Sheffield Home of Football: Plan moves step forward after launch of football archive and library

By Claire Lewis

Editor

Published 20th Mar 2022, 15:00 GMT

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A plan for Sheffield to become the ‘Home of Football’ took a step forward this weekend with the launch of a football archive and football library in the city.

During an event in Sheffield yesterday, the Martin Westby Sheffield Football Archive was launched along with the Sheffield Football Library.

Campaign kicks off for Sheffield to become the Home of Football

Mr Westby was a local football historian and Sheffield Home of Football trustee who had a vision he had for a football archive in Sheffield that would become a place where future football historians and researchers could delve into the history of the game and Sheffield residents could find out about and be inspired by their city’s sporting heritage.

Geoffrey Norton, from Sheffield, is the great great nephew of Sir Nathaniel Creswick, who co-founded Sheffield FC with William Prest.
He is pictured holding Sir Nathaniel's journal, dating back to 1857, in which he documented that he had set up the club. — Geoffrey Norton, from Sheffield, is the great great nephew of Sir Nathaniel Creswick, who co-founded Sheffield FC with William Prest. He is pictured holding Sir Nathaniel's journal, dating back to 1857, in which he documented that he had set up the club.

Geoffrey Norton, from Sheffield, is the great great nephew of Sir Nathaniel Creswick, who co-founded Sheffield FC with William Prest.
He is pictured holding Sir Nathaniel's journal, dating back to 1857, in which he documented that he had set up the club. — Geoffrey Norton, from Sheffield, is the great great nephew of Sir Nathaniel Creswick, who co-founded Sheffield FC with William Prest. He is pictured holding Sir Nathaniel's journal, dating back to 1857, in which he documented that he had set up the club.

He passed away in 2020 but the archive has since become a reality and has been named after him.

The Sheffield Home Of Football strategy was launched in March 2020 aimed at preserving and celebrating the city’s footballing history.

The world’s oldest football club, Sheffield FC, was formed in the city in 1857 and the rules of the game were drawn up in the city.

MORE: Sheffield 'home of football': Council reveals when decision on £100m plan will be made

At yesterday’s event, the Sheffield Football Library was also officially launched in a joint initiative with The Great Save, an organisation dedicated to preserving the UK’s national footballing history and memorabilia.

To launch the library, the great great nephew of Sir Nathaniel Creswick, who co-founded Sheffield FC with William Prest in 1857, donated his ancestor's journal in which he documented that he had formed the club.

Mr Norton said he proud do donate the precious journal.

“It is where it belongs – it belongs to the city of Sheffield, which is rightly recognised as the birthplace of the first football club in the world,” he said.

The journal is to be scanned so that it can be viewed digitally by members of the public.

Councillor Terry Fox, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “This is a moment in time for Sheffield. We have to grab the opportunity with both hands to become known as the Home of Football. Developments like this, the archive and the library, are really important.

“They are key pieces in the jigsaw and our offer.”

Sheffield Norton Terry Fox Council

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