World's first club Sheffield FC say Super League proposals "go against everything that football stands for"

Six Premier League sides - Arsenal Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham - are part of an initial group of 12 clubs seeking to establish a new 20-team continental competition "as soon as practicable" – in a move that could change the face of football as we know it.

The plans have been met with widespread opposition since they were revealed, with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin calling the proposal “disgraceful” and “self-serving” from clubs “fuelled purely by greed”.

Ceferin also insisted players who represent clubs competing in the European Super League will be banned from international competitions, despite pre-emptive legal moves by the new organisation.

Prince Abdullah, the Sheffield United owner, appeared to set out United’s position on the plans in a tweet this morning, when he suggested the best way to “kill” the idea.

And Sheffield FC added today in a statement of their own: “As the world's first football club formed in 1857, we have played the game and honoured its traditions continually for 164 years.

"We regard ourselves as custodians of the beautiful game, and as such we are deeply concerned about the proposed European Super League and what it means for the future of the sport.

“We would like to have it on record that Sheffield FC strongly opposes the formation of a new European Super League, and we maintain the opinion that it goes against everything that football stands for.

“Sheffield FC would like to reassure its members, fans and supporters that we are fully committed to preserving the time-honoured values associated with our beloved game, and we will continue to promote integrity, respect and community within football.”

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham will join the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus in the new league, which aims to establish a "new midweek competition" with teams continuing to "compete in their respective national leagues" – with a huge financial advantage, with around £3billion to be shared between the founding clubs of the new league.