PELE, THE REVEREND AND THE WORLD'S OLDEST CLUB

Sheffield FC have been largely lying dormant for almost 170 years, but under new star-studded ownership, they hope to share their story with the world...

- Ed McCambridge

Ask football supporters to name the world's oldest club and you'll likely get a range of answers.

Notts County? Nope. Bradford? Wrong. Wrexham? They're high on the list, all right, but they’re not number one. Plenty would answer the question incorrectly. That's because the world’s true oldest football club has fallen into relative obscurity, with its men’s team down the pyramid in the ninth tier of English football. Yet that could be set to change in the seasons to come for Sheffield FC, who were founded all the way back in October 1857.

‘The Club’ - as they're entitled to be nicknamed, given they were once the only club in existence - are aiming to become a household name following the arrival of an ambitious ownership group led by Jon McClure, lead singer for iconic Sheffield rock band Reverend and the Makers.

“This city has always been terrible at tooting its own horn,” newly appointed chairman McClure tells FourFourTwo. “Sheffield is the birthplace of electronica, the home of Robin Hood and snooker, and the city that helped create football. There are more trees per person in Sheffield than any other European city. It’s a beautiful place - and, in my opinion, we have the best active music scene in the UK. I'm not talking about past glories, but right now.

There have been attempts down the years to capitalise on Sheffield FC’s famous origins, including a landmark 150th anniversary match against the mighty Inter, staged at Bramall Lane in November 2007. In front of almost 19,000 spectators and guest of honour Pele (naturally), the world’s oldest club lost 5-2 to a Nerazzurri side managed by Roberto Mancini and featuring World Cup winner Marco Materazzi, as well as a 17-year-old Mario Balotelli.