Altay

Altay holds an important place in Turkey's football history. The club played a key role in uniting the Turkish community during the Turkish War of Independence. Many Altay players and supporters lost their lives in the war. After the Surname Law was adopted, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk gave General Fahrettin Pasha the surname of "Altay" reportedly in reference to a football match they had watched together in İzmir.

Early history

Football activities in İzmir began in the late 19th century, initially involving Greek, Armenian, British, Italian and other communities. In 1905, Talat Erboy, Şerif Remzi Reyent and Sabri Süleymanoviç, who were students at the American Collegiate Institute, began playing football with foreign students. Nejat Evliyazade was also active in football during this period and later became one of the first Turkish footballers to play in Belgium.

Following the proclamation of the Second Constitutional Era in 1908, football became more widespread among Turkish youth. The sport was also introduced into several schools in İzmir. Şükrü Saraçoğlu, Baha Esat Tekant, Mustafa Necati Bey and Vasıf Çınar were among the educators who supported the development of football in schools.

Foundation

Towards the end of 1913, Celal Bayar arrived in İzmir and invited Altay members involved in sports to join the Committee of Union and Progress. Bayar provided financial assistance for the club's establishment. The founders included Mustafa Necati, Vasıf Çınar, Şükrü Saraçoğlu, Baha Esat Tekant, Talat Erboy, Nejat Evliyazade, and other sportsmen and educators of the period. Young people at Şark İdadisi played a key role in the club's formation. In his account of the club's early history, Saraçoğlu described the club as "the football branch of the Committee of Union and Progress." The club was established as Hilal İdman Yurdu on 16 January 1914 to promote sporting activities among Turkish youth and to provide a Turkish sporting organization in İzmir, where football clubs representing Greek, Armenian, Italian and other communities were prominent at the time. Several names were proposed for the club after its foundation, including "Ergenekon". The name Altay was eventually considered more suitable, and the club subsequently adopted it. Many of these clubs were later dissolved, became inactive or ceased operating amid the political and demographic changes following the First World War.

The club's colours were initially red and white. They were later changed to black and white following a proposal by Evliyazade. His choice was reportedly influenced by the colours of the team he played for while studying in Belgium. After returning to İzmir, Evliyazade brought black-and-white kits with him, which subsequently became associated with Altay.

The club initially used a room at Şark İdadisi as its headquarters, where its members continued their activities for some time. Later, after coming under the patronage of the Turkish Hearths, the club was allocated a separate room within the organization's premises.

When Altay was founded, several sports facilities in İzmir were used by clubs established by non-Muslim communities. Altay had limited access to suitable training and match venues during its early years. The site of present-day Alsancak Stadium was owned by Panionios.

In early 1915, the Katipoğlu Çayırı or also known as Altay Çayırı, a football ground in what is now the Karabağlar district, was allocated to Altay by İzmir Governor Rahmi Bey. The club developed the ground into a training field, giving Altay its first dedicated sporting ground.

From its foundation until the end of the First World War, Altay played many of its matches at Panionios (Punta) Ground and Altay Çayırı. During the Greek occupation of İzmir, members of the club became dispersed, and those who continued their activities under the name İdman Yurdu played their matches at Panionios Stadium. Following the end of the occupation and the departure and death of a significant part of the city's Greek population, the stadium and other sporting grounds in İzmir became available to Turkish clubs. Panionios Stadium was subsequently used by Turkish clubs, including Altay. In 1923, the stadium was renamed The Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis (Veremle Mücadele Cemiyeti) Stadium. It later became known as İzmir Alsancak Stadium, after the district in which it was located.

As the club grew, the single room allocated to it in the Turkish Hearths building became insufficient for its needs. In July 1926, the Altay board moved the club to a building in the Yalı area of Karantina, which had a large garden and was located near the sea.

Altay's first recorded match against a Greek club was against Bornova Greek Club, which Altay won 2–0. The club subsequently played against teams representing İzmir's Greek, Armenian, Italian, and other communities. In 1915, the club won a league featuring teams from Karşıyaka Rum, Midilli and Trablusgarp. The club also won the İzmir championship in 1917.

Following the Armistice of Mudros in 1918, Altay faced difficulties amid the political changes in İzmir. Several Altay members became involved in political and social developments. The club's ties to the Committee of Union and Progress and the Turkish Hearths also affected its position during the post-war period. The departure of Mustafa Necati and Vasıf Çınar from İzmir following the Greek occupation, the end of Governor Rahmi Bey's term in 1917, and the suspension of the activities of the Turkish Hearths left the club with fewer sources of support.