Sheffield FC versus Real Madrid CF

The FIFA Order of Merit is the highest honour awarded by FIFA and is normally awarded to people who are considered to have made a significant contribution to the game of association football. Recipients of the award make for a stellar list of players, managers, officials, administrators and "other individuals" but as for football clubs themselves, only two have been deemed worthy of the award. At FIFA's centenial congress in 2004, the two clubs so honoured were Real Madrid CF and - checks notes, surely not (?), checks notes again - Sheffield FC.

Surely, that must mean (my club) Sheffield Wednesday? Or maybe Sheffield's second club, Sheffield Wednesday reserves? But no. There is indeed another football club in Sheffield and not only are Sheffield FC one of just two football club recipients of FIFA's highest honour, they happen to be the oldest football club in the world. In conjunction with Nick and Amy (my nephew and his wife) and his soon-to-be-launched football podcast Around The World In 90 Minutes, we set off from Manchester on a cold Autumn morning to find out more. 

Strictly speaking, Sheffield FC's Home of Football stadium in Dronfield doesn't actually, quite, fall within Sheffield's city limits. But, as club historian Andy Dixon points out, the stadium is based on Sheffield Road with a Sheffield postcode and a Sheffield telephone number. And in any event there are plans, with financing in place, for a move to a new stadium just a mile or so up the road which will see the club safely back within the city limits in the not too distant future. In the meantime however the club finds itself, football-wise, at the bottom of the Northern Premier League East division and in danger of slipping into english football's ninth tier.

Recently charged with responsibility for getting the club out of this relegation hole is new first team manager Vill Powell who was gracious enough to grant Nick an interview after we accidentally hijacked him in the club car park. Nick's podcast subject - a search for the true meaning of football - makes Sheffield FC an obvious opener for the upcoming initial series of eight episodes, due to launch in early 2025. There are four later episodes already in the can which have seen Nick and Amy visit SK Sturm Graz in Austria and Cliftonville in Northern Ireland amongst others, with further trips planned to Rayo Vallecano in Madrid and Corinthian-Casuals FC in London. I have a suspicion that Vill may already have cracked it when answering Nick's question of "what is the meaning of football". To paraphrase Vill's response, football is almost a language in itself, about community, friendship and belonging. Obviously though we still need to do plenty of research, just in case he's wrong!

Nick with Sheffield FC club historian Andy Dixon.

Andy Dixon lent Nick a good thirty minutes of his time on interview talking about the club, its history and the duty of care everyone at the club feels they owe in preserving the legacy that led to the award of the FIFA Order of Merit. He has had plenty of practice over the years with fans, reporters and film crews from all over the world descending on the club because of its status as the world's oldest football club. The portacabin housing the directors tea room is bedecked with football memorabilia, much of it reflecting the origins of the visitors themselves as opposed to historic occasions involving the club. One such is a small, framed tapestry likeness of Nelson Mandela with the inscription "Presented to Sheffield FC - Boots for Africa - Apartheid Museum. Johannesburg. South Africa 22nd June 2010". Whoever presented it must have been embarrassed that it looked a bit cheap because the frame has a 10 Rand note tucked into the top right corner to perhaps add a little more gravity to the gesture.

Incidentally, Nelson Mandela is one of the "other individuals" to have been awarded the FIFA Order of Merit. He got his in 1998. Can't help thinking that was a bit of bandwagon jumping on FIFA's part, at the time, though. 

Internet research shows the club nicknamed variously as The Club, The Ancients and The First although there is an argument (only in my mind, to be fair) that they could have been known as The Bedouins, such was their nomadic existence prior to the purchase of their current Coach & Horses ground in 2001. Named after the public house which fronts the ground on Sheffield Road and provides an obvious focal point for all associated with the club, the current stadium is more officially known as the Home of Football Ground but I suspect this title will eventually sit more naturally with the new stadium once built. 

Today's opponents were Emley AFC who came into the match sitting in third position, having been promoted from the ninth tier last season, and with a decent away support in a crowd of just under seven hundred. The match itself was a bit meh on a very soft pitch with the two teams fairly evenly matched throughout. Sheffield had finished the first half quite strongly but I remarked to Nick at half time that the game had a feel about it, particularly with Sheffield bottom of the table, to suggest that the visitors would win it 1-0 deserved or otherwise. And that is exactly what happened although the winning goal in the 78th minute by Emley's no.7 Luke Parkin was a real gem after he curled it over the keeper from thirty yards out. It was a goal worthy of winning any match.

Emley's win leaves them in third place in the league, two points below the top two but with a game in hand on both. As for Sheffield the defeat leaves them rock bottom, four points below the next team and eight points from safety but, after only nine matches, there is still a long, long way to go. Manager Vill Powell will know that for the foreseeable future it is all about picking up points and thus confidence. If they can do that - and they won't come up against many better teams than today's opponents - then the league position will look after itself.

After the match and ahead of our train back to Sheffield and on to Manchester, we took advantage of the Coach & Horses and it's impressive array of Thornbridge Brewery draft ales (a bit pricey I thought but delicious nonetheless). Players and officials of both clubs were also soon in attendance and mixing with fans.

Earlier during the day we spoke with an Emley fan, previously a Leeds United season ticket holder, who told us that he had become disillusioned with the elite game due to pricing and difficulty in obtaining tickets. He did so whilst enjoying a pint at pitchside. Such disillusionment with the top level game was a common theme amongst those we spoke to today and who clearly appreciate the fayre being served at this level. 

I guess you can't really get any more elite than Real Madrid CF. Officially recognised by FIFA as the "greatest club of the 20th century" (hence the award of their Order of Merit), I wonder if the pricing and experience of watching the greatest club of the 20th century is now more akin to tourism football as opposed to real football? The pricing and experience of watching the world's oldest club is very definitely real football. Community, friendship and belonging. Nice one Vill. 

Sheffield FC versus Real Madrid CF? No contest.

You can access Nick's podcast via the following links;

Apple: Around The World in 90 Minutes

Spotify: Around The World in 90 Minutes