Football

THE PROGRESS OF THE ASSOCIA7
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10N. 23
the Football Association were directly or indirectly respon-
sible, as might perhaps be inferred from my remarks, for
the arrangement or control of these early matches between
London and Sheffield. They had systematically declined
to recognize any modification of the rules. An offer of
the Sheffield Association for a home and home match was,
indeed, refused solely for this reason ; and a challenge from
the Cambridge University Association Football Club, to
play a match under the rules of that Association, was also
declined. On similar ground, overtures had also been
made in 1871, on behalf of the South Derbyshire Association,
for a conference of the two bodies with a view to amalga-
mation; but this proposition met with the same lack of
encouragement. Until the fusion of the Sheffield Associa-
tion with the parent society, the selection and management
of the London team was wholly and solely in private hands,
and the fixtures had in no way the official impress of the
Football Association.
Meanwhile, the establishment of a Challenge Cup, open
to all clubs belonging to the Association, had, as already
stated, given a great stimulus to the game. Instituted in
1871, through the initiative mainly of a few of the more
influential of the Metropolitan clubs, it was not long before
the Cup took a much wider scope. In the first code of
rules the holders were only required to take part in the final
match ; but this provision was only in force for one year,
and, subsequently, the club winning the Cup had to fight
its way through the competition the same as the other
entrants, until quite recently, when a qualifying competition
was instituted to weed out the smaller clubs.
Though the introduction of Association football into
Lancashire about the same period as the establishment of
the Cup, the first of an innumerable succession of trophies