Visit to Stirling Albion FC
2026/3/23
On Tuesday 24th March, Consul General Katsutoshi Takeda visited Stirling Albion FC alongside Masakuni Yamamoto, Technical Director and National Team Director of Japan Football Association.
Sixty years ago, in 1966, when football was still an amateur sport in Japan, Stirling Albion FC became the first professional football team from the UK to be invited to Japan, and played two friendly matches against Japan’s national team.
On the day, Jim Thomson, Club Historian, gave a presentation about the tour of Japan from that time, and Ted Christopher, Club Director, gave Mr Yamamoto a pennant commemorating the 60th anniversary, and the Japanese side gave him a jersey with the number 60 and the club name. In addition, Fraser McIntyre, Club Chairman, expressed gratitude for the visit, and Consul General Takeda and Mr Yamamoto were able to hear from John Orr, a former player who was 19 years old and played as number 10 at the time of the Japan matches. There was also the valuable opportunity to see National Stadium and Komazawa Stadium pamphlets and tickets from 60 years ago.
The upcoming friendly match will be the first time Japan’s national team plays in Scotland, and we hope this 60th anniversary milestone will contribute to the connection between Scotland and Japan through football.
Sixty years ago, in 1966, when football was still an amateur sport in Japan, Stirling Albion FC became the first professional football team from the UK to be invited to Japan, and played two friendly matches against Japan’s national team.
On the day, Jim Thomson, Club Historian, gave a presentation about the tour of Japan from that time, and Ted Christopher, Club Director, gave Mr Yamamoto a pennant commemorating the 60th anniversary, and the Japanese side gave him a jersey with the number 60 and the club name. In addition, Fraser McIntyre, Club Chairman, expressed gratitude for the visit, and Consul General Takeda and Mr Yamamoto were able to hear from John Orr, a former player who was 19 years old and played as number 10 at the time of the Japan matches. There was also the valuable opportunity to see National Stadium and Komazawa Stadium pamphlets and tickets from 60 years ago.
The upcoming friendly match will be the first time Japan’s national team plays in Scotland, and we hope this 60th anniversary milestone will contribute to the connection between Scotland and Japan through football.