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Full name | Hallam Football Club | |||
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Nickname(s) | The Countrymen | |||
Founded | 4 September 1860; 163 years ago (4 September 1860) | |||
Ground | Sandygate | |||
Capacity | 1,300 (250 seated) | |||
Coordinates | 53Β°22β²34.95β³N 1Β°31β²52.41β³W / 53.3763750Β°N 1.5312250Β°W / 53.3763750; -1.5312250 | |||
Chairman | Richard Pillinger | |||
Manager | Craig Denton | |||
League | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | |||
2023β24 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division, 9th of 20 | |||
Website | Club website | |||
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Hallam Football Club is an English football club based in Crosspool, Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Founded in 1860, Hallam is the "second oldest association football club in the world." Hallam have played at their Sandygate home in the Sheffield suburb of Crosspool since formation, with the ground being officially recognised by, the Guinness Book of Records as "The Oldest Football Ground in the World". In 1867, the club made history by winning the world's first ever football tournament, the Youdan Cup.
Hallam currently play in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, at the ninth level of the English football league system. Games against local rivals Sheffield F.C., the oldest club in the world, are known as the Rules derby.
Historyβ»
Although formed in 1860, the football club can trace its links even further back,ββto 1804, when the owner of the Plough Inn public house on Sandygate Road agreedββto allow a new cricket club, Hallam CC, to start playing on an adjacent field he owned.
The club had in excess of 300 members by the 1850s, and in 1860 it decided to form a football club to oppose Sheffield F.C., formed three years earlier. On Boxing Day 1860, the two clubs played each other at Sandygate for the first time. The match report for the game in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph states that the game was played between 16 of Sheffield. And 16 of Hallam and Stumperlowe (Stumperlowe being hamlet half a mile from Sandygate).
The Hallam Football Club's founder and "captain," John Charles Shaw, soon became President of the Sheffield Football Association which organised matches according to the locally preferred rules for its growing number of member clubs. Shaw was directly instrumental, with Charles Alcock of the London-based Football Association, in the formation of nationally accepted rules for playing the game. Shaw and Alcock were the respective captains in the first game between a Sheffield XI and a London XI, in 1871, in which the preferred rules were tried out.
In 1867, Hallam won the first ever football competition, the Youdan Cup. The trophy was subsequently misplaced by the club, and did not resurface again until 1997 when a Scottish antiques collector who had come into possession of the silver trophy sold it back to the club for Β£2,000. In 2014 the trophy was featured on the BBC programme Antiques Roadshow, where it was valued at Β£100,000. Club chairman Chris Taylor subsequently said the club had no plans to sell the trophy.
Although professionalism began to creep into the game during the 1870s and 1980s, Hallam chose to remain fully amateur. In the summer of 1886, for reasons unknown. But likely. Because of financial constraints, the club was dissolved. But a year later the club was re-formed and re-registered with the Sheffield & Hallamshire FA.
Hallam entered their first league competition in 1892 when joining the newly formed Hallamshire League, and they would also play in the Sheffield Minor Cup League, Sheffield Alliance and the Hatchard League as the 19th century came to a close. They won the Hatchard League title for the first time in 1903, and a year later won the league again, though they lost the play-off final played between the top four teams, and so surrendered their title. They also reached the final of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup for the first time in 1904, but lost 1β6 to Barnsley reserves at Bramall Lane.
In 1911 the club first competed in a Football Association (FA) cup competition, when they entered the FA Amateur Cup. Three years later the First World War began, but Hallam continued to play, dropping out of the Hatchard League to join the Sheffield Amateur and Minor Leagues, previously staples of the club's reserve team. Eventually, in 1917, Hallam decided they could no longer keep playing, and suspended playing operations, only re-joining the Sheffield Amateur League after hostilities had ended, in 1919.
In 1925 Hallam pulled off one of their greatest ever results when they knocked out five-time Amateur Cup winners Bishop Auckland in front of over 2,000 people at Sandygate. Two years later the club entered the FA Cup for the first time. After winning the Sheffield Amateur League for the second time in 1927, they were admitted back into the Sheffield Association League.
At the end of the 1932β33 season the landlord of the Plough Inn public house decided to lease Sandygate to other teams (Crookes WMC and later Fulwood) as Hallam were not providing enough bar takings. Although the club retained its affiliation with the local FA, Hallam's eviction from their ground saw them refrain from playing any football for a period of 15 years.
Hallam's return to football came about in 1947 when they finally arranged a return to Sandygate, playing in the Sheffield Amateur League and the re-formed Hatchard League (which they won) before finally re-joining the Sheffield Association League in 1949, winning the title for the first time. A year later Hallam won the Sheffield Senior Cup for the first time when they beat Stocksbridge Works at Hillsborough in front of 7,240 spectators, and in 1952 they entered the Yorkshire League.
That same season an Amateur Cup tie with Dulwich Hamlet was switched to Hillsborough stadium because of increased ticket demands β the attendance of over 13,000 proving to be, a club record. After winning promotion to the top flight of the Yorkshire League for a second time in 1960, Hallam spent twenty years playing at the same level.
The 1982β83 season saw the demise of the old Yorkshire League, with Hallam entering the new Northern Counties East League (NCEL), which demanded more stringent ground grading rules. With only seven years of its ground lease remaining the club could not commit to expensive improvements. Protracted negotiations with the landlord eventually led to a 99 years extension being granted but a large premium was demanded within one year. A massive fund raising effort secured the new lease and continued for the provision of floodlights, first used in 1992, and a stand behind one goal to shelter 100 people.
The club has spent most of its time in the NCEL in the Premier Division (which currently sits at level 9 of the English football league system), and won the League Cup competition in 2004 when beating Mickleover Sports in the final, but in 2011 they were relegated back to the First Division.
In 2012, Sandygate received a much needed facelift, paid for by a posthumous donation by a lifelong supporter who had left the club a substantial amount of money in his will. In 2016 and 2017, the club qualified for the Division One end of season play-offs, but were eliminated in the semi-finals on both occasions.
The appointment of Craig Denton as manager in 2020 was followed by an upturn in results and attendances, and in the 2021β22 season Hallam secured the Division One title and promotion to the NCEL Premier Division, with Sandygate hosting record crowds in excess of 1,100.
Season-by-season recordβ»
Season | Division | Level | Position | FA Cup | FA Amateur Cup | FA Trophy | FA Vase | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1892β93 | Hallamshire League Division One | β | 5th/8 | β | β | β | β | |
1893β94 | Sheffield Minor Cup League (qualifying) | β | 8th/8 | β | β | β | β | |
1894β95 | Sheffield Minor Cup League (qualifying) Hatchard League |
β | 5th/7 1st/6 |
β | β | β | β | Lost league play-off |
1895β96 | Sheffield Minor Cup League (qualifying) Hatchard League |
β | 4th/6 |
β | β | β | β | |
1896β97 | Sheffield Alliance League Division Two | β | 6th/12 | β | β | β | β | |
1897β98 | Sheffield Alliance League | β | 2nd/11 | β | β | β | β | |
1898β99 | Hatchard League | β | 2nd/11 | β | β | β | β | |
1899β1900 | Hatchard League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1900β01 | Hatchard League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1901β02 | Hatchard League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1902β03 | Hatchard League | β | 2nd/8 | β | β | β | β | League champions (won play-off) |
1903β04 | Hatchard League | β | 1st/11 | β | β | β | β | Lost league play-off |
1904β05 | Hatchard League | β | 1st/13 | β | β | β | β | Lost league play-off |
1905β06 | Sheffield Association League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1906β07 | Hatchard League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1907β08 | Hatchard League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1908β09 | Hatchard League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1909β10 | Hatchard League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1910β11 | Hatchard League | β | 3rd/9 | β | β | β | β | |
1911β12 | Hatchard League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1912β13 | Hatchard League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1913β14 | Hatchard League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1914β15 | Sheffield Amateur League | β | β | 2R | β | β | ||
1915β16 | Sheffield Minor League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1916β17 | Sheffield Minor League | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1917β18 | Club did not enter any competitions due to World War I | |||||||
1918β19 | Club did not enter any competitions due to World War I | |||||||
1919β20 | Sheffield Amateur League | β | β | 1R | β | β | ||
1920β21 | Sheffield Amateur League | β | β | 3QR | β | β | ||
1921β22 | Sheffield Amateur League | β | 1st/13 | β | 3QR | β | β | Lost league play-off |
1922β23 | Sheffield Amateur League | β | β | β | β | β | League champions (won play-off) | |
1923β24 | Sheffield Amateur League | β | 4th/15 | β | 4QR | β | β | |
1924β25 | Sheffield Amateur League | β | β | QF | β | β | ||
1925β26 | Sheffield Amateur League | β | β | 3R | β | β | ||
1926β27 | Sheffield Amateur League | β | PR | 1R | β | β | League champions (won play-off) | |
1927β28 | Sheffield Association League | β | 1st/13 | 1QR | 3R | β | β | |
1928β29 | Sheffield Association League | β | 8th/15 | PR | 3R | β | β | |
1929β30 | Sheffield Association League | β | 4th/15 | PR | 2R | β | β | |
1930β31 | Sheffield Association League | β | PR | 1R | β | β | ||
1931β32 | Sheffield Association League Division Two | β | 8th/12 | PR | β | β | β | |
1932β33 | Sheffield Association League Division Two | β | 12th/12 | PR | β | β | β | |
1933β34 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1934β35 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1935β36 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1936β37 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1937β38 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1938β39 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1939β40 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1940β41 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1941β42 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1942β43 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1943β44 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1944β45 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1945β46 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1946β47 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
1947β48 | Sheffield Amateur League | β | β | 2QR | β | β | ||
1948β49 | Hatchard League | β | 1st | β | 4QR | β | β | League champions |
1949β50 | Sheffield Association League | β | 1st/16 | β | 4QR | β | β | League champions (won play-off) |
1950β51 | Sheffield Association League | β | 2nd/15 | EPR | 1R | β | β | |
1951β52 | Sheffield Association League | β | 1QR | 4QR | β | β | ||
1952β53 | Yorkshire League Division Two | β | 11th/14 | 1QR | 3R | β | β | |
1953β54 | Yorkshire League Division Two | β | 8th/16 | 2QR | 3R | β | β | |
1954β55 | Yorkshire League Division Two | β | 10th/16 | 1QR | 2R | β | β | |
1955β56 | Yorkshire League Division Two | β | 5th/16 | 2QR | 1R | β | β | |
1956β57 | Yorkshire League Division Two | β | 2nd/17 | 1QR | 1R | β | β | Promoted |
1957β58 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 14th/18 | 3QR | 4QR | β | β | |
1958β59 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 14th/18 | 2QR | 3R | β | β | |
1959β60 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 17th/18 | β | 2R | β | β | Relegated |
1960β61 | Yorkshire League Division Two | β | 1st/19 | β | 3R | β | β | League champions, promoted |
1961β62 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 8th/16 | β | 1R | β | β | |
1962β63 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 12th/16 | β | 1R | β | β | |
1963β64 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 10th/16 | β | 4QR | β | β | |
1964β65 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 11th/16 | β | 1QR | β | β | |
1965β66 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 12th/16 | β | 1QR | β | β | |
1966β67 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 10th/17 | β | 1R | β | β | |
1967β68 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 15th/17 | β | 1R | β | β | |
1968β69 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 13th/18 | β | 1R | β | β | |
1969β70 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 10th/18 | β | 4QR | β | β | |
1970β71 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 5th/14 | β | 4QR | β | β | |
1971β72 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 9th/16 | β | 1R | β | β | |
1972β73 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 10th/16 | β | 4QR | β | β | |
1973β74 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 5th/16 | β | 3QR | β | β | |
1974β75 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 7th/16 | β | β | PR | β | |
1975β76 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 3rd/16 | β | β | β | 4R | |
1976β77 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 7th/16 | β | β | β | 4R | |
1977β78 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 6th/16 | β | β | β | 3R | |
1978β79 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 10th/16 | β | β | β | 2R | |
1979β80 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 7th/16 | β | β | β | 3R | |
1980β81 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 9th/16 | β | β | β | 5R | |
1981β82 | Yorkshire League Division One | β | 12th/16 | β | β | β | 4R | |
1982β83 | Northern Counties East League Division One South | β | 10th/14 | β | β | β | 3R | |
1983β84 | Northern Counties East League Division One South | β | 9th/14 | β | β | β | 2R | |
1984β85 | Northern Counties East League Division One South | β | 9th/16 | β | β | β | 1R | |
1985β86 | Northern Counties East League Division Two | β | 5th/16 | β | β | β | 1R | Promoted |
1986β87 | Northern Counties East League Division One | β | 6th/18 | β | β | β | 2R | Promoted |
1987β88 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 10th/17 | β | β | β | 1R | |
1988β89 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 12th/17 | β | β | β | PR | |
1989β90 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 14th/18 | β | β | β | EPR | Relegated |
1990β91 | Northern Counties East League Division One | β | 2nd/13 | β | β | β | EPR | |
1991β92 | Northern Counties East League Division One | β | 5th/16 | β | β | β | 1R | |
1992β93 | Northern Counties East League Division One | β | 3rd/14 | β | β | β | PR | |
1993β94 | Northern Counties East League Division One | β | 2nd/15 | β | β | β | 1R | Promoted |
1994β95 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 17th/20 | 1QR | β | β | PR | |
1995β96 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 17th/20 | 1QR | β | β | 1QR | |
1996β97 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 7th/20 | PR | β | β | 3R | |
1997β98 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 17th/20 | β | β | β | 2QR | |
1998β99 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 4th/20 | β | β | β | 2R | |
1999β2000 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 12th/20 | PR | β | β | 1QR | |
2000β01 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 5th/20 | PR | β | β | 2QR | |
2001β02 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 3rd/20 | 1QR | β | β | 3R | |
2002β03 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 17th/20 | 1QR | β | β | 1R | |
2003β04 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | β | 15th/20 | PR | β | β | 2R | |
2004β05 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 15th/20 | PR | β | β | 1R | |
2005β06 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 17th/20 | PR | β | β | 1QR | |
2006β07 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 14th/20 | 2QR | β | β | 1QR | |
2007β08 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 6th/20 | 1QR | β | β | 3R | |
2008β09 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 10th/20 | EPR | β | β | 1R | |
2009β10 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 15th/20 | 1QR | β | β | 2R | |
2010β11 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 19th/20 | EPR | β | β | 1R | Relegated |
2011β12 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 14th/20 | EPR | β | β | 1QR | |
2012β13 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 12th/22 | EPR | β | β | 1QR | |
2013β14 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 20th/22 | β | β | β | 1QR | |
2014β15 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 14th/22 | β | β | β | 2QR | |
2015β16 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 6th/21 | β | β | β | 2R | |
2016β17 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 5th/22 | EPR | β | β | 2R | |
2017β18 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 8th/22 | PR | β | β | 2QR | |
2018β19 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 3rd/20 | EPR | β | β | 2R | |
2019β20 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | β | EPR | β | β | 1QR | League season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic |
2020β21 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | β | β | β | β | 2R | League season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic |
2021β22 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 1st/21 | β | β | β | 1QR | League champions, promoted |
2022β23 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 6th/20 | EPR | β | β | 2R | |
2023β24 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 9th/20 | EPR | β | β | 5R | |
Season | Division | Level | Position | FA Cup | FA Amateur Cup | FA Trophy | FA Vase | Notes |
Source: Football Club History Database |
Current squadβ»
- As of 14 June 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Notable former playersβ»
Players that have played in the Football League either before. Or after playing for Hallam β
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Groundβ»
Sandygate, Crosspool, Sheffield, UK, S10 5SE.
Sandygate is a football and cricket stadium in the Sheffield suburb of Crosspool, South Yorkshire, England. It is home to Hallam F.C. and Hallam C.C.
First opened in 1804, Hallam have played at the ground since 1860. Sandygate has been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the "Oldest Football Ground in the World". On 26 December 1860, the world's first inter-club football match was played at the ground, Hallam taking on Sheffield F.C.
The ground offers viewing for spectators from 3 sides of the pitch. The Shed End, the Main Stand and the Cricket Net End.
- The Shed End
The Shed End is a covered terrace behind the goal on the Sandygate Road side of the ground. This mainly houses the vocal home supporters and is where the bulk of the atmosphere is created.
Galleryβ»
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The cover at the north side of the ground in 2010
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The refurbished clubhouse and main stand in 2014
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The pitch, with cricket ground at the west end of the ground, in 2014
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Hallam (in blue) on the attack in an NCEL match against Louth Town in 2014. The new clubhouse and main stand are in the background
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World record certificate for Sandygate
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World record certificate for the Youdan Cup win
Honoursβ»
Leagueβ»
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Cupβ»
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Recordsβ»
- Best FA Cup performance: 3rd Qualifying Round, 1957β58
- Best FA Amateur Cup performance: Quarter-finals, 1924β25
- Best FA Trophy performance: Preliminary Round, 1974β75
- Best FA Vase performance: 5th Round, 1980β81, 2023β24
- Record attendance β 2,000 vs. Hendon, FA Amateur Cup, 1958β59 (at Hillsborough β 13,855 vs. Dulwich Hamlet, FA Amateur Cup, 1952β53)
Referencesβ»
- ^ Steele, John A (2010). The Countrymen: History of Hallam Football Club. Northern Map Distributors.
- ^ Hallam Northern Counties East League Premier Division
- ^ "World's oldest football teams play in derby". BBC News. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ Murphy, Brendan (2007). From Sheffield with Love. SportBooks Limited. ISBN 978-1-899807-56-7.
- ^ History Archived 20 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine Hallam FC
- ^ Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 28 December 1860
- ^ "World's oldest football trophy 'not for sale'". BBC News. 14 October 2014.
- ^ Hallam Football Club History Database
- ^ Honours Northern Counties East League
- ^ . World's oldest football ground receives financial boost BBC
- ^ "Hallam".
- ^ "World's oldest football teams play in derby". BBC. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
External linksβ»
- Hallam F.C.
- Football clubs in England
- Football clubs in South Yorkshire
- Association football clubs established in 1860
- 1860 establishments in England
- Sports clubs and teams in Sheffield
- Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA members
- Hatchard League
- Sheffield Amateur League
- Sheffield Association League
- Yorkshire Football League
- Northern Counties East Football League