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Sheffield F.C.

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Sheffield Football Club is an English football club, currently based in Dronfield, Derbyshire. They compete in the Template:English football updater, on the eighth level of the English football pyramid. Founded in October 1857,<ref name=hitc>7 OLDEST FOOTBALL CLUBS: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Template:Webarchive by Alfie Potts Harmer on HITC website, 2019</ref> the club is considered by FIFA as the oldest existing independent club still playing football in the world.

Sheffield F.C. initially played games amongst each other under the Sheffield Rules and did not officially adopt the new FA rules until 1878.

The club competes in the Rules derby with near neighbours Hallam. In 2004, they were given the FIFA Order of Merit, an award given to only one other club; Real Madrid. In 2007 they were inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame, to commemorate their 150th anniversary.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On the pitch, the club's finest hour came in 1904 when they won the FA Amateur Cup, a competition conceived after a suggestion by Sheffield. They also finished as runners up of the FA Vase in 1977.

HistoryEdit

In 1855, members of a Sheffield cricket club organised informal kick-abouts without any official rules.<ref name="Football in Sheffield">Template:Cite book</ref> Subsequently, two members, Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest, formed the Sheffield Football Club.<ref name=hitc/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:Sheffield fc team 1857.jpg
A London XI who played against Sheffield in 1873.

The inaugural meeting of the club took place on 24 October 1857 at Parkfield House in the suburb of Highfield.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The original headquarters was a greenhouse on East Bank Road lent by Thomas Asline Ward, father of the first club president Frederick Ward, and the adjacent field was used as their first playing ground.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Initially, Sheffield FC games were played among club members themselves and took the format of "Married v Singles" or "Professionals v the Rest".

File:Sheffield Laws of football.jpg
"Laws for the guidance of playing members", as published in 1859

Creswick and Prest were responsible for drawing up the club's rules of play, which were decided upon at the club's AGM on 21 October 1858, and published the following year.<ref name="From Sheffield With Love">Template:Cite book</ref> They were referred to as the Sheffield Rules, and were the first detailed set of rules of football to be published by a football club (as opposed to a school or university). At the time, before the formation of the Football Association (FA), many different kinds of football were popular in England. For example, each of the various public schools played football according to their own individual rules, and these varied widely.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Sheffield Rules were later adopted by the Sheffield Football Association when it was formed in 1867.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sheffield's near neighbour, Hallam, was formed in 1860 and in the same year the two clubs first met each other in a local derby which is still contested today.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By 1862 there were 15 clubs in the Sheffield area.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

They became members of The Football Association on 30 November 1863 but continued to use their own set of rules.<ref name="Football in Sheffield"/> On 2 January 1865, the club played its first fixture outside Sheffield against Notts County, then known as Nottingham Football Club, at the Meadows Cricket Ground; the match was played eighteen-a-side under "Nottingham Rules".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Sheffield won by a goal to nil.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

By this time the club had decided to play only teams outside Sheffield in order to seek a bigger challenge. On 31 March 1866, Sheffield played a "London" team under FA rules at Battersea Park.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The game, played as an eleven aside, was won by London by 2 goals and four touches down to nil.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However the matter of rules remained a problem with Sheffield clubs continuing to play by their own rules. A number of rule proposals by the club were rejected by the FA in February 1867 and the London Committee were reluctant to commit to further fixtures over Sheffield's refusal to play strictly to FA rules. Sheffield clubs finally adopted the FA rules in 1878.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1873 the club entered the FA Cup for the first time, their first ever tie in the competition, against Shropshire Wanderers, being decided after a replay by a coin toss; the only time in the history of the competition that a tie has been decided in this way.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> They would reach the 4th round of the competition in 1877–78 and 1879–80.<ref name="wildstat">Sheffield Template:Webarchive WildStat</ref>

File:Sheffield fc 1876.jpg
A Sheffield squad of 1876

Their reluctance to play against local clubs led to the formation of Thursday Wanderers in 1876, a team of players registered to Sheffield who wished to play in the Sheffield Challenge Cup. The Wanderers operated from 1876 to 1879, winning the cup in their final year.<ref>A. Drake. "Thursday Wanderers". Retrieved 30 June 2012</ref>

Sheffield's decline from the top echelon of football began with the introduction of professionalism in July 1885, with the amateurs of Sheffield failing to compete with professional teams, losing heavily that year to Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Notts County. After the legalisation of professionalism, the staunchly amateur Sheffield suggested to the FA the creation of a cup exclusively for amateur clubs. The FA Amateur Cup was inaugurated in 1893<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and Sheffield themselves won the competition in 1904.

They joined their first league competition in 1889 when entering the Midland League, but left after just one season when they finished bottom of the table.<ref name="fchd">Sheffield Template:Webarchive Football Club History Database</ref> They were also founder members of the original Yorkshire League in 1898, but again they spent just a single season in the competition.

After the turn of the century, Sheffield competed mainly in local leagues. By 1925–26 they were competing in the Sheffield Association League.

File:PeleSheffield.jpg
Pelé (left) in Sheffield in November 2007, marking the 150th anniversary of the world's oldest football club, Sheffield F.C.<ref name="celebration">Template:Cite news</ref>

Fifty years after leaving the competition, the club rejoined the Yorkshire League, in 1949. Three years later they won promotion to Division One, but were relegated back to Division Two in 1954. They returned to the top flight at the first time of asking before entering their centenary year in 1957. Celebrations included games against the England B team at Hillsborough<ref>The B Team Template:Webarchive England Football Online</ref> and fellow amateur side Queen's Park F.C. at Bramall Lane.<ref>Sheffield Football Club Centenary Fixture 1957 Template:Webarchive FootySphere</ref>

In 1961, Sheffield was relegated to Division Two again, only returning to the top flight again in 1967, and then only for one more season before another relegation. Three years later, in 1970, they were relegated again, to the newly formed Division Three.<ref name="fchd"/> Club would spend six seasons in the Yorkshire League's basement division, finishing as low as 10th in 1974. They finally started to turn their fortunes around in 1976 by returning to Division Two, and a year later they were crowned as Division Two champions to return to Division One. In the same season, Sheffield reached the final of the newly formed FA Vase. At Wembley stadium, they drew 1–1 with Billericay Town, before being beaten 1–2 in the replay at the City Ground in Nottingham.

When the Yorkshire League merged with the Midland League to form the Northern Counties East League (NCEL) in 1981, Sheffield were placed in Division One South of the new competition. They stayed in this division for three seasons before the league was restructured, with the club being reassigned to the newly formed Division One. In 1989 they won the division One title, but they were relegated back again a year later because of their lack of floodlights.

File:Sheffield FC's 150th anniversary celebration match v Inter (11-09-2007).jpg
Sheffield's 150th anniversary celebration match against Inter at Bramall Lane in 2007

At the first time of asking Sheffield again won the division One title, this time remaining in the NCEL Premier Division for 15 years. In 1994 the club won the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup for the first time, beating Worksop Town on penalties at Hillsborough. They would later win the trophy on a further four occasions throughout the 2010s.

2007 was a momentous year for Sheffield F.C. as they entered their 150th year.<ref name="celebration"/> They finished as runners-up in the league to secure promotion to the Northern Premier League (NPL) for the first time. In October 2007, FIFA president Sepp Blatter attended the club's anniversary dinner, and the following month the club played anniversary celebration matches against Internazionale and Ajax at Bramall Lane.<ref name="celebration"/><ref>Ajax Template:Webarchive Sheffield FC</ref> Football legend Pelé was guest of honour at the first game and was introduced to the teams and the fans before the game.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The match ended 5–2 to Inter, with 18,741 supporters attending the match. Inter's side included World Cup winner Marco Materazzi and a young Mario Balotelli. As part of his visit, Pelé opened an exhibition which included the first public showing in 40 years of the original hand-written rules of football.<ref name="celebration"/>

Sheffield have reached the play-offs of the NPL Division One South on four occasions, but have so far failed to win promotion. In their first Division One South campaign in 2008 they reached the final, losing on penalties to Nantwich Town, before being knocked out in the semi-finals in 2010, 2012 and 2019. The club first played in the FA Trophy in 2007 after winning promotion to the NPL, but has so far failed to advance past the qualifying rounds. In 2015, the Qataris donated £100,000 to Sheffield FC.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since then, Sheffield FC has been on a gradual decline in both form and status in the league. Attendances failed to reflect the perceived status of the club despite fanfare on social media in various campaigns.

In 2025, Sheffield faced Hallam FC in the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup, the first competitive Rules Derby fixture in over a decade. The Club fell in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of their rivals. With games to spare, Sheffield FC were relegated from the Northern Premier League. Away from the pitch, Richard Tims stepped away from the club after 27 years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Season-by-season recordEdit

ManagersEdit

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From To Manager
1972 1982 Chris Stanley<ref name="SheffieldNLD"/>
1982 1984 Paddy Buckley<ref name="SheffieldNLD"/>
1984 1993 R Evans<ref name="SheffieldNLD"/>
1993 1997 Kenny Johnson<ref name="SheffieldNLD"/>
1997 2000 John Pearson<ref name="SheffieldNLD"/>

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From To Manager
1999 2008 Dave McCarthy<ref name="SheffieldNLD"/>
2008 2011 Chris Dolby<ref name="SheffieldNLD"/>
2011 2012 Mark Shaw<ref name="sheffieldfc.com">Sheffield FC Ex-players Template:Webarchive Sheffield FC</ref>
2012 2012 Curtis Woodhouse<ref name="sheffieldfc.com"/>
2012 2014 Ian Whitehorne<ref>Meet The New Gaffer Template:Webarchive Sheffield FC</ref>

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From To Manager
2014 2014 Mick Wadsworth<ref>Former Huddersfield Town manager Mick Wadsworth takes charge of Sheffield FC Template:Webarchive The Huddersfield Daily Examiner</ref>
2014 2015 Jordan Broadbent
2015 2016 Andy Kiwomya
2016 2017 James Colliver
2017 2017 Mark Hume

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From To Manager
2017 2018 citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2018 2021 citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2021 2024 Ryan Cresswell<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}[]</ref>

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Notable former playersEdit

Famous players from the club's early days included Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest, who founded the club. Four Sheffield players have appeared for England – Charles Clegg, who played in the first international game against Scotland in 1872,<ref>Sir John Charles Clegg Template:Webarchive englandstats.com</ref> John Owen, in 1874,<ref>John Owen Template:Webarchive England Football Online</ref> Thomas Sorby, in 1879, and Jack Hudson, in 1883.<ref>John Hudson Template:Webarchive englandstats.com</ref>

In addition to the above, the following have played in the Football League either before or after playing for Sheffield:

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GroundsEdit

Sheffield have played at a number of grounds near Sheffield. Initially they played at Strawberry Hall Lane Park.<ref name="From Sheffield With Love"/> However, like all of the early grounds they played at, it was not owned by the club. In the following years they would play at Old Forge ground and a ground near Hunter's Bar on Ecclesall Road.<ref name="The History of Sheffield Football Club">Template:Cite book</ref>

There was much reluctance from the owners of Bramall Lane to see the pitch used for football. They did not relent until a charity match between Sheffield and Hallam was suggested in late 1862. The ground was used by Sheffield for its more important fixtures but relations with the owners remained strained. They collapsed altogether in 1875 when the club vowed never to play at the ground again.

In 1921, Sheffield settled at the new Abbeydale Park ground. They moved to Hillsborough Park in 1988,<ref>Sheffield F.C.: celebrating 150 years of the world's first football club, pp.52–53</ref> then to Owlerton Stadium and Don Valley Stadium. In 1999, Richard Tims got involved with Sheffield FC when he was invited to a home game in Don Valley Stadium. He noted that the club was struggling as they were playing in a rented stadium. He took over the club and helped it secure its own ground, the Coach and Horses Stadium in Dronfield, Derbyshire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The club bought the Coach & Horses ground in Dronfield in 2001, which was previously the home of Norton Woodseats F.C., a notable football team who reached the semi-finals of the FA Amateur Cup in 1939. It was the first time the club had owned its own ground.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The ground has a capacity of just over 2,000 with 250 seats in the stand behind the southern goal.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In March 2019 it was revealed that Sheffield F.C. was in talks with the Sheffield Transport Sports Club (STSC) to move the club back to its home city after plans to move to the Olive Grove sports ground in the Heeley district of Sheffield fell through in 2016.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In March 2021 plans for the new stadium based at the STSC facility in the Meadowhead area of Sheffield were revealed. The proposed 4,000 person capacity stadium features a heritage centre celebrating the city's role in football history.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The club has played its FA Cup games at the following grounds:

Years Ground
1857–1873 Strawberry Hall Lane Park, Sheffield
1873–1884 Bramall Lane, Sheffield
1884–1889 Old Forge Ground, Attercliffe
1889–1897 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield
1897–1901 Owlerton Ground, Owlerton, Sheffield
1901–1921 Niagara Ground, Wadsley Bridge
1921–1988 Abbeydale Park, Dore
1988 Hillsborough Park, Hillsborough, Sheffield
1989 Owlerton Stadium, Owlerton, Sheffield
1990–2001 Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield
2001–present Coach & Horses Ground, Dronfield
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Home of Football Stadium, Sheffield

GalleryEdit

  • Owlerton Stadium.jpg

    Owlerton Stadium, Sheffield's home for a period during the 1980s and 1990s.

  • DonValleyStadium.jpg

    Don Valley Stadium, another of Sheffield's former homes.

  • SheffieldFCsouth.jpg

    The south end of the Coach & Horses Ground.

  • SheffieldFCEast.jpg

    The east end of the Coach & Horses Ground, with the Coach & Horses pub to the left.

HonoursEdit

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LeagueEdit

  • Northern Counties East League Premier Division
    • Promoted: 2006–07
  • Northern Counties East League Division One
    • Promoted: 1988–89 (champions), 1990–91 (champions)
  • Yorkshire League Division Two
    • Promoted: 1951–52, 1954–55, 1965–66, 1976–77
    • Champions: 1976–77
  • Yorkshire League Division Three
    • Promoted: 1975–76
  • Central Midlands Division One North (Reserves)
    • Promoted: 2021–22
  • Central Midlands Division One North (Reserves)
    • Champions: 2023–24

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CupEdit

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RecordsEdit

  • Best FA Cup performance: 4th round, 1877–78, 1879–80
  • Best FA Amateur Cup performance: Winners, 1903–04
  • Best FA Trophy performance: 3rd qualifying round, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2013–14
  • Best FA Vase performance: Runners-up, 1976–77
  • Record attendance: 2,000 vs. Barton Rovers, FA Vase Semi-Final, 1976–77<ref name="SheffieldNLD"/>

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Sister project

Template:Northern Premier League Template:Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA Template:Authority control Template:Coord

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