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Rules of Early Football
During the first draft of the rules of football they thought that football would be a blend of handling and dribbling. Players would be able to handle the ball: a fair catch accompanied by ‘a mark with the heel’ would win a free kick. The sticking point was ‘hacking’, or kicking an opponent on the leg -
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The FA was Formed
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The First FA Regulated Football Match was played
The FA was keen to see its laws in action and a match was played between Barnes and Richmond at Limes Field in Barnes on 19 December. It was a 0-0 draw. This was the first time the FA would be able to see their rules in play. -
The Football Association Challenge Cup was made
On this date the FA got together and decided to create the first FA Cup 'which allowed all clubs belonging to the Association should be invited to compete'. -
Football Becomes a Profession
The FA to formally legalise football as professionalism in 1885. -
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'Amateur Football Association’ was formed
During this time the Amateur Football Association was formed to make a stand against the corruption of the game. Their clubs and players couldn’t play with or against those under the jurisdiction of The FA and this meant that they were banned from taking part in The FA Cup and The FA Amateur Cup. It was surprising that the division lasted as long as seven years but, in the end, it only reinforced the authority of The FA. -
Wembley had been chosen as the site for the home of British Football
In this time the FA decided to host FA Cup Final at Wembley for the next 21 years. This helped with the media coverage of the FA as it would now be showcased in the home of football in a cup final and therefore helped the development of football in the UK. -
The Completion of Wembley
Wembley took 300 working days to build and was completed just four days before the 1923 Final between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United. The new stadium’s official capacity was 127,000. This would eventually have a huge impact on football as we see it today because it is now where all major England football competitions are held. -
Stanley Rous was Appointed FA Secretary
Stanley Rous, the referee of the 1934 World Cup, was appointed for the job of FA secretary. He set about improving The FA’s routine and procedure. Courses were developed for referees and coaches, which soon benefited many clubs, colleges, schools and youth organisations. I believe this is one of the most important points for the development of football, because by developing referee and coaching courses this made many people more interested in sport not just as a pastime but as a full time job. -
The FA Began to Help Many Smaller Clubs
The FA offered help to clubs and associations at all levels with coaches, courses, text books, publicity and – as and when funds became available – loans and grants.
Great Britain team played a celebration match against the Rest of Europe in Glasgow, with the £30,000 proceeds going to the impoverished FIFA. -
Stanley Became FIFA President
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The First World Cup Hosted by England
It took The FA nearly six years to organise the 1966 World Cup. It was the first tournament to receive major television coverage: the global audience for the 32 matches was estimated at two billion and seven out of every ten people in England followed its progress on their screens.It took six matches and 20 days for England to win it. -
Hooliganism was Spreading
It was a difficult time for football. Hooliganism was spreading; overdrafts at clubs were growing; television was becoming a thorny issue; players were threatening industrial action over freedom of contract. ‘Football hooliganism’, was now a major problem. There was fighting on the terraces, obscene chanting and missile-throwing and there were pitch invasions -
Changes Due to Football Hooliganism
Fences and cages were erected; fans were searched and segregated; CCTV was introduced; the sale of alcohol was limited. The distribution of tickets was carefully monitored, with The FA establishing its own ‘Travel Club’ to control the movement of England supporters abroad. What this says about socity at this time is that it was at a very poor standard because football is such a large part of socity it very much reflects it. -
Hillsborough Tragedy
When 96 supporters died at an FA Cup Semi-Final, a plan for the radical modernisation of grounds which signalled, the coming of ‘all-seater’ stadiums. The report also emphasised the essential role of the Government and local authorities in redeveloping the national game. -
The Premier League was Born
On 29 June 1991 the FA Council ratified a plan to set up an ‘FA Premier League’. Starting in the 1992-93 season, its long-term aim was to reduce the number of games for top players to help the England team and to take maximum advantage of the commercial opportunities that an elite league would bring. -
New Rules About The Number of Elglish Players In One Team Was Created
In 1995 the European Court of Justice upheld the ‘Bosman ruling’, barring transfer fees for players who were out of contract and removing the limit on the number of foreign players that clubs could field. -
New Webbley
Wembley was completed in 2007 at a cost of around £800m. The 126th FA Cup Final, featuring Chelsea and Manchester United, was the first Final to be played there. A capacity crowd inside the stadium, 12.9m viewers on UK television and about 450m worldwide, saw a parade of Wembley winners from the last 50 years before the kick-off. -
The FA’s ‘Respect’ programme
The FA’s ‘Respect’ programme, was a response to a clear message throughout the game that the health of football depended on high standards of behaviour on and off the pitch. It had a very positive effect on referee recruitment and on-field dissent. -
St. George’s Park,
St. George’s Park, in Burton upon Trent, was opened. It will be a centre for coach education, a leading centre of sports medicine and science, and provide a training home for Club England and its 24 representative sides. An elite training pitch was graded to exactly match the current surface at Wembley Stadium.
