{"id":61648,"date":"2024-05-17T14:50:07","date_gmt":"2024-05-17T14:50:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/?p=61648"},"modified":"2024-05-17T14:55:39","modified_gmt":"2024-05-17T14:55:39","slug":"watch-plaque-to-celebrate-worlds-first-church-football-club-unveiled-in-sheffield-gym-carpark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/index.php\/2024\/05\/17\/watch-plaque-to-celebrate-worlds-first-church-football-club-unveiled-in-sheffield-gym-carpark\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch: Plaque to celebrate \u2018world\u2019s first church football club\u2019 unveiled in Sheffield gym carpark"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The first in a new series of blue plaques<\/a> to raise awareness of Sheffield\u2019s \u2018unique football history\u2019 was unveiled today (May 17).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plaque commemorates Cemetery Road Church FC<\/a>, which was the first football club in the world to originate from a church. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The church on Napier Street no longer exists, with the site now taken up as a Nuffield Health Sheffield Fitness and Wellbeing Gym<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve Wood, Trustee of the Sheffield Home of Football Charity<\/a>, said: \u201cThere are some very famous clubs who started from church communities, such as Man City, Aston Villa and Liverpool. It\u2019s so special we can celebrate Cemetery Road Church FC in Sheffield being the first.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The earliest records of the team are from a club meeting on the 5 November 1861.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicki Cox, Operations Manager of Nuffield Health, said: \u201cIt\u2019s been a fantastic atmosphere today at Nuffield. We\u2019re extremely honoured that we\u2019ve got the first plaque to be unveiled in this series. To have the Dean of Sheffield here has been absolutely amazing. It\u2019s a real honour.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information on the brand-new series of plaques, visit https:\/\/sheffieldhomeoffootball.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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