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What were the earliest football rules written down that are still in existence in 2005?

Rugby School. Rugby School's football rules were first codified in 1845. A copy of these rules from 1845 still exists as a historical document. The world's association football clubs play to rules based on those formulated in 1863 by the Football Association (governed internationally through FIFA).

Which school withdrew from the first FA Cup competition without playing a game?

Donington. Donington School was drawn against Queen's Park of Glasgow in the first round of the competition. The school withdrew from the competition rather than travel the considerable distance to Scotland. This first FA Cup competition, held in 1871-72, had fifteen entries in both England and Scotland. It was won by The Wanderers (a club formed mainly of ex-public schoolboys and university students) who defeated The Royal Engineers 1-0.

What was the result of the first match between Scotland and England played under association rules?

Scotland 0 England 0. The first game, played at the West of Scotland cricket ground, ended in a 0-0 draw. The teams met on 30 November, 1872. It was the first ever international match played under association rules.

What famous grassy park in Cambridge has often been referred to as 'The Birthplace of Football'?

Parker's Piece. The Laws of the Game for the university had originally been drawn up by a group of Cambridge students in the early 1840s and posted on elm trees which surrounded Parker’s Piece, a park in Cambridge. The game at Cambridge became organised and when students, after graduating, returned as teachers to public schools they carried with them the new code and the game became more regularised. The Cambridge Rules formed the basis of the rules modified and codified by the Football Association in 1863.

The first Sheffield 'derby', between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, was played on a Monday rather than the traditional Saturday afternoon.

True. This was on 22nd December, 1890. Despite it being 'Bull Week', the game still attracted a large crowd. In Sheffield, 'Bull Week' was the week before Christmas, traditionally a time when men worked many hours to earn extra money to pay for the festive period (the term refers to the joint purchase of a bull for slaughter by the workers - the extra money that they earned paid for their share of the meat).

Which was the first northern club to win the FA Cup?

Blackburn Olympic. Blackburn Olympic defeated Old Etonians by two goals to one in the FA Cup Final of 1883. This signalled the rise of the northern and midland clubs and the beginnings of the professional game.

The first chairman of the Football Association represented which club?

Barnes. Ebenezer Cobb Morley, the secretary of Barnes Football Club, chaired the first meeting of The Football Association. This was held at The Freemason's Tavern, London, on 26th October, 1863. During this and five subsequent meetings between October and December 1863, the Football Association's Laws of the Game were agreed.

In December 1863, Francis Maule Campbell of Blackheath FC led a walkout from the Football Association in protest at one particular rule being proposed. What was the proposal to which he objected?

The outlawing of kicking your opponent (hacking). Francis Maule Campbell had been elected as treasurer of the FA during its first meetings throughout the late autumn of 1863. Up until the FA banned it in its codification of the rules, hacking had been a commonplace feature of how the game was played at Rugby School and many other football clubs, including Blackheath. Ironically, at the founding of the Rugby Football Union in 1871, hacking was outlawed in that game also.

Which public school was represented only as an observer at the first meeting of The Football Association?

Charterhouse. Bertram Fulke Hartshorne represented Charterhouse School as an observer at this first meeting in 1863. Charterhouse declined membership of the FA at this point in its formation, not joining until several years later.

Le Havre Athletic Club in France, the first French football club, was founded by Englishmen.

True. Le Havre Athletic Club was founded in 1872 by a group of English merchants who had established their businesses in the French port, many of whom were graduates of Oxford and Cambridge Universities. This is the reason why the club's colours were a combination of dark and light blue - the traditional sporting colours of Oxford and Cambridge Universities respectively. The French Football Federation was not formed until 1919.