 In some respects the rule has similarity to the Sheffield Rules in that it enabled the long forward pass but, unlike the Sheffield code, it also prevented players from poaching or sneaking in front of goal.This carefully considered adaptation of the offside rule demonstrates the meticulous planning and organisation behind the club.It would win the club many admirers including William McGregor, 'Father of the Football League', who pays the following tribute,

Although the game of the late 1860s was rudimentary, the basis for the club's playing style, and the men who would make it happen, all date from this early period.