Over a decade ago, I wrote this blog about Danish footballer Carl Hansen and his wartime experiences. I suggested his book would be a great project for translation and I'm delighted that Ian Hogg has taken up the challenge and produced a free ebook! www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...

Over a decade ago, I wrote this blog about Danish footballer Carl Hansen and his wartime experiences. I suggested his book would be a great project for translation and I'm delighted that Ian Hogg has taken up the challenge and produced a free ebook! www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...

The venue for the 2026 British Society of Sports History has just been announced. It will be held at the John McIntyre Centre, University of Edinburgh, from 26 to 28 August 2026. See below for more details.. www.sportinhistory.org/articles/edi...

Great to have helped get this historic Scottish football trophy back on display in its home town, Musselburgh. www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...

Great to have helped get this historic Scottish football trophy back on display in its home town, Musselburgh. www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...

Sad to hear that staunch Jags supporter, Alan Cunningham (@harrywragg), has passed away at the age of 75. A familiar face in the stands, home and away. R.I.P. Alan, and condolences to his family, many friends and loved ones. ❤️💛

I wrote an article on The Foot-Ball Club for History Scotland magazine, but it has now ceased publication. Rather than let it go to waste, it makes a long read for my website: www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...

It's UK Black History Month. Resharing @lanre-bakare.bsky.social's article from Feb! The stories of Black boxers in 1880s England are missing from every boxing history or Black British history I've read. But there are LOTS! Feel privileged to help find them: www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

I think they might just have a photo of the wrong stadium here. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...

50 years ago today, 19 Oct 1975, a world record football score for a top division match without any contrived skulduggery: Lochend Thistle (Edinburgh) 0 Dundee Strikers 47 in the Scottish Women's League. Quite the run of results for Lochend that season! But they kept going and did win a match later.

#31DaysOFGraves Day 19: Social group. James Dalrymple, an unmarried upholsterer, died aged 25 of sudden heart failure, having developed heart disease from an earlier bout of rheumatic fever. The Dean Cricket Club is no longer in existence. #Edinburgh #Cricket #EdinburghCricket

As a friend who was planning to go to the 2026 WC told me, "this settles it". He won't.

Correcting an historical error regarding Celtic’s first captain James Kelly...Story by @hailhailhistory.bsky.social in comments below 🍀👇

The very first Scottish Football Annual was published 150 years ago this week in 1875. You can read a digitised copy on my website. www.scottishsporthistory.com/digitised-bo...

Ahead of Scotland v Belarus, a look back at the equivalent match in 1997 which was played in very strange circumstances - a bewildering start to my time as team press officer: www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...

Ahead of Scotland v Belarus, a look back at the equivalent match in 1997 which was played in very strange circumstances - a bewildering start to my time as team press officer: www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...

A fascinating hour this evening listening to @malikalnasir.bsky.social on his new book "Searching for my Slave Roots" which I look forward to reading - not least finding out more about footballer Andrew Watson. Well done to @portybooks.bsky.social for putting on the event.

50 years ago, 28 Sept 1975, an astonishing result in the Scottish Women's League Cup: Lochend Thistle 0 Edinburgh Dynamos 42. Cuttings from the Evening News, with a photo of Dynamos earlier in the year.

50 years ago, 28 Sept 1975, an astonishing result in the Scottish Women's League Cup: Lochend Thistle 0 Edinburgh Dynamos 42. Cuttings from the Evening News, with a photo of Dynamos earlier in the year.

Nice to get a mention in this article by @londonist.com on the first match played under Football Association rules. londonist.com/london/sport...

We’re excited to announce that the location for #FootyCon26 is… LONDON!! Join us at Fulham FC’s Craven Cottage on the 12th & 13th of June 2026 for the latest edition of our annual conference to enjoy lots of great people talk about Football of all codes from multiple backgrounds

A nice boost today, for those of us who value our Footballing Heritage. Historic Environment Scotland registered (New) Cathkin Park - the site of the Second Hampden, as a Scheduled Monument. tinyurl.com/59nccjea

Pictured on this night 1921 is the Partick Thistle team which became 'champions of Britain' when, as Scottish Cup holders, they defeated Tottenham Hotspur, the FA Cup holders, by 3 goals to 1! Read all about it... 👀 👉 thethistlearchive.net/match-1921-0...

#OTD 18 September 1965 - Brazilian striker Francisco Filho played for Dunfermline Athletic against Morton, his sole game in the Scottish League. Alongside him was Alex Ferguson and four decades later they were reunited at Manchester United, when Filho was appointed youth coach and SAF's assistant.

1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball I was checking wiktionary the other day. Great place for factual documents. I was childishly pleased to see John Hope’s rules sitting atop the mountain as the only known rules in the subheading Laws of Football 1830s. tinyurl.com/2vvumnx9

On this day in Scottish football: 2003

Enjoyed #AThousandBlows + looking forward to season II (SOON)? Want to know about the real Hezekiah Moscow, Alec Munroe & Sugar Goodson? There are some options! Please visit my blog (scroll, or check The Cast List page)! Or buy my book! Out Autumn '26, details soon 🥊🤜🏻 www.grapplingwithhistory.com

My new blog post: A Plaque for a Pioneering Pilgrim #blueplaques #sportshistory #jackleslie #plymouth #blackhistory #historicengland martinpolley.co.uk/2025/09/01/a...

We can’t wait to welcome @malikalnasir.bsky.social to the bookshop on Wednesday 1st October! He’ll discuss his soon-to-be-published book, Searching for My Slave Roots, with Rebecca Bailey from Historic Environment Scotland. 🎟️ Sign up here: www.theportobellobookshop.com/events/malik...

133 years ago, to the day, marked the official opening ceremony (but not first match) for Goodison Park. Lord Kinnaird, pictured, was guest of honour. Read about it in this @MikeRoyden.bsky.social piece: efcheritagesociety.com/august-1892-... Today, marks the baptism of our gleaming new home.

1 of 4 #scotsfoundedfootball Again I quote Richard McBrearty tinyurl.com/2zzhvcht ‘If the first official international match signalled the lighting of the touch paper to create a football explosion, then there had to already be a large powder keg waiting to be ignited.’

Ahead of Monday's 40th anniversary, a bit about the 1st USWMNT and WA's strong influence. www.frankmacdonald.net/the-absolute...

Referee stops game after player is racially abused, spectator is ejected. It happened last night, it also happened as far back as 1968 when ref Jim Finney took action on behalf of Scunthorpe's Scottish winger Peter Foley. If only others had been so proactive.

Referee stops game after player is racially abused, spectator is ejected. It happened last night, it also happened as far back as 1968 when ref Jim Finney took action on behalf of Scunthorpe's Scottish winger Peter Foley. If only others had been so proactive.

1 of 5 #scotsfoundedfootball One of the many things that bug me about the Dodoball version of history is the nonsense about QPFC getting the Lilywhite London Association Rules and Football only then starting in Scotland. Look at the John Hope Rules of 1833 and his later Stockbridge Rules of 1854.

Today is the 150th birthday of Hibernian Football Club, founded in Edinburgh on 6 August 1875. To mark the occasion I've been on the trail of Pat Cavanagh, one of the founders. Here's a thread about a man who literally left his mark on the city's streets.

Today is the 150th birthday of Hibernian Football Club, founded in Edinburgh on 6 August 1875. To mark the occasion I've been on the trail of Pat Cavanagh, one of the founders. Here's a thread about a man who literally left his mark on the city's streets.

Join Hugh Dan MacLennan of the University of Edinburgh as he sheds light on the vulnerability of cherished collections. Imagine your garage housing a treasure trove of sporting memorabilia, signed shirts, vintage equipment, and cherished moments. Yet, amidst the nostalgia lies a lurking danger.

Very much looking forward to this! Elsie Cook, the godmother of Scottish women's football, has written her autobiography and it will be launched next week. tombrown.online/2025/07/28/a...

OK mes amis... France now gets to hear about how #scotsfoundedfootball Hope you like what they've done. tinyurl.com/3fef9m9d

Great to see this memorial bench to John White at Musselburgh Athletic's ground. It was restored by club supporters as a tribute to the Spurs and Scotland great. More on the story here: www.facebook.com/the1934club/...

As the #WomensEuros final approaches, we look back to women’s football in the 1950s, a time when the Edinburgh Dynamos weren’t allowed to join the Scottish Football Association! Does anyone know where this pic was taken? #ThrowbackThursday thanks to @ThelmaScotland zurl.co/itoNC

#OTD 22 July 1865, Kilwinning Monkcastle beat Irvine Eglinton to win what I believe was the world's first knock-out cricket tournament. Read my blog about the silver-buckled belt that was presented: www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...

1 of 5 #scotsfoundedfootball I love the London Hearts website. It offers so much and has done great work for people with no time, such as myself. The simple plan of reading newspapers and scanning in football reports takes more effort than writing about matches. My topic is Glasgow - Sheffield.

I've just finished the first stage of The Kick Off. A digital history of how association football began in South Australia from 1840 to 1915. It’s interactive, so explore the timeline, story map and people profiles. thekickoff.com.au

Just been told about this new football history website, covering the origins of the game in South Australia, created by Andrew Reilly in Adelaide. It's fascinating. thekickoff.com.au

The episode of the People's History Show, featuring football pioneer Edna Neillis, (which was filmed in 2019 but never shown) was finally aired this evening. You can catch up here... player.stv.tv/episode/4mem...

The kindness of strangers - someone on FindAGrave found and photographed the burial place of Emma Clarke, a pioneer of the British Ladies Football Club in 1895. She's in Erith Cemetery: www.findagrave.com/memorial/190... Thank you, Nigel and Penny Parsons!

The kindness of strangers - someone on FindAGrave found and photographed the burial place of Emma Clarke, a pioneer of the British Ladies Football Club in 1895. She's in Erith Cemetery: www.findagrave.com/memorial/190... Thank you, Nigel and Penny Parsons!

Albert Pearce was an 1880s boxer I wanted to write on years ago. But his career wasn't 'significant' so put him aside for AGES. Little did I know! Albert's become THE most fascinating person I've researched. Three blogs down: a book to go. LOTS more to come: grapplingwithhistory.com/2024/11/23/p...