Cambridge rules

The Cambridge Rules were early rules for a game called football, made at the University of Cambridge in the 1800s. These rules helped shape how football is played today.

Some think the rules made in 1856 at Cambridge may have helped start Australian rules football. The rules made in 1863 are thought to be very important for creating the first official rules, called the Laws of the Game, used by the Football Association.

These early rules brought order and structure to football, making it easier for teams and schools to play together fairly.

Context

Football has been played at Cambridge for a very long time. In the 1500s, a game between townspeople and students became a big fight, so leaders said they could only play on college grounds. Later, in 1631, a student hurt another while playing football.

In the early 1800s, different schools had their own ways of playing football. When students from these schools played together at Cambridge, they had to create new rules that mixed the best parts of everyone’s rules.

1838–1842

Edgar Montagu went to Shrewsbury School and later attended Cambridge from 1838 to 1842. Many years later, in 1897 and 1899, he wrote letters. In these letters, he remembered that he and six friends made a club. They created rules to make football fair for everyone. They even played two matches on a place called Parker’s Piece. Sadly, the original rules they made have been lost. Some experts think the first football rules at Cambridge University might have been made around 1838.

1846

In 1846, two boys from Shrewsbury school, H. de Winton and J. C. Thring, asked some players from Eton to help them start a football club. They played a few games on Parker's Piece, but the game wasn’t very popular at the university, so the club didn’t last long.

Later, Thring said that in 1846, they tried to make one game and start a real club at Cambridge. But because of the Rugby style of football, it was hard to get players from Eton, Winchester, and Shrewsbury to agree. Sadly, no rules from this early try have survived.

1848

Henry Charles Malden went to Trinity College from 1847 to 1851. In 1897, he wrote a letter about how some students at Cambridge tried to make rules for football in 1848. Back then, different schools had different rules, so games were very confusing.

Fourteen students from different schools met to create new rules. They worked late to agree on the new rules, called the "Cambridge Rules." These rules were shared around the university and used for many years. Some believe these early rules helped shape the rules of football we know today.

1851–54

From 1851 to 1854, a Football Club existed at King's College Cambridge. They played on a field called "the Piece" and used rules similar to the Eton Field rules. Sometimes, players from Rugby and Harrow would run with the ball or ask for special free kicks, which caused confusion. A man named Beamont, who later became a Fellow at his college, helped change the rules to be fairer. Not many students from King's College played this version of the game, but later, special Rugby games were held on a different field.

1856

In 1856, people tried to make rules for a game called football. A student named Frederic G. Sykes wrote about this later, saying the meeting happened in a room at Trinity College. Before this, football at the university had no rules and players could do almost anything.

The rules made in 1856 were signed by players from different schools and the university. They said players could only use their hands to stop the ball, and they could not push, trip, or hold each other. A goal was scored by kicking the ball between two posts under a string. These rules may have helped shape the football games we know today.

In 1861, a club called Forest Football Club used these Cambridge rules with a few extra changes. Later, they asked other teams to play using the same rules.

1862

In November 1862, a football match was played at Cambridge. Two teams of former students from Eton and Harrow schools played. Special rules were made just for this match. These rules mixed parts from Eton and Harrow but were simpler.

The rules said players could not handle the ball except to stop it. The field size and goal width followed Harrow rules, and goals were called "bases." A player was offside if fewer than four opponents were between them and the goal. When the ball went out of bounds, the game restarted with a kick-in. The match ended in a tie.

1863

In October 1863, nine players from different schools made new rules for football at the University of Cambridge. They shared these rules with everyone in November.

The first game using these rules was on November 20 at 2:15 p.m. on Parker's Piece.

The 1863 rules were different from older rules from 1856. For example, in 1856, players could catch the ball and get a free kick, but in 1863, this was not allowed. The 1863 rules also had a stricter offside rule.

When the Cambridge rules were shared, they influenced the Football Association. The rules did not allow carrying the ball or kicking opponents. This helped change people's minds, and these actions were banned. This helped make football and rugby two different sports.

1867

In March 1867, Cambridge University Football Club met with other school and college football teams. They wanted to make common rules for everyone to use. These rules updated the rules from 1863 and added a new move called a "touch down." If a team touched the ball down behind their opponent's goal line, they could take a free kick at the goal. The number of "touch downs" helped decide the winner if both teams scored the same number of goals.

Subsequent developments

In 1869, the Cambridge club wanted to play a match against the FA but insisted on using their own rules, which the FA did not accept.

In 1871, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) was created, which led to a split between two main types of football. In 1872, the Cambridge Rugby Union Club was founded and used RFU rules. Without supporters of the "carrying game," the Cambridge University Football Club joined the FA in 1873 and played under FA rules in the third edition of the FA Cup during the 1873-4 season.

Recognition

In 2000, a plaque was placed in Parker's Piece by a football team of people without homes. The plaque says that in the 1800s, students made simple football rules there. These rules focused on skill and not rough play. They did not allow catching the ball or tripping opponents. These "Cambridge Rules" helped shape the rules of football made in 1863.

In May 2018, a monument called "Cambridge Rules 1848" was put up on Parker's Piece. The monument has four stone pillars with the 1856 Cambridge Rules carved in many languages.

Summary