A new blue plaque has been unveiled in Sheffield for the first working class captain of England.

Jack Hunter was born in the Crookes area of the city and after playing for several clubs there, moved to Blackburn in Lancashire where he helped Blackburn Olympic FC beat the Old Etonians in the 1883 FA Cup.

“He is truly the father of the modern game of football, because he took the passing game, developed in Sheffield to Blackburn, and made history by destroying the upper class grip on the game opening it up to working class players,” said Steve Wood, historian and trustee with Sheffield Home of Football, the charity behind the 15 football blue plaques which have been erected in the city over the last two years.

“Jack Hunter and those early pioneers, gave Sheffield the right to be called the birthplace of football, along with having the oldest club (Sheffield FC) and the oldest ground in the world (Hallam FC), we have so many firsts in football.”

“He deserves a statue in the city centre,” added Steve.