with its heavy forwards and its wearisome scrummages, is to the new order, with its rapid changes, its lighter and faster forwards, its looser scrummages, and the recent development of passing among the backs, which has added so much to the popularity of Rugby rules during the last few years. Pluck, energy, weight, and quickness of decision are quite as valuable attributes for the football player as they ever were. The evolution of football, though, has necessitated not only a revision of the general system of play, but an entire rearrangement of the whole principle of the game—a complete alteration in the distribution of the players, as well as in the composition of the eleven. In the old times there were infinitely more opportunities for the exhibition of individual skill, and in some respects perhaps an Association match of thirty years ago was more interesting to watch for that particular reason. A skilful dribbler was then by no means a rarity; on the contrary, to dribble well was one of the chief ends of a forward's football education. It was necessary, as well, to be a good shot at goal, and these two qualities were essential to the attainment of any great degree of excellence as a forward in the sixties, and, in fact, until well into the seventies.
The arrangement of an eleven in those times was directed rather to strengthen the attack than to procure a stout defence. The tendency was certainly to favour the forwards rather than to encourage the backs. The formation of a team as a rule, indeed, was to provide for seven forwards, and only four players to constitute the three lines of, defence. The last line was, of course, the goal-keeper, and in front of him was only one full back, who had again before him but two half-backs, to check the rushes of the opposite forwards. Under the old style of play this formation was not so dangerous as it might appear to any
