1871
Another significant year, marking the inauguration of the FA
Cup competition, now the premier of its kind in the world, with
all the attendant glamour and excitement caused by giant-killing
performances and the fitting climax of a Final tie at Wembley
Stadium watched by crowds of 100,000. the Scottish Cup competition
was started two years later.
Fifteen clubs entered the first FA knock-out competition, with
Wanderers beating Royal Engineers 1-0 in the final. In 1873,
as holders, Wanderers were given bye into the next Final. Because
of two byes and a walkover, Queen’s Park only played one
game in the first competition, a 0-0 draw with Wanderers in
the semi-final, but had to retire as they couldn’t stay
in London for the replay!
Amateur clubs, including Queen’s Park, dominated the competition
for the first decade, with Wanderers returning the trophy to
the FA after their third successive title, on the condition
that no team could win it outright in future. However, their
dominance declined after 1878, as the growth of Old Boy’s
clubs took away their best players.
The trophy went North for the first time in 1883, when Blackburn
Olympic won, and subsequently, Northern and Midlands teams became
much more competitive. Scottish clubs soon dropped out when
their own cup was set up, but a small number of Welsh clubs
were permitted annually, and in 1927 the cup left England for
the one and only time, when Cardiff beat Arsenal 1-0 in the
Final. 1872
In 1872, the first England-Scotland match was held, the official
size of a football was defined, and the first French football
club was formed at Le Havre. The England-Scotland match was
held in Glasgow, and drew over four thousand people. Scotland
was represented by Queen’s Park, and the England team
was selected from nine leading clubs. Despite England’s
selection advantage, the game ended 0-0. The match led to
the formation in 1873 of the Scottish FA, and subsequently
the Welsh (1876) and Irish (1880).
1875
In 1875, crossbars were introduced into the rules, where tapes
had previously been used. A year later, football was introduced
by the British to Denmark.
1878
The first game by floodlight was held at Bramall Lane, Sheffield,
on 14th October 1878, between teams chosen by the Sheffield
Association from Local Clubs. Electric light was still a novelty
in the provinces, and the fixture attracted much attention:
12,000 or more attended, whereas the Cup Final only attracted
5,000! A fortnight later, a side representing Birmingham beat
Nottingham Forest 2-1 under illumination provided by 12 electric
lights around the pitch, but wind and rain caused many stoppages.
|
World
Soccer Directory
