Ebenezer Cobb Morley

Only known photograph of EC Morley

Ebenezer Cobb Morley (1831-1924) was an English sportsman and is regarded as the father of The Football Association and modern Football and, to a certain extent, of all organised Football.

Morley was born in Hull but moved to Barnes in 1858 forming the Barnes Club, a founding member of the FA, in 1862. In 1863, as captain of the Mortlake-based club, he wrote to Bell's Life newspaper proposing a governing body for the sport ,that led to the first meeting at the Freemason's Tavern ,that created the FA.

He was the FA's first secretary (1863-6) and its second president (1867-74) and drafted the first Laws of the Game at his home in Barnes. As a player, he played in the first ever match, against Richmond in 1863, and scored in the first representative match, between the clubs of London and Sheffield on 31 March 1866. (see Sheffield F.C.).

A solicitor by profession, Morley was a keen oarsman, founding the Barnes and Mortlake Regatta for which he was also secretary (1862-80). He served on the Surrey County Council for Barnes (1903-19) and was a Justice of the Peace.