Much discussion and praise recently has revolved around the winning streak accomplished by Welsh club The New Saints, who in 2016 managed to beat Ajax Amsterdams run of 27 wins in a row, which they set in 1972. This is claimed by the sports media to be a world record for successive games won in top-flight football. While officially this may be the case, it may be very inaccurate. Legend has it that between 1919 and 1923, Sparta Prague incredibly upheld a winning run of 60 games in succession, over twice as many as the New Saints achieved.  Records indicate that Sparta won 9, 11, 11, 14 and 15 games in the 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922 and 1923 seasons respectively, bringing the club to the grand total of 60 victories in succession. During this era, the club was affectionately dubbed “Iron Sparta”.  Unfortunately, the Czechoslovakian records from the time are unreliable, casting doubt on the validity of this phenomenal streak.

 

Nethertheless, following the establishment of a football league in Czechoslovakia, Sparta collected title after title. Many of the clubs fans continue to recall with admiration some of the great players of the day, such as Peyer, Hojer, Perner, Kada, Kolenaty and Cerveny. The side was guided to their five league titles by their coach John Dick, a former Woolwich Arsenal player from Scotland who was famous for once running six and a half miles in 33 minutes and 45 seconds, and who also became one of the early pioneers of football in Czechoslovakia. He joined the club in 1912, and prior to this Sparta were inspired by Dicks former club to switch from black and white stripes to maroon jerseys in the style of Arsenals at the time. Dicks fate following his achievement at Sparta Prague remains unknown to this day, although various theories abound. As for the club itself, Sparta remained one of the leading teams in the country throughout the 30’s and 40’s, however both Slavia and Dukla Prague frequently made life in the Czechoslovakian league difficult for Sparta throughout this period, and frequently challenged them for titles.

Achievements: Czechoslovak First League  - Champions x 4

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Star player: Antonin Janda, dob 21 September 1892, pob Prague, Austria-Hungary

 

Janda represented Sparta Prague and Czechoslovakia as a forward, playing 10 times for the latter including at the 1920 Olympic Games in which he scored two hat-tricks and helped his nation to the final. This match was the first and only time an international football final has been abandoned. After Czechoslovakia’s Karel Steiner was sent off for assaulting a Belgian player, the entire Czech team including Antonin Janda left the pitch in protest having played just 40 minutes. As a result, they were disqualified from the tournament and the gold medal went to Belgium. Janda died in 1960.