Page 44 - Real Rochdale Issue 14 Summer 2022

THE EARLIEST DAYS OF RUGBY

FOOTBALL IN ROCHDALE

The game that evolved into rugby league was, in
the beginning, a very different sport to the one
we watch today. From its earliest days, any game
in which a ball was handled, kicked or passed
between players was called ‘foot-ball’.

The earliest record of foot-ball being played
in Rochdale reports that games between the
various hamlets around the town were played as
far back as 1775.

These were called ‘mob football’ games, and
were chaotic affairs with few rules: an unlimited
number of players could use any means
necessary to convey a pig’s bladder from one
side of the town centre to the other.

These games faded from the sporting scene
when the Highways Act of 1835 banned the
playing of foot-ball in the street - with anyone
caught liable to a fine of forty shillings (that is
over £1,000 equivalent today).

After that foot-ball became organised, though it
was still played to local rules, with anything up to The match was eventually settled when a tired
20 or 30 players a side. Body-Guard’s player called a spectator on to
the field to take a kick for him. This infringement
The first contest between two Rochdale clubs of the rules was deemed ‘foul play’ by his own
took place in December 1841, when the umpire, who awarded the game to the
Body-Guards Club, based at the Grapes Inn on Fear-Noughts on a technicality.
Baillie Street, accepted the challenge of the
Fear-Nought Club to play them in a 12-a-side As foot-ball gained popularity across the country,
contest, with half a barrel of ‘Old Tom’ gin for the and teams began to play opponents from other
winning side. areas, there was a need to create a common set
of rules. The rules adopted by the majority of
The match was played on Christmas Day clubs, and the governing body, were those laid
1841 under ‘rules agreed by both parties’, and down at Rugby School - the Rugby rules.
overseen by an umpire from each team. In order
to score, the teams were required to kick the This was the point at which the game became
ball over the fence at the opponent’s end of the known as ‘Rugby Football’, the first step towards
ground, but neither side was successful. becoming the game we know today.

BY JIM STRINGER
REAL ROCHDALE - summer 2022 44 45 REAL ROCHDALE - summer 2022