17.1.13

Presidents of the Football Association

Arthur Pember (1863-1867)

Arthur Pember was present at the founding of the Football Association as a representative of N.N. Kilburn (usually explained as No Names)- he was also a member of Wanderers. Away from football Pember was a journalist of renown,  working mainly in the USA.

Ebenezer Cobb Morley (1867-74)

The Football Association's first secretary, Morley was from Kingston upon Hull, but moved to London in his twenties and played for Barnes. Morley wrote a letter to Bell's Life proposing that football needed a governing body to codify the rules. This led to the foundation of the FA. It was Morley who wrote the first draft of The Laws of The Game.
Morley played for Barnes against Richmond in the first ever game played under the 1863 rules and also represented London against Sheffield in 1866.

Colonel Sir Francis Arthur Marindin (1874-1890)

Marindin played in 2 FA Cup Finals for Royal Engineers and, in his capacity as president of the FA, acted as referee in 9 finals. . Despite this involvement in the game when it was rapidly evolving , when Marindin died in 1900 his obituary in The Times made no reference whatsoever to football.


Lord Kinnaird (1890-1923)

Lord Kinnaird had played in 9 FA Cup Finals (plus two replays), and was on the winning side 5 times.In 1873 he represented Scotland against England at The Oval, having earlier played in 3 of  the unofficial meetings between England and Scotland XIs in 1870-71. Lord Kinnaird passed away shortly before the opening of The Empire Stadium Wembley, having been President of the FA for 33 years.

Sir John Charles Clegg

Sir J.C Clegg was Sheffield through and through. He was a member of Sheffield F.C and represented Sheffield Association in a match against the FA in 1871 when Sheffield football was still a distinct game from the association code.  He competed in the first international match between England and Scotland in 1872- he reported feeling somewhat left out by his 'snobbish' southern teammates. Later a prominent referee (taking charge of the 1892 FA Cup Final) and Chairman of The Wednesday. He had a lifelong distaste for professionalism. During his tenure as FA president (he had been chairman from 1890)  Sir John became known as the Napoleon of Football.