Charles and his brother William were both solicitors by trade; both played for Sheffield FC, Sheffield Football Association, Wednesday FC, Albion FC and England and both acted as Umpires in important games. After hanging up his boots, William Clegg became Lord Mayor of Sheffield as well as president of Wednesday and Vice President of the […]
Nathaniel Creswick is buried in a family tomb at Heeley Parish Church. The inscription says: In affectionate remembrance of the late Nathaniel Creswick of East Hill House in this Parish, who died on the 22nd of November 1855 aged 62 years. And of Elisabeth his wife who died May 29th 1869 aged 67. And their […]
(Much more information about the history of Sheffield football is available in my new book available now at http://bit.ly/2qYw0r0 ) Nathaniel Creswick co-founded the world’s first football club, Sheffield FC, in 1857 and last week I visited his grave at the Heeley Parish Church. The size and the positioning of his memorial, right next to […]
Harry W. Chambers started as a player for Sheffield FC and became the club’s Hon. Sec. and was the first ever president of the Sheffield Football Association in 1867. In my new book ( http://bit.ly/2qYw0r0) I state that I hope that it marks the beginning of a conversation about the history of Sheffield Football and […]
Olive Grove was Wednesday’s fifth ground after Highfield, Myrtle Road, Sheaf House and Bramall Lane, it opened in September 1887. A plaque marks the ground on the wall behind the bus stop next to the Olive Grove works depot and is only a few hundred yards away from where Sheffield FC first played, a piece […]
I am pleased to announce that my books have now arrived and are available to purchase at: http://bit.ly/2qYw0r0 The book is only available from this site at the moment but should be available in some Sheffield bookshops from next week. I will let you know when they become available.
The Bramall Lane cricket ground opened on May 1st, 1855 with a match played between the first eleven and twenty-two selected from the ‘Sheffield’, ‘Wednesday’, ‘Broomhall’, ‘Milton’, ‘Caxton’, and ‘Shrewsbury’ clubs (with a 3d admission). The first football game at Bramall Lane took place seven years after the ground opened, on December 29th, 1862, between […]
Sheffield FC had joined the F.A. back in 1863 but had continued to play under its own rules. The final barrier to the two codes joining was whether a throw-in could be thrown in any direction (London Laws) or at right angles (Sheffield Rules). With Sheffield’s acceptance of this rule, finally the two codes amalgamated […]
Just spoken to the publisher and it seems that the books will not be available this month. They are saying they will not be later than May 12th but hopefully sooner. As I know more I will let you know. Apologies for the delay. Martin Westby
In Victorian times it is certain that some teeth were dislodged by reinforced football boots during a game of ‘rugger’, so it a happy symmetry that today’s modern teeth are protected by the same material that made those boots so sturdy. That material is Gutta percha and the story begins with the launch of the Football Association […]
