The origins of football in Scotland

Dedicated to promoting the origins of football in Scotland in its many forms from the earliest records up to 1873

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

https://t.co/AsLljc0uVM

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

Latest blog is on the early history of Hamilton Academical FC (Part 1) https://t.co/QckLy34MpT

[Richard McBrearty @R_McBrearty]

Love this @OriginsScotland database entry. Local teams playing an organised match in front of a decent crowd. Methven mounts a counter attack (coup-de-main) and wins by sending the ball “hail, direct through the winning posts." The stake money was handed to the local infirmary.

[Richard McBrearty @R_McBrearty]

Migration & immigration are factors in organised football activity in mid 19th C. Scotland. From 1851... 1) England v Scotland intra-club match in Edinburgh (courtesy of @BNArchive) 2) Description of Irish immigrants in Perth running what appears to be a football club #meltingpot

[Andy Mitchell @AndyMitchMedia]

New blog: who is in the world's first sporting group photo? It was taken in Edinburgh in 1848 https://t.co/RUp9tXK1k2

[Glasgow Accies 160 @hugh_barrow]

It’s 1868 and plans for a pavilion at Burnbank to be put in hand involving @GlasgowAcademy and 1st LVR

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

The Yuletide Games of Old https://t.co/92Mh9iEAcW

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

From the Archives. Entry No 487...

A game of football takes place at Elgin Cathedral (Chanonrie Kirk) at Christmas in 1600. The players are censured by the local kirk session.

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

From the Archives. Entry No 73.

Organised football is one of the sports played at the Redhall Christmas Games in Aberdeenshire in 1851. Laurencekirk defeats Fordoun by two goals to nil on Old Christmas Day to "carry off the foot-ball and a satisfactory prize."

[Richard McBrearty @R_McBrearty]

@Crichton_Royal @MemoriesScot @Val_Bold @EventScotNews @HeritageFundUK @SFootballMuseum @DumGalLibraries The Crichton was a venue for sport back in the 1860s. It was the setting for annual excursions involving local children. Here is an example from 1865.

[Glasgow Accies 160 @hugh_barrow]

It’s Jan 1872 and it’s the Inter City clash before the birth of the Inter City in Nov @GlasgowAccies @EdinburghAccies @michael_a_james @Hampdeners the start of a significant year

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

@gatimmins @SFootballMuseum @ScottishFA @FootballMuseum @queensparkfc It could be as simple as the host putting their guest first - Victorian politeness. The Victorians at this point didn't have a system for recognising the home side 1st. Some match reports list the away side 1st then state that the match was played at the ground of the latter team

[Andy Mitchell @AndyMitchMedia]

Advance notice: I'll be giving a talk to the Scottish Genealogy Society on 22 November about the founders of the world's first football club in Edinburgh in 1824. Details: https://t.co/jBjWX3Be6X

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

Glasgow Before The Explosion: the role of migration and immigration in the development of football cultures in the city prior to 1873. https://t.co/y4PhmOFqAD

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

From the Archives: No 162

Charles W. Alcock, writing in 1874, references a cross border match between men from Liddesdale and men from North Tyne in 1790. Did this contest, at least in part, provide inspiration for the series of unofficial international games from 1870 to 1872?

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

From the Archives: Entry No 1464

Murder & Mayhem...

In Scotland & England, myths surrounding the origins of ball games are often based around a victor on the battlefield kicking or throwing the severed head of their foe. This narrative actually appears in a 14th century account

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

@AndyMitchMedia Yes absolutely, the Ba of Scone is widely misconstrued. A doubt I had about this game being for the silver ball is the claim they were playing for a medal rather than the ball. The medals for the silver ball were retrospectively affixed to the ball by the winners & not played for

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

From the Archives: Entry No 1332...

Scotland's earliest known football trophy?

An elderly man recollects teams from Rattray and Alyth in Perthshire meeting at football around 1831. The prize to be won, apart from local pride, is a medal.

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

@shintyconvert Hi Neil, it would have varied considerably. The author's opinion in this article is that the local game would have resembled Donnybrook Fair! And yet from Andy's book on the Football Club we have an example of a much more organised game taking place around the same time.

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

@AndyMitchMedia The quoted passage of a game around 1831 is long after the end of the contests for the silver ball so I don't think that it can be linked to the older handball contests. But a question mark has to be placed for this type of reference. 60 year old accounts are not always reliable!

[The origins of football in Scotland @OriginsScotland]

@AndyMitchMedia Yes that is much older Andy but John Burnett's research suggests that the silver ball of Rattray was for handball rather than football. It involved small numbers and was played against a wall in the old kirkyard.