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The first train from Ipswich to Brisbane, crossing the bridge across the river, opened in 1876. Previously, transport between Brisbane and Ipswich was via a lengthy boat trip

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I note from the 1875 article that the Brisbane FC travelled to Woogaroo by rail - this rail line had opened only two months before! (although they had to cross the river by ferry) The advent of rail transport expedited the growth of football competitions in the Brisbane-Ipswich region in the 1880s

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Comparing the 1863 London FA laws with 1866 Victorian rules shows more similarities than differences So much for the notion that the Melbourne rules were developed from scratch ("a game of our own!") Reminds me of Sean Fagan's assertion that first Melbourne game in 1858 was probably actually rugby

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1863 London FA laws: 9. No player shall carry the ball. 1866 Victorian rules: 8. The ball may be taken in hand at any time, but not carried further than is necessary for a kick; and no player shall run with the ball unless he strikes it against the ground in every five or six yards.

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Woogaroo vs Brisbane FC - August 1875 "One rule provided that the ball should not be handled nor carried, and this condition gave a great advantage to the "bedlam" folks, as the active little Brisbane fellows thereby lost half the benefit of their "lissomeness" trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ar...

Football. - FOURTH MATCH OF THE SEASON. BRISBANE CLUB V. WOOGAROO ASYLUM. - The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) - 9 Aug 1875

IN accordance with a challenge issued by the Woogaroo players, eighteen "braves" of the Brisbane Football Club donned their war paint, left Brisbane per rail at 12.5 on Saturday last, ...

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2 June 1866 "A MEETING of the members of the newly-formed [Brisbane] Foot-ball Club was held at the Metropolitan Hotel on Thursday evening" It was resolved to adopt "the laws of football passed at a meeting of delegates of clubs held in Melbourne on the 8th ult." trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ar...

FOOT-BALL CLUB. - The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939) - 2 Jun 1866

A MEETING of the members of the newlyformed Foot-ball Club was held at the Metropolitan Hotel on Thursday evening. About 20 members were present; and the first business ...

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I have reservations about 'The Footballer' magazine's assertion that many of these 1875 games were played according to the rugby rules Brisbane FC clearly adopted the 'Victorian rules' at its formation - I have not found any local reports that they diverged from this, until the 1876 season

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"agreed to play rugby against two newly *formed* clubs

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Dr John Jaap was indeed unwell - he died in early 1877 - not yet 40 years old

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Hi Ian - as you know, the Brisbane FC formed in 1866 and resolved to play according to the Victorian rules I have not found any reports of them diverging from this until early 1876, when they reluctantly agreed to play rugby against two newly former clubs (Bonnet Rouge and Rangers)

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Woogaroo Asylum vs Brisbane FC - July 1873 [sic] - the football rules of the day were not identified, but probably 'Victorian rules' I recall that @iansyson.bsky.social discovered that Woogaroo superintendent Dr Jaap was a Glaswegian? trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ar...

FOOTBALL MATCH AT WOOGAROO. - The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947) - 21 Jul 1873

ON Saturday afternoon fifteen gentlemen, members of the Brisbane Football Club, proceeded to the Lunatic Asylum in answer to a challenge to play a game against the warders ...

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

For many years post-WW2 and European immigration to Australia, soccer was referred to by others as 'wogball' Not entirely surprising, given that the ethnic clubs were so strong during the 1960s - in Brisbane we had Hellenic, Azzurri, Budapest, Hollandia, Dnipro, Germania, Croatia and Polonia ...

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I wrote to QPFC many years ago, asking about McCreadie - extract from their reply: "I’ve now checked all the playing records we have for former players and can’t find any trace of a D. McCreadie ... [and] records from games in those days occasionally only contain nicknames rather than full names."

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The earliest known evidence indicates that the Brisbane-based 'Scottish Football Association' was formed in 1883 - apparently as a standalone club, rather than a formal association Circumstantial evidence suggests that the SFA re-badged as Rangers FC, when it joined the AQFA in mid-1884

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The members of the [Brisbane] Rangers FC, as shown in the early 1880s team photo - from a 1925 article by prominent local soccer official G. R. T. ('Dick') Tainton

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[Brisbane] Rangers FC, pictured here in the early 1880s (Don Gemmell, author of the 1937 letter, at the inset, top-right) They wore white with red trim - their crest appears to feature a 'lion rampant' (but difficult to tell with certaintly)

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

As an aside, Don Gemmell asserted in his 1937 letter that "I believe I hold the only [1884 premiership] badge to survive the long years" The badges appeared to be made of gold (see 1887 example attached) - this suggests that some will have survived - somewhere? (This specimen is in Canada)

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Ged, you had better not come to Brisbane during our hot and humid summer then! 😉 However, our winter weather is divine - like a nice UK summer (but our winter lasts longer) 😁

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

"The [Melbourne rules] ball could not be thrown" - players circumvented this rule by punching the ball to each other (as they still do) Melbourne does not have a relatively hot climate - but the weather can be erratic - the saying goes that Melbourne can have all four seasons in one day!

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

There are conflicting accounts re the preparation of the Melbourne rules in 1859 - according to some, Wills wanted to adopt rugby rules, but his colleagues demurred - too complex and grounds too hard Two of his colleagues attended Cambridge University in the 1840s - another Trinity College, Dublin

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

@gedboy58.bsky.social - Iain Campbell Whittle changing your opinion about Sheffield football - more information please?

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

Probably my message - re-sent to your email address

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

The first club, Brisbane FC, was founded in 1866, electing to play Victorian [later 'Australian'] rules football There were no other clubs in Brisbane until two new clubs formed in 1876. They coerced Brisbane FC into playing rugby, reverting to Victorian rules around 1879 (rugby restarted in 1884)

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

Woogaroo vs Brisbane FC August 1875 "One rule provided that the ball should not be handled nor carried, and this condition gave a great advantage to the "bedlam" folks, as the active little Brisbane fellows thereby lost half the benefit of their "lissomeness ..."" trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ar...

Football. - FOURTH MATCH OF THE SEASON. BRISBANE CLUB V. WOOGAROO ASYLUM. - The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) - 9 Aug 1875

IN accordance with a challenge issued by the Woogaroo players, eighteen "braves" of the Brisbane Football Club donned their war paint, left Brisbane per rail at 12.5 on Saturday last, ...

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

@gedboy58.bsky.social - I'm just one of several 'local heroes': Neville Cruickshanks: historyofipswichsoccer.net Garry McKenzie: ipswichsoccer.blogspot.com Alan Fouche: www.grangethistle.com/history Mark Pringle: Various items Andrew Robinson: www.elitetograssroots.net/qbst/

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

March 1894 "Correspondence was read concerning the proposed [Brisbane] Charity Cup ... a letter from Glasgow, forwarding copy of the constitution and rules of the Scottish Association game, and the regulations regarding the competitions for a similar Cup in Glasgow" trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ar...

Football. - Queensland British Football Association. - Evening Observer (Brisbane, Qld. : 1887 - 1907) - 16 Mar 1894

The annual meeting of the Queensland British Football Association was held at the Colonial Mutual Chambers, Queen-street, last evening. Mr. A. Ranking occupied the chair ...

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Peter Eedy @petereedy.bsky.social · 02/08/2025

March 1894 [paraphrased] A meeting of gentlemen to establish Brisbane charity cup on the lines of the Glasgow charity cup was held yesterday. The Glasgow cup, inaugurated in 1875, had grown so greatly in public favour that in 1889 the amount distributed was £1,700. trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ar...