SIR – The first use of football goal-nets, according to Patrick Hickman-Robertson (Letters, June 20) was at Bolton in 1890.
I had understood that John Alexander Brodie, a well-known civil engineer, first produced goal-nets that were tried out in a friendly match between two sides made up from the Old Etonians and Old Harrovians at the Liverpool Ramblers club in October 1890 in Stanley Park.
The Football Association wanted to see the nets in action at a trial game, North v South, played at the Nottingham Forest Town ground in 1891.
In September 1891 nets were made compulsory in Football League games and the Liverpool Echo published a drawing of nets being used in a match between Everton and Bolton in October 1891.
By March 1892 they were first used in an FA Cup final at the Oval.
Malcolm Bailey
Carlecotes, South Yorkshire