FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL – A TRULY SCOTTISH GAME

For hundreds of years people from many countries have been playing games that involved kicking balls around, from a few soldiers kicking the head of a defeated warrior around the battlefield to rival villagers kicking, carrying and chasing a pigs bladder across acres of fields.

In Scotland the game of football has been played for hundreds of years and the way the Scots played and developed the game has became the basis of modern day football that we now see being played around the world.

The earliest recording of a game of football with rules that included kicking and passing the ball was written in Latin in 1633 by Aberdeen Grammar School teacher and school-master David Wedderburn and shows that the game had the structure of the first laws of football from 1863. For example one passage of the book read: “Let us pick sides. Those who are on the outside come over here. Kick off, so that we can begin the match…Pass it here” and other passages describe ball passing and goal scoring. Remember, that this was written over 200 years before the English Football Association (FA) claim to have invented the game and set the rules in 1863.

Back in the 1800’s English football was just another version of Rugby, with very little passing, lots of running with the ball and players being allowed to hack the legs of other players to bring them down. But that all changed in 1868 when a group of players from Scotland introduced dribbling and passing to the rules of the game and football became what we know and enjoy today.

Scotland’s football history is well documented

The earliest record of football dates back to 1424 in which the Scottish Parliament under King James outlawed the rowdy and often violent game of ‘Fut-Ball‘ in favour of archery, citing the ‘military advantages‘ archery possessed.

In 1457, 1471, and 1491, respectively, the Scottish Parliament under Kings James II, III, and IV all voted to prohibit football because of the rowdiness of the game. 

During the mid 1500’s Scottish football evolved, the teams were smaller so as not to attract the attention of the provo’s and rules were added to lessen injuries so that players could carry on working after the game and not arouse suspicion. This less violent version of the game became popular amongst the nobles and there are accounts of games of football taking place in Royal courtyards.

The world’s oldest surviving football dates back to 1540 and was found behind panelling in the Queen’s bed chamber in Stirling Castle.

Mary Queen of Scots watched a game of football in 1568 at Carlisle Castle where 20 Scots are said to have played a game for her amusement which lasted for two hours.

The Scottish author William Lithgow, lauded the way in which the masculinity of football instilled important values such as perseverance: “For Manly exercise, is shreudly gone, Foot-ball and Wrestling, throwing of the Stone; Jumping and breathing, practices of strength, Which taught them to endure, hard things at length“

In 1648, a crowd of men who had played football on the Sabbath were found guilty of “scandalous behaviour in convening themselves upon the Lord’s day to a public footballing“

In 1656 the Scottish Parliament voted to specifically forbid participation in football matches on the Sabbath

In a 1708 survey on the state of Scotland football is referred to as a sport to which the common people were addicted

The first known football club was ‘The Foot-Ball Club‘ who were located in Edinburgh between 1824 and 1841.

The first international football match in history happened in 1872. 4,000 people attended the match between England and Scotland in Glasgow which saw the game end in a 0-0 draw.

---

Since the introduction of Scottish rules football to England in 1868, players from Scotland have had a great influence on football south of the border.

Fergus Suter is allegedly the first footballer to be paid by a club. 1870s football was a strictly amateur game with a ban on players being paid, however, in a 1902 newspaper report the Scottish player stated that he was “paid in an underhand way” by Darwin to get round the ban, it was also rumoured that his move to Blackburn Rovers involved a financial transaction plus some other incentives.

Scotland international, John Inglis, helped Blackburn Rovers win back-to-back-to-back FA Cup titles in 1884, 1885 and 1886.

James Lang was the first ever “professional” footballer. Born in 1851 in Clydebank, Lang moved from Scotland to play for Sheffield Wednesday before moving to Burnley Football Club.

Andrew Watson was the world’s first black international player and was the captain of Scotland in 1881 when they beat England 6-1 at the Oval (this was England’s heaviest defeat on home turf). The following year in Glasgow, England suffered another humiliating defeat losing 5-1 to the Scots. 

William McGregor was chairman of the Football League from 1888-1891, he presided over the transition of English football from a (mainly) amateur pursuit to a professional sport and was chairman of the FA from 1888 to1894. He was an honorary president of the Football League before being elected as the first life member in 1895.

In 1889 when the Football League started, Preston North End, dominated by Scots, became its first champions

The Scottish Cup is the oldest football trophy in the world.

Aston Villa was transformed by Scottish manager, George Ramsay, who had taught them to pass the ball and in 1897 they managed the double.

Matt Busby led Manchester United to the first ever European Cup success for an English team.

Kenny Dalglish won six league titles and three European Cup medals as a player. As a manager he led Liverpool to their first double in 1985-6 and two other league titles in 1987-8 and 1989-90 before going on to lead the team to their FA Cup win in 1989.

Alex Ferguson who was appointed manager of Manchester United in November 1986 won 38 trophies, including 13 EPL titles and the European Champions’ League in 1998-9 and 2007-8.

The first Liverpool side to play a league game was comprised of ten Scots and a Merseyside-born goalkeeper by the name of Billy McOwen.

In 1973 the Scottish Football Association formally recognised women’s football.

No matter where you go, if you are watching a football match you are watching a game that came out of Scotland over 600 years ago…

---

FIFA – TOP MEN & WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAMS

---

Global Football Events

2021 – EUFA – EURO 2020

2021 – The 2020 Olympics

2022 – FIFA Men’s World Cup – Qatar

2023 – FIFA Women’s World Cup – Australia/New Zealand

---

SUPPORTING LINKS (These open in new tabs)

How Scotland shaped world football

It’s Official – Scotland invented football

Scotland invented the modern game

The World’s Oldest Football

After 150 years the truth: Scotland invented football

Origins of Football In Scotland

Football was invented in Scotland not England

Who invented football? When and where the ball game originated

The true story of Fergus Suter

Remembering Fergus Suter

Scottish Influence at the Beginning of English Football

Braveheart and Mancini make headline news

---