Idman.biz
The "Balakhani Footballers Club" was one of the first local clubs to play a significant role in the development of Azerbaijani football.
Idman.Biz reports that in the early 20th century, British oil engineers working in Baku brought football to the city and regularly played games near the Balakhani oil fields. The "British Club" they created was considered the main force in local football for a long time.
In the late 1910, a Balakhani oil owner, Ali Bashir Gadirzade (Mer Campan), witnessed an interesting event while watching a game of British footballers. According to the source, one of the British engineers told him that local footballers were not suitable for this game and proposed to create a team to compete with them. After these words, Ali Bashir Gadirzade decided to create a local football team.
Mer Campan introduced a reward system for those who wanted to play and learn football. He promised players 10 gold coins and a monthly salary from his personal funds. A team of 25 people was formed in a short time, and the first local football field was prepared in Balakhani.
In 1911, the "Balakhani Footballers Club" was created. This team is considered one of the first football collectives created in Azerbaijani football with local initiative and national capital.
During the same period, the "British Club" won the Baku championship in 1911 and 1912, but the "Balakhani Footballers Club" quickly gained strength and became one of the leading teams in the city.
In 1916, the Balakhani representative won the Baku championship, ending the dominance of British footballers. This success is valued as one of the first significant achievements in the history of Azerbaijani football.
The source notes that in the following years, the formed football traditions in Baku gave impetus to the development of professional football in the country. As a continuation of this process, one of Azerbaijan's most famous football clubs, "Neftchi", was created in 1937. The "Balakhani Footballers Club" has taken its place in history as one of the first local teams in Azerbaijani football.
