THE search is on for descendants of the “founding fathers of football”, including a North-East born Army officer.

As part of the Football Association’s 150th anniversary it hopes to trace living relatives of the eight men who established the sport.

The trail-blazers met at the Freemasons’ Tavern in London’s Covent Garden to draft the original 13 laws of association football on October 26, 1863.

It is hoped their descendants can shed more information on the pioneers who took part in that landmark gathering in time for the anniversary in October.

They will be invited to a special ceremony to mark the anniversary at Wembley Stadium.

Current England squad players have helped to launch the quest, making a video appeal to kick-start the search, which is being overseen by cultural historian Jane Clayton, from the International Football Institute, at the University of Central Lancashire, in Preston.

Among the eight men was George Twizell Wawn, who was born in West Boldon, then in County Durham, now in South Tyneside, in 1840.

He married his first cousin, Mary Ward Wawn, from South Shields, in about 1870 and they went on to have two sons, by then living in Eastbourne in Sussex.

Wawn served in the Army, reaching the rank of Honorary Major, and lived to the age of 74, before his death in Cornwall, in 1914.

The other founding fathers include Hull-born Ebenezer Cobb Morley, who penned the original FA minute book from the 1863 meeting, which has now gone on show at Wembley.

Further information on the search is available via www.thefa.com/foundingfathers, while anyone who believes they can assist is asked to email foundingfathers@thefa.com, or by ringing 0844-980 8200.