Now You Know Soccer. Doug LennoxЧитать онлайн книгу.
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• Blythswood
What is the oldest Irish soccer club?
Cliftonville Football and Athletic Club, known as The Reds, is a Northern Irish football team playing in the IFA Premiership. Founded on September 20, 1879, in the north Belfast district of Cliftonville, they are the oldest football club in Ireland and celebrated their 125th anniversary in 2004.
Quickies
Did you know …
• the Football Association of Wales, founded in 1876, is the third oldest national soccer association in the world?
Who was John McAlery?
While on his honeymoon to Scotland, Belfast businessman John McAlery attended a soccer match staged by the Scottish FA. McAlery so enjoyed the game that he returned home and placed an advertisement in the newspaper inviting players to join the “Cliftonville Association Football Club.” At the time, there was no organized football association in Ireland. One week later, Cliftonville played its first match on September 20, 1879, losing 2–1 to a group of rugby players known as Quidnunces. In 1880, McAlery was the driving force behind the formation of the Irish FA, issuing an invitation to interested parties in Belfast and district to attend a meeting on November 18, 1880, at Queen’s Hotel, from which the Irish Football Association was formed.
What 1882 game gave opposite records to Ireland and England?
On February 18, 1882, two years after the founding of the Irish FA, Ireland made their international debut against England, losing 13–0 in a friendly game played at Bloomfield Park in Belfast. This remains the record win for England and the record defeat for the Northern Ireland team.
When was the Irish league founded?
The Irish League is the second-oldest national league in the world, being formed a week earlier than the Scottish Football League. Only the Football League in England is older. Four clubs — Cliftonville, Glentoran, Linfield, and Lisburn Distillery — have retained membership of the Irish League since its inception in 1890.
Quickies
Did you know …
• Scotland’s first match outside the British Isles was on May 26, 1929? They beat Norway 7–3 in Bergen.
When was the first international game between non-UK teams?
The first soccer international game played without involving a British side was between the United States and Canada, played in Newark, New Jersey, on November 28, 1885. The Canadians won 1–0.
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• Ireland changed to green shirts against England on October 17, 1931? Up until then they had worn blue.
What is the difference between the Irish Football Association (IFA) and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI)?
Ireland has two FAs because Ireland itself is divided into two nations, Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, which is a sovereign state formed in 1921. Beginning with the formation of the Irish Football Association (IFA) in 1879, all of Ireland was represented under that one association. But with the partition of Ireland in 1921, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) was formed to represent the Republic of Ireland, due to bitter disputes between Dublin-area teams and Belfast teams.
Quickies
Did you know …
• it was not until 1952 that a team from outside Belfast was crowned champions of the Irish League, formed in 1890?
How did soccer become American football?
In 1884, the American Amateur Football Association was formed, the first such soccer organization outside Britain. Ten years later, the United States became the second country in the world to introduce professional soccer. However, in the 1870s, Harvard University opted for a rugby-style “handling game” over the “kicking game.” As other universities followed Harvard’s example, the handling game developed into the American form of football.
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Did you know …
• England played their first game on foreign soil when they beat Austria 6–1 in Vienna on June 6, 1908?
What was the largest crowd to ever attend a soccer match?
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Did you know …
• in 1930 the American national soccer team reached the semifinals of the inaugural soccer World Cup?
The largest crowd ever to attend a soccer match was 199,854 spectators at the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 16, 1950. The game pitted Brazil against Uruguay. Uruguay won the match, 2–1.
What were the longest shootouts in soccer history?
Two stand out. On November 20, 1988, during the 1988–89 Argentine Championship, Argentinos Juniors defeated Racing Club 20–19 on penalties after a 2–2 draw. The shootout required 44 kicks. Then on Jan 23, 2005, during the 2004–05 Tafel Lager Namibian FA Cup, KK Palace defeated Civics 17–16 on penalties after a 2–2 draw. The shootout required 48 kicks.
Quickies
Did you know …
• the first professional soccer league in America was formed in 1894 but disbanded within months amid controversy over the importation of British players?
Who sets the official rules for soccer?
The official rules of soccer are called the Laws of the Game and they are maintained by two governing bodies: the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
What is FIFA?
FIFA is an acronym for Fédération Internationale de Football Association. It is the international governing body of association football, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. FIFA is responsible for the organization and governance of soccer’s major international tournaments, most notably the FIFA World Cup, held since 1930. The Laws of the Game are not solely the responsibility of FIFA; they are maintained by a body called the International Football Association Board (IFAB). FIFA has members on its board (four representatives); the other four are provided by the football associations of the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, in recognition of their contribution to the creation and history of the game. Changes to the Laws of the Game must be agreed upon by at least six of the eight delegates.
The Eight FIFA Presidents Since Its Founding in 1904
• Robert Guerin, France — 1904–06
• Daniel Burley Woolfall, England — 1906–18
• Jules Rimet, France — 1921–54
• Rodolphe William Seeldrayers, Belgium — 1954–55
• Arthur Drewry, England — 1955–61
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