World’s first football club is returning to Sheffield

The world’s first football club, Sheffield FC, is returning to the city.
Brazilian superstar footballer Pele with Richard Timms charman of Sheffield FCBrazilian superstar footballer Pele with Richard Timms charman of Sheffield FC
Brazilian superstar footballer Pele with Richard Timms charman of Sheffield FC

The club is moving home to the Olive Grove Sports ground where the founders of club developed the first set of rules and played their first games of football on the fields back in 1857.

The move spawned the modern game, leading to 350,000 clubs, 300 million active players and 1.6 billion fans,

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The return has been supported by Sheffield City Council, which helped reach an agreement for the land to be used on a lease basis.

The switch from Sheffield’s current home at Dronfield, north Derbyshire, features a three stage process over a number of years and comes on the day the club officially launches a worldwide funding campaign, which has already got the backing of some great footballing names, to raise £2m.

Sheffield FC Chairman Richard Tims said: “We really are establishing a new spiritual home for football on the original ground and, as a charitable foundation, we will continue to protect and preserve the world’s first football club, back where it all began.

“Sheffield FC has played football without a permanent home and its own ground for more than 140 years. Now it’s time to take the club back home to Olive Grove in Sheffield to where it all began.

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“We’re looking forward to working with the city, the local community and schools in developing our plans for the site.

“Let’s all remember, without Sheffield FC there would be no game as we know it today.

Sheffield FC will, for the immediate future, continue to use the Coach and Horses stadium at Dronfield.