- Ebenezer Cobb Morley
.
Morley was born in Hull but moved to Barnes in 1858 forming the
Barnes Club , a founding member of the FA, in 1862. In 1863, as captain of theMortlake -based club, he wrote to Bell's Lifenewspaper proposing a governing body for the sport that led to the first meeting at the Freemason's Tavern that created the FA.He was the FA's first secretary (1863-6) and its second president (1867-74) and drafted the first
Laws of the Game at his home in Barnes. As a player, he played in the first ever match, against Richmond in 1863, and scored in the first representative match, between the clubs of London and Sheffield on31 March 1866 . (seeSheffield F.C. ).A
solicitor by profession, Morley was a keen oarsman, founding the Barnes and Mortlake Regatta for which he was also secretary (1862-80). He served on theSurrey County Council for Barnes (1903-19) and was a Justice of the Peace.
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