You're Dead to Me

History of Football

December 15, 2025

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  • Medieval football, often called folk or mob football, was a chaotic, town-wide game played on festival days like Pancake Day, lacking referees and featuring rough play. 
  • The modern rules of football were established in 1863 with the founding of the Football Association (FA), a process that involved significant arguments over rules like tackling, leading to the splintering off of rugby. 
  • Despite the FA banning women's football on affiliated grounds in 1921, pioneers like Nettie Honeyball and superstar Lily Parr of the Dick, Kerr Ladies kept the women's game alive, paving the way for the modern Lionesses. 

Segments

Podcast Introduction and Medieval Football
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(00:01:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Medieval football was a chaotic, town-wide game played on festival days, often without rules or referees.
  • Summary: The episode begins by introducing the history of football, contrasting modern play with its medieval origins. Early references to ball games in Britain date back to the 9th century. These folk or mob football games could involve hundreds of players across entire towns, typically played on Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday).
Royal Bans and Gruesome Play
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(00:03:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Medieval football was so violent that players sought papal intervention for accidental manslaughter, and multiple kings attempted to ban the sport in favor of archery.
  • Summary: The game could be gruesome, evidenced by a 1321 incident where a player sought absolution from Pope John XXII after accidentally stabbing a friend. Kings Edward III, Richard II, and several Scottish Jameses tried to prohibit football, urging citizens to practice archery instead for military readiness. Despite these bans, figures like Henry VIII owned football boots, showing the sport’s enduring popularity.
Industrial Revolution and Rule Creation
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(00:05:58)
  • Key Takeaway: The shift to public school play in the 19th century necessitated codified rules, leading to the formation of the FA and the split with rugby.
  • Summary: The Industrial Revolution moved football from village festivals to elite public schools, where various institutions played by conflicting rulesets. In 1863, the Football Association (FA) was founded to create a general code, focusing heavily on disputes over carrying the ball and tackling. These disagreements ultimately caused some schools to leave, leading to the splintering off of rugby.
Ebenezer Cobb Morley’s Role
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(00:08:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Ebenezer Cobb Morley, the FA’s founding secretary, nearly dissolved the association due to rule arguments but is credited with codifying the game.
  • Summary: Ebenezer Cobb Morley is highlighted as the FA’s founding secretary who struggled immensely with the arguments over rule standardization. He reportedly threatened to disband the FA if members could not agree on a unified code. His efforts resulted in the codified rules that defined modern football, distinct from rugby.
Rise of Women’s Football Pioneers
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(00:09:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Women’s football gained traction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, featuring trailblazers like Nettie Honeyball and the powerful Dick, Kerr Ladies team.
  • Summary: One of the first recorded women’s matches occurred in Inverness in 1888, dividing teams by marital status. Nettie Honeyball founded the British Ladies Football Club in 1895 to prove women were not ‘ornamental creatures.’ During WWI, factory teams like Dick Kerr Ladies flourished, drawing massive crowds, with striker Lily Parr being a notable superstar known for her powerful shot.
FA Ban and Legacy
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(00:13:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The FA banned women’s football on affiliated grounds in 1921, a prohibition that lasted until 1970, despite the game’s prior popularity.
  • Summary: In 1921, despite having 150 women’s teams, the FA banned women from playing on FA-affiliated grounds. This ban remained in place until 1970, causing the loss of many potential female footballing talents. The episode concludes by celebrating the resilience of these pioneers and their influence on today’s women’s game.