Scotts celebrate sponsorship of Sheffield FC
Menswear specialist scotts today shine a light on the proud community spirit and stored history of Sheffield FC by sharing a new short film about the world’s oldest football team. The video is the latest collaboration between the two after scotts signed up as the team’s official shirt sponsors for the 2022-23 season.
The film shows that life at Sheffield FC is a world away from the big money and bright lights of the Premier League. Yet Sheffield FC have something that money can’t buy. Aside from their storied heritage, Sheffield FC is a club in which its players, supporters and staff combine to create a vibrant local community based on a shared love of football.
Fans return year-after-year knowing that their attendance makes a real difference to the club’s fortunes. They also have a personal connection with the players, many of whom will not only join fans for a post-match pint, but live and work within the local area. It’s an ethos which spreads beyond the first team, too, with Sheffield FC also running junior teams, women’s teams and a walking football team, which provides an opportunity for older people and those with mobility issues to continue to play the game.
The film speaks to a variety of key figures at the club including First Team Manager Ryan Cresswell, Assistant Manager and midfielder Jamie Yates, and the club’s General Manager Richard Sheldon. Together they reveal their hopes and aspirations for this season and beyond, but also the importance of the club’s heart in the local area.
Ryan Cresswell says, “It’s the passion and the honesty of the working class that get out to the local teams and support them. You’ve got fans that have been supporting this club for 30, 40, 50 years. The fans have got a connection with the players, and the players have got a connection with the fans that’s a lot deeper than what you have higher up.”
The film also speaks to Joe Maguire, the defender whose brother, Harry plays for Manchester United and England. Joe follows in the footsteps of his father, Alan, who played for Sheffield FC for many years. It also highlights teenage fan Tino, who shows that grassroots football is connecting with a new younger following too. In addition to the interviews, the video also compiles match day footage, clips of a training session, and a pre-match team talk.
Sheffield FC were formed in 1857 and are recognised by FIFA as the world’s oldest existing football club. It’s a claim to fame which brings international attention to their modest home on the outskirts of the city. They’re currently competing in the Northern Premier League East (level 8 of English football, seven tiers below the Premier League) and attract approximately 400 fans to home games. Their season continues tomorrow with an away game at Grimsby Borough.