The ‘Chimera’ of Origins: Association Football in Australia before 1880

These are the first three pages of my recent academic essay on the origins of soccer in Australia. If you want to read the whole thing you will need to go to the International Journal of the History of Sport.

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The ‘Chimera’ of Origins: Association Football in Australia before 1880

Sydney 1880

In the July of 1880, a movement in Sydney seemed to crystallise. A number of letters to the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald were published, advocating the playing of football under the English Association rules.

This long letter from John Walter Fletcher published on July 17, 1880 summed up the level of interest and took the important step of suggesting a meeting.

Sir, - I was glad to see in your issue of this morning a letter advocating the introduction of the English Association game into New South Wales, and I am a little surprised that some old English player has not made the suggestion before. I have reason to think from conversations I have had on the subject that if the game could properly be started it would become very popular, not only with players, but with the public. Unfortunately, a very general misapprehension appears to exist as to the nature of the game, a great many people I have spoken to evidently confusing it with the Victorian Association game, whereas the two games have not a single point in common. As to its chances of popularity, let any one read in Bell’s Life the accounts of International or club contests in Glasgow, Sheffield, London, &c. witnessed often by from 10,000 to 12,000 spectators. It is, I think, about twelve years since the game was first started in England, though its principle, that football is a game for feet and for hands, had long existed in the Eton and Harrow games. At the present time the football players of Great Britain, playing under Rugby and Association rules, are about equally divided, and the two games exist side by side without one interfering in the least with the other, save that of late the value of good dribbling has become universally acknowledged in the Rugby game. I feel that we are rather late in writing in advocacy of the English Association game, inasmuch as a large section of the football players of New South Wales, dissatisfied with Rugby rules, appear to have committed themselves to the adoption of Victorian rules. Nevertheless, there must be many old English and Scotch Association players, or old Eton and Harrow men, who would be glad to see their old game played here, and who would make an effort to introduce it; and I am quite sure that the principle of the game, which forbids the use of the hands, except by goalkeeper, and does away with scrummaging, collaring, mauling, &c, will commend itself to a very large section or this community. The game is essentially a scientific one, requiring, above everything else, unselfish and organized combination. I do not wish to attack the old Rugby game, which, properly played, is interesting and exciting to players and spectators; but must enter a protest against the introduction of the Victorian game, which, though certainly interesting and amusing to look at, is, I believe, rougher than the Rugby, and violates the fundamental principle of all games like football – I mean the law of off side. The very thing condemned under the name of ‘sneaking’ in the Eton game is here encouraged and applauded, and in fact may almost be said to be the chief art of the game. In the brief space of a letter it is impossible to say all that one would in behalf of the introduction of the rules of the English Association; but I hope that, since at the present time a radical change is demanded in the present code, football players and the public generally will give the matter a more thorough investigation than it has yet received before committing themselves to the Victorian game. I should be willing to communicate with gentlemen willing to assist in starting a club under the rules of the English Association, and perhaps it might be possible to convene a meeting to consider the whole question. I am, &c.,

J. W. FLETCHER.
Union Club, July 14.

This is a remarkable and important letter, one that has claims to be a kind of founding document along the lines of Tom Wills’ letter to the editor of Bell’s Sporting Life in Victoria in 1858 in which he advocated the formation of a football club (or, failing that, a rifle club) in Melbourne. This moment is generally (though not universally) understood to be the wellspring of Australian Rules football.

Fletcher believed a large participation and spectator base existed for Association football in New South Wales that was as yet untapped and unsatisfied. The potential contributors to the game came from the English and ‘Scotch’ Associations or Eton and Harrow. He also made it clear that the Victorian Rules (the game which developed into Australian Rules), despite the similarities that some had observed, was for him and his ilk an oppositional code with ‘not a single point’ in common with Association football. The letter picked no fight with Rugby, seeing the possibility of the two codes subsisting.

After what seems to be very little time, a meeting was convened for August 3 by Fletcher and J. A. Todd. Its purpose was ‘to consider and promote the introduction of football under English Association rules.’ Therefore, all ‘football players and others who may be interested in the improvement of the winter pastime are invited to attend.’

The plan was not to supplant Rugby but to benefit football generally by 1) introducing Association rules and 2) staving off the challenge from Victorian Rules. Two weeks later, the first game was played.

The first match in New South Wales played under English Association rules was played on Saturday last, by the newly formed club, against the King’s School boys at Parramatta. The visitors had a very fair team, allowing for the fact that hardly one of them had played football for some years. This advantage was, however, balanced by the fact that the boys had not played these rules before. The game was well contested for an hour and a half, and terminated in favour of the visitors by five goals to none; the number of goals must not, however, be taken as a criterion of the play, which was remarkably even, particularly after half time, the boys on several occasions only failing to score on account of their want of familiarity with the art of passing and middling the ball. On the side of the English Association Club all played up well, but the play of D. Roxburgh as back was remarkably good and invaluable to his side, and Scott’s goal-keeping deserves praise. On the King’s School side the play of Fenwick was very fine, and he would make a grand Association player; all, however, played well. Mr Savage, an old International player, played with and coached Kings School. The names of the club players were – T.A .Todd (captain), W.J. Baker, J.W. Fletcher, C.E. Hewlett, C.F. Fletcher, Wastinage, W. Robertson, W. Simson, Chapman, D. Roxburgh, J Scott (goal).

The article concluded by pointing out that a further ‘match has been arranged, under English Association rules, on Moore Park, for next Saturday, against the Redfern Club.’

The new team did not yet have a name, a situation that was rectified at a ‘committee meeting of the newly-formed English Association Football Club’ on August 19 at which ‘The Wanderers’ were christened. A number of decisions were ratified at the meeting, along with the crucial ambition to obtain membership of the English Football Association. They were:

1. ‘That the club be called “The Wanderers.”’
2. ‘That the uniform be white jersey and cap, with badge southern cross, and blue stockings.’
3. ‘That an account of the proceedings be sent to England to the secretary of the English Association, for publication.’
4. ‘That the club be enrolled (with permission) in the English Association.'

The first game under the new name saw the team score another win, this time against a team from the Rugby club, Redfern FC.

The second match under the English Association Rules took place at Moore Park on Saturday last, and resulted in a win for the newly-named Wanderers by two goals to nil, both of which were secured in the first 10 minutes, after which the game was very even. Redfern Club, being strangers to the rules, played up well, ably assisted by W.J. Baker. For Redfern, J. Mulcahy and North played well, whilst for the Wanderers J. Fletcher, Harbottle, and M’Donald, were in grand form.

About this well-co-ordinated series of events a conventional and robust narrative has emerged: a club with a name, colours and rules to play by; a series of games played and planned; a desire to affiliate with the F.A. in England; and something resembling the founding document/moment so beloved of many football historians are all in place. Australian soccer had kicked off.

But the story is wrong. The narrative details may be correct but the idea of a starting point is wide of the mark. Unfortunately for the ‘Sydney-origin’ thesis, a similar series of events had occurred in the colony of Tasmania’s main city, Hobart one year before, albeit on a smaller scale.

Hobart 1879

The Hobart Mercury of April 28, 1879 reported on the City Football Club’s AGM and its adoption of the ‘rules of the British Football Association.’

The annual general meeting of members of the City Football Club was held on Saturday evening at the Town Hall. Mr. J. R. Betts took the chair. The attendance was good at first, but the proceedings being of a protracted nature, the members dwindled very much towards the finish. The committee recommended the adoption of a fresh code of playing rules, as the present code entirely prevented the club from meeting any foreign team. The rules of the British Football Association, with the addition of the drop kick, were recommended. The following officers were elected: – Captain, Captain Boddam; vice-captains, Messrs, Molloy and Pitfield; secretary, Mr. A. D. Watchorn; treasurer, Mr. Lindley; committee, Messrs. Lovett, Finlay, and Paul.

Captain Edmond Meyer Tudor-Boddam is a central figure in this decision. Boddam had arrived in Hobart via Sydney in May 1878 to take up a post as ‘Brigade-Major to the corps,’ the main function of which was to control public works projects. An Anglo-Indian and noted cricketer and footballer, he adopted a position insisting that an English code of football be adopted for the winter months. He had played Rugby in Sydney and seemed concerned to adopt a football code that would enable a sporting commerce with England (and New South Wales) rather than Victoria. In this regard he prefigures some of Fletcher’s anti-Victorian sentiments. It is clear that many City members were unhappy with this decision and Captain Boddam soon found himself on the outer. Undaunted, Boddam moved over to the Cricketers Football Club of Hobart where he directly influenced its decision to adopt the Association code. The Cricketers voted 10–9 to adopt English Association rules at their meeting on May 5. Boddam and his seconder would have preferred Rugby but acknowledged that its rules were too complex. Both were derisory about Victorian Rules.

Under his guidance, the Cricketers began their season with an internal scratch match on May 10, 1879. The sides were

picked by F. V. Smith and G. S. Chapman. The English Association Rules which have been adopted by this club were played. Chapman’s side proved victorious by two goals to one, both kicked by B. Stuart, well judged kicks. H. B. Smith with a good piece of dribbling secured the goal for the other side. Besides the goal kickers, the most prominent players were Boddam, F. V. Smith, Chapman, R. Kirby, H. Prior, L. M’Leod and Davenport (the last three hailing from the High School club). The natural amount of inconvenience was felt by most of the players who essayed the novel rules for the first time, the mysteries of off and on side and the obligation to leave the hands idle proving almost insurmountable. After some practice no doubt those difficulties will be overcome.

As if to foreshadow the sometimes dubious organisational skills of those running Australian soccer, it is reported that the ‘club played without goal posts; as Mr. Briant who had promised to bring them, did not do so, coats were used to mark the goal instead.’

On June 7, the Cricketers met New Town in a competitive inter-club match. ‘These clubs met for the return match on Marsh’s ground, New Town, on Saturday afternoon, playing the English Association Rules. The result was a draw, no goals being kicked by either side.’ The Tasmanian Mail also reported on the game, remarking on ‘Morriss for the New Town causing special amusement by playing the ball with his head’ – possibly the first in a long line of Australian media guffaws about the practice of heading. The writer also complains of the ‘absurdity’ of the keeper being allowed to throw the ball.

One soccer match in Hobart in 1879 might be a rogue occurrence; two games a month apart intimate a pattern. Moreover, it is reasonable to interpolate ‘soccer’ practice in-between these dates. However, this was no sparkling beginning of the beautiful game in Australia from which it leapt and bounded, despite the indication that the players intended to keep working at the game. The perceived need for conformity and the weight of numbers ultimately meant the rejection of soccer for the time being.

. . . continued at  the International Journal of the History of Sport.