Wiener Athletiksport Club

Wiener AC (1901): standing, l-r: Friedrich Dettelmaier, Karl Sokol, Philipp Nauss, Emil 
Wachuda, Herr Pammer (secretary), Heinrich Haller, Dr. Steiner, Strauss, Josef Taurer; seated:
Gustav Huber, Cornelius von Hoffmann, Johann Studnicka.

The football section of WAC was founded in 1897.
By 1904 they had captured six major trophies.
Tagblatt-Pokal - a league competition for Vienna clubs-1901,1902,1903.
Challenge-Cup- a knockout tournament open to all clubs in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy  1901,1903, 1904.

G'stutzte

Johann Studnicka joined  WAC ( Wiener Athletiksport Club) as a 13 year old. Known as  G'stutzte (Shorty) he was nippy and compact. He developed a technique of close control dribbling that became known as the Viennese style. He started out as a defender, but his explosive pace and ball control saw him move up to inside left.

By the time international football came to the Dual Monarchy (the Vienna v Budapest city Selection game of 1902, retrospectively afforded the status of a full international) the 19 year old  Studnicka was already a leading light in Austrian football. he scored 3 goals in this match, a feat he achieved twice before he was out of his teens.

Studnicka played in 28 internationals, scoring 18 goals. 

At club level he won 3  Challenge-Cups (1901, 1903, 1904), 4 Austrian League championships (1901, 1902, 1903, 1915)- all with WAC. Added to these honours he won the Swiss National championship with FC Zurich in 1924. 

Studnicka (2nd left) in action against Hungary in 1913. On the far right is referee Mr Jack Howcroft of England, who was instrumental in launching the continental coaching career of Jimmy Hogan 

Austria/Habsburg Monarchy - Challenge Cup 1897-98

Vienna Cricket and Football Club

Theoretically the Austria/Habsburg Monarchy - Challenge Cup, initiated in 1897, was open to all clubs in the Austro- Hungarian Empire, which would make it an early claimant to the title of 'continental championship', a forerunner of the European tournaments that flourished in the 1950's and 60's.
 However the first editions were contested exclusively by Viennese clubs. In 1900-01 2 Prague clubs, Ceský AFC Vinohrady and Slavia Praha entered, with Budapest teams coming in in 1903.
Ultimately Ferencváros' 1909 victory proved to be the only time a team from outside Vienna won the trophy in its ten year history.
The tournament was established by Englishman John Gramlick, one of the founders of the Vienna Cricket and Football Club (commonly known as Cricketer). 

The first Challenge Cup was contested by four Viennese clubs over a week in November 1897.
The newly formed Wiener FC 98 beat Rasenspielclub Training Wien 5-0 and the predominantly English team,  Cricketer overcame First Vienna Football-Club 1894 3-2.
First Vienna Football-Club 1894 was established by English and Austrian gardeners working on the Rothschild estate, and still play in the Rothschild horseracing colours.

Cricketer proved far too strong for FC98 in the final, running out 7-0 winners.