In the late 19th century “goal running” was a sport peculiar to East Kent and the Weald, requiring no special equipment or pitch. It was an adult version of the game of tag found in school playgrounds. The Rye Goal Running club met at the Queen’s Head and matches were played bare foot on the Salts.
The following report (edited) appeared in the South Eastern Advertiser in December 1898:
GOAL RUNNING CLUB SMOKER
The Rye Goal Running Club finished up its first season, which has been very successful, with a smoking concert at the Queens Head, on Monday evening.
There was a good attendance, and the chair, Mr J Adams, proposed ‘Success to the Rye Goal Running Club’, and complimented the members upon having introduced into Sussex a game which, for the most part, has been confined to Kent.
For their first season they had a record of eight matches played, four lost, two drawn, and two won, which he took as a good augury of what might be expected from them. As to their finances, those were in an exceedingly good condition, there being nearly £3 in hand, and as to membership, they had an enrolment of about 30. (Applause.)
Goal running, he said, was capital exercise for those who took part in it, and amused the public, and was gaining a firm hold upon them. Five years ago no one would have thought that football could have made such progress in Rye as it had, and therefore he looked forward to the day when they would see goal running as popular as football was now.
* The pubs of Rye, 1750-1950 by David Russell is available in Rye from the Heritage Centre, Strand Quay; Adams, 9 High Street, The Queen Adelaide, 23 Ferry Road, or online. Other books by David Russell are The Pubs of Hastings & St Leonards, The Swan, Hastings and Register of Licensees for Hastings & St Leonards