Market Harborough’s Footballing First
In 1882 Market Harborough became the first Leicestershire football club to enter an Association Football competition – Wellingborough Challenge Cup – which over time became referred to as the Northamptonshire…
Football Rules 140 Years Ago
The following Football Association Rules were in place when Leicester Fosse were founded. Definition of Terms Place Kick – the ball is kicked when lying on the ground, in any…
Beardsley Poaching Scandal
Leicester Fosse endeavoured to induce goalkeeper Godfrey Beardsley and other players for that matter to play for them. Beardsley, having either a real grievance or an imaginary one with the…
The Rowley Affair
Bill Rowley Leicester Fosse’s signing of former England goalkeeper, Billy Rowley bought the club into conflict with the football authorities in the late 1890s. Rowley was described as a “brave…
Charles Thring – the Academic who invented Football
J. C. Thring, Uppingham School master laid the ‘the groundwork on which the Association code was built’. Thring’s rules for The Simplest Game, first published in 1862, and his call…
Leicester Football Finances: 1894 v 2024
Leicester Daily Journal – 30 May 1894 Leicester Fosse FC published their financial statement for 1893-94 in May 1894 – income, £2907 11s 2d (95% of which came from gate…
Whipping Toms
Plaque on the Hawthorn Building, DMU. Although folk football does not appear to have been played in Leicester on a large scale, there are records of games being played in…
Hallaton Bottle Kicking
Bottle kicking ‘dummy’ displayed at Market Harborough museum comes from the Leicestershire village of Hallaton. It had a very important role in the wonderfully bizarre Leicestershire custom – bottle kicking.…
Fosse’s First Professional Player
Leicester Fosse, in their fifth year of existence, running two teams and with a membership of just over 40, signed their first professional player – 20 years old, 5ft 4…
Leicestershire’s First Cup Competition
Shepshed FC 1887-88: Back Row, F Elliott (Referee), A. Smith, W Danvers, J. Waring, E. Savage. Centre Row, J. Bennett, S. Waldon, A. Kidger, W. Johnson. Front Row, E. Needham,…