For this month’s cover feature, Exposed delves into the oldest football derby in the world between Sheffield FC and Hallam FC, exploring the teams’ storied past, modern-day rivalry and the tempting offer of non-league football for supporters feeling increasingly disillusioned with the professional game.
Boxing Day, 1860. Queen Victoria sits on the throne, Abraham Lincoln prepares for office after being elected 16th President of the United States and Charles Dickens has just published the first instalment of his penultimate novel, Great Expectations.
All historically significant events in their own rights, of course, but let’s turn our attention to the Sheffield suburb of Crosspool on that chilly winter’s day, where something was unfolding that would lay the foundations for the world’s most popular sport. At Sandygate, the world’s oldest football ground, two nascent clubs – Sheffield FC (the world’s first, formed in 1857) and Hallam FC (the next, established in 1860) – squared off in a fixture now known as the Rules Derby.
Its name stemmed from the fact that it was the first match to be played under guidance from an early iteration of the Sheffield Rules, co-authored by Sheffield FC founders Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest. These rules eventually grew into something resembling the modern game, as opposed to the rugby-inspired handling form of football that had been played prior.
The match ended in a 2-0 away win for Sheffield FC and the oldest club derby was duly formed. Over the years, representatives of both teams played a key role in shaping the game we all know and love, including the introduction of crossbars, cup competitions, 90-minute games, changing ends at half-time, established pitch dimensions and – as a direct result of their inaugural fixture – the now sacrosanct tradition of Boxing Day matches.
“Sheffield’s football heritage is second to none,” Richard Tims, chairman of Sheffield FC, told Exposed over the phone a few days prior to the game. “We’ve played them over 100 times, but it’s the history that makes it special. It’s had attention right across the world – I’ve even got someone from Finland coming to do an interview! The world’s oldest club against the second oldest, at the world’s oldest ground – it’s a story you couldn’t script better.”
The match’s revival, the first competitive fixture in 13 years after drawing each other in the quarter-final of the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup, captured the imagination of football purists and casual fans across the city and much further afield. Circa 1,500 tickets went on sale and were promptly snapped up by those looking to witness some footballing history.
The Rules Derby, Tims emphasised, is far more than just a game – it’s a celebration of Sheffield’s unique place in the story of football, even though the healthy rivalry between the two can occasionally get testy. “Sheffield FC and Hallam FC together are the custodians of football history. The relationship between the two clubs has grown stronger over the years. Of course, there’s some needle on social media and matchday, but we tend not to react to that. We’re stronger together when it comes to promoting this city’s place in football’s history.”
For Ian Jones, Hallam FC’s matchday secretary, social media manager and kitman, this fixture also represents the unique magic of non-league football: the community, the history and the shared love of the game. Jones began his journey with Hallam FC back in 2016 when, feeling disillusioned with professional football and “just a bit bored” on a Saturday, he decided to look up local fixtures.
“I googled ‘football games nearby’, and Sandygate was only a 35-minute walk away,” he told me. “I went along, and from the first game, I was hooked. It felt real, like how football should be. I started volunteering in 2018, selling raffle tickets to start, and things just grew from there.”
Jones now juggles several roles at the club – at one point even writing the programme – and takes pride in the unique atmosphere Hallam has created. “We’ve always made sure to be family-orientated and inclusive. Anyone can come, have a pint and enjoy the game. For a lot of people, the result is secondary. It’s more about spending a good day with friends and family.”
COVID-19 was a surprising catalyst for Hallam’s recent surge in crowds. “During lockdown, when professional matches were behind closed doors, non-league football was classified as recreational. We could host fans when others couldn’t,” he explained. “At first, we had to cap attendance at 300, and tickets sold out in minutes – sometimes seconds! People got the bug and that gave us momentum.”
This momentum was evident in the demand for Rules Derby tickets. “We could’ve sold Sandygate out four times over,” he added. “It’s been amazing, but we made sure to prioritise locals and regulars for tickets. This is their club, and we want them to feel part of it.”
As for the fixture itself, Jones predicted a tight contest with a typical derby day feel. “It’s going to be competitive. Both teams need the win for different reasons, and there’s a bit of crossover with players. There’s definitely some banter flying around, but it’s fundamentally a respectful rivalry.”
After being assured of the underlying friendliness of the event, I was surprised to see, as I walked into Sandygate at 6pm on matchday – a full hour and 45 minutes before kick-off – a group of 25 to 30, ranging roughly in age from teens to mid-20s, airing some less-than-cordial chants about the visiting club. However, it quickly became clear that this tongue-in-cheek display of bravado was prompted by nearby TV news cameras filming some pre-match footage. In all honestly, it felt like a waste of a smoke bomb.
I went along, and from the first game, I was hooked. It felt real, like how football should be.
Once the rabble had subsided, I grabbed the customary evening game cup of Bovril, served by one of the club’s many friendly and vitally important volunteers. With a warming drink in hand, I made my way to Hallam’s well-appointed clubhouse, where early-doors supporters were mingling over a few pre-game pints – which, incidentally, were two to three pounds cheaper than what you’d find on the Hillsborough or Bramall Lane concourses.
Rising costs in the modern game – the cheapest average Premier League season ticket for an adult is now £594, with the Championship not faring much better at £444 – have been a key factor in driving some fans to turn to non-league football for their fix. Add to this the increasing commercialisation of the sport, the frustrations of new in-game processes such as VAR, Sky-dictated kick-off times, disconnected owners and the general erosion of traditional club identities, and it’s not hard to see why some Sheffield supporters are opting to spend their Saturday afternoons at Sandygate or the Home of Football Stadium instead.
Sheffield FC fan Mark, 42, told me that the authenticity of attending grassroots games combined with economic factors and the actions of an increasingly erratic owner (let’s not go there) was enough to tempt him away from Hillsborough. “We’ve always been a big Sheffield Wednesday household, but Sheffield FC is just 10 minutes down the road from where I live. A few mates were going, so we gave it a try – and we’ve never looked back.
“You go down, watch the game, and then after, you’re in the pub with the players and coaching staff. It’s a real community feel. You feel like part of the club. You don’t get that with professional football.”
“The world’s oldest club against the second oldest, at the world’s oldest ground – it’s a story you couldn’t script better.”
For Mark, rising costs were another concern. “My eldest son still goes to Wednesday with his friends, which is fine because his season ticket is affordable. But for all of us to go? It’s a fortune. At Sheffield FC, it’s £10 for adults and a fiver for kids. It’s affordable, and the kids love it. Plus, we’re lucky enough to have the oldest club in the world on our doorstep, which is a bonus.”
Despite Sheffield FC’s global recognition, Mark feels that the city itself doesn’t do enough to shout about its footballing heritage. “If this was in Manchester, Leeds or Liverpool, you’d never hear the end of it. The council would’ve pushed through the new [Sheffield FC] ground by now. People don’t realise what a gem we’ve got here. I’ve got friends who’ve come over from Italy to see it – they’re Como supporters, but they’ve been three or four times now. People come from all over the world to visit a humble little ground, but locally, it’s understated.”
It’s a sentiment shared by many Sheffield football fans, who often lament the lack of recognition given to the city’s status as the birthplace of the game. “If other cities had the first football club in the world, they’d plaster it everywhere. The National Football Museum should be here, no doubt about it,” Mark added. “Sheffield’s got this incredible history, but we don’t shout about it enough. Sheffield FC and Hallam FC are flying the flag, but it could be so much bigger.”
“If this was in Manchester, Leeds or Liverpool, you’d never hear the end of it.”
Back to the clubhouse of a freezing cold Sandygate and with kick-off approaching, I got talking to two younger supporters, Charlie and Marcus, who manage to balance their commitment to both the professional and non-league game.
The pair, both Sheffield Wednesday fans, told me they make the effort to attend Hallam matches when they can. “It’s convenient,” said Charlie. “We live nearby, so it’s easy to pop down when the weekends allow. We’ll watch Handsworth sometimes too. It’s a different vibe to Wednesday. Here, you can have a beer, watch the game and just enjoy it. But I think you can love both – it’s not one or the other.”
Marcus agreed, adding: “It’s not like the pressure you get at Wednesday, where every result feels massive. At Hallam, the lads are just into it – the challenges go flying in and basically nobody gives a shit.”
As kick-off drew closer, the buzz around the old ground grew. Charlie and Marcus reflected on the match ahead, with one opting for cautious optimism and the other hoping for a goalfest. “It’ll be a tough match, but I reckon 3-2 to Hallam,” said Marcus. “My mate plays in net for Sheffield FC, so I’m hoping for 14-0 to Hallam,” came the grinning response from Charlie.
It wasn’t quite the five-goal – or indeed 14-goal – thriller predicted, but a fast-paced, end-to-end game saw Hallam FC take an early lead through James Cadman. The celebrations were noisy, with flares, smoke bombs and chants from the home team’s self-styled ultras behind the net accompanying a positive start. An impressive long-range strike from Connor Cutts later levelled the score after an improved spell of play for the visitors. The tie was ultimately decided three minutes into the second half when a deflected effort from Hallam forward Leon Howarth sealed the win.
As the home side basked in a deserved victory lap, filmed eagerly by several high-profile YouTubers and influencers in attendance, fans of all ages filtered out of the ground past the blue plaque commemorating the world’s oldest football ground, happily dissecting an entertaining match and wondering whether the 149-year-old trophy could be returning to Sheffield (either Stocksbridge Park Steels or Wombwell Town FC await them in the semi-finals – check hallamfc.co.uk for ticket details).
Yet even though it was Hallam’s day, the score felt, in many ways, overshadowed by the occasion – particularly for those in attendance, like me, who had no real skin in the game but came for the history and to celebrate the sport in its purest form. The latest Rules Derby served as an important reminder that in a game for the people, by the people, the true heart of football is still alive and kicking in the Steel City’s grassroots.
