# Sheffield Rules (1862)

Laws of Sheffield Football Club, adopted at the club's "annual meeting under rule 13", held at the Falcon Inn, January 30th, 1862, confirmed at an "adjourned" meeting held on February 7th, 1862, and published later that year.

## Rules

* The kick from the middle must be a place kick.
* Kick Out must not be more than 10 yards out of goal.
* A Fair Catch is a catch from any player provided the ball has not touched the ground or has not been thrown from touch and is entitled to a free-kick.
* Charging is fair in case of a place kick (with the exception of a kick off as soon as a player offers to kick) but he may always draw back unless he has actually touched the ball with his foot.
* Pushing with the hands is allowed but no hacking or tripping up is fair under any circumstances whatsoever.
* No player may be held or pulled over.
* It is not lawful to take the ball off the ground (except in touch) for any purpose whatever.
* Holding the ball (except in the case of a free kick) or knocking or pushing it on with the hand or arm is altogether disallowed.
* A goal cannot be obtained by free kick or catch
* When the ball is in touch, the side that first touches it must bring it to the edge of the touch at the place where it went in, and throw it straight out at least six yards, and it must touch the ground before it reaches any player.
* A rouge is obtained by the player who first touches the ball after it has been kicked between the rouge flags, and when a rouge has been obtained one of the defending side must stand post two yards in front of the goal sticks.
* No rouge is obtained when a player who first touches the ball is on the defending side. In that case it is a kick out as specified in law 2.
* No player who is behind the line of the goal sticks when the ball is kicked behind, may touch it in any way, either to prevent or obtain a rouge.
* A goal outweighs any number of rouges. Should no goals or an equal number be obtained, the match is decided by rouges.
* If, in playing a match, half the specified time shall expire without a goal being obtained, the sides shall change goals; the kick off being from the middle, as at the commencement of the game. In practice matches one hour shall be the limit.
* In setting out the ground, the goal sticks must be placed 12 feet apart, and the cross bar 9 feet from the ground. The rouge flags must be placed one on each side and in line with the goal, and 12 feet distant from the goal.
* Each player must provide himself with a red and dark blue flannel cap, one colour to be worn by each side during play.
N.B. These laws are not intended to define all the Rules of the Game, but only such as are peculiar to the club. There are certain fundamental rules which are observed in all foot-ball games.

## Notes

* ↑ for more information, see: "Sheffield Football Club", Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 1862-01-31, p. 2. "Sheffield Football Club", Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 1862-02-08, p. 5. Compare Rules of Sheffield United Mechanics (1865)
* ↑ For the meaning of "stand post", see this description of the Eton Field Game from Shearman, Montague (1887). Athletics and Football. London: Longman, Greens and Co. pp. 313–314. [T]he defending side form down one yard from the centre of the goals by one of their number, called post, taking up his position in the centre with the ball between his feet, and three or four placing themselves close up behind him, with others called sides on either side to support him ... On the attacking side, four players, also called sides, form down against the defenders' bully... (Wikisource contributor note)
* ↑ "in front of the goal sticks" in source: Harvey (2005), Football: The First Hundred Years, London: Routledge, p. 117 and Curry (2013), Early Sheffield Football: A Source Book, Nottingham: Soccerdata, p. 79, both have "in front of the centre of the goal sticks". (Wikisource contributor note)
* ↑ "Should no goals or an equal number be obtained" in source: Harvey (2005), Football: The First Hundred Years, London: Routledge, p. 117 and Curry (2013), Early Sheffield Football: A Source Book, Nottingham: Soccerdata, p. 79, both have "Should no goals be scored, or an equal number be obtained". (Wikisource contributor note)
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
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