SSTO historian traces football's founders

A cultural historian from the SSTO has tracked down the descendants of the founding fathers of football. Dr Jane Clayton, from the International Football Institute based in the School, led a four month search on behalf of the Football Association.

Little was known about Ebenezer Morley, Arthur Pember, Charles William Alcock, Francis Maule Campbell, John Forster Alcock, Herbert Thomas Steward, George Twizell Wawn and James Turner, who formed the FA in 1863.

However, Dr Clayton found the families of six of the men who drafted the original 13 laws of Association Football, and joined them for a ceremony at Wembley Stadium as a blue plaque was unveiled in their honour.

They travelled from as far away as Washington DC, Chicago and Auckland, as well as Lancashire and London for the event which started a week of celebrations to mark the FA's 150th birthday.

Dr Clayton said: "For the search to have been so successful is incredibly pleasing as, from a historical perspective, we now know a lot more about a number of the men that created the most popular sport in the world 150 years ago."

Alex Horne, general secretary of the FA, said: "In terms of historical significance, the eight founding fathers of football should be placed alongside other great pioneers of this nation.

"The game has become a focal point of the lives of nearly every household in England since it was formed, so to now understand more about the history of these men is incredibly important."