre. There are a number of playing fields situated around the town.^[13]

The expansive 'Public Park' is situated towards the north of the town. It was established in 1910, and formally opened in 1911. The venture was largely funded by the Gothenburg Public House Society, which donated over £7,000 to the initiative. In its prime the park boasted an ornate bandstand, a paddling-pool, putting-course and swing-park, and was a focal point for various leisure pursuits, and the venue for the annual "Store" (Co-operative Society) treat. Although most of these amenities have long since gone, the park is still tended by the local authority and provides a public open space for all to use.

Cowdenbeath also has a golf club which was originally built as a 9 hole course on the old Dora Coal mine site. Work began in 1988 and the course was completed and ready for play in 1991. The length of the course was 3315 Yards. The course was extended to 18 holes and opened by Sir Michael Bonallack in 1996. The length of the course is now 6207 yards with a standard scratch score of 71. A new clubhouse was built and officially opened on 6 December 1998 by ex-provost James Cameron who had opened the first clubhouse. There had been a golf club at the northern end of the town before WW2, resulting in one of the now-demolished houses being name "Golf View".^[14]

Central Park is a rather dilapidated stadium in the centre of Cowdenbeath. It is home to Cowdenbeath F.C. and has a maximum capacity of 5,270 (1,620 covered seating).

The stadium has a tarmac track encircling the football pitch, one of Britain's fastest, used for stock-car racing. It has recently been announced however that the stadium has been sold for redevelopment (possibly a new retail park) with a new one being built nearby for the football club, complete with an all weather pitch. Central Park is the site of Britain's most northerly speedway track. The team based in Cowdenbeath were known as the Fife Lions and featured riders from Edinburgh Monarchs and Glasgow Tigers in a series of challenge matches against league teams and scratch sides. The speedway track, which staged 8 meetings including a world championship qualifying round, was unusual in that it featured a brick wall safety fence.

Other amenities[link]

The Medical Practice and Police Station are situated on Stenhouse Street. There is a library situated at the north end of the High Street. There is a post office situated near the middle of the High Street nearly opposite the Town House. The red sandstone Town House building is situated in the centre of the High Street. This sandstone is the same stone that was used to construct the original Beath High School on Stenhouse street. The remnants of the stone can be seen to this day forming a low wall around the sheltered housing which now occupies the site of the old high school.

Education[link]

There are three primary schools in the town. Cowdenbeath Primary School serves the southern end of the town. Foulford Primary School serves the northern end of the town. St Bride's Primary School, the only Roman Catholic primary, serves both the town as well as Crossgates, Hill of Beath and Lumphinnans. Some pupils in the north east and south west of the town attend Lumphinnans and Hill of Beath primary schools respectively.

Cowdenbeath is also served by one secondary school. Beath High School was founded in 1910 as a grammar school mainly for the children of local mine executives. It was an imposing building built of red sandstone and stood on Stenhouse Street. Unfortunately, the mine-works emanating from the No. 7 pit, whose, original pit-head was in close proximity to the school, caused significant subsidence in latter years. A modern school was opened in 1964, built in Kirkford next to Kirk of Beath Church and cemetery. At this point the school was split, with the old building becoming the lower school, and subsequently commonly referred to as "Old Beath", whilst the modern school was referred to as "New Beath". The old building was demolished in the 1990s and in 2003 the "new" school, itself, was closed due to subsidence and a new Public Private Partnership school was built. It is maintained by Sodexo.

On 25 March 1983, Mrs Jane Cosans of Cowdenbeath changed discipline in Scottish schools. She was awarded £11,846 by the European Court of Human Rights, plus costs, as recompense for her son's suspension from Beath High School for refusing to be belted. This significantly contributed to the banning of the use of the belt in Scottish schools.^[15][16][17]

Notable people[link]

Alumni of Beath High School include:

• Nobel Prize winner, Sir James Black, whose work is behind the drug Ranitidine. In an excerpt from his autobiography, Sir James is quoted as saying: "The imprinting mathematical influence was Dr Waterson at Beath High School, a brilliant and rumbustious teacher, who more or less man-handled me into sitting the competitive entrance examination for St Andrews University." ^[18]
• Jennie Lee, Baroness Lee of Asheridge, attended Beath High School. She graduated from Edinburgh University and worked as a teacher in Cowdenbeath before being adopted the ILP candidate for the North Lanarkshire constituency, which she won at a 1929 by-election, becoming the youngest member of the House of Commons. A member of Harold Wilson's government of 1964, she was influential in the creation of the Open University. Her father was manager of the Crown Hotel at the north end of the High Strret, which was destroyed by fire on 13 May 2009. Her husband was Aneurin Bevan MP.^[19]
• Another noteworthy student of Beath was James Curran Baxter, or "Slim Jim" Baxter, one of Scotland's most prolific football players. A statue commemorating Jim Baxter can be found in adjacent Hill of Beath, his home village, outside the working men's club.

• Ian Rankin, the author of the Inspector Rebus novels also attended Beath High School.
• Dennis Canavan, the Scottish politician and Member of Parliament for Falkirk West was born in Cowdenbeath in 1942 and attended St Brides Primary School.
• Harry Ewing (Baron Ewing of Kirkford) was born in Cowdenbeath in 1931. Son to miner, William Ewing, Harry served as a Member of Parliament for 21 years before being made a life peer.

• Donald Findlay QC, born in Cowdenbeath on March 17, 1951 is a well known senior advocate and Queen's Counsel in Scotland. He has also held positions as a vice chairman of Rangers Football Club and twice Rector of the University of St Andrews. He is now the chairman of Cowdenbeath FC.
• Scott Brown attended Beath High School. He was born in Dunfermline on 25 June 1985 and has played for Hibernian, Celtic and Scotland.
• Tom Kellichan, drummer of punk rock band The Skids from 1977 to 1980, lived there.^[20]

• Illustrator William McLaren (1923–1987) attended Beath High School.

Transport[link]

The A92 Fife Regional Road is a motorway-standard dual carriageway road running from the M90 motorway (which runs from Edinburgh to Perth) in Dunfermline to Kirkcaldy (and further to Glenrothes, Dundee and Aberdeen). The A92 bypasses the east of the town with a junction at Bridge Street.

Cowdenbeath railway station is situated just off the High Street, via a steep ramp to/from each platform. It is on the Fife Circle Line with a half-hourly service to Edinburgh (Monday to Saturday daytimes).^[21]

Bus Services[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Cowdenbeath on FifeDirect
• Cowdenbeath in the '80s by Drongomala

Inter

200px
Full name	Football Club Internazionale Milano S.p.A.
Nickname(s)	I Nerazzurri (The Black and Blues) La Beneamata (The Cherished One) Il Biscione (The Big Grass Snake) Baüscia (Boasters in Lombard language)
Founded	March 9, 1908; 104 years ago  (1908-03-09)
Ground	San Siro, Milan (Capacity: 80,018[1])
Owner	Massimo Moratti
President	Massimo Moratti
Head coach	Andrea Stramaccioni
League	Serie A
2011–12	Serie A, 6th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours
Current season

Football Club Internazionale Milano S.p.A., commonly referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. The club is commonly known as Inter Milan outside of Italy.^[2][3] They have spent their entire history in the top flight First Division (known as Serie A since 1929). Internazionale have won 30 domestic trophies, including the league eighteen times, the Coppa Italia seven and the Supercoppa Italiana five. From 2006 to 2010 the club won five successive league titles, equalling the all-time record.^[4] They have won the Champions League three times; two back-to-back in 1964 and 1965 and then another in 2010. The last completed an unprecedented Italian treble with the Coppa Italia and the Scudetto. The club has also won three UEFA Cups, two Intercontinental Cups and one FIFA Club World Cup.

Inter's home games are played at San Siro, also known as the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. The stadium, which is shared with A.C. Milan, is the largest in Italian football, with a total capacity of 80,018.^[5] Milan are considered one of their biggest rivals, and matches between the two teams are called Derby della Madonnina, which is one of the most followed derbies in football.^[6] As of 2010, Inter is the second most supported team in Italy,^[7] and the eighth most supported team in Europe.^[8] The current president and owner of Inter is Massimo Moratti. The club is one of the wealthiest and most valuable in Italian and world football.^[9] It was a founding member of the now-defunct G-14 group of Europe's leading football clubs as well as its replacement, the European Club Association.^[10]

History[link]

Foundation and early years (1908–1922)[link]

First Inter side to win the scudetto, in 1909–10

The club was founded on 9 March 1908 as Football Club Internazionale, following a "schism" from the Milan Cricket and Football Club (44 members). A group of Italians and Swiss (Giorgio Muggiani, a painter who also designed the club's logo, Bossard, Lana, Bertoloni, De Olma, Enrico Hintermann, Arturo Hintermann, Carlo Hintermann, Pietro Dell'Oro, Hugo and Hans Rietmann, Voelkel, Maner, Wipf, and Carlo Ardussi) were unhappy about the domination of Italians in the AC Milan team, and broke away from them, leading to the creation of Internazionale. The name of the club derives from the wish of its founding members to accept foreign players as well as Italians.

The club won its very first Scudetto (championship) in 1910 and its second in 1920. The captain and coach of the first Scudetto was Virgilio Fossati, who was killed in World War I.

After early years (1922–1960)[link]

In 1922 Inter were in Group B of the Serie A and came in dead last after picking up only 11 points in the season. Thanks to the reunion of the C.C.I. (Confederazione Calcistica Italiana) and Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC), Inter remained in the top league after winning the salvation play-off.

In 1928, during the Fascist era, the club was forced to merge with the Unione Sportiva Milanese and was renamed Società Sportiva Ambrosiana.^[11] They wore white shirts around this time with a red cross emblazoned on it. This shirt design was inspired by the flag and coat of arms of the city of Milan, which in turn is derived from the flag of the patron saint of Milan, St. Ambrose and dates back to the 4th century AD. The new upcoming President Oreste Simonotti decided to change name to Associazione Sportiva Ambrosiana in 1929. However, supporters continued to call the team Inter, and in 1931 new president Pozzani caved to shareholder pressure and changed the name to Associazione Sportiva Ambrosiana-Inter.

Their first Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) was won in 1938-39, led by the great legend Giuseppe Meazza, for whom the San Siro stadium is officially named, and a fifth league championship followed in 1940, despite an injury to Meazza. After the end of World War II the club re-emerged under a name close to their original one; FC Internazionale Milano, which they have kept ever since. Following the war, Inter won its sixth championship in 1953 and the seventh in 1954.

Grande Inter (1960–1968)[link]

Facchetti on a 1968 Ajman stamp

In 1960, Helenio Herrera joined Internazionale from FC Barcelona. From FC Barcelona, he brought his midfield general Luis Suárez who would win the European Footballer of the Year in the same year for his role in FC Barcelona's La Liga/Fairs Cup double. He would transform Internazionale into one of the greatest teams in Europe. He modified a 5-3-2 tactic known as the Verrou (door bolt) to include larger flexibility for counter attacks. The Catenaccio system was invented by an Austrian coach named Karl Rappan. Rappan's original system was implemented with 4 fixed defenders, playing a strict man-to-man marking system, plus a playmaker in the middle of the field who plays the ball together with two midfield wings. Herrera would modify it by adding a fifth defenders, the sweeper or libero behind the two centre backs. The sweeper or libero who acted as the free man would deal with any attackers who went through the two centre backs. Internazionale would finish 3rd in Serie A his first season, 2nd the next year and first in his 3rd season. And then followed a back-to-back European Cup victory in 1964 and 1965. Herrera earned the title "ll Mago" which meant the magician. The code of Herrera's team was the fullbacks Tarcisio Burgnich and Giacinto Facchetti, Armando Picchi the sweeper, Luis Suárez the playmaker, Jair the winger, Mario Corso the left midfielder and Sandro Mazzola who played the inside-right.

In 1964, Internazionale reached the Final by beating Borussia Dortmund in the semifinal and FK Partizan in the quarterfinal. In the Final, they met Real Madrid, a team had reached 7 out of the 9 existing Finals. Real Madrid consisted of the aging stars of the 1950s and a few emerging players that would win the European Cup in 1966. It was Sandro Mazzola who stole the show by scoring two goals in a 3-1 victory.

A year later, Inter repeated the feat by beating two-time winner SL Benfica in the final held at home. Jair was the lone scorer in 1-0 win.

By 1967, Jair was gone. Luis Suárez was injured and missed the Final. Sandro Mazzola's penalty was not enough to stop Celtic FC from winning the title.

After Helenio Herrera era (1968–1990)[link]

Following the golden era of the 1960s, Inter managed to win their eleventh league title in 1971 and their twelfth in 1980. Inter were defeated for the second time in five years in the final of the European Cup, going down 0-2 to Johan Cruijff's Ajax Amsterdam in 1972. During the 1970s and the 1980s, Inter also added two to its Coppa Italia tally, in 1977-78 and 1981-82.