http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2016/05/happy-birthday-havelange.html is a previous Blog.
On this day in 1986, Sir Stanley Rous died at the ripe old age of 91. An amateur player in his youth, he took up refereeing in 1927 after breaking a wrist. His first international match was between Belgium and the Netherlands that year, one of 34 appearances. He was in charge of the 1934 FA Cup Final at Wembley between Manchester City and Portsmouth which City won 2-1.
He later developed the diagonal system for linesmen (or assistant referees as they like to be known) and rewrote the Laws in 1938. After the 2nd WW, he helped the "Home" nations join FIFA and was knighted for his services to Football and Sport in general, particularly the London Olympics in 1949. He took a stand on behalf of the South African Football Association during the anti-apartheid period, but was thwarted by popular votes in FIFA.
He became secretary of the FA, a member of UEFA and President of FIFA in 1961. His reign lasted through to 1974, included the hosting of the World Cup in England in 1966 and he also saw the development of Global TV coverage of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
The short lived Rous Cup was played for in England briefly in the ashes of the British Home Championship. The Rous Cup involved teams from England, Scotland and one on tour from South America; the Rous Stand at Watford was soon changed to remember Graham Taylor and Stanley gets a mention as a character in the song by Half man half biscuit, "Albert Hammond Bootleg". You may hear his name after about 54 seconds!
http://halfmanhalfbiscuit.uk/back-in-the-dhss/albert-hammond-bootleg/
Born in 1895 in Mutford, Eccles, Suffolk, he trained as a teacher and then served in WW1. After he went to St Luke's Teacher Training College, Exeter and taught at Watford Boys Grammar School.
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