Sheffield: The pioneer of rules football in the blue plate tribute

A blue plaque has been unveiled in Sheffield to commemorate a ‘founding father’ of football rules.

Sir Nathaniel Creswick co-wrote the so-called Sheffield Rules at 9 East Parade in 1858.

They went on to influence the Football Association (FA), says Sheffield Home of Football, which organized the plaque.

The group described the venue as the “birthplace” of the modern sport adored around the world.

The Sheffield Home of Football wants to highlight the city’s contribution to the development of the sport and describes Sir Nathaniel as the ‘founding father’ of football.

Group administrator Steve Wood said 9 East Parade was “probably the most important surviving building in the world related to the development of association football”.

It was used to stage the first matches of what is now association football, he said, as well as host the first conversations about the first written rules of the game.

“These Sheffield Rules continued to influence the appearance of the FA and its own rules as late as 1863 and continued that influence until 1877 when the two codes were amalgamated into the game we play today,” he said.

“It is the birthplace of our modern, organized game.”

The earliest account of 9 East Parade being used to stage football was from a letter written on October 9, 1858, Mr Wood said.

Sir Nathaniel’s great-great-grandson, Col Geoffrey Norton, unveiled the plaque at a ceremony on Saturday.

Other footballing firsts for Sheffield include being home to the world’s oldest football club, Sheffield FC, which Sir Nathaniel co-founded.

The town is also home to Sandygate, the home of Hallam FC, which is widely recognized as the oldest football ground in the world.