1885 in association football

The following are the association football events of the year 1885 throughout the world.

Events

During the summer of 1885, there was pressure put on the Football Association to accept professionalism in English football, culminating in a special meeting on 20 July, after which it was announced that it was "in the interests of Association Football, to legalise the employment of professional football players, but only under certain restrictions". Clubs were allowed to pay players provided that they had either been born or had lived for two years within a six-mile radius of the ground. There were also rules preventing professional players playing for more than one club in a season, without obtaining special permission, and all professional players had to be registered with the F.A.

• 12 September: Arbroath F.C. beat Bon Accord F.C. (of Aberdeen) 36-0, a record which stands to this day. On the same day, Dundee Harp beat Aberdeen Rovers 35-0.

Denmark

• Aalborg BK

England

• Bromsgrove Rovers F.C.
• Bury F.C.
• Chester City F.C.
• Hailsham Town F.C.
• Kingstonian F.C.
• Lewes F.C.
• Luton Town F.C.
• Millwall Rovers F.C.
• Southampton F.C.

Scotland

• Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
• St Johnstone F.C.

International tournaments

• 1885 British Home Championship (February 28 – April 11, 1885)

Scotland

Births

• July 9: Caius Welcker, Dutch international footballer (died 1939)