A blue plaque has just been unveiled in Sheffield city centre to honour an engineer who created the world’s first football match played under floodlights.
On 14 October 1878, John Tasker, an electrical engineer, set up the world’s first football game played under floodlights at Bramall Lane, changing the beautiful game by allowing night time games for the first time. The game was played between two elite Sheffield teams called ‘Reds’ and ‘Blues’, and ended in a 0-0 draw.
The blue plaque has been installed at the Frog & Parrot pub on Division Street, the original site of Tasker’s electrical company, John Tasker Engineering Ltd. It was placed by the Sheffield Home of Football Charity, a charity dedicated to educate the public about football history.
John Clarke, secretary of Sheffield Home of Football Charity, said: “We honour John Tasker, a name synonymous with progress in Sheffield.
“Tasker played a pivotal role in organising the first-ever floodlit football match at Bramall Lane. This groundbreaking event, illuminated by 12 powerful lamps, drew an astonishing crowd of nearly 20,000 spectators, proving that the fusion of sport and technology could captivate the masses.
“We celebrate the unveiling of a blue plaque, a symbol of remembrance and recognition for this great man. May we continue to honour the past while embracing the future, ensuring that the legacies of Tasker, my hero, Sheffield’s pioneer, and all those who have shaped our city remain alive for the next generations to see.”
John Tasker originally was a boot and shoemaker from Devon before moving to Sheffield and starting his own electrical engineering business, as well as the area’s first ever telephone province and set up electric cables under the streets of Sheffield.
This is the seventh blue plaque unveiled by Sheffield Home of Football. Others can be found on Norfolk Row, commemorating John Charles Shaw, co-founder of Hallam FC, and at the Crucible, marking the site where the first football rules were agreed.
The charity also plans to erect a statue of Brazilian legend Pelé doing his iconic scissor kick, recognising the city’s strong historical links with the global game.