Forward Robbie Ure has completed an initial £5.5 million transfer from IK Sirius to Sevilla FC after signing a five-year contract. The 22-year-old Scottish striker arrives in Spain following three years playing in Belgium with Anderlecht and in Sweden with IK Sirius. He is set to make his competitive debut when Sevilla FC host Rayo Vallecano at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium a week on Saturday to open their La Liga season.
Sevilla FC officially unveiled Ure on social media yesterday with a promotional video celebrating the club's historic links to Scotland. Set to pipe music, the video mixed imagery of Scottish lochs and glens with archive footage of former manager Jock Wallace and former winger Ted McMinn. "We are the sons of the bagpipes and the kilt," the video narration stated. "We were brought to life on the night of the poet and our echo was heard even in the Highlands."
The video added: "The sons of Saint Andrew raised us. And we walked a long road, bathed in your blood, answering those who sought to insult us and wound us until we carried glory to the land of our founders. Your essence runs through our veins." Showing an image of the former Rangers academy player, the narrative concluded: "Now this is your city and this is your shield."
Scottish origins of Sevilla FC
The Scottish connection with Sevilla FC extends across the entire 136-year history of the Spanish club. The club was established on Burns Night in 1890 when a group of Scottish migrants met over drinks in Seville. A report published in the Dundee Courier on March 17, 1890, from a Seville correspondent detailed the initial meeting of the founders.
"Some six weeks ago, a few enthusiastic young residents of British origin met in one of the cafés for the purpose of considering a proposal that we should start an Athletic Association, the want of exercise being greatly felt by the majority of us, who are chiefly engaged in mercantile pursuits," the Dundee Courier report stated. "After a deal of talk and a limited consumption of small beer, the 'Club de Football de Sevilla' was duly formed and office-bearers elected. It was decided we should play Association rules. Goalposts were duly rigged up. We were about half and half Spanish and British."
Edward Farquharson Johnston, who was originally from Elgin, served as the club's first president. Johnston was the British vice-consul in Seville and co-proprietor of MacAndrews & Co, a shipping firm operating commercial lines between Spain and the United Kingdom. He was an active sportsman involved in golf, tennis, and a pigeon shooting society. Glasgow-born marine engineer Hugh MacColl, technical manager of the Portilla White foundry, became the first captain. His foundry colleague Isaias White served as the first secretary and organised Sevilla's inaugural match, a 2-0 victory against Huelva Recreation Club. While Huelva was established earlier, Sevilla FC remains the oldest club in Spain created purely for football.
An original newspaper cutting describing the formation of Sevilla FC is displayed in the club museum. The snippet was originally discovered on a steamship used to transport Seville oranges to Dundee for marmalade production.
Sevilla management of Jock Wallace
Former Rangers manager Jock Wallace took charge of Sevilla FC in 1986 after replacing Manolo Cardo. Wallace followed Terry Venables at Barcelona and John Toshack at Real Sociedad as British managers taking roles in Spanish football. Agent Bill McMurdo recalled that Wallace owned a holiday home in Spain but spoke no Spanish. "Jock loved Spain," McMurdo said. "He had a holiday home there. The problem was that he didn't speak a word of Spanish."
McMurdo added: "But, as luck would have it, we had kept in touch with a guy who ran a Spanish restaurant in Leicester which Jock used to go to when he was manager at Leicester City. He helped us out as an interpreter and Jock got the job."
Wallace guided Sevilla FC to a mid-table finish in his single full season in charge. The club officially dismissed him after he failed to fulfill an agreement to learn Spanish. During one of his early training sessions, Wallace reportedly scolded a player for lack of effort before discovering the individual was the club masseur. Despite his short tenure, Wallace remains fondly remembered by supporters.
"Wallace's team played a beautiful game and had great players," club historian Javier Terenti said. "He was a coach who believed and bet on young players from the club's youth academy, which today is one of the most important pools of young players in Europe." Wallace particularly relished local derbies against Real Betis. Real Betis founder Manuel Ramos Asensio had studied in Scotland and supported Celtic, adopting green and white colours for the club. McMurdo noted that Wallace "enjoyed every minute of it."
Winger Ted McMinn and European final history
Winger Ted McMinn joined Sevilla FC following a disagreement with Graeme Souness at Rangers, becoming the first Scottish player at the club since Glaswegian Duncan McVean Thompson in 1915. McMinn suffered a broken leg in a squash game three weeks after his arrival. Following his recovery, he played 22 matches and developed into a popular figure among supporters.
"With his inelegant Tin Man running style, erratic crossing and unquenchable zest for lager, he was the soul of football," one Spanish journalist wrote. Following the departure of Wallace, McMinn returned to the United Kingdom to sign for Derby County.
Twenty years later, McMinn was interviewed by Spanish and Scottish media when Sevilla FC traveled to Glasgow for the 2007 UEFA Cup final at Hampden Park. Managed by Juande Ramos, Sevilla drew 2-2 with Espanyol after extra time in rain at Mount Florida before winning 3-1 on penalties to retain the UEFA Cup. Sevilla FC have since won five additional UEFA Cup and Europa League titles, taking their total to seven trophies.
Four years ago, Sevilla FC missed an opportunity to play a European final at their home stadium after losing to West Ham United in the last 16 of the competition. Rangers, managed by Giovanni van Bronckhorst, reached the final at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium, losing to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties.
Before his move to Anderlecht, Ure played against Sevilla FC in the UEFA Youth Cup three months prior. Following his form at IK Sirius, the forward now aims to earn his first senior Scotland cap while playing for Sevilla FC in Spain.
