Yorkshire Football Clubs - History As Footballing Innovators

History As Footballing Innovators

The county has a very long tradition in the sport; it is officially recognized by FIFA as being the birthplace of club football as the world's oldest club Sheffield FC was formed in Sheffield during 1857. Two men from Sheffield, South Yorkshire codified a set of rules for the game in 1857, these were known as the Sheffield rules and the Football Association rules which were created in 1863 were based in part on them. Ebenezer Cobb Morley was the first secretary of The Football Association, its second ever president and the man who drafted the FA's laws of the game at his home was a man from Hull.

The world's first ever inter-club match took place on 26 December 1860 in Sheffield; the match was between Sheffield F.C. and a newly formed club named Hallam F.C.; Sheffield won 2–0. As Hallam were also from the city of Sheffield, this would also prove to be the world's first ever local derby in club football. Notably, Hallam's home ground Sandygate Road, at which they still play at today, was first opened in 1804 and is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest ground in the world.