Today's Object of the Week is a plaque on a North East house which was the birthplace of one of the most important figures in the history of football.
Walking down Norfolk Street in Sunderland, it would be easy to overlook its connection to football history tucked away on one of the Victorian terrace houses.
A blue plaque on number ten proudly proclaims, "Charles William Alcock born here in 1842.
"A renowned footballer and cricketer, Alcock was Secretary of the Football Association for 25 years."
Born in December 1842 to Charles Alcock Sr., a successful broker and ship owner, Alcock grew up amidst Sunderland’s booming economy brought about by the industrial revolution.
His family had broad business interests throughout the North-East, yet they moved south when Alcock was 13.
He attended Harrow School during a time when private education heavily promoted sports as a character-building tool.
During his time in insurance, Alcock remained an avid sports enthusiast forming Forest FC, one of London's first football clubs.
In 1863, a group of clubs came together to form the Football Association, and among the founder members was Forest FC, who would later be renamed as Wanderers.
Alcock was one of the key figures in the FA’s creation.
As one of the key figures in the creation of the FA, Alcock sought to establish nationally recognised rules for football.
Pushing for the adoption of Cambridge University rules, he organised regional matches - London FA vs Sheffield FA in 1866, North vs South in 1870 - and international fixtures against Scotland in an effort to standardise football.
In 1870, Alcock initiated the first match between English and Scottish players, causing controversy as the Scottish side was chosen from players residing in London.
Disregarded by Fifa as a genuine international match, this game nonetheless sparked interest across football clubs in Scotland and and two years later, the committee of Queens Park selected a Scottish side for a representative game in Glasgow. In the eyes of Fifa, this match is the world’s first international.
Alcock’s innovative spirit didn’t stop there.
In 1871, during an FA committee meeting, he introduced the concept of a new competition.
Arguing for a single-elimination, knock-out format, he was instrumental in the birth of the FA Cup.
Twelve clubs took part in the inaugural tournament in the 1871-72 season, joining forces to purchase the 18-inch silver cup, now a revered trophy in sports history.
The first final at The Oval attracted more than 2,000 spectators, and Alcock, as captain of the victorious Wanderers, was the first to lift the FA Cup.
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Alcock went further in 1885 and persuaded the FA to agree to professionalism, reflecting football’s soaring popularity.
Apart from football, Alcock was secretary of Surrey County Cricket Club and he was one of the key figures behind the first Test match between England and Australia.
He may not be a household name now, but without him the sport would undoubtedly not be what we know today. And he was born in the North East.
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