The blue plaque marks the first football ‘away’ match
A new blue plaque has been unveiled beneath Wicker Arches in Sheffield to mark the 160th anniversary of the world’s first inter-city football match and away game.
On 2 January 1865 a Sheffield FC squad boarded a train at Midland station at the old vicar to travel to Nottingham, where they played Nottinghamshire.
This is the latest in a Number of plaques unveiled by the charity Sheffield Home of Football (SHOF).
Football historian and SHOF trustee Stephen Wood said: “As football fans we take the game for granted, but it was first attended 160 years ago today.”
The game was played at the Meadows Cricket Ground, Nottingham. The Nottinghamshire team, which later became Notts County, had been formed at the George Hotel the previous month.
Sheffield Football Club, founded in 1857 and considered the world’s first team, won the game 1–0.
A blue plaque has been placed on an archway on Walker Street in the Vicar area of Sheffield.
The inscription, which provides further details about that day, reads: “Making a triumphant return with the match ball, Sheffield’s victorious players carried it through the streets of Sheffield to Broomhill. From this point football fans used the railways to send game ball across the United Kingdom and later around the world “
This latest plaque is just the start of the football charity’s ambitious plans.
According to Mr Wood, Sheffield is “the largest open-air museum on the planet”.
“We will continue to move forward with more statues and plaques.” He said.
“The city is the home of football and we want UNESCO World Heritage recognition.”
