<P> The origin of football substitutes goes back to at least the early 1860s as part of English public school football games . The original use of the term `` substitute '' in football was to describe the replacement of players who failed to turn up for matches . For example , in 1863 , a match reports states : `` The Charterhouse eleven played a match in cloisters against some old Carthusians but in consequence of the non-appearance of some of those who were expected it was necessary to provide three substitutes . The substitution of absent players happened as early as the 1850s , for example from Eton College where the term `` emergencies '' is used . Numerous references to players acting as a `` substitute '' occur in matches in the mid-1860s where it is not indicated whether these were replacements of absent players or of players injured during the match . </P>
<P> The origin of football substitutes goes back to at least the early 1860s as part of English public school football games . The original use of the term `` substitute '' in football was to describe the replacement of players who failed to turn up for matches . For example , in 1863 , a match reports states : `` The Charterhouse eleven played a match in cloisters against some old Carthusians but in consequence of the non-appearance of some of those who were expected it was necessary to provide three substitutes . The substitution of absent players happened as early as the 1850s , for example from Eton College where the term `` emergencies '' is used . Numerous references to players acting as a `` substitute '' occur in matches in the mid-1860s where it is not indicated whether these were replacements of absent players or of players injured during the match . </P>
when were subs first used in english football
when were subs first used in english football
as early as the 1850s
as early as the 1850s