The history of AC Milan now spans three centuries. The Rossoneri were not the city's first football club - that honour goes to Mediolanum - but they were the first to join a national championship hitherto dominated by Genoa and Torino. These were pioneer days. Players wore large baggy shorts held up by braces. And while goalposts had evolved beyond jumpers, pitches were still temporary affairs marked out by sawdust. As the game grew in popularity, Milan Football and Cricket Club was formed on 16 December 1899 in the Hotel du Nord. Alfred Edwards, a British ex-pat, was named president. Home was the Fiaschetteria Toscana wine shop on Via Berchet. And a pitch soon followed with the Trotter ground in the area where Milan's Central Station now stands. After registering with the Italian Football Federation on 15 January 1900, they played their first match on 11 March against Mediolanum. Wearing the famous black-and-red stripes that day were Hoode, Cignaghi, Torretta, Lees, Kilpin, Valerio, Dubini, Davies, Neville, Allison and Formenti. Success came when Milan won their first Scudetto in 1901 - breaking the hegemony of three-time winners Genoa. But they would have to wait until 1906 and 1907 for the next titles, the latter marking Herbert Kilpin's swansong as a player. Kilpin was one of the club's founder members. A force behind the development of football in Italy, 'Il Lord' won three League championships in three different positions: centre-back (1901), left back (1906), and inside forward (1907). Kilpin's death in 1916 meant the end of an era, but also signalled the arrival of Renzo De Vecchi. 'Il Figlio di Dio' was a full international at 16 and became one of Italy's most celebrated footballers. The club was also developing off the pitch. Piero Pirelli, a former player who became one of Italy's leading industrialists, had his hand on the tiller from 1908 to 1929. His legacy: the San Siro. When he went, Pirelli left a void which Ravasco (1929-33), Benazzoli (1933-36), Annoni (1936-38), Colombo (1939) and Invernizzi (1940) struggled to fill. Then came Umberto Trabattoni, who was to preside over Milan's 'Rinascimento' - a new cycle of success.