leaving football relegated to the background, which explains the poor performances of the club in football championships from 1897 to 1898, where the team finished in last place even suffering some of the largest defeats ever such as a 0–10 at the hands of defunct Flores AC. First Successes This situation lasted until 1899, when Alfredo Goode (a football enthusiast) was named president. In 1899 Banfield won its first title, proclaiming Second Division champion over Español High School. Banfield remains the only club currently affiliated with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), that had won a title in the 19th. century. Banfield players were all born in Great Britain except the center half and captain James Dodds Watson, an Argentine native born in Buenos Aires. The following year (1900), as there was still no promotion, Banfield retained the Second Division championship. That time the club won the title without being defeated. Key players included the goalscorer Edward "Invincible" Potter, noted dribbler Charles Douglas Moffatt, captain Watson Dodds, and goalkeeper/president Goode. After that success, the club began to decline until December 1904, when Banfield was reorganized, with all of its assets liquidated to meet a hopeless bankruptcy. During those years, the figure of George Burton, another true lover of football, presided over the club until his death in 1928. In 1908, the club's first team, playing in the Third Division, won the championship. In December 1910, a Banfield squad including William Peterson, Roger Jacobelli, Amador García, Carlos Lloveras, Galup Lanus and Bartholomew, amongst others, faced Racing Club in a two legged playoff for a place in the top division. The first match ended 0–0, with Racing finally winning, with a goal in extra time during the second match. In 1912, with the leadership of Captain Adolfo Pellens, Banfield won the championship for the third category thus the club ensured its return to second division. However, a restructuring of the tournament caused the first split in Argentine football, sending Banfield directly to the top category. Banfield performed well in the 1913 and 1914 tournaments, but when World War I began, many of the team's players, who were of British origin, were enrolled in the British Army and were sent to the battlefront in Europe. In 1919, Banfield returned to the first division after beating defunct Del Plata in the final game. The 1920s Recently promoted, Banfield was runner-up behind champion Boca Juniors. That