Ebenezer Cobb Morley Facts and History

Ebenezer Cobb Morley became captain of the club and in 1863 he wrote a letter to Bell's Life newspaper proposing a governing body for football. This letter resulted in a meeting taking place at the Freeman's Tavern in London in October, 1863.

The clubs represented at the meeting included Barnes, Blackheath, Perceval House, Kensington School, the War Office, Crystal Palace, Forest (later known as the Wanderers), the Crusaders and No Names of Kilburn. Charterhouse also sent an observer to the meeting.

The Football Association was established at this meeting. The aim of the FA was to establish a single unifying code for football. As Percy Young, has pointed out, that the FA was a group of men from the upper echelons of British society: "Men of prejudice, seeing themselves as patricians, heirs to the doctrine of leadership and so law-givers by at least semi-divine right."

Ebenezer Cobb Morley was elected as the secretary of the FA. At a meeting on 24th November, 1863, Morley presented a draft set of 23 rules. These were based on an amalgamation of rules played by public schools, universities and football clubs. This included provision for running with the ball in the hands if a catch had been taken "on the full" or on the first bounce. Players were allowed to "hack the front of the leg" of the opponent when they were running with the ball.

What's Doodle says about Ebenezer Cobb Morley todays

Before Ebenezer Cobb Morley set down the rules of football in 1863, the game was much more chaotic than the version we know today. His 13th rule gives some indication of how unruly football used to be:  'No player shall wear projecting nails, iron plates, or gutta percha on the soles or heels of his boots.'

Born the son of a minister, Morley grew up a sports enthusiast and went on to study law. After joining Barnes Football Club in London, he realized that the game would be benefit from more structure and regulation. He wrote to the sports newspaper Bell’s Life to make the case for a more organized game.

A meeting followed at Freeman’s Tavern where Morley was joined by members of football clubs across England, who all had input into the rulemaking before Morley drafted his list of 13 rules, which became the standard of play in England.

Morley’s laws helped reduce violence on the field — although he did think players should be able to “hack the front leg” — and formalized the crucial rule we now call offsides, which prevents players from permanently stationing themselves behind  an opponent’s defensive line, waiting for a pass.

Morley later helped establish the Football Association, which is still the governing body for football in Great Britain. In 1863 he was elected the Honorary Secretary of the F.A., holding the post until 1866 and president of the F.A. from 1867 to 1874

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