The birth of another Everton!

Cerro Alegre, Valparaíso — Thursday, 24 June 1909
The Birth of a Dream

On the steep, sea-kissed slopes of Cerro Alegre, as the morning mist still clung to the tiled rooftops of Valparaíso, a small group of boys gathered at the Foxley family home. The city below was waking slowly, but in that house on the hill, history was already stirring.

David N Foxley Chapman — only 14 years old, but already a natural leader — was hosting the meeting. Alongside him sat classmates from Valparaíso High School and The Mackay School, friends united not just by youthful energy but by a shared dream: to create something of their own. Something lasting.

They were still boys — none older than 16 — yet the idea they carried was bold. Fueled by headlines and schoolyard talk of the recent football tour through Argentina and Uruguay by two famous English clubs, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, they imagined a team that could carry that same spirit onto Chilean soil. Whispers had swirled about those teams coming to Chile next — but the plans fell through. Still, the spark had been lit.

And so, on the evening of Saint John’s Day, they chose a name. Not just any name, but a tribute to a club from faraway Liverpool: Everton. A symbol of heritage, excellence — and family history. The Foxley family had emigrated from Liverpool in the 1850s, they had worshipped in St Peter’s Church, which would later become Everton's first opponent since their name change from St Domingo’s.

So, with the tour of South America and the family connections, there could be only one name that could be chosen. However, no one in that modest room could have predicted what was beginning. There were no brass bands, no waving flags. Just earnest voices, big dreams, and the conviction of youth.

The minutes of that first meeting read like the opening lines of an epic:

• The gathering opened at 5:10 am — whether from youthful impatience or simply eagerness is unknown.
• David’s father, David Foxley Newton, a 48-year-old Englishman born in Liverpool, was named Honorary President.
• 14-year-old Frank Boundy Jones took the title of President.
• David himself was chosen as Captain. His younger brother, Arthur — just 12 — was appointed Assistant Secretary.
• The rest of the board read like a school register more than a boardroom list: Percy Holmes, Alberto and Carlos González, Hugh Boundy, and others barely in their teens.

The first official act of this newborn club? A challenge match. Graphie FBC would be their first opponent. The date was set: Tuesday, 29 June.

The First Match

That Tuesday morning dawned cold and grey. At 10 am, on a field now lost to time, Everton FC of Valparaíso stepped out for the very first time. Their boots were dusty, their shirts likely mismatched — or perhaps nonexistent. No one remembers the kit. No photos remain.

But the lineup is preserved: Arthur Foxley stood in goal; his older brother David led the line. Hugh Boundy played midfield on his 13th birthday. Percy Holmes, Julio Escobar, Alfredo Aravena — all part of that pioneering XI.

Their opponents, Graphie, had come with something less noble in mind. Twelve players took the field. One of them, “Gederlini,” wasn’t even on their team—borrowed, without permission, from a rival club. Everton protested, but the game went on.

They fought hard, those boys. The first half ended scoreless. But after the break, Graphie found the net. Everton lost, 1–0. It was a humble beginning — but a beginning nonetheless.

In their post-match notes, the founders didn’t complain of defeat. What troubled them most was the breach of fair play. They wrote:

“The captain of Graphie brought onto the field — and played, despite our protests — a certain Gederlini, a member of Orita FC.… He behaved in a manner that no polite person would adopt.”

Even at 14, they understood: sport was about more than goals and wins. It was about honour.

Building Everton

In the weeks that followed, the team trained wherever they could — first at the Alemán Riding School, then on the rough trails of Camino Cintura. They were often chased away by older youths, but they kept returning. The dream was bigger than the obstacles.

The press took notice. On 6 July 1909, El Mercurio de Valparaíso printed a brief note: Everton FC had been born. For the first time, their name echoed beyond the hills.

They lacked equipment, even a proper ball — but they had heart. “It was quite difficult for us to raise the money necessary to buy a bell and a ball,” recalled Alfredo Aravena, years later. “A football club was inconceivable without such an important device.”

By 26 July, the club had grown. Óscar Guzmán joined the board as Vice President. Weekly meetings were held, plans drawn up, matches scheduled. David Foxley, tireless in his commitment, became both architect and anchor.

Evertually, the club would move from the cobbled alleys of Valparaíso to the growing seaside town of Viña del Mar — where Everton would take root more deeply, and thrive.

Legacy

Looking back, it’s astonishing. A group of schoolboys, too young to vote or drive, formed a club that would one day lift national trophies, represent Chile abroad, and stir generations of supporters.

But on that cool morning in June 1909, none of that mattered. What mattered was that they believed.

Everton had been born — not just a football club, but a symbol of youth, passion, and the enduring power of dreams.

 

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