Page "Sheffield Rules" Paragraph 55

According to CW Alcock, Sheffield provided the first evidence of the modern passing style In October 1863, Sheffield declared that it would only play 11 a side matches.

known as the Combination Game.

As early as January 1865 Sheffield FC was associated with scoring a goal through " scientific movements " against Nottingham A contemporary match report of November 1865 notes " We cannot help recording the really scientific play with which the Sheffield men backed each other up " Combination play by Sheffield players is also suggest in 1868: " a remarkably neat and quick piece of play on the part of K Smith, Denton and J Knowles resulted in a goal for Sheffield, the final kick being given by J. Knowles " Contemporary proof of passing occurs from at least January 1872.

In January 1872 the following account is given against Derby: " W. Orton, by a specimen of careful play, running the ball up in close proximity to the goal, from which it was returned to J. Marsh, who by a fine straight shot kicked it through " This play taking place " in close proximity to the goal " suggests a short pass and the " return " of the ball to Marsh suggests that this was the second of two passes.

This account also goes onto describe other interesting early tactics: " This goal was supplemented by one of T. Butler's most successful expositions of the art of corkscrew play and deceptive tactics which had the effect of exciting the risibility of the spectators " Similarly the following contemporary account of passing comes from January 1872: " the only goal scored in the match was obtained by Sheffield, owing to a good run up the field by Steel, who passed it judiciously to Matthews, and the latter, by a good straight kick, landed it through the goal out of reach of the custodian ".

This match ( against Notts ) also provided contemporary evidence of " good dribbling and kicking " particularly by W. E.

Clegg.

The condition of the ground, however, " militated against a really scientific exhibition ", suggesting that at other times their play was even more " scientific ".

Their play in March 1872 was described as " speed, pluck and science of no mean order "