How Football Began, A global history of how the world's football codes were born

Bradford History Podcast

In the 21st century Association Football dominates global sport. The People's Game has swept all before it, but its birth in nineteenth century Britain was marked by division and conflict. Attempts to agree a formalised rule book broke the game of football into differing codes. Hence the establishment of the Football Association and Rugby Union. A fracture of the latter brought forth the Rugby League. In other parts of the English speaking world nationalised variants appeared in the shape of American Football, Aussie Rules, Canadian Football and Gaelic Football.

Professor Tony Collins of De Monfort and Beijing Universities is recognised as the world's leading rugby historian. In this podcast Tony chats with Dr David Pendleton about his book 'How Football Began'.