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Sheffield FC: Music Star Aims to Revive Football's Birthplace
9 Apr
Summary
- Jon McClure aims to return Sheffield FC to the city where football began.
- The club, founded in 1857, invented football and codified its rules.
- McClure's strategy includes boosting junior and women's sections.
Jon McClure, lead singer of Reverend and The Makers, has taken on the role of chairman for Sheffield FC, the world's oldest football club. McClure, a proud Sheffield native, is part of a new ownership group focused on revitalizing the ninth-tier club. His ambition extends beyond immediate team performance; he aims to bring the club back to Sheffield, its original home.
Founded in 1857, Sheffield FC holds a significant place in sporting history as the inventor of football and the codifier of its rules. McClure believes this rich heritage has been inadequately promoted. He intends to leverage this global recognition to boost tourism and re-establish the club as a vital cultural asset for the city, drawing parallels to how other cities promote their history.
McClure's strategic vision includes bolstering the club's junior and women's sections and developing an academy. He acknowledges the challenges, including past "dysfunction" and the club's current location in Dronfield, Derbyshire. His long-term goal is to create the political conditions necessary to return the club to Sheffield, truly bringing "football home" to where it all began.
