Association Footballers' Union
Encyclopedia
The Association Footballers' Union (the AFU), formed in England
in 1898, was the first attempt by football players in the United Kingdom
to organize themselves into a union.
The AFU was formed in response to the introduction by the Football League of the "retain and transfer" system
which restricted the movement of players from one club to another, and proposals to introduce a maximum wage of £4 per week.
The AFU was short-lived and failed to achieve any of its objectives. The AFU was dissolved in 1901, the same year in which the Football League introduced the maximum wage.
by 31 clubs, the Football Association relented to professional players
being paid by their clubs for playing. Even then, the vast majority of players had other employment
and only supplemented their wages by playing football.
Soon after, the Football Association introduced a registration system for players. Before that, a player could agree to play one or more games for any football club. After the Football Association recognized professionalism in 1885, it sought to control professional players by introducing a player registration system. Players had to register with a club each season, even if he remained with the same club from the season before. A player was not allowed to play until he was registered for that season. Once a player was registered with a club, he was not allowed to be registered with or play for another club during the same season without the permission of the Football Association and the club that held his registration. However, players were free to join another club before the start of each season, even if their former club wished to retain them.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FtuPFA.htm
The need for regular fixtures to earn sufficient revenue to afford player wages led to the formation of the Football League in 1888.
As the Football League grew in popularity, the leading players of the day were in great demand, and commanded ever-increasing wages. Players signed annual contracts with their clubs. If a club wished to retain a player for the following season, it would offer him a new contract. If the player declined the new contract, he could sign a contract with another club, and the player would be registered with the new club. Major reasons a player might move to a new club was that the club was more successful, or that it was prepared to pay him a higher wage.
Smaller clubs became concerned about the growing imbalance in the game. They feared that bigger clubs would dominate the league as a consequence of being able to pay higher salaries. The Football League also took the view that a spread of talent was necessary to sustain the interest of spectators.
The Football League decided that restrictions had to be placed on the ability of richer clubs to lure players from other clubs. From the start of the 1893-94 season onwards, once a player was registered with a Football League club, he could not be registered with any other club, even in subsequent seasons, without the permission of the club he was registered with. It applied even if the player's annual contract with the club holding his registration was not renewed after it expired. The club were not obliged to play him and, without a contract, the player was not entitled to receive a salary. Nevertheless, if the club refused to release his registration, the player could not play for any other Football League club. The Football League's regulations came to be known as the "retain and transfer" system
.
Faced with such a situation, a player had the following stark choices:
In September, 1893, Derby County
proposed that the Football League should impose a maximum wage of £4 a week. At the time, most players were only part-time professionals and still had other jobs. These players did not receive as much as £4 a week and therefore the matter did not greatly concern them. However, a minority of players, were so good they were able to obtain as much as £10 a week. This proposal posed a serious threat to their income.
In 1897, the Scottish League introduced regulation to prevent its members from employing players still registered with Football League clubs, further restricting movement by players in the Football League.
, the Everton
forward and Scottish international, was the first chairman. John Cameron
, also an Everton forward and Scottish international, was the first secretary. John Cameron, announced that the union had 250 members.
Other leading players involved in the formation of the AFU or who took a leading role included Bob Holmes and Jimmy Ross
of Preston North End, John Devey
of Aston Villa, John Somerville
of Bolton Wanderers, Hugh McNeill of Sunderland
, Harry Wood
of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tom Bradshaw and Abe Hartley
of Liverpool
, James McNaught
of Newton Heath
, Billy Meredith
of Manchester City and Johnny Holt
and David Storrier of Everton.
John Cameron also stated that the AFU "wanted any negotiations regarding transfers to be between the interested club and the player concerned - not between club and club with the player excluded".
However, neither the Football Association, nor the Football League recognized the AFU.http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/news/article2140210.ece
In 1901, the Football League itself introduced the maximum wage of £4 per week in its regulations. It also abolished the paying of all bonuses to players. The AFU was dissolved in the same year, having failed to achieve its objectives.
One reason the AFU failed was the fact that the players of the day were not all full-time professionals. The vast majority of players in the Football League had other employment and only supplemented their wages by playing football.
An example of this was Steve Bloomer
of Derby County, who, in the 1890s, was also employed at the foundry near to the club's ground as a striker. Both the football club and the foundry were owned by Sir Francis Ley at the time. Only when he was earning a significant figure as an international player and Derby regular was he able to forgo his other employment and play football full-time.
Most players at the time earned less than £4 a week and were not have been affected by the implementation of a maximum wage. Further, players earning less the maximum wage did not want to offend their employers. If they were released by their club, there was no guarantee they would find another club willing to employ them, and they would have to return to other full time employment.
Support for the AFU came mainly from the highest paid players. However, many of them, including members of the AFU committee, subsequently moved to clubs in the Southern League or the Scottish League, such as:
Charles Saer, who replaced John Cameron as secretary of the AFU, resigned in December 1898, "as his scholastic duties precluded the possibility of his devoting the necessary time to the office".
A former player with Blackburn Rovers, Saer was working as a schoolteacher. His negotiations with the Football League had ended in failure.
When Bob Holmes was interviewed by the Lancashire Daily Post, he stated:
(the AFPTU, commonly referred to as the Players' Union), the old name for what is currently the Professional Footballers' Association
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1898, was the first attempt by football players in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to organize themselves into a union.
The AFU was formed in response to the introduction by the Football League of the "retain and transfer" system
Retain and transfer system
The retain and transfer system was a restriction that existed in England from 1893 until 1963 on the freedom of professional association football players to transfer from one Football League club to another...
which restricted the movement of players from one club to another, and proposals to introduce a maximum wage of £4 per week.
The AFU was short-lived and failed to achieve any of its objectives. The AFU was dissolved in 1901, the same year in which the Football League introduced the maximum wage.
Background
In 1885, faced with the threat of a breakaway British Football AssociationBritish Football Association
The British Football Association was a short lived ruling body for the game of football. It was set up in 1884 in response to the attitude of the Football Association to the issue of professionalism.-History:...
by 31 clubs, the Football Association relented to professional players
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
being paid by their clubs for playing. Even then, the vast majority of players had other employment
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
and only supplemented their wages by playing football.
Soon after, the Football Association introduced a registration system for players. Before that, a player could agree to play one or more games for any football club. After the Football Association recognized professionalism in 1885, it sought to control professional players by introducing a player registration system. Players had to register with a club each season, even if he remained with the same club from the season before. A player was not allowed to play until he was registered for that season. Once a player was registered with a club, he was not allowed to be registered with or play for another club during the same season without the permission of the Football Association and the club that held his registration. However, players were free to join another club before the start of each season, even if their former club wished to retain them.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FtuPFA.htm
The need for regular fixtures to earn sufficient revenue to afford player wages led to the formation of the Football League in 1888.
As the Football League grew in popularity, the leading players of the day were in great demand, and commanded ever-increasing wages. Players signed annual contracts with their clubs. If a club wished to retain a player for the following season, it would offer him a new contract. If the player declined the new contract, he could sign a contract with another club, and the player would be registered with the new club. Major reasons a player might move to a new club was that the club was more successful, or that it was prepared to pay him a higher wage.
Smaller clubs became concerned about the growing imbalance in the game. They feared that bigger clubs would dominate the league as a consequence of being able to pay higher salaries. The Football League also took the view that a spread of talent was necessary to sustain the interest of spectators.
The Football League decided that restrictions had to be placed on the ability of richer clubs to lure players from other clubs. From the start of the 1893-94 season onwards, once a player was registered with a Football League club, he could not be registered with any other club, even in subsequent seasons, without the permission of the club he was registered with. It applied even if the player's annual contract with the club holding his registration was not renewed after it expired. The club were not obliged to play him and, without a contract, the player was not entitled to receive a salary. Nevertheless, if the club refused to release his registration, the player could not play for any other Football League club. The Football League's regulations came to be known as the "retain and transfer" system
Retain and transfer system
The retain and transfer system was a restriction that existed in England from 1893 until 1963 on the freedom of professional association football players to transfer from one Football League club to another...
.
Faced with such a situation, a player had the following stark choices:
- 1. Move to a club in the Southern LeagueSouthern Football LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
, a semi-professional league formed in England in 1894, or the Scottish League formed in 1890, where equivalent restrictions on movement had not yet been introduced. However, until the turn of the century, both the standard of play, and wages, were lower in these other leagues compared to the Football League.
- 2. Quit playing football altogether and return to other full time employment.
In September, 1893, Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
proposed that the Football League should impose a maximum wage of £4 a week. At the time, most players were only part-time professionals and still had other jobs. These players did not receive as much as £4 a week and therefore the matter did not greatly concern them. However, a minority of players, were so good they were able to obtain as much as £10 a week. This proposal posed a serious threat to their income.
In 1897, the Scottish League introduced regulation to prevent its members from employing players still registered with Football League clubs, further restricting movement by players in the Football League.
Formation of the AFU
In February 1898, at a meeting in Liverpool, some of the top players of the day announced the formation of the AFU. Jack BellJack Bell
John Bell was an early Scottish football player and manager. He was instrumental in organising the Association Footballers' Union in February 1898....
, the Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
forward and Scottish international, was the first chairman. John Cameron
John Cameron (footballer born 1872)
John Cameron was a Scottish footballer and manager. He played as a forward for Queen's Park, Everton and Scotland and was noted as an effective goal-maker and goalscorer. In 1899 he became player-manager at Tottenham Hotspur and guided them to victory in the 1901 FA Cup...
, also an Everton forward and Scottish international, was the first secretary. John Cameron, announced that the union had 250 members.
Other leading players involved in the formation of the AFU or who took a leading role included Bob Holmes and Jimmy Ross
Jimmy Ross
James D. “Jimmy” Ross , nicknamed the "Little Demon", was a Scottish association football player of the Victorian era, younger brother of Nick Ross...
of Preston North End, John Devey
John Devey
John Henry George "Jack" Devey was a football player.-Football career:Devey was born in Birmingham and signed for Aston Villa in March 1891; he would go on to become one of Aston Villa's greatest captains...
of Aston Villa, John Somerville
John Somerville (footballer)
John Somerville was an English footballer and manager, serving in both capacities, as well as that of secretary, for Bolton Wanderers.Joining the club in 1890, he went on to make 293 appearances for the club, playing in the 1894 FA Cup Final...
of Bolton Wanderers, Hugh McNeill of Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, Harry Wood
Harry Wood (footballer)
Harry Wood was a professional footballer who played most of his career as an inside-forward for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton.-Wolverhampton Wanderers:...
of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tom Bradshaw and Abe Hartley
Abe Hartley
Abraham "Abe" Hartley was a Scottish footballer who played for Everton as a centre forward for five years in the 1890s. He also played for Merseyside rivals Liverpool and for his local club, Dumbarton. His career also included stints at Southampton, Woolwich Arsenal and Burnley at the end of his...
of Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, James McNaught
James McNaught
James Rankin McNaught was a Scottish footballer who was born in Dumbarton. He played as a half back. He joined Newton Heath from Linfield in February 1892. He left the club for Tottenham Hotspur in May 1898, having played in 157 games, scoring 12 goals.-External links:* at StretfordEnd.co.uk...
of Newton Heath
Newton Heath
Newton Heath is an urban area of the city of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It is east north east of Manchester city centre and has a population of 9,883....
, Billy Meredith
Billy Meredith
William Henry "Billy" Meredith was a Welsh footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City and Manchester United. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league and also gained 48 caps for Wales, for whom he...
of Manchester City and Johnny Holt
Johnny Holt
Johnny Holt was an English professional footballer who played in twenty-one of Everton's twenty-two game Football League title winning side of 1890–91....
and David Storrier of Everton.
John Cameron also stated that the AFU "wanted any negotiations regarding transfers to be between the interested club and the player concerned - not between club and club with the player excluded".
However, neither the Football Association, nor the Football League recognized the AFU.http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/news/article2140210.ece
Failure of the AFU
In 1900, at the behest of Stoke City, the Football Association placed a maximum wage in its statutes. It was removed from the Football Association's statutes 1904.In 1901, the Football League itself introduced the maximum wage of £4 per week in its regulations. It also abolished the paying of all bonuses to players. The AFU was dissolved in the same year, having failed to achieve its objectives.
One reason the AFU failed was the fact that the players of the day were not all full-time professionals. The vast majority of players in the Football League had other employment and only supplemented their wages by playing football.
An example of this was Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer was an English footballer and manager who played for Derby County, Middlesbrough and England during the 1890s and 1900s. Bloomer remains a legend at Derby County and the club anthem, Steve Bloomer's Watchin', is played before every home game...
of Derby County, who, in the 1890s, was also employed at the foundry near to the club's ground as a striker. Both the football club and the foundry were owned by Sir Francis Ley at the time. Only when he was earning a significant figure as an international player and Derby regular was he able to forgo his other employment and play football full-time.
Most players at the time earned less than £4 a week and were not have been affected by the implementation of a maximum wage. Further, players earning less the maximum wage did not want to offend their employers. If they were released by their club, there was no guarantee they would find another club willing to employ them, and they would have to return to other full time employment.
Support for the AFU came mainly from the highest paid players. However, many of them, including members of the AFU committee, subsequently moved to clubs in the Southern League or the Scottish League, such as:
- Jack Bell and David Storrier to CelticCeltic F.C.Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
of the Scottish League; - John Cameron and Tom Bradshaw to Tottenham Hotspur of the Southern League;
- Harry Wood and Abe Hartley to SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
of the Southern League; and - Johnny Holt to ReadingReading F.C.Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
of the Southern League.
Charles Saer, who replaced John Cameron as secretary of the AFU, resigned in December 1898, "as his scholastic duties precluded the possibility of his devoting the necessary time to the office".
A former player with Blackburn Rovers, Saer was working as a schoolteacher. His negotiations with the Football League had ended in failure.
When Bob Holmes was interviewed by the Lancashire Daily Post, he stated:
- "I am not quite sure that we shall succeed in attaining all the objects with which we set out; it is not a certainty that we shall carry any... The break-up of the Everton team as we knew it last season may have a good deal in influencing the future of the Union. With John Cameron, Jack Bell, Robertson, Holt, Stewart, Storrier, Meecham of Everton as well as Hartley and Bradshaw of Liverpool gone, our centre has lost strength. Liverpool was our headquarters, you know, and our registered offices were there. But the secretary, John Cameron, has gone to London and Bell the chairman will not, as far as I know, play for anybody."
Aftermath
It was another 6 years before professional footballers in England tried to organize themselves in a union, with the formation of the Association of Football Players' and Trainers' UnionPlayers' Union
The Players' Union was the popular name for the Association of Football Players’ and Trainers’ Union in the United Kingdom; the original association that became the Professional Footballers' Association....
(the AFPTU, commonly referred to as the Players' Union), the old name for what is currently the Professional Footballers' Association
Professional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
.
External links
- "Footballer Wages" article on "Spartacus" website
- "Football And Trade Unionism" article on "Spartacus" website
- "One Hundred Years of Servitude: Contractual Conflict in English Professional Football before Bosman." David McArdle, LLB, PhD, [2000] 2 Web JCLI