Sheffield Rules

The Sheffield Rules was a code of football devised and played in the English city of Sheffield between 1857 and 1877. They were devised by Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest for use by the newly founded Sheffield Football Club. The rules were subsequently adopted as the official rules of Sheffield Football Association upon its creation in 1867. They spread beyond the city boundaries to other clubs and associations in the north and midlands of England making them one of the most popular forms of football during the 1860s and 70s.cite book|title="Where Football Kicked Off: Sheffield FC"|year=1957]

Six years after the creation of the Sheffield Rules the Football Association rules were created. These were influenced by the Sheffield game but ongoing disputes meant that the Sheffield rules continued to be used. During this time many of the elements of the rules were incorporated in to the association game. Regular games were played between Sheffield and London using both sets of rules. This led to an agreement on a single set of laws administered by the Football Association in 1877.

The rules had a major influence on how the modern game of football developed. Among other things they introduced the concept of free kicks for fouls, corners and throw-ins into the laws of the game.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/7059900.stm|title=Potting shed birth of oldest team|date=2007-10-24|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-03-15] The abolition of the fair catch also led to their teams to be the first to head the ball. Games played under the rules are also accredited for the development of heading and the origins of the goalkeeper and forward positions. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=82–83|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The first inter-club football match and competitive tournament were both played using Sheffield Rules.

Background

The oldest recorded football match in Sheffield occurred in 1794 when a game of mob football was played between Sheffield and Norton (at the time a Derbyshire village) that took place at Bents Green. The game lasted three days, which was not unusual for matches at the time. It was noted that although there were some injuries no-one was killed during the match. [cite book|author=Farnsworth, Keith |year=1995|title=Sheffield Football:A History - Volume 1 1857-1961|pages=16–17|publisher=The Hallamshire Press|isbn=1 87471813 X] The Clarkehouse Road Fencing Club had been playing football since 1852. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=39|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The city was home to a number of sports clubs and the popularity of cricket had led to the chairman of Sheffield Cricket Club to suggest the construction of Bramall Lane.cite book|author=Young, Percy M. |year=1964|title=Football in Sheffield|pages=15–17|publisher=S. Paul]

By the 1850s there were several versions of football played in public schools and clubs throughout England. [cite book|last=Mangan|first=J. A.|title=Sport in Europe: Politics, Class, Gender|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=xmP-Qto7IfMC|pages=95–96|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0714649465] Each school played by their own code despite an attempt by Cambridge University to unify them in 1848. Their rules were generally inaccessible outside of the schools. There the football tended to be unorganised and fairly lawless games known as mob football. Although there are matches between small, equal numbered teams it remained a minority sport until the 1860s. [cite book|last=Harvey|first=Adrian|year=2004|title=The Beginnings of a Commercial Sporting Culture in Britain, 1793-1850|pages=8|publisher=Ashgate Publishing Limited|isbn=0754636437]

During the winter months in 1855 the players of Sheffield Cricket Club organised informal football matches in order to retain fitness until the start of the new season. Two of the players were Nathaniel Creswick (1826–1917) and William Prest (1832–1885), both of whom were born in Yorkshire. Creswick came from a Sheffield family of silver plate manufacturers that dated back several centuries. After being educated at the city's Collegiate School he became a Solicitor. Prest's family had moved from York while he was a child. His father bought a wine merchents that William subsequently took over. Both men were keen Sportsmen. Creswick enjoyed a number of sports including cricket and Running. Prest played cricket for the All England XI and also captained Yorkshire on several occasions. [cite book|last=Murphy|first=Brendan|title=From Sheffield with Love|publisher=Sports Books Limited|date=2007|pages=38—39|isbn=978 1 89807 56 7] . The inaugural meeting of Sheffield F.C. took place on 24 October 1857 at Parkfield House in the suburb of Highfield. [cite book|author=Farnsworth, Keith|year=1995|title=Sheffield Football:A History - Volume 1 1857-1961|pages=21–22|publisher=The Hallamshire Press|isbn=1 87471813 X] The original headquarters would become a greenhouse on East Bank Road. The adjacent field was used as their first playing ground. [cite book|last=Hutton|first=Steven|coauthors=Graham Curry, Peter Goodman|title=Sheffield FC|year=2007|pages=50|publisher=At Heart Limited|isbn=9781845471743]

Rules of 1858

The first written set of laws were produced at the clubs first annual general meeting on 21 October 1858. The original draft was amended at the same meeting to produce the following set of rules for the 1858–59 season.cite book|first=Adrian|last=Harvey|title=Football, the First Hundred Years|year=2005|pages=95–99|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0415350190|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TxoZ0S-GC7MC]
#The kick off from the middle must be a place kick.
#Kick out must not be more than 25 yards [23 m] out of goal.
#A fair catch is a catch from any player provided the ball has not touched the ground or has not been thrown from touch and is entitled to a free-kick.
#Charging is fair in case of a place kick (with the exception of a kick off as soon as a player offers to kick) but he may always draw back unless he has actually touched the ball with his foot.
#Pushing with the hands is allowed but no hacking or tripping up is fair under any circumstances whatever.
#No player may be held or pulled over.
#It is not lawful to take the ball off the ground (except in touch) for any purpose whatever.
#The ball may be pushed or hit with the hand, but holding the ball except in the case of a free kick is altogether disallowed.
#A goal must be kicked but not from touch nor by a free kick from a catch.
#A ball in touch is dead, consequently the side that touches it down must bring it to the edge of the touch and throw it straight out from touch.
#Each player must provide himself with a red and dark blue flannel cap, one colour to be worn by each side.

Overview

Conception

The rules had been in use since the establishment of the club. Although a selection of rules from public schools were seen there, the 1858 rules show little evidence of their influence. Many of the original members were from the local Collegiate School, which favoured the kicking style of the game, rather than handling the ball. The kicking game was also prevalent in the local villages of Penistone and Thurlstone.cite web|url=http://www.sheffieldfc.com/the-club-c22.html|title=Sheffield F.C. - The Club|accessdate=2008-05-02] The rules were the first to penalise foul play with a free kick, introduce the throw-in and eliminate the offside rule. They also had the unique feature of preventing a goal being scored directly from a free kick or throw-in.

Significant changes were also noted in the minutes book. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=41–43|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The original draft prevented all handling of the ball except in the case of a fair catch. It also prevented all hacking and tripping. Despite the relaxation of these rules the first rules clearly leaned towards the kicking version of the game and away from handling of the ball. The season would start on 1 November and run until Easter Saturday. [cite book|author=Young, Percy M.|year=1964|title=Football in Sheffield|pages=18|publisher=S. Paul] The numbers on each side were not fixed. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=47|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The club rules also dictated that any disputes on the field would be resolved by any committee members present - the first reference to a position now occupied by the referee. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=44|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7]

Early years

Initially the code was only played among Sheffield F.C. members. [cite book|author=Farnsworth, Keith|year=1995|title=Sheffield Football:A History - Volume 1 1857-1961|pages=23|publisher=The Hallamshire Press] Games initially teamed players with surnames in the first half of the alphabet against players with surnames in the latter half of the alphabet. They, however, discovered that the most talented players all had surnames in the first half. Various other permutations were tried with professionals versus merchants and manufacturers becoming one of the favourites. In December 1858 they played their first outside opposition, a team from the local 58th Army Regiment. In 1859 the club produced the first printed rule book.cite news|title=Sheffield parade status|first=Simon|last=Goodley|date=2007-10-25|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/sport/2007/10/25/sfnshe125.xml|accessdate=2007-12-05] Despite this the rules were not entirely fixed with changes experimented with throughout the season. [cite book|last=Mangan|first=J. A.|year=1999|title=Sport in Europe: Politics, Class, Gender|pages=110|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0714649465]

Two major events took place in 1860. On the 31 January a meeting was held where it was resolved that Law 8 should be expunged and replaced with "Holding the ball (except in the case of a free kick) or knocking or pushing it on is altogether disallowed". [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=46|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] On the pitch the world’s first inter-club match between Sheffield and the newly formed Hallam F.C. took place on 26 December 1860. The match took place at Hallam's ground, Sandygate Road. It was reported that "The Sheffielders turned in their usual Scarlet and White" which suggests that club colours were already in use. [cite news|title=Local and General Intelligence|publisher=Sheffield Daily Telegraph|date=1860-12-28] Despite playing with inferior numbers Sheffield F.C. beat Hallam 2–0.

In 1861 rouges were introduced into the code.cite book|last=Young|first=Percy|title=Football in Sheffield|year=1964|publisher=S. Paul|pages=18–19] The idea was borrowed from Eton and involved a convert|4|yd|m goal (as opposed to convert|8|yd|m used previously). There were also rogue flags placed an additional convert|4|yd|m each side of the goal. If the ball was kicked between the rouge flags and subsequently touched down the team scored a rouge. If the score was tied at the end of the game then rouges could be used to decide the winner. A version of the arrangement remains in Australian Rules Football. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=68|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7]

When the club published its second rule book in 1862 the number of laws had grown to 17.cite book|title=Rules of Sheffield Football Club|year=1862|publisher=Pawson and Brailsford] The game of the time could still be a violent one. A match on 29 December between Sheffield and Hallam became known as the Battle of Bramall Lane. An incident occurred when Nathaniel Creswick was being held by Shaw and Waterfall. Accounts differ over subsequent events. The original report stated that Creswick was accidentally punched by Waterfall. This was contested in a letter from the Hallam players that claimed that it was in retaliation for a blow thrown by Nathaniel Creswick. Whatever the cause the result was a general riot, which also involved a number of spectators, after which Waterfall was sent to guard the goal as punishment.

heffield and London

The Football Association (FA) was formed at a meeting in the Freemason's Tavern in Great Queen Street, London on 26 October 1863. Sheffield F.C. sent four representatives who acted as observers. [cite book|last=Hutton|first=Steven|coauthors=Graham Curry, Peter Goodman|title=Sheffield Football Club: 150 years of Football|year=2007|pages=31–32|publisher=At Heart Limited|isbn=9781845471743] The club joined the new organisation a month later in a letter sent by William Chesterman. In it he also enclosed a copy of the Sheffield Rules and expressed the club's opposition to hacking and running with the ball, describing them as "directly opposed to football". This letter was read out at an FA meeting on 1 December 1863. The rules allowing hacking and running with the ball were reversed at the same meeting. [cite web|url=http://www.11v11.co.uk/index.php?pageID=464|title=1863 - The FA Forms|publisher=AFS Enterprises Limited|accessdate=2008-01-15] The new code became known as Association Football.

The offside rule was introduced to Sheffield Rules in 1863. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|65–66|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] Their version only required one member of the opposition between a player and the opposing goal to remain on side. Despite this the rule was only used sporadically in actual play. The FA version, which required a player to remain behind the ball at all times, was introduced during the 1865–66 season but was disliked due to the lack of goal scoring opportunities it caused. The one man offside was finally used a regular basis from 1867 until the adoption of FA rules in 1877.

The FA had remained largely dormant after the creation of its rules but in 1866 Sheffield F.C. suggested a match between it and a FA club. [cite book|first=Adrian|last=Harvey|title=Football, the First Hundred Years|year=2005|pages=116|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0415350190|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TxoZ0S-GC7MC] This was misunderstood and they ended up playing a combined FA team on 31 March 1866 under FA rules. The game was the first ever to limit the match to 90 minutes and Sheffield F.C. adopted it as its preferred length of match. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=67|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The rule would make it to the FA rule book in 1877. A second match was suggested by the London FA in a letter sent in November or the same year but never took place, the reason being disputes of which rules should be used.cite book|last=Young|first=Percy|year=1964|title=Football in Sheffield|pages=23|publisher=S. Paul] The FA introduced an convert|8|ft|m cross bar used by Sheffield in the same year only for Sheffield to then decide to raise it to convert|9|ft|m. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=70|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The fair catch was also dropped by Sheffield.cite book|first=Adrian|last=Harvey|title=Football, the First Hundred Years|year=2005|pages=122|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0415350190|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TxoZ0S-GC7MC] This completed the transition to a purely kicking game.

By 1867 the Sheffield Rules was the dominant code in England. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=66|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The FA had still not achieved the national dominance it enjoys today. Its membership had shrunk to just 10 clubs and at a meeting of the FA it was reported that only three clubs (No Names Club, Barnes and Crystal Palace) were playing by the FA code. [cite news|title=Football Association meeting|publisher=Bell's Life|date=24 February 1866] At the same meeting the secretary of Sheffield Club suggested three rule changes at an FA meeting: the adoption of rogues, the one man offside and introduction of a free kick for handling the ball. None of the motions were successful. Later in the same year, they abolished handling and touchdowns. It was stated that this was to bring them closer to non-handling games. [cite book|first=Adrian|last=Harvey|title=Football, the First Hundred Years|year=2005|pages=165|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0415350190|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TxoZ0S-GC7MC]

Birth of competition

In 1867 the world's first football tournament, the Youdan Cup, was played under the rules.cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=77–78, 117|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The tournament involved 12 local sides and was played during February and March. The tournament committee decided on the use of an off-field referee to award free kicks for infringements. The final took place on 5 March and was only the second football match to take place at Bramall Lane. A crowd of 3,000, a world record attendance, watched Hallam F.C. claim the cup by scoring two rouges in the last five minutes to win two rouges to one. The Sheffield Football Association was founded following the tournament. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=101–102, 106|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The 12 teams involved in the tournament were joined by Sheffield F.C. to become the founding members. The association adopted the Sheffield Rules without any changes. They were the first of several regional Football Associations that sprung up over the following decade.

A second tournament, the Cromwell Cup was played a year later. [cite book|first=Farnsworth|last=Keith|title=Wednesday!|year=1982|pages=12–13|publisher=Sheffield City Libraries|isbn=0900660872] This time it was only open to teams under two years old. Out of the four teams that competed The Wednesday emerged victorious. The final was a goalless draw after 90 minutes so the teams played on until a goal was scored. This was the first instance where a match involved extra time. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=79|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] This would be the last tournament to be played in Sheffield for nine years until the formation of the Sheffield Football Association Challenge Cup in 1876. [cite book|first=Farnsworth|last=Keith|title=Wednesday!|year=1982|pages=18|publisher=Sheffield City Libraries|isbn=0900660872]

Rogues were abandoned in 1868 to be replaced by the goal and corner kicks. [cite book|last=Young|first=Percy|year=1964|title=Football in Sheffield|publisher=S. Paul|pages=24] Sheffield FA limited handling to within convert|3|yd|m of the goal in 1871. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=104–105|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The FA, however, introduced a designated goalkeeper who was allowed to handle the ball anywhere on the pitch. In an effort to prevent the Sheffield game looking boring in comparison the Sheffield FA expanded the limit to the halfway line.

In 1870, 16 teams of the Sheffield FA were admitted to the FA but were allowed to continue to play by Sheffield Rules against FA clubs. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=67|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] A year later the Sheffield FA itself became affiliated with the Football Association and matches between the two associations began. Between 1871 and 1876 a total of 16 matches were played between the Sheffield and London associations.cite book|author=Young, Percy M.|year=1964|title=Football in Sheffield|pages=28–29|publisher=S. Paul] As well as playing under both Sheffield and London rules, additional matches were played at Bramall Lane using a mixture of both sets. Aspects of the Sheffield game were also incorporated into the FA rules. The matches being played between Sheffield and London led to the two sets of rules becoming ever more similar. The corner kick was adopted by the FA in 1872. [cite book|author=Young, Percy M.|year=1964|title=Football in Sheffield|pages=27|publisher=S. Paul] They also followed Sheffield's lead in restricting handling of the ball by the goalkeeper to his own half. The Sheffield game reverted back to using an convert|8|ft|m crossbar in line with the FA.

Demise

The FA Cup was inaugurated in 1871, but Sheffield clubs declined to enter the competition as it was being played under FA rules. [cite book|last=Hutton|first=Steve|coauthors=Graham Curry, Peter Goodman|title=Sheffield FC|year=2007|pages=35–36|publisher=At Heart Limited|isbn=9781845471743] The first team to enter was Sheffield F.C. in the 1873–74 season. This was after an attempt to enter a Sheffield FA team was refused by the organisers. They reached the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Clapham Rovers. The Sheffield FA instituted their own Challenge Cup in 1876.cite book|last=Murphy|first=Brendan|year=2007|title=From Sheffield with Love|pages=121–122|publisher=SportsBooks Limited|isbn=9781899807567] The cup was open to all the members of the SFA that now included many clubs outside the local area. The first final attracted a crowd of 8,000, twice as much as the FA Cup final in the same season. It was a record crowd for a cup match that would be held until the FA Cup of 1883. The match was between Heeley and Wednesday and resulted in a 2–0 win for the latter.

By 1877 it was clear that the situation had become impractical. After letters were published in The Field deriding the state of affairs it was decided to unite the kicking game under one set of laws.cite book|author=Young, Percy M.|year=1964|title=Football in Sheffield|pages=15–16|publisher=S. Paul] By this time the FA Cup had helped the FA gain a dominant position within the game. [cite book|last=Murphy|first=Brendan|year=2007|title=From Sheffield with Love|pages=105–106|publisher=SportsBooks Limited|isbn=9781899807567] The FA accepted the Sheffield rule allowing throw-ins to be thrown in any direction, as opposed to right angles only as prevails in rugby lineouts. In return the FA's use of a three man offside was adopted.

By the 1880s the influence of the Sheffield FA started to wane. Internal troubles began to surface with disputes between the SFA and a new rival association, Hallamshire F.A. The former, led by Charles Clegg, also fought a losing battle against the onset of professionalism. [cite book|author=Farnsworth, Keith|year=1995|title=Sheffield Football:A History - Volume 1 1857-1961|pages=29, 50–51|publisher=The Hallamshire Press|isbn=1 87471813 X] By the middle of the decade several local clubs, including Sheffield and Hallam F.C., were in financial trouble.

The four national associations of the UK met in 1882 with a view to creating a common set of laws. [cite web|title=History of the Laws of the Game|url=http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/index.html|publisher=FIFA|accessdate=2008-01-14] They created of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which first met in 1886. The IFAB's role was further affirmed when Fédération Internationale de Football Association adopted their laws upon its formation in 1904. They have remained in sole charge of the rules ever since.

Innovations

Sheffield teams created the first goals with solid crossbars. Heading, throw-ins, corner kicks and awarding free kicks for fouls were also conceived in Sheffield games. One of the most enduring rules of the Sheffield game prevented a goal from being scored directly from a free kick or throw in/kick in. This was present in every version of the Sheffield Rules and was later adopted within the FA rules.cite book|title=The National Football Calendar for 1881|year=1881|author=The Football Association|page=3|publisher=The Cricket Press] It was later refined by the International Football Association Board into the modern-day indirect free kick.

The aerial game was also developed within the Sheffield game. While causing much amusement when the side visited London in 1866, the header would become an important feature of the national game.cite news|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=621801.html|title=Sheffield F.C.: 150 years of history|publisher=FIFA|date=2007-10-24|accessdate=2007-12-04] This was linked to the abolition of the fair catch in the same year that prevented all use of the hands by outfield players.

The 1862 rules also introduced a half-time at which the teams would swap ends. Initially this was only if the game was scoreless as the teams would also swap ends if a goal was scored. The rule was changed to a swap at half-time only in 1876. [cite book|author=Young, Percy M.|year=1964|title=Football in Sheffield|pages=40|publisher=S. Paul]

Early games did not use any on-field officials but disputes between the players would be referred to a committee member. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=43,57|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] Umpires were introduced by the end of 1862. Two umpires were used; one from each club. The off-field referee was introduced for the Youdan Cup in 1867 and entered the rulebook by 1871.cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=117|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The umpires would then appeal to the referee on behalf of their team. The concept was later introduced to the FA game and persisted until 1891 when the referee moved onto the pitch and the umpires became linesmen. The umpire's flag was first suggested by Charles Clegg at a Sheffield FA meeting in 1874.

The innovative streak within Sheffield remained after the demise of their own rules. On 15 October 1878 a crowd of 20,000 watched the first floodlit match at Bramall Lane. [cite book|last=Barrett|first=Norman|year=1996|title=The Daily Telegraph Football Chronicle|pages=7|publisher=Random House Limited|isbn=0 09 185234 X] The exhibition match was set up to test the use of the lights and was played between specially selected teams captained by the brothers William and Charles Clegg. William Clegg's team won 2-0. The experiment was repeated a month later at the Oval.

The concept of a penalty goal for fouls within convert|2|yd|m of the goal was suggested at a Sheffield FA meeting in 1879. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=107|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The penalty would eventually make it into the rules by 1892. Sheffield players developed the 'screw shot' in the late 1870s. This gave players the ability to bend the shot into the net, a technique now common in the game.cite web|title=Part 12 of the History of Football|url=http://www.11v11.com/index.php?pageID=476|publisher=AFS Enterprises Limited|accessdate=2007-12-17]

Influence

Many of the rules in the Sheffield game were adopted by and are still featured in today’s association game. Twelve changes were made to the FA code between 1863 and 1870, of which eight were taken from Sheffield Rules. [cite book|last=Mangan|first=J. A.|year=2005|title=Sport in Europe: Politics, Class, Gender|page=112|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0714680052] During this period the Sheffield FA had significant influence over the FA and encouraged it to continue when it was close to collapse in 1867. [cite book|first=Adrian|last=Harvey|title=Football, the First Hundred Years|year=2005|pages=125|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0415350190|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TxoZ0S-GC7MC] The corner kick was adopted by the FA in 1872 and they restricted handling of the ball to the goalkeepers own half in 1873. In the final negotiations between Sheffield and London the latter agreed to allow throw-ins in any direction in exchange . [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=106|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7]

During the 1860s Sheffield and London were the dominant football cultures in England.cite journal|first=Adrian|last=Harvey|journal=The International Journal of the History of Sport|volume=18|issue=4|pages=53–87|publisher=routledge|doi=10.1080/714001668|url=http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=0952-3367&volume=18&issue=4&spage=53 |title=An Epoch in the Annals of National Sport': Football in Sheffield and the Creation of Modern Soccer and Rugby|accessdate=2008-05-02 |year=2001] However, while London was fragmented by the different codes used, by 1862 the rules of Sheffield F.C. had become the dominant code in Sheffield. [cite book|first=Adrian|last=Harvey|title=Football, the First Hundred Years|year=2005|pages=92, 116|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0415350190|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TxoZ0S-GC7MC] Nottingham Forest adopted the Sheffield code in 1867 and the Birmingham and Derbyshire FAs became affiliated with Sheffield, adopting its code, in 1876. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=69, 106|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] Most clubs in the north and midlands were playing by the Sheffield Rules while FA Rules dominated south of Birmingham.

There is circumstantial evidence that the rules also influenced Australian rules football conceived a couple of years later. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=39–41|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The two codes shared the unique feature of lacking the offside rule. There are also similarities in the laws for kicking off, kick outs, throw-ins and the fair catch. Henry Creswick (possibly a relative of Nathaniel Creswick) was born in Sheffield but emigrated to Australia with his brother in 1840 (the town of Creswick is named after them). He moved to Melbourne in 1854 and became involved in the local cricket scene. He played first class cricket for Victoria during the 57–58 season alongside three of the founders of Melbourne Football Club including Tom Wills, the man credited with creating the original rules.

Despite the loss of their own rules Sheffield remained the centre of the footballing world until the onset of professionalism.cite book|first=Andrew|last=Ward|year=2000|title=Football's Strangest Matches|pages=1|publisher=Robson Books Ltd|isbn=1-86105-292-8] The association matches versus London were considered only equalled in importance to the England v Scotland international and FA Cup Final. [cite book|last=Dickens|first=Charles|url=http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications/dictionary.htm|title=A London Dictionary and Guide Book for 1879|year=1972|pages=147|publisher=Howard Baker|isbn=0703000187] Sheffield born Charles Clegg became chairman of the Football Association in 1890 leading it until his death in 1937. In the process he became the longest serving FA chairman and earned the nickname "The Napolean of Football". [cite book|last=Cox|first=Richard|year=2002|coauthors=Wray Vamplew, David Russell|title=Encyclopedia of British Football|pages=3|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978 0 7146 5249 8]

Formations and positioning

Early games involved varying numbers of players. Games could also be played with uneven numbers on each side either because some failed to show or one side offered a handicap. The first match between Sheffield and Hallam involved 16 players versus 20. Games predominantly involved larger numbers than used in the modern games. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=59|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] In October 1863, Sheffield declared that it would only play 11 a side matches. [cite book|first=Adrian|last=Harvey|title=Football, the First Hundred Years|year=2005|pages=118–119|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0415350190|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TxoZ0S-GC7MC] Despite this it continued to do so on occasions. By 1867 the vast majority of matches in Sheffield involved teams of between 11 and 14.

One of the first positions to develop within the code was referred to as the "kick through".cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=65, 82|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The position was unique to the Sheffield game and developed because of the lack of an offside rule. The job of the man playing in the kick through position was to remain near to the oppositions goal and wait for a through ball, a tactic today called goal hanging. By 1871 this position had become modern-day forwards. "Cover goals" developed in opposition of kick throughs. Despite their name their job was to man mark the kick through.

Before the introduction of the crossbar, teams could play without a goalkeeper.cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=82|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] The first reference to a goalkeeper appears in the report of the "Battle of Bramall Lane" in 1862. [cite news|title=Football Match at Bramall Lane|publisher=Sheffield and Rotherham Independent|date=1 January 1863|] The position, however, was used as an alternative to sending off a player. Although a recognised position goalkeeper sometimes was also referred to in the rules as the player nearest their own goal (allowing him the luxury of handling the ball). Unlike its FA counterpart Sheffield Rules never restricted handling to one designated player. Despite this by the 1870s teams usually featured a single player in the position.

The match between the Sheffield FA and the FA that took place in December 1871 is notable for evidence of the development of several new positions. As well as the first mention of forwards, "sides" (now called wingers) were also mentioned. The rest of the team made up the midfield. The Half backs (referred to as centre backs in the modern game) were mentioned a year later. By the mid-1870s it was common to use one goalkeeper assisted by two cover goals and two half backs. The attack was made up of five midfielders and one forward. This produced the 2-2-5-1 formation.

Key figures

Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest are considered both founders of Sheffield F.C. and creators of the code they adhered to. They continued to have a strong presence at the club, both being members of the committee. It was Creswick, however, who exerted more influence over the rules in his position of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer. [cite book|last=Hutton|first=Steven|coauthors=Graham Curry, Peter Goodman|title=Sheffield Football Club: 150 years of Football|year=2007|pages=25|publisher=At Heart Limited|isbn=9781845471743]

John Shaw was originally a member of Sheffield Club. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=52, 102|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] However another member, Thomas Vickers, also founded their main rivals, Hallam F.C. He also became the vice-president of the Sheffield FA upon its formation and president from 1869 to 1885. In this role he organised many of its first inter-association matches and was involved in the eventual merger of the Sheffield Rule into the national game.

John Charles Clegg (better known as just Charles) became a massive influence on the national as well as the local game. [cite book|first=Farnsworth|last=Keith|title=Wednesday!|year=1982|pages=15–17|publisher=Sheffield City Libraries|isbn=0900660872] As a player he was involved in the first inter-association match and became the first Sheffield-based player to be capped (gaining his only cap in the first international). He went on to become president of both the city's professional sides (playing a large part in the creation of Sheffield United) and held the same position at Sheffield and Hallamshire FA having overseen the merger of the two rival local FAs. He then moved on to national prominence when he became chairman of the FA in 1890 and president in 1923. He held both positions until his death in 1937.

Although not directly involved with Sheffield football, Charles Alcock had a major role in relations between the local and London associations. [cite book|first=Brendan|last=Murphy|title=From Sheffield with Love|year=2007|pages=69, 94|publisher=Sports Book Limited|isbn=9781899807 56 7] He acted as a go between encouraging the FA to accept rules from the Sheffield Rules. When the FA declined a inter-association match in Sheffield on the grounds that they could not play under Sheffield Rules it fell to Alcock to organise a team of London players to fulfil the fixture. The success of the match led to it becoming a regular event in the following years.

References

External links