This day in football history

On 17 January 1968, new Barcelona president Narcís de Carreras gave a speech that prompted the club’s motto “more than a club.”

A lawyer by profession, Carreras had been involved with the club for some time, twice serving as vice president under Agustí Montal and Enric Martí. When the latter resigned in September 1953, Carreras planned to run for president, but political pressures prevented him.

He finally stood for election at the end of 1967 after the seven-year tenure of Enric Llaudet. It was during his acceptance speech on 17 January that he said “Barcelona is something more than a football club.” The phrase soon became Barcelona’s motto and an integral part of their identity.

Unfortunately, that may have been the most lasting element of Carreras’ time in office. An ambitious deal to hire manager Helenio Herrera away from Inter fell apart while Carreras was out of the country with the Fairs Cup Organizing Committee, leading members of a fractious board to question Carreras’ authority and he resigned on 18 December 1969.