Football Act 1424

The Football Act of 1424 was a doctrine passed by the Parliament of Scotland during the reign of King James I. It was a banning of the English sport of Football, known in the time as "futbal."

The Football Act
The act became law on the 26th of May, 1424; one of a set of statutes passed that day, the act is titled as "Of playing at the fut ball." As recorded by the Records of the Parliament of Scotland to 1707, through the University of St Andrews, the act states; "it is statut and the king forbiddis that na man play at the fut ball under the payne of iiij d. to the lorde of the lande als oft as he beis taintit (be the scheref of the land or his ministeris, gif the lordis will nocht punnysh sic trespassouris)" – or in the official modern english translation of the act: "It is decreed and the king forbids that any man play football under the pain of 4 d. to the lord of the land as often as he is convicted (by the sheriff of the land or his ministers, if the lords will not punish such trespassers)."

Related Acts
This banning of football is mentioned in many other acts in this era of Scottish law, which additionally ban the sport of Golf (see Golf in Scotland), instead requiring further practice of archery by its citizens. On the 7th of March, 1458, under James II's rule, an act titled "Concerning Wappenschaws" (English: musterings) states; "At the fut bal ande the golf be vtterly criyt done and nocht vsyt..." Or as recorded in modern archives: "...that football and golf be utterly cried down and not used... And touching football and golf, we ordain that it be punished by the baron's unlaw; and if he does not take it, it is to be taken by the king's officers... And each man within the parish past twelve years shall practice shooting." The ban again is mentioned on the 6th of May, 1471 under James III, stating "... that football and golf be discontinued in the future, and butts made up and shot used according to the tenor of the act of parliament." And finally by James IV, on the 17th of April, 1491; "that football, golf or other similar unprofitable sports are not to be played anywhere in the realm, but for the common good and defence of the realm the practice of shooting bows and archery butts are therefore ordained in each parish, under the pain of 40s to be raised by the aforesaid sheriff and bailies from each parish each year where it is found that archery butts or shooting practice is not done as is said." These Acts remained in force for several centuries; however, all eventually fell into disuse until finally being repealed by the Statute Law Revision (Scotland) Act 1906.

Historians Thoughts
Through the repeated reference to the ban, it can be speculated that football still was played by the masses and the armies of the land, in spite of the decrees. This playing of football was seen as a threat to the state's traditions at large, necessitating repeated bans and a further requirement of Archery to be practiced by the masses in order to maintain their armies and traditions. The ban was additionally a way for the nation of Scotland to remain separated from their rival nation of England, in face of their repeated attempts to absorb Scotland into English borders (see Wars of Scottish Independence).