Il-Ġimgħa, Ottubru 14, 2005

Sheffield FC oldest club in the world

From Soccernet.com :

Real Madrid will make the trip to Sheffield in 2007, but not to Wednesday or United.
The Spanish giants have agreed to be part of Sheffield FC's 150th anniversary celebrations.
Sheffield FC, who play in the Northern Counties East League, are the oldest football club in the world, formed in 1857.

Last year, Real and Sheffield FC became the only two clubs to be awarded the FIFA Order of Merit as part of the body's Centennial festivities.
FIFA usually concerns itself with international football but specifically chose the two clubs for the special honour - uniting the oldest and the greatest.

Sheffield FC chairman, Richard Tims, has spent years reorganised and rebuilding Sheffield FC - including moving them to their own ground in Dronfield, a village just south of the city. And in more recent times he has been organising a huge party to celebrate their 150th birthday.
This week Tims was in Madrid to meet Real officials and confirm they would be supporting the celebrations.

Real Madrid vice-president Emilio Butragueno personally showed Timms and fellow club director Simon Webster around the famous Bernaneu stadium.
A partnership and in-principle activity was agreed and will be formalised over the coming months.

Sheffield FC are planning to invite a number of teams to play at their Coach and Horses ground in 2007, and it's looking increasingly likely that Real will provide the showpiece event.
Tims said: 'This is a huge step on the road to our goal of establishing Sheffield FC as a major brand within the sport. Our unique position as the world's oldest club means we are taken very seriously by football's leading lights - like FIFA, and Real Madrid.

'The fact that Mr Butregueno is exploring the possibility of sending a Real Madrid team over to play against us in 2007 says a lot about how far we've come and the potential for the club.'

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