Hard Facts What: The first Pioneers Cup When: kick-off 6pm, November 16 th, 2013 Where: Who: Why: Home of Football Sheffield FC Stadium Sheffield Road - Dronfield, S18 2GD The oldest football clubs from: Italy: Genoa CFC (1893) Spain: R.C. Recreativo de Huelva (1889) England: Sheffield FC (1857) To remember and cherish football s first pioneers and the true values of the game, promoting grass roots and amateur football back to the roots!
Time Table Friday, November 15 th 01.4 pm Press conference with representatives of R.C. Recreativo de Huelva, Genoa CFC and Sheffield FC to introduce the newly formed Club of Pioneers, the pioneering history of each club and the idea for the very first Pioneers Cup >>> Beauchief Hotel, 161 Abbeydale Rd S, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S7 2QW Saturday, November 16 th 3 pm FA Trophy 3 rd qualifying round: Sheffield FC vs. Gresley FC Home match of SFC First Team with a tribute to the guests and clubs from Spain and Italy >>> Home of Football, Sheffield FC Stadium, Sheffield Road, Dronfield, S18 2GD ------------ 1. 6 pm R.C. Recreativo de Huelva (Spain) vs. Sheffield FC (England) 7.30 pm Genoa CFC (Italy) vs. R.C. Recreativo de Huelva (Spain) 1. 9 pm Sheffield FC (England) vs. Genoa CFC (Italy)
Event Information Initiative & Members Together with the oldest football clubs from Italy (Genoa CFC) and Spain (R.C. Recreativo de Huelva), the World s First Club Sheffield FC is staging the first tournament and joint celebration of football, the first official Pioneers Cup, to be staged in Sheffield, the Home of Football Event The Pioneers Cup will be a friendly tournament played by special pioneer teams of all three clubs, featuring Veterans, fans and former club legends playing for the love of the game Rules & Regulations The tournaments features three matches with two matches for every team, every match being played at 2x30 minutes All teams can involve up to 30 in their playing squad for the tournament with no limit on substitutes The tournament shall be played under the banner of the values of the Club of Pioneers: Integrity, Respect and Community
Extended Media Program Meet & Greet with the Chairman of the World s First Football Club Sheffield FC Visit the oldest football ground (Olive Grove) and the oldest existing football stadium (Hallam FC Stadium) Discover the grave and castle of Nathaniel Creswick (founder of Sheffield FC) and meet his 86 year old ancestor Geoffrey Norton Explore the history of Sheffield United FC and Sheffield Wednesday and the oldest professional football ground Bramall Lane A tour along the Sheffield pubs and its famous local brewery Thornbridge Become member of the World s First Football Club, sign the official guest book at the ground and bring a souvenir for the global Wall of Fans, in the Sheffield FC Stadium
Media Accreditation & Press Material Local media contact: Bob Dyson (bob@sheffieldfc.com) National & International media contact: Robert Zitzmann (robert@sheffieldfc.com) Content: For more press material and artwork (e.g. Pioneers Cup Logo), please visit our press page (sheffieldfc.com/press) Get in touch with us for your personal media accreditation and editorial plan for your trip to Sheffield, so that we can provide you with all the necessary information regarding the schedule, make sure that your production process on the event is perfect, we can organise your individual requests, e.g. interviews, bookings etc.
Accommodation References Best Western Sheffield Official Partner Hotel of The World s First Football Club BEST WESTERN Cutlers Hotel George Street, Sheffield, S Yorkshire, S1 2PF United Kingdom Phone Bookings: + 44 (0) 8457 76 76 76 Inquiries: + 44 (0) 114 273 9939 Contact: Bob Dyson, bob@sheffieldfc.com
Accommodation References Hilton Sheffield Hotel Victoria Quays, Furnival Road, Sheffield S4 7YB Tel: +44 (0)11 4252 5500 Room Rate (Double/ B&B)*: 99 Copthorne Hotel Sheffield Bramall Lane, Sheffield S2 4SU Tel: +44 (0)11 4252 5480 Room Rate (Double/ B&B)*: 65 The Beauchief 161 Abbeydale Road South, Sheffield S7 2QW Tel: +44 (0)11 4235 5100 Room Rate (Double/ B&B)*: 70 * Prices based on advanced bookings. Pictures: www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/hilton-sheffield-hotel-szdshhn/index.html; www.millenniumhotels.co.uk/copthornesheffield/abouthotel/; www.thebeauchief.com/about.html
Location & Directions For Internationals: Flight to Manchester Airport (MAN) Train to Sheffield/ Dronfield Station (www.trainlines.co.uk) 10 minutes walk to Stadium from Dronfield Station For Locals: From Centre to Stadium Bus Number 43, 43a or 44 Duration: 25 minutes approx. All buses depart Arundel Gate and Flat Street in City Centre Address Sheffield Football Club Home of Football Sheffield Road Dronfield, S18 2GD United Kingdom Click here to view
Club of Pioneers Introduction Background The Club of Pioneers is a project driven by the Foundation of the World's First Football Club, the Sheffield Football Club Foundation (sheffieldfc.com/foundation) Mission The inspiration of the Club of Pioneers is to unite the oldest football clubs of every country in the world under one banner the family tree of football (1857-football.com) Through the growing global network and historical knowledge about the pioneering roots of football, the aim is to promote amateur and grass roots football through joint diverse projects Journey Since January 2013, the Sheffield FC Foundation is on tour to discover and unite the oldest football clubs around the world. So far the first clubs from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Spain, Italy and Malta have joined the Club of Pioneers. Values All members of the Club of Pioneers commit to protect the founding principles and original values of the game of football: Integrity, Respect and Community.
Club of Pioneers Honorary Members
The World s First Football Club Background Story 1857 Two Pioneers from Sheffield In 1857, the two friends Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest founded and established the World s First and Oldest Football Club: Sheffield FC. 1859 The First Rulebook In the following years, the two gentlemen wrote the first official rules and laws for the new game of Foot-Ball and defined its principles and values: Integrity, Respect, Community.
The World s First Football Club Background Story 1885 Birth of Amateur Football Ever since Sheffield FC is by nature a pure amateur club playing non-professional football since 1857. In 1885, the club founded the first amateur football competition and declined to join the professional league started by the FA. FIFA Order of Merit Together with Real Madrid, Sheffield FC was rewarded with the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit for their achievements in football and for society worldwide, officially recognised as The World s First and Oldest Football Club. 2004 2010 Sheffield Football Club Foundation To protect the club s heritage and its founding amateur status, the Sheffield Football Club Foundation was founded in 2010. Beyond the preservation of the club s identity, the foundation develops local and international projects for future pioneers of grass roots football.
Sheffield Football Club Foundation Home of Football Sheffield Road Dronfield, S18 2GD United Kingdom www.sheffieldfc.com www.1857-football.com contact: robert@sheffieldfc.com