FC St. Gallen

St Gallen FC, founded in April 1879,  claims to be the oldest club in continental Europe. The club was founded by young businessmen who had been exposed to football when they studied with English students. 

Although the members played almost daily, the early years saw only casual football and an idiosyncratic set of hybrid rules. It was in 1892 that St Gallen's first documented fixture took place- a visit from Grasshopper Club Zürich, who protested that the goals used in St Gallen were far smaller than the regulation size. The return match in Zurich saw Grasshopper win 6-0 (they had won 1-0 with the mini goals at St Gallen). Following this fixture St Gallen adopted the standard sized goals. 

The club first featured in Swiss Championship in 1899-1900 (the 3rd edition) under their temporary guise of United FC St. Gallen, but finished bottom of their group. They were champions in 1904, a feat they did not repeat for 96  years.

Sevi

A very heroic photograph.
Severino Minelli  represented Switzerland 80 times (1930-43).

He played for Servette and Grasshopper Club Zürich. When he left home to join Servette as a 19 year old it entailed a 350km cycle ride.
Minelli was the 'verrou' (bolt) in Karl Rappan's system, playing as a sweeper up behind the other defenders. 

Dori Kürschner

The Hungarian Izidor Kürschner-Szűcs, usually known as Dori Kürschner (or Dori Kruschner in Brazil) was one of the coaches who contributed to the evolution of the modern game in quite a subtle way. Even though he died in 1941, his greatest contribution to football probably came after 1937. As coach of Flamengo he changed the way Brazilians thought about tactics and formations, setting the stage for later triumphs.Kürschner played for MTK Budapest from 1904–1913. This was a succesful period for the club, who were coached by Jimmy Hogan from 1914. 
MTK won the Hungarian League in 1904 and 1907–08, and the cup 3 seasons in a row (1910-12). 
A left half or centre half, Kürschner made his international debut for Hungary in 1907. He won 5 caps over the next 4 years, never being a regular . Kürschner commenced his coaching career in 1918 with MTK. 

1918 MTK  (Hungary)
  Kürschner replaced Hogan as coach at MTK, who were Hungarian champions that season.

1919-21 Stuttgart Kickers  (Germany)
During Kürschner's tenure at Kickers  they won their regional league (Kreisliga Württemberg).

1921 1 FC Nuremberg (Germany)
  Once Kickers were eliminated from the national Championships Kürschner was engaged by Nuremberg and  oversaw their successful defence of the title.

 1921 FC Bayern  (Germany)
Bayern hired Kürschner as the replacement for Billy Townley. 

1922 1 FC Nuremberg (Germany)
When Bayern failed to progress in the national championships  Nuremberg invited him back and he was coach in the Eternal Final. 

1922-23 Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany)

1923-24 FC Nordstern Basel (Switzerland)
Kürschner was Nordstern's first ever full time coach, and he took them into the first division. 

1924 Switzerland (National team)
Switzerland were coached by a Technical Commission made up of 3 members, each representing one of the regions of Switzerland (east, central and west). This was a remarkable triumvirate in which Kürschner served alongside the Englishmen Teddy Duckworth and Jimmy Hogan. Switzerland won the silver medal at the 1924 Olympics.

1924 Schwarz-Weiss Essen (Germany)
Again, he was the first full time coach.

1925-34 Grasshopper (Switzerland)
Under Kürschner Grasshopper came to be highly regarded, with 3 national championships and 4 cup wins. 

1934-35 Young Boys Berne (Switzerland)

1937-38 CR Flamengo (Brazil)
Brazilian football was still tactically naive. 2-3-5 still reigned. Kürschner introduced the WM formation along with European training and preparation methods. 

1939-40 Botafogo (Brazil)

Switzerland 1897–1898

Grasshopper Club Zürich

The Swiss league in the 1897–1898 season was contested by 9 teams divided into 3 groups.It was a curious arrangement.

In group A  Grasshopper Club Zurich and FC Zurich played each other once and Grasshopper won 7-2

Group B saw Villa Longchamp Lausanne beat FC Yverdon, who then took no further part. Lausanne Football and Cricket Club then eliminated Maison Neuve Vevey and Villa D'Ouchy  before losing to Villa Longchamp Lausanne.

In group C Le Château de Lancy beat Racing Club de Geneve and were then themselves beaten by La Châtelaine Genève.

There then followed two play off matches.

 Grasshopper beat Villa Longchamp Lausanne and then  La Châtelaine Genève to emerge as champions.

Coupe Van der Straeten Ponthoz 1900

In 1900 the Belgian count Van der Straeten Ponthoz offered a cup to the winner of an international tournament. At the time national  leagues existed in Belgium, Netherlands and Switzerland , and as the champions of these leagues were all in the tournament, the press dubbed it the continental championship.

RAP (1899)

Belgium: Antwerp FC,Racing(Brussels- entered 2 sides),Léopold FC(Brussels)

Switzerland: Grasshopper Club Zürich  

Netherlands: H.V.V.Den Haag,R.A.P.(Amsterdam) 

First Round
R.A.P.                2-1 Racing
H.V.V.                8-1 Léopold
Racing II             walk over  Antwerp FC
Grasshopper           bye

Semifinals
Grasshopper           2-3 R.A.P.
H.V.V.                3-0 Racing II

Final
R.A.P.                2-1 H.V.V.