140 years ago today. The world’s first ever floodlights at a football match

/by

The year 1878 marked another yet another landmark for Sheffield Football, with the first football match ever to be staged under electric floodlighting at Bramall Lane as instigated by the Sheffield Football Association.

There is much more information about this event in the newly revised edition of my book ‘A History of Sheffield Football 1857-1889: Speed, Science and Bottom’ including the actual minutes from the Sheffield FA handbook. You can buy the book here http://bit.ly/2qYw0r0

The experiment was organised by Messrs. Tasker. From the press description, the light was provided by 12 lamps, with two at each corner and two behind each goal:
“At each corner of the ground marked off for the players a wooden stage was erected some ten yards high for carrying the lamp and the reflector. Behind each goal was placed a portable engine, each of which drove two Siemen’s dynamo machines on for each light. The illuminating power equalled 8,000 standard candles and the cost per hour for each light was about 3 and a ½ pence.” 
The new lighting proved to be very popular and a new record attendance was set at Bramall Lane for a football match:
“Everybody seemed highly pleased with the result of the experiment, the light being most brilliant and effective. It may be stated that the experiment turned out to be a great financial success, the novelty of the thing drawing together an immense attendance, reaching in our estimation, nearly twenty thousand people. When everything was in readiness, at 7.30 the distinguishing colours of the two sides were clearly visible, although it was rather difficult to discern the individual movement on the top side of the ground.”
It was a game between Reds and Blues featuring leading players of the day, with each side captained by a Clegg brother. :
“Reds: F. Stacey, J. Housley, J. Hunter, E. Buttery, F. Hinde, J.C. Clegg (captain), W. Mosforth,A. Woodcock, C. Stratford, H.E. Barber, G. Anthony.

Blues; T. Lawson, W.E. Clegg (captain), R. Gregory, T. Buttery, W.H. Stacey, G.B. Marples, A. Malpas, J. Tomlinson, E.H. Barber, T. Bishop, P. Patterson. Umpires: W. Skinner and R.W.Dickinson. Referee W. Pierce Dix.” 


The Blues won by 2 goals to nil: