This is how the world's oldest football club's original ground looks now, as plaque unveiled
Blue plaque tells where iconic Sheffield FC played their first games nearly 170 years ago
Today, it is one of Sheffield’s busiest roads, surrounded by industry.
But 170 years ago, what is now Queen’s Road was a very different location - with its own place in the history of football.
Now, the organisation Sheffield Home of Football has placed a plaque on a wall near the Screwfix shop on the street, to draw attention to the nearby site, East Bank, which was once the first home ground of the world’s oldest football club.
Sheffield FC was set up in 1857, and SHOF say they played their games at what was then called Strawberry Hall Lane.
Denise Fox, SHOF’s chairman, unveiled the plaque this morning, in front of a small gathering.
SHOF campaigner, Steve Wood, told The Star that back in 1857, Sheffield had played their first matches on fields which are now the site of the B&Q car park.
In those days the club had a clubhouse near the pitch. There were two pitches, although the lower one was said to be prone to flooding.
He said: “Players got changed and ran out onto the fields to play the brand of football that they preferred. They were the first modern association football club, as recognised by FIFA.”
Sheffield went on to write the first known set of rules of the game in 1858, introducing crossbars, free kicks and corners.
The plaque states: “The first modern home of Association Football, East Bank. The world’s oldest Association Football Club Sheffield FC played opposite this location, 1857-1873.”
The club then moved to Bramall Lane, before it became home to Sheffield United.
Among those at the launch were youngsters Billy and Eddy Allerton, with their mum and dad Jen and Bill.
Bill works for the business which owns the building where the plaque has been placed, and SHOF handed the boys copies of a new book they have published describing how football started in Sheffield.
The two are the first children to receive a copy of the book, which SHOF plans to give to schools across the city.
Their mum Jen said: “The boys are planning to take it in to show their friends at Monteney Primary School.”