Happy birthday, football

I'm not sure if anybody noticed, but yesterday the game of football had its 150th birthday.

On 26 October 1863, a meeting took place at the Freemason's Tavern in London where discussions began about the formal codification of a form of football (from the many variations available) which would be accepted for the formation of a recognised Football Association.

It was decided that the rules of the game played at Cambridge University (the Cambridge Rules) would be used and were formalised into what became known as Association Football.

The game was originally planned as a form of recreation for the gentlemanly upper classes and former pupils of the Public Schools under a strict amateur code, but once the game became popular with the working classes, it wasn't long before professionalism took over.

The rest is history.

So........ happy birthday, football. Here's to the next 150 years. You never know, by then England may have won another world cup, but I won't hold my breath.

Boring fact for you but apparently the goals are the width the are because that was the distance between the trees in the park in Cambridge where they wrote the rules

spencerclarke wrote:Boring fact for you but apparently the goals are the width the are because that was the distance between the trees in the park in Cambridge where they wrote the rules

Thanks for that. No, not boring at all, old chap. Actually, I rather enjoy those little nuggets of footballing trivia that pop up from time to time, and it rather explains something that, when I was on refereeing course, nobody could explain.

The question arose during the session where we learned about pitch dimensions, especially the goal and penalty areas. If you look at it, the goal area is measured as being 6 yards in width (along the goal line) from each goalpost, and six yards in depth (hence it is often called the 6 yard box). Also, the penalty area is 12 yards in width from the edge of the goal area (or 3 x 6 yards from each goal post), and eighteen yards in depth, (3 x 6 yards from the goal line). The penalty mark is 12 yards from the goal line.

Taking these measurements into account, all based on a 6 yard principle, then why is the goal 8 yards wide? Why make that different...? Our instructor, a very senior and experienced referee had no idea and it caused a great deal of discussion. Ref's (even trainee ones) are like that.  

So, thanks for that. I appreciate the input, and you've just taught an old dog something he didn't know.