Walk #2 – Sheffield’s Lost Football Grounds
Starting at Rossi’s Italian Restaurant on Sharrow Lane/London Road the Guides we will take you to and share stories about the football grounds and personalities in this area that, between 1857 and 1875, played a significant role in creating the footballing history and heritage of Sheffield.
Have you heard of the following football grounds?
Highfields; Cremorne Gardens; The Orphanage; Sheaf House; Bramall Lane; Hounsfield; Truro Works; East Bank; Olive Grove; The Farm; Norfolk Park; Myrtle Road; Hyde Park; Meersbrook Park
*** NOW INCLUDES A BLUE PLAQUE FOR THE EAST BANK GROUND to go with the BLUE PLAQUE FOR PARK HOUSE ***
SHOF Historians have discovered over 200 football teams that we know were playing football in Sheffield to Sheffield Rules between 1857 and 1875 (see the list here). Some of these clubs played 14-a-side and had 2-3 teams playing regularly so that’s potentially 100+ games of football every week during the months of October to March!! Where did they all play??
Come and here the stories of the pitch, grounds, teams, matches, rules, and people who moved football from being a ‘game of scrimmages’ to the more organised and structured football game; leading to professional teams, historic sporting grounds and stadiums, and the World’s biggest and greatest sport … football.
You Will Discover
The SHOF Guided Walk will include visiting the locations where several clubs (at least 30) played in the S2 area from 1857 to 1890, including Sheffield FC, The Wednesday FC, Mackenzie FC, Wellington FC, Milton FC, Truro Works FC, Garrick FC, Roebuck FC, British Ladies FC, and Sheffield United FC. We also show you where The Farm, Norfolk Park, Hyde Park, and Myrtle Road grounds were.
(You will need to go on Walk #3 – ‘Porterbrook’s Football History’ to find out about another 7 grounds and 17 teams.)
We will also share more stories about the Youdan Cup and the teams that played in it; the mystery of the formation of the Sheffield FA; Sheffield’s significance in the development of FA’s rules [and the FA’s survival] especially during 1863 to the ‘amalgamation’ in 1877; some of the Sheffield people who saved the FA and the game of football we recognise today; the genesis of Women’s football in Sheffield; and several important personalities who helped establish Sheffield as the ‘CRUCIBLE’ of modern association football, not only in England but across the World.
All of this in 90-minutes plus of course the EXTRA TIME option.
Come and here the stories of the grounds, teams, the matches, rules, and people who moved foot-ball from being a ‘mob game’ to the a more organised game, leading to professional teams, stadiums, and the World’s biggest and greatest sport of football. We will also share more stories about the Youdan Cup and look at Sheffield’s significance in the development of England’s football rules 1863 to 1877, and some of the people who ensured we have the game we recognise today.
Check availability & book here
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