It's in the net

What finer sight is there than the ripple of the net as a goal is scored? Even the sound of the leather skimming across the nylon is tantalising. Yet, when football was first played, there were no nets. This led to arguments as to whether a goal had been scored or not, until a Liverpool engineer, John Alexander Brodie, decided to design 'a huge pocket' for the goal.

The world's first footballer ever to 'put the ball in back of the net' was Geary of Everton, at a trial game in Nottingham, England, in January 1891. The referee that day, incidentally, was Sam Widdowson, the man who invented shin pads.  The first Cup Final to use nets was played at the Oval in 1892 between West Bromwich Albion and the Villa.  Even in the modern Laws, nets are still not a compulsory item, but are mentioned as a necessity in nearly all competition rules.

Brodie went on to develop several other inventions and complete engineering works across Britain, Spain and India.  But he always said that goal nets were his finest achievement.  And who are we to disagree?