Dingley Dell: a conundrum, within a puzzle, hiding behind a contradiction.

This article traces the life of a football club at the forefront of the game's initial development in the late 1850s and early 1860s. Dingley Dell's football arm was founded in 1858 but disappeared from view in 1864, during which time they engaged mainly in matches against the schools of Westminster and Charterhouse. However, their history has been sorely neglected and this paper is designed to redress that balance. The most significant question Dingley Dell's existence poses is why they failed to send a representative to the early meetings of the Football Association in late 1863. Yet, in a story full of contradictions, even their absence appears open to question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]