Football is today a global sport, played and watched by billions of people, but the beautiful game as we know it was forged in Sheffield.
The Steel City boasts the world's oldest club, Sheffield FC, and its oldest ground, Hallam FC's Sandygate stadium.
Without Sheffield, football as we know it probably wouldn't exist. It was the set of laws formed in the city which provided the foundation on which modern football was built.
The Sheffield Rules of 1858, approved in a meeting at the Adelphi Hotel, long since demolished to make way for the Crucible Theatre, provided the blueprints for the game enjoyed the world over today.
They marked the move towards the dribbling, passing game and away from the rougher, literally more hands on version widely played up until that point.
Under those first rules, handling was forbidden, though 'pushing' or 'hitting' the ball with your hands was still permitted, as was a 'fair catch', where the ball is caught from another player without it having touched the ground. 'Hacking', tripping or holding opposition players was also banned, though 'pushing' or 'charging' was allowed.
Free kicks, throw-ins and goal kicks were all included, with later additions including the introduction of referees, linespeople and corners.
It was not until 1863 that the London-based Football Association was formed and published its own rules, with the rival codes existing together and influencing each other until the FA laws were eventually adopted by the Sheffield FA.
Sheffield would continue to influence the game with more firsts, including the first game played under floodlights, which took place at Bramall Lane.
Despite this, Sheffield often doesn't get the credit it deserves, which is why the Sheffield Home of Football charity was set up to change that and create a museum celebrating the city's sporting heritage.
John Clarke, the charity's secretary, urged people to show their support by visiting its website at sheffieldhomeoffootball.org, where you can take a look at the virtual museum being created, find out about the many events taking place and make a donation to the cause.
Below are just some of the many key aspects of the modern game for which football is forever indebted to Sheffield.
9. Penalties
This is a more dubious claim. The idea of a penalty goal for fouls within 2 yards of the goal was first suggested at a Sheffield FA meeting in 1879 but later rescinded as it was deemed to be too generous. It was another 12 years until the penalty kick was introduced in 1891. Sheffield was responsible for the penalty arc 'D', which was first suggested in the city in 1924, 13 years before becoming part of the FA rules. Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images | Getty Images
10. Goalkeepers
Goalkeepers worldwide owe their existence to Sheffield. It was a brawl during a game between Hallam and Sheffield in 1862, which became known as the Battle of Bramall, that led to their introduction. A Hallam player was sent to guard the goal as a punishment for his part in the disorder. The Sheffield Rules sometimes referred to the goalkeeper as the player nearest their own goal, who was entitled to handle the ball, but this was not restricted to one player initially. Photo by EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP via Getty Images | AFP via Getty Images
11. Bending it like Beckham
Free kick takers owe a debt to the football pioneers of Sheffield, who developed the 'screw shot', better known today as the 'banana' shot, during the late 1870s. Perhaps the most famous proponent of the technique, in which spin is applied to the ball to curve the trajectory, remains David Beckham. His free kick prowess helped inspire the film Bend It Like Beckham. Photo: Getty Images | AFP via Getty Images