no obstruction to overcome, and if, in addition to the qualities named, he was a fairly sure shot when in front of goal, in a majority of cases a run could be counted on to result in a certain score. Time, however, has changed all that.
The first move in this direction was the withdrawal of the third centre to furnish a second full-back—an absolute necessity—to meet the additional strain on the defence caused by the development of the passing system. The adoption of the extra full-back for a time satisfied the requirements of the older school of football players at least Some time, indeed, elapsed before there was any movement in the direction of a further limitation of the forwards. So late as 1874 the original arrangement of an eleven, consisting of seven forwards, two half-backs, a full-back, and a goal-keeper, was still in force; and the writer of an article on the Association game, published not very long since, pointed out that this was the principle on which the two elevens were constituted in the Inter-University match of that year. The appearance of the second full-back was an afterthought, at least in England; and it was not until the following winter that he came to be regarded as a recognized appendage to an eleven.
Meanwhile the principal Scotch clubs had already begun to see the importance of still greater reform, to meet the change which had gradually been altering the whole tone of the game. They had long before tried, and successfully, the practice of systematic passing, and the disappearance of the dribbler was the logical outcome of the change. Under the new dispensation it was necessary that the eleven should work on a definite system, and with a mechanical precision which had hitherto been unknown. Each player had his allotted station; he was, in fact, an
