ON THIS DAY: 1857: Sheffield FC, the world's oldest football club is born - PICTURES AND VIDEO

Exactly 160 years ago today, an event happened in Sheffield that would shape the world of sport forever.
Pele unveils a collection of Sheffeld FC memorabilia in 2007.Pele unveils a collection of Sheffeld FC memorabilia in 2007.
Pele unveils a collection of Sheffeld FC memorabilia in 2007.

For it was on this day back in 1857 that Sheffield FC, the world's oldest football club was formed - and of course, their formation, was responsible for the creation and shaping of the beautiful game in all corners of the globe.

So how did it all start? Let's take a trip down memory lane to how Sheffield became the birthplace of football.

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The club's foundations stretch back to 1855 when members of a Sheffield cricket club organised informal kick-abouts without any official rules.

Celebrations marking the 150th anniversary in 2007.Celebrations marking the 150th anniversary in 2007.
Celebrations marking the 150th anniversary in 2007.

Subsequently two members, Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest, formed the Sheffield Football Club.

The inaugural meeting of the club took place on 24 October 1857 at Parkfield House in Highfield and the original headquarters was a greenhouse on East Bank Road lent by Thomas Asline Ward, father of the first club president Frederick Ward - and the adjacent field was used as their first playing ground.

Initially, Sheffield FC games were played among club members themselves and took the format of "Married v Singles" or "Professionals v the Rest".

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Creswick and Prest were responsible for drawing up the club's rules of play, which were decided upon at the club's AGM on 21 October 1858.

England 1966 winner Sir Geoff Hurst has visited Sheffield FC's stadium in the past.England 1966 winner Sir Geoff Hurst has visited Sheffield FC's stadium in the past.
England 1966 winner Sir Geoff Hurst has visited Sheffield FC's stadium in the past.

They were referred to as the Sheffield Rules, and were the first official set of rules and laws for the game of football.

At the time, before the formation of the Football Association, many different kinds of football were popular in England.

For example, each of the various public schools played football according to their own individual rules, and these varied widely. The Sheffield Rules were later adopted by the Sheffield Football Association when it was formed in 1867.

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Sheffield's near neighbour, Hallam, was formed in 1860 and in the same year the two clubs first met each other in a local derby which is still contested today.

Pele was made an honorary Sheffield FC member.Pele was made an honorary Sheffield FC member.
Pele was made an honorary Sheffield FC member.

By 1862 there were 15 clubs in the Sheffield area.

They became members of The Football Association on 30 November 1863 but continued to use their own set of rules.

On 2 January 1865, the club played its first fixture outside Sheffield against Nottingham, playing eighteen-a-side under Nottingham Rules.

By this time the club had decided only to play teams outside Sheffield in order to seek a bigger challenge. Sheffield clubs finally adopted the FA rules in 1878.

The first known photo of Sheffield FC, formed in 1857.The first known photo of Sheffield FC, formed in 1857.
The first known photo of Sheffield FC, formed in 1857.
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In 1873 the club entered the FA Cup for the first time, their first ever tie in the competition, against Shropshire Wanderers, being decided after a replay by a coin toss; the only time in the history of the competition that a tie has been decided in this way.

Sheffield's decline from the top echelon of football began with the introduction of professionalism in July 1885, with the amateurs of Sheffield failing to compete with professional teams, losing heavily that year to Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Notts County.

After the turn of the century, Sheffield competed mainly in local leagues and the club now plays in the Northern Premier League Division One South.

The club marked its 150th anniversary in 2007 with a visit from Brazilian legend Pele and England 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst has also been a visitor to the club's Coach and Horses Ground in Dronfield.

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And In October 2007, FIFA president Sepp Blatter attended the club's anniversary dinner, and the following month the club played anniversary celebration matches against Internazionale and Ajax at Bramall Lane.

As part of his visit, Pelé opened an exhibition which included the first public showing in 40 years of the original hand-written rules of football.

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter unveils a tribute to the founders of Sheffield FC with Richard Caborn and chairman Richard Tims in 2007.Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter unveils a tribute to the founders of Sheffield FC with Richard Caborn and chairman Richard Tims in 2007.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter unveils a tribute to the founders of Sheffield FC with Richard Caborn and chairman Richard Tims in 2007.

In 2004 they were given the FIFA Order of Merit – an award given to only one other club: Real Madrid – and in 2007 they were inducted into the English football hall of fame, to commemorate their 150th anniversary.

On the pitch, the club's finest hour came in 1904 when they won the FA Amateur Cup, a competition conceived after a suggestion by Sheffield. They also finished as runners up of the FA Vase in 1977.