The Oldest Football Club in the World

Posted on February 27, 2007 by bobpiper

I’m always getting stick from people about the fact that I don’t pay too much attention to football outside of the top flight. I know it’s arrogant, short-sighted and mean-spirited, but, when you support a team that has only been out of the top division for one season in the last 30 years, you probably tend to be a bit insular (having said that, the other team I have looked out first for their results for decades is Hartlepool – but I don’t pay much attention to the rest). I wouldn’t watch, for instance Stoke play Barnsley on telly last night, because, frankly, I don’t care much which one of them wins, and I don’t know much about either. I might watch Birmingham City on TV… but only if I thought they were going to lose.
But… this post from Harry Barnes makes me almost wish I supported the oldest football club in the world. From now on I’m going to look out for their results, and who knows, if I’m up that way I might even try to catch a game.
Update: Bloody hell! I’m going daft! I’m a member now. Me & Michael Vaughan, eh?

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15 Responses to The Oldest Football Club in the World

  1. John Dyson says:
    February 27, 2007 at 7:28 pm

    Sheffield FC are a fantastic organisation, good to see Harry Barnes refer to “The Wednesday”, I don’t think they’ve officially been called that since the 1920s. I miss The North sometimes…

    Reply
  2. Harry Barnes says:
    February 27, 2007 at 8:14 pm

    You will be very welcome to visit Ann and me at our home if you come to see ye olde football team. My late father was on Hartlepool’s books as an amatuer goalkeeper. He played in Practice and Reserve games, but when they wished to sign him as a professional Stanley United who held his prior registration held out for a transfer fee of £25 and Hartlepool would not pay it. It was in the late 1920s. Derby were interested in him at one time, but he did not make it to League Football.

    Reply
  3. John Lilburne says:
    February 28, 2007 at 8:27 am

    I wonder what they did until the second oldest team was formed? :-)

    Reply
  4. Bob Piper says:
    February 28, 2007 at 9:27 am

    I’m tempted to say…. played with themselves!

    Reply
  5. John Lilburne says:
    February 28, 2007 at 9:46 am

    I’m not a gambling man but I wouldn’t have minded have a couple of quid on them to win the League, Cup, Champion’s League and maybe even the Charity Shield that year.

    Reply
  6. Gary Elsby stoke-on-trent says:
    February 28, 2007 at 1:06 pm

    You should be interested in Stoke City, Bob, it’s a 1 star team that reflects our City. On the other hand, you have a 3 star team that reflects a…..?
    Besides, I gather that the only way your team (WBA?) can get three points nowadays is if they drive round town and get copped, talking on a mobile phone!
    Gary

    Reply
  7. Harry Barnes says:
    February 28, 2007 at 1:15 pm

    John and Bob,
    They did originally play with themselves! Their Club was initially rather like joining a modern Club for Golf.Games were fixed up amongst the members. For instance, to continue the original analogy single men would play the married men. Hallam FC was a break away from Sheffield – then they organised teams to meet at the historic first inter-club game at Hallam on Boxing Day 1860. The habit of founding Clubs and having contests with each other had started. See my post of 29 December, 2006 about the recent 146th Anniversary meeting at Hallam. It is entitled “When Is Second Best?” For Hallam have something Sheffield FC lack. They still play on their original ground.

    Reply
  8. John Dyson says:
    February 28, 2007 at 7:49 pm

    You might find this interesting:
    http://www.wsc.co.uk/webroundup/web225.html
    There was also period of correspondence on the letters page, but unfortunatley this does not seem to be on the internet.

    Reply
  9. Paul Macmanomy says:
    February 28, 2007 at 8:21 pm

    Not to be offensive – ’cause I wouldn’t me, but navel gazing springs to mind here. I’m surprised Ernesto hasn’t joined in the debate about which football team might have done something once which might just to one person be mildy interesting.
    Up the Saddlers!

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  10. Bob Piper says:
    February 28, 2007 at 10:13 pm

    Macca… you non-members are all the same. Typical Walsall… whinge, whinge, whinge.

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  11. Ernesto says:
    March 1, 2007 at 1:10 pm

    How terribly middle class of you. You’ll be playing real tennis, next. £25 membership and I bet you don’t even know which league they play in!! Chuck another aubergine on the barbie……..

    Reply
  12. Bob Piper says:
    March 1, 2007 at 3:56 pm

    Of course I do, because unlike Cannock lard eaters I can actually READ the website. I just happen to like the concept of the oldest football club in the world still continuing, and it wouldn’t matter if it was in Sheffield, Seville or Sydney, or if they were in the MacDonalds Shiteaters Conference Division Two, I happen to like the thought of helping them to survive. I don’t much care for unreal tennis or surreal tennis, so the prospect of real tennis won’t appeal either.

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  13. Harry Barnes says:
    March 1, 2007 at 5:00 pm

    Bob,
    Glad you said that about the MacDonalds Shiteaters. MacDonalds sponsor the Sheffield FC mascots free strips ! Yuk.

    Reply
  14. John Lilburne says:
    March 4, 2007 at 3:58 am

    Harry,
    Thanks for the info about their early days and playing with themselves. It’s good to see this tradition carried on through the years by some of the big Prem clubs.

    Reply
  15. john miller says:
    February 16, 2009 at 12:33 pm

    guys! guys! the scots have the oldest recorded football club in the world. 33 years before sheffield. its a weel known fact in scotland!.its coming home’ its coming home’ footballs coming home’ cheers jm

    Reply