Author: nigelfreestone1960

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…

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.…

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…

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,…

The violent nature of football in the 1880s attracted the attention of the world-renowned medical journal, The Lancet. In 1885 they published an article entitled “The Perils of Football” which…

The official programme/handbill for the Loughborough v Aston Villa Birmingham Cup match – Saturday 10 March 1894, Athletic Grounds, Loughborough. The fortunes of the professional association football in Loughborough have…

The penalty kick has become an integral part of football since its introduction in 1890. However, the traditional penalty kick that we know and love today, took a long time…

In 1884 Joseph Hudson, an English toolmaker from Birmingham developed the world’s first sports whistle – the ACME Thunderer – and since then has been used globally by football referees…

William Bradshaw, aged 18, a leather worker was charged with the manslaughter of Herbert Dokerty on 28 February 1878. A football match was played at Ashby-de-la-Zouch on 27 February between…

Harry Trainer, 42 King-street, Leicester Fosse’s leading scorer in the 1895-96 season, was charged with being drunk and disorderly and using obscene language, in Leicester Market-place, on the 19 August…