First Rules

Many of the boys at the public schools went on to the two English universities, Oxford and Cambridge. Football was very popular at Cambridge, but the young men from the different schools played with different rules.

Cambridge Rules

In 1848 a set of Cambridge Rules were established for everyone to play under. Some of these rules now seem a little strange.

  • After every goal the teams changed ends.
    ◦ A player could also catch the ball if it came directly from another player's foot.
    ◦ If the ball came past a player from the direction of his own goal he had to wait until an opponent touched it.
The Cambridge Rules did establish two of the most important laws of football:
  1. the idea of the ‘foul’ and ‘foul play’.
  2. The other was that the ball was only ‘in play’ on the pitch itself.

Sheffield Rules


In the late 1850s the first football clubs were started. Sheffield FC was the first club that was not a school or a university. It was formed in 1857, and its own rules. These were similar to the Cambridge rules.

  • Pushing with the hands was allowed, but not kicking or tripping.
    ◦ Running with the ball in the hands was not allowed.
    ◦ The ball could be caught if it had not touched the ground.
    ◦ The ball could also be pushed on with the hand.
    ◦ No offside rules. Players known as "'kick-throughs'" were positioned permanently in the opponents' half.
    ◦ No limit on the number of players, or the size and shape of ball.
    ◦ No referees. The two captains settled any dispute.
    The Sheffield Rules were like a cross between soccer and rugby. Perhaps the strangest rule to a modern player was that each player had to wear a cap. One side wore red caps and the other wore blue.

    It is very difficult to head the ball if you are wearing a hat!