Two years later he became a highway rate collector but re-entered the profession after the Great Sheffield Flood in 1864.

This led to him to become a fully qualified solicitor and found his own firm, which became known as Clegg & Sons.

[2] Charles joined his father's law firm after leaving school and eventually became a solicitor in 1872.

He and his brother represented the Sheffield Association in the first inter-association match against the FA at Bramall Lane on 2 December 1871.

[4] In the Football Annual of 1875 by Charles W. Alcock, he was described as "very fast with the ball, passing it with great judgment and, when within sight of the enemy's goal-posts, an unerring kick."

When it was decided to experiment with the first floodlit match he and his brother were chosen to captain the two sides involved.

On the night of 15 October 1878 a crowd of 20,000 turned up at Bramall Lane to see the Reds (captained by Clegg) beaten by the Blues 2–0.

Professionalism, something that Clegg vehemently opposed throughout his life, had been legalised in 1885 and the Football League had been created the season before.

During his years in charge, Clegg oversaw the Football Association's entry into FIFA in 1905 and subsequent exit in 1919.

He was knighted by King George V in the 1927 Birthday Honours for services to the Board of Trade and Ministry of Labour.

[5] Clegg died on 26 June 1937, barely two months after seeing his beloved Wednesday fall into the second division.

He feared that professionalism would be a corrupting influence on the game and fought a losing battle against it throughout his administrative career.

During a disciplinary meeting, where a young player had been brought before him for ungentlemanly remarks to a referee, Clegg asked what had been said.