9 October 1875 - Anoraks Sold Separately

On 9 October 1875, a crowd of 12,000 people gathered at Glasgow's Hampden Park to see Queen's Park FC defeat English side Wanderers FC 5-0. Apart from the impressive scoreline, the match is notable for being the first known one at which programs were sold to the attendees.

The program for that match consisted of a single sheet listing the date, location, and line-ups for both sides (including C.W. Alcock, the founder of the FA Cup, at center half for Wanderers). It also included an admonition to the crowd: "Please do not strain the ropes." Since then, programs have expanded to multi-page, professionally printed booklets. They have also become an industry unto themselves, with a vigorous collection market. Early versions fetching premium prices at auctions, as do programs from eventful matches, such as World Cup Finals.

The highest recorded price for a program is £21,850, paid at a May 2006 auction for a single-sheet copy of the program from the 1889 FA Cup Final between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Preston North End.

20 July 1871 - Alcock's Stroke Of Genius

On 20 July 1871, FA secretary Charles Alcock made a proposal for the competition that became the FA Cup, the oldest association football competition in the world.

At the meeting, Alcock, who had already been instrumental in the sport's development as captain of the English national team and organizer of the first international match between England and Scotland, suggested "That it is desirable that a Challenge Cup should be established in connection with the Association, for which all clubs belonging to the Association should be invited to compete." The idea was inspired by an inter-house competition at Alcock's alma mater, the Harrow School.

The FA approved Alcock's proposal and fifteen teams competed in the inaugural tournament, which ran from November 1871 to March 1872. Wanderers FC, based in London's Battersea district, lifted that first trophy, led by their captain, Charles Alcock. They repeated as champions in 1873, and won the tournament again in 1876, 1877, and 1878.