ScotsFoundedFootball
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ScotsFoundedFootball
@gedboy58.bsky.social
Football History of the Scotch Professor. Telling the story of how Scotland invented modern world football. Working to Preserve, Protect and Publicise the history of the game from a Scottish perspective and crush the myth that England invented the game.
Pinned
A non-Football point about Privacy and Data protection. I have not signed up to the new UK laws on Identity. Bluesky seem to be using a games company to harvest my details before I can get back on my messages. Nah. Not going to happen. I am skeptical. [email protected] if you need to contact me.
1 of 5 #scotsfoundedfootball Let us return to the 1872 international - the newspapers’ analyses of this new fangled competition. Football reporting is in its infancy and needs some decoding. ‘Bell’s Life in London’ 1st December has this interesting comment, which shows how Scots planned their game.
November 27, 2025 at 6:04 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball What of the accusation the first ever national team was not ‘Scotland’ because they were all from one club? The players originated from: Aberdeen (3); Glasgow (3), Edinburgh (1), Dunoon (Argyll), Annan (Dumfries), Killearn (Stirlingshire) and Hamilton.
November 26, 2025 at 6:10 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball Let me trample on the idea that the Scottish Combination game originated on the playing fields of Eton. They have two games: Field and Wall. Field is more like football. No handling. No passing is allowed. Offside - if you are in front of the ball.
November 25, 2025 at 6:08 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball Tommy Malcolm also has a cracking explanation for the aftermath of the studied insult to Clegg and Sheffield in the choosing of only one northerner in the ‘England’ team. An insult which had its roots in them being footballing pioneers.
November 24, 2025 at 6:08 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball OTD 1851 James Biggar ‘Jerry’ Weir born in the Gorbals. Two goals in four appearances for Scotland. Three Scottish Cup medals with QPFC. You will be leafing through your copy of ‘First Elevens’ to check the facts😉 A local boy for the ‘northern’ team.
November 23, 2025 at 8:31 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball Let me trash the unofficial internationals, one more time. BTW have you got your copy of Andy Mitchell’s ‘First Elevens’? ISBN-10 1475206844 25th Feb 1871 Arnold Kirke Smith turns out for ‘Scotland’. Well done Arnie. He muttered ‘I’ll be back’ and he was. Except...
November 22, 2025 at 7:28 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball OTD 1934 Jimmy Lawrence died Glasgow in the old Victoria Infirmary 1934. Born 1879 in Victorian Glasgow - 4th most populated city in Europe - world capital of modern football. The Omphalos. He played only one game for Scotland v England 1911. A symbolically fitting end.
November 21, 2025 at 6:06 PM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball In a portent of what was to come for the world. OTD 1857 Fergie Suter was born. Where is the link to 1872? Fergie was only 17. The match clearly galvanised everyone. Football clubs were founded and Fergie went to play for Partick [not P. Thistle].
November 21, 2025 at 6:08 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball Is it possible for there to be any credibility for the unofficial internationals 1870-72? Maybe, via the Queen’s Park link. Robert and James Smith had gone to London to work, whilst remaining QPFC members. Amateurism allowed that. Play for as many clubs as you liked.
November 20, 2025 at 6:05 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball On the subject of England NOT inventing football, I was tickled by two oft-missed quotes from the Glasgow Evening News 1872 report, which hammers more nails into the coffin of the English creation myth. The WAY the Game was played. Forget Rules - what was the game like?
November 19, 2025 at 6:14 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball 5 years ago, I wrote about an article by Andy Mitchell @andymitchellmedia.bsky.social A masterly work which is much more important than people realise tinyurl.com/kc3xmpbj by I came to it via Richard McBrearty’s masterful analysis ‘Glasgow Before the Explosion’.
The man who owned ‘the first football in Glasgow’ - a hidden history of the 1860s
The first football match in Scotland under Association rules was played in Glasgow on 1 August 1868 between Queen's Park and Thistle. But while the foundation and history of Queen's Park is well...
tinyurl.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:42 AM
1 of 5 #scotsfoundedfootball What of the accusation that the 1872 team was not ‘Scotland’ - they were from one club? Let us look at from where the migrants to the South originated. Aberdeen (3); Glasgow (3), Edinburgh (1), Dunoon (Argyll), Annan (Dumfries), Killearn (Stirlingshire) and Hamilton.
November 17, 2025 at 6:28 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball In case you think I am biased in favour of Scotland, let us return to ‘The Code War’ and Graham Williams’ comments on the run-up to the 1872 international. Remember, this book is about how English Football and Rugby were created. One issue was shared by both codes.
November 16, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Reposted by ScotsFoundedFootball
Born on this day in 1869 on the shores of Loch Ederline, in Argyllshire: Gilbert Gillies. A Derbyshire Times reporter who was appointed Secretary/Manager of Chesterfield Town in 1895 at the age of 26. Guided the club through its first FL season before resigning in December 1900. 1/2
November 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball The 1872 international will have had an entirely different impact on both nations. For Scotland, it led to the foundation of the national association. Two activities were required: for the SFA to run a national cup competition and organise a national team.
November 15, 2025 at 9:35 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball Tactics: a Scottish invention. Let me remind you AGAIN that the first documented fact we have is Robert Gardner handing out cards to the QPFC players before their game against Hamilton Gymnasium 29th May 1869. He picked the team and played up front.
November 14, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Reposted by ScotsFoundedFootball
There'll be a lot less posts from Friends of Toowong Cemetery for a while as our focus turns to porting our website to a new solution.

You can always get your fix at www.fotc.au

Apologies in advance if something breaks. 🤞
Friends of Toowong Cemetery
Discover and share the history and stories of Toowong Cemetery
www.fotc.au
November 13, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Reposted by ScotsFoundedFootball
Great to have helped get this historic Scottish football trophy back on display in its home town, Musselburgh.
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
A historic Musselburgh football trophy returns
One of Musselburgh's earliest football trophies, the Simpson Shield , has come home after turning up at auction recently.    I was lucky enough to be the winning bidder and have sold it on to...
www.scottishsporthistory.com
November 2, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Reposted by ScotsFoundedFootball
Reposted by ScotsFoundedFootball
Over a decade ago, I wrote this blog about Danish footballer Carl Hansen and his wartime experiences. I suggested his book would be a great project for translation and I'm delighted that Ian Hogg has taken up the challenge and produced a free ebook! www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
A Danish football drama in Scotland, just waiting to be translated
An interesting little project for a Danish speaker would be a translation of these books by Carl Hansen into English. The Danish international joined Rangers in 1921 and spent three years in...
www.scottishsporthistory.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:38 PM
1 of 5 #scotsfoundedfootball Let us return to the 1872 international and the newspapers’ analyses of this new fangled competition. Football reporting is in its infancy and needs a little decoding. Bell’s Life of London 1st December has this interesting comment.
November 13, 2025 at 5:59 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball Consider the codes of Football, around 1872. 14 March 1874 Glasgow draw 2-2 with Sheffield. 7th March Scotland beat England 2-1 at The West of Scotland Cricket Ground. As per the agreement, Scotland had to quickly gen up on the Sheffield rules. Not bad, to get the draw.
November 12, 2025 at 6:11 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball The makeshift nature of the 1872 England team has been ignored for 153 years. It would change the story. Let us consider the two Oxford University players. Frederick Chappell (alumnus of Marlborough Grammar) and Cuthbert Ottaway. Both London Rules players?
November 11, 2025 at 6:15 AM
1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball Here is the thing about 1872. The London based FA were late to the party, but immediately tried the equivalent of telling the DJ what tunes to play. Sheffield were a big problem. International football was an excellent trick to stymie Sheffield.
November 10, 2025 at 6:32 PM
1 of 5 #scotsfoundedfootball Who was Charles Clegg? He was the main man for Wednesday FC and Sheffield FC. The latter regarded themselves as THE Club in the region and the giver of laws. Oldest current club in the world - founded 1857. Imagine Clegg’s shock when the posh players ignored him.
November 10, 2025 at 6:12 AM