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Excerpts from “A Different Ball Game: The History of Ball Sports in America”, John R. Fitzpatrick, Picador, 2007 “The 1910s are a pivotal period in the development of the various football codes in the United States – had things gone another way, one can easily imagine a single sport becoming...

1914-15 NRFU Season As was the case for the Football League, the new NRFU season opened under the shadow of war, and questions were asked about the appropriateness of sporting competition at such a time. Nevertheless, the season kicked off with the roster of clubs remaining constant and the new...

1914-15 Football League Season The new football season started under a strange atmosphere. The outbreak of the Great War in July had led to many calls to cancel sporting activities (and indeed the 1914 Charity Shield between Newcastle and Liverpool was postponed), but the League decided (with...

Thanks - New Year's resolution is to try and keep this moving with a bit more pace (hopefully at least one update a week). WW1 gives me a chance to jump forward after the next seasons, plus a quick trip around the world to see how things are developing

1913-14 NRFU Season The new NRFU season started with a stable line up of clubs. The regular fixture lists and strong local rivalries that were encouraged by the two League structure ensured that the vast majority of the clubs were in rude financial health. It also ensured that those clubs...

1913-14 Football League Season While the main talk before the new season was financial, it was not, as opposed to previous years, about the risk to clubs stability. Instead, the main question concerned which club Samuel Hill-Wood was going to invest in after he had terminated his involvement...

1912-13 NRFU Season The summer of 1912 saw Normanton finally call time on their participation in the senior competition, dropping down to the amateur ranks on a permanent basis. Also, to the surprise of the administration, Brighouse Rangers were also wound up, the committee expressing...

1912-13 Football League Season The new Football league season showed the continuing impact of the new order, with rumours circulating of various clubs in varying degrees of financial difficulty. As it was, the season was completed without any clubs going to the wall, but the spectre of another...

That is the most magnificent lunacy

1911-12 NRFU Season After the GB tour to Australasia, the Northern Union game appeared to be in rude health. Certainly, many clubs were still enjoying bumper crowds, and further enquiries were being made by interested parties about joining the NRFU, either via new clubs being established or...

1911-12 Football League season After the distraction of the Kingaby case, and the elimination of peppercorn contracts, the new season began with the old order apparently in place. However, it quickly became clear that some clubs had managed the new landscape better than others, and the new...

1911 Great Britain Northern Union Tour to Australasia Both the New Zealand and Australia tours of the NRFU had been successful, drawing large crowds and helping to establish the 13-man code outside of the heartlands of the breakaway. However, both tours were recognised as being too long, with...

1910-11 NRFU Season The 1910-11 NRFU season had an unchanged list of entrant clubs, although stories began to circulate about some of the smaller clubs struggling to maintain their finances on an even keel, and having difficulty competing with the more financially robust organisations...

Thanks - was struggling to write the key part, but felt inspired. If Leicester can win the title, I can get on with my TL As for Glossop, they are still in the League, and still have a wealthy backer. How far that will take them? Time will tell :D

Except from “The Working Man’s Game: Football & Politics”, R Harris, Manchester University, 1988 The outcome of the Kingaby case in April 1911 was to have a profound impact on not only football, but all professional sports teams in the United Kingdom. With the judge finding in Herbert Kingaby’s...

Very much enjoying this so far. I'll be interested to see if SNP/PC-esque nationalist paramilitaries exist

It's a shame this ended, but I can see why it had to. I'd suggest starting (much) lower down the leagues - somewhere like East Stirlingshire in Scotland (who I used to go and watch), or maybe conference level (or lower) in England. Although I can see the grind of that being less exciting...

Another four seasons in League 1 for SUFC? :eek: Say it ain't so, Fletch. (And an English sweep of European trophies :) )

1910-11 Football League season While the Kingaby case was underway, the Football League began its third year as a three division organisation, with 60 clubs spread across the country. In the First Division, Fulham were installed as firm favourites to win a third successive title, a feat no...

After the success of the tour to Great Britain, Albert Baskiville had begun planning the next New Zealand NRFU tour. Both Australia and New Zealand rugby union teams has visited the west coast of the USA [1], and a number of Universities were playing the 15-man game, having rejected the American...