 | ||||
| Full name | Hallam Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Countrymen | |||
| Founded | 1887; 139 years ago (1887)[1] | |||
| Ground | Sandygate | |||
| Capacity | 1,665 (250 seated)[2] | |||
| Coordinates | 53°22′35″N1°31′52″W / 53.37639°N 1.53111°W /53.37639; -1.53111 | |||
| Chairman | Richard Pillinger | |||
| Manager | Craig Denton | |||
| League | Northern Premier League Division One East | |||
| 2024–25 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division, 2nd of 20 (promoted via play-offs) | |||
| Website | https://www.hallamfc.co.uk/ | |||
Hallam Football Club is anEnglishfootball club based inCrosspool,Sheffield,South Yorkshire. Hallam have played at theirSandygate home in the Sheffield suburb ofCrosspool since 1860, with the ground being officially recognised by theGuinness Book of Records as "The Oldest Football Ground in the World".[3] In 1867, the club made history by winning the world's first ever football tournament, theYoudan Cup.[4] Hallam F.C. is also credited with having some of the earliest evidence of passing in football.
Hallam currently play in theNorthern Premier League Division One East, at the eighth level of theEnglish football league system.
The football club can trace its links to 1804, when the owner of the Plough Inn public house on Sandygate Road agreed to allow a newcricket club, Hallam CC, to start playing on an adjacent field he owned.
The club had in excess of 300 members by the 1850s,[5] and in 1860 it decided to form a football club to oppose Sheffield F.C., formed three years earlier. This Hallam Football Club team was made up of players from the Hallamshire militia.[6] On Boxing Day 1860, the two clubs played each other atSandygate for the first time. This was the first inter-club match ever played in history.[6] The match report for the game in theSheffield Daily Telegraph[7] states that the game was played between 16 of Sheffield and 16 of Hallam and Stumperlowe (Stumperlowe being a hamlet half a mile fromSandygate).[1]
The Hallam Football Club's founder and captain, John Charles Shaw, soon became President of theSheffield Football Association which organised matches according to the locally preferred rules for its growing number of member clubs. Shaw was directly instrumental, with Charles Alcock of the London-basedFootball Association, in the formation of nationally accepted rules for playing the game. Shaw and Alcock were the respective captains in the first game between a Sheffield XI and a London XI, in 1871, in which the preferred rules were tried out.
Although professionalism began to creep into the game during the 1870s and 1880s, Hallam chose to remain fully amateur. In the summer of 1886, for reasons unknown but likely because of financial constraints, the club was dissolved, but a year later the club was re-formed and re-registered with the Sheffield & Hallamshire FA.[1]
In 1867, Hallam won the first ever football competition, theYoudan Cup. The trophy was subsequently misplaced by the club, and did not resurface again until 1997 when a Scottish antiques collector who had come into possession of the silver trophy sold it back to the club for £2,000. In 2014 the trophy was featured on theBBC programmeAntiques Roadshow, where it was valued at £100,000. Club chairman Chris Taylor subsequently said the club had no plans to sell the trophy.[8]
"THE YOUDAN FOOTBALL CUP. -The Hallam and Norfolk Football Clubs played the final match for this prize at Brammall-lane Cricket Ground, Sheffield, on Shrove Tuesday. The toss for choice of goals was won by Norfolk, who kicked with the wind, but were unable to score. After playing half time ends were changed, when it was soon evident the Hallamites had the game in their own hands. After half an hour's play the ball was kicked by Elliott, not through the goal, but just over it, and was touched down be Ash in splendid style, after running round two of his opponents before getting to the ball, thus securing a rouge. The Norfolk captain immediately kicked off, thus hoping to secure a goal for his side whilst his opponents were off their guard, but in their haste and confusion they left their goal unprotected, which was taken advantage of by one of the Hallam players securing another rouge, when time was called. Thus, Hallam won scoring two rouges to their opponent's nothing." Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle, Saturday, 9 March 1867[9]
Being the first recognized football competition and given Hallam's controversial method of victory, the Youdan Cup was influential in shaping the rules of early football matches. The regulations for the cup were determined by the Youdan Prize committee, which Hallam's captain John Charles Shaw was a member of. As for the rules of the competition, there is still debate of which ruleset was used, London or Sheffield. It is clear however that elements of both rulesets and experimentation of rules was a part of the cup. After the first round of play, the committee would expand referee powers for throw in infringements due to the Sheffield six-yard rule not being in play.[10] Importantly rouges (a Sheffield rule) were allowed, which were "obtained by grounding the ball between rouge flags four yards apart either side of the goalposts."[10] This rule would ultimately decide the outcome of the cup and victory for Hallam. John Charles Shaw would continue to be an important administerial figure in the early game; in 1868 he was elected vice president of the Sheffield FA, becoming president in 1869 and holding the position for the next 14 years.[11]
More reporting regarding Hallam's play at the Cup:
Sheffield and Rotherham Independent, 4 March, (1867) "The Youdan Football Cup"[12]
Hallam entered their first league competition in 1892 when joining the newly formed Hallamshire League, and they would also play in the Sheffield Minor Cup League, Sheffield Alliance and theHatchard League as the 19th century came to a close.[1] They won the Hatchard League title for the first time in 1903, and a year later won the league again, though they lost the play-off final played between the top four teams, and so surrendered their title. They also reached the final of theSheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup for the first time in 1904, but lost 1–6 toBarnsley reserves atBramall Lane.
In 1911 the club first competed in aFootball Association (FA) cup competition, when they entered theFA Amateur Cup. Three years later theFirst World War began, but Hallam continued to play, dropping out of the Hatchard League to join the Sheffield Amateur and Minor Leagues, previously staples of the club's reserve team. Eventually, in 1917, Hallam decided they could no longer keep playing, and suspended playing operations, only re-joining theSheffield Amateur League after hostilities had ended, in 1919.[1]
In 1925 Hallam pulled off one of their greatest ever results when they knocked out five-time Amateur Cup winnersBishop Auckland in front of over 2,000 people atSandygate. Two years later the club entered theFA Cup for the first time. After winning theSheffield Amateur League for the second time in 1927, they were admitted back into the Sheffield Association League.
At the end of the 1932–33 season the landlord of the Plough Inn public house decided to leaseSandygate to other teams (Crookes WMC and laterFulwood) as Hallam were not providing enough bar takings. Although the club retained its affiliation with the local FA, Hallam's eviction from their ground saw them refrain from playing any football for a period of 15 years.[1]
Hallam's return to football came about in 1947 when they finally arranged a return toSandygate, playing in theSheffield Amateur League and the re-formed Hatchard League (which they won) before finally re-joining the Sheffield Association League in 1949, winning the title for the first time.[1] A year later Hallam won theSheffield Senior Cup for the first time when they beatStocksbridge Works atHillsborough in front of 7,240 spectators, and in 1952 they entered theYorkshire League.
That same season an Amateur Cup tie with Dulwich Hamlet was switched toHillsborough stadium because of increased ticket demands – the attendance of over 13,000 proving to be a club record. After winning promotion to the top flight of the Yorkshire League for a second time in 1960,[13] Hallam spent twenty years playing at the same level.
The 1982–83 season saw the demise of the oldYorkshire League, with Hallam entering the newNorthern Counties East League (NCEL), which demanded more stringent ground grading rules. With only seven years of its ground lease remaining the club could not commit to expensive improvements. Protracted negotiations with the landlord eventually led to a 99 years extension being granted but a large premium was demanded within one year.[5] A massive fund raising effort secured the new lease and continued for the provision of floodlights, first used in 1992, and a stand behind one goal to shelter 100 people.
The club has spent most of its time in the NCEL in the Premier Division (which currently sits at level 9 of theEnglish football league system), and won the League Cup competition in 2004 when beatingMickleover Sports in the final,[14] but in 2011 they were relegated back to the First Division.
In 2012,Sandygate received a much needed facelift, paid for by a posthumous donation by a lifelong supporter who had left the club a substantial amount of money in his will.[15] In 2016 and 2017, the club qualified for the Division One end of season play-offs, but were eliminated in the semi-finals on both occasions.
The appointment of Craig Denton as manager in 2020 was followed by an upturn in results and attendances, and in the 2021–22 season Hallam secured the Division One title and promotion to theNCEL Premier Division, withSandygate hosting record crowds in excess of 1,100.
The2024–25 season, saw Hallam finish second in the regular season, beatingBeverley Town on penalties in the play-off final to secure promotion to theNorthern Premier League Division One East (Step 4).[16]
Recently, the club has placed increasing emphasis on strengthening its community presence and modernizing its off-pitch operations. Hallam introduced the "1860 Members Club," which is a low-cost annual membership designed to expand fan engagement, and has regularly highlighted its role as a community focused, volunteer driven organization. Sandygate has also continued to evolve, with improvements to facilities and spectator areas accompanying rising attendances, particularly during the successful 2021–22 and 2024–25 campaigns. These seasons saw some of the club's highest crowd levels in decades and marked a period of sustained on-field progress.[17][18]
The earliest evidence of passing was found in archives of the game played between Hallam F.C. and Sheffield F.C. in 1861. Sheffield's players were utilizing long balls during the match. This is a tactic of kicking the ball far towards teammates or having them run after it. Hallam F.C. used this strategy to win the final game of the Youdan Cup. This is some of the first evidence of the through ball.
The earliest evidence of the first headed goal was also during a game between Hallam F.C. and Sheffield F.C.[19]
| Season | Division | Level | Position | FA Cup | FA Amateur Cup | FA Trophy | FA Vase | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892–93 | Hallamshire League Division One | – | 5th/8 | – | – | – | – | |
| 1893–94 | Sheffield Minor Cup League (qualifying) | – | 8th/8 | – | – | – | – | |
| 1894–95 | Sheffield Minor Cup League (qualifying) Hatchard League | – | 5th/7 1st/6 | – | – | – | – | Lost league play-off |
| 1895–96 | Sheffield Minor Cup League (qualifying) Hatchard League | – | 4th/6 | – | – | – | – | |
| 1896–97 | Sheffield Alliance League Division Two | – | 6th/12 | – | – | – | – | |
| 1897–98 | Sheffield Alliance League | – | 2nd/11 | – | – | – | – | |
| 1898–99 | Hatchard League | – | 2nd/11 | – | – | – | – | |
| 1899–1900 | Hatchard League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1900–01 | Hatchard League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1901–02 | Hatchard League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1902–03 | Hatchard League | – | 2nd/8 | – | – | – | – | League champions (won play-off) |
| 1903–04 | Hatchard League | – | 1st/11 | – | – | – | – | Lost league play-off |
| 1904–05 | Hatchard League | – | 1st/13 | – | – | – | – | Lost league play-off |
| 1905–06 | Sheffield Association League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1906–07 | Hatchard League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1907–08 | Hatchard League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1908–09 | Hatchard League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1909–10 | Hatchard League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1910–11 | Hatchard League | – | 3rd/9 | – | – | – | – | |
| 1911–12 | Hatchard League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1912–13 | Hatchard League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1913–14 | Hatchard League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1914–15 | Sheffield Amateur League | – | – | 2R | – | – | ||
| 1915–16 | Sheffield Minor League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1916–17 | Sheffield Minor League | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1917–18 | Club did not enter any competitions due toWorld War I | |||||||
| 1918–19 | Club did not enter any competitions due toWorld War I | |||||||
| 1919–20 | Sheffield Amateur League | – | – | 1R | – | – | ||
| 1920–21 | Sheffield Amateur League | – | – | 3QR | – | – | ||
| 1921–22 | Sheffield Amateur League | – | 1st/13 | – | 3QR | – | – | Lost league play-off |
| 1922–23 | Sheffield Amateur League | – | – | – | – | – | League champions (won play-off) | |
| 1923–24 | Sheffield Amateur League | – | 4th/15 | – | 4QR | – | – | |
| 1924–25 | Sheffield Amateur League | – | – | QF | – | – | ||
| 1925–26 | Sheffield Amateur League | – | – | 3R | – | – | ||
| 1926–27 | Sheffield Amateur League | – | PR | 1R | – | – | League champions (won play-off) | |
| 1927–28 | Sheffield Association League | – | 1st/13 | 1QR | 3R | – | – | |
| 1928–29 | Sheffield Association League | – | 8th/15 | PR | 3R | – | – | |
| 1929–30 | Sheffield Association League | – | 4th/15 | PR | 2R | – | – | |
| 1930–31 | Sheffield Association League | – | PR | 1R | – | – | ||
| 1931–32 | Sheffield Association League Division Two | – | 8th/12 | PR | – | – | – | |
| 1932–33 | Sheffield Association League Division Two | – | 12th/12 | PR | – | – | – | |
| 1933–34 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1934–35 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1935–36 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1936–37 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1937–38 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1938–39 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1939–40 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1940–41 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1941–42 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1942–43 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1943–44 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1944–45 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1945–46 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1946–47 | Club did not enter any competitions | |||||||
| 1947–48 | Sheffield Amateur League | – | – | 2QR | – | – | ||
| 1948–49 | Hatchard League | – | 1st | – | 4QR | – | – | League champions |
| 1949–50 | Sheffield Association League | – | 1st/16 | – | 4QR | – | – | League champions (won play-off) |
| 1950–51 | Sheffield Association League | – | 2nd/15 | EPR | 1R | – | – | |
| 1951–52 | Sheffield Association League | – | 1QR | 4QR | – | – | ||
| 1952–53 | Yorkshire League Division Two | – | 11th/14 | 1QR | 3R | – | – | |
| 1953–54 | Yorkshire League Division Two | – | 8th/16 | 2QR | 3R | – | – | |
| 1954–55 | Yorkshire League Division Two | – | 10th/16 | 1QR | 2R | – | – | |
| 1955–56 | Yorkshire League Division Two | – | 5th/16 | 2QR | 1R | – | – | |
| 1956–57 | Yorkshire League Division Two | – | 2nd/17 | 1QR | 1R | – | – | Promoted |
| 1957–58 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 14th/18 | 3QR | 4QR | – | – | |
| 1958–59 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 14th/18 | 2QR | 3R | – | – | |
| 1959–60 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 17th/18 | – | 2R | – | – | Relegated |
| 1960–61 | Yorkshire League Division Two | – | 1st/19 | – | 3R | – | – | League champions, promoted |
| 1961–62 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 8th/16 | – | 1R | – | – | |
| 1962–63 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 12th/16 | – | 1R | – | – | |
| 1963–64 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 10th/16 | – | 4QR | – | – | |
| 1964–65 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 11th/16 | – | 1QR | – | – | |
| 1965–66 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 12th/16 | – | 1QR | – | – | |
| 1966–67 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 10th/17 | – | 1R | – | – | |
| 1967–68 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 15th/17 | – | 1R | – | – | |
| 1968–69 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 13th/18 | – | 1R | – | – | |
| 1969–70 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 10th/18 | – | 4QR | – | – | |
| 1970–71 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 5th/14 | – | 4QR | – | – | |
| 1971–72 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 9th/16 | – | 1R | – | – | |
| 1972–73 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 10th/16 | – | 4QR | – | – | |
| 1973–74 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 5th/16 | – | 3QR | – | – | |
| 1974–75 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 7th/16 | – | – | PR | – | |
| 1975–76 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 3rd/16 | – | – | – | 4R | |
| 1976–77 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 7th/16 | – | – | – | 4R | |
| 1977–78 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 6th/16 | – | – | – | 3R | |
| 1978–79 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 10th/16 | – | – | – | 2R | |
| 1979–80 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 7th/16 | – | – | – | 3R | |
| 1980–81 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 9th/16 | – | – | – | 5R | |
| 1981–82 | Yorkshire League Division One | – | 12th/16 | – | – | – | 4R | |
| 1982–83 | Northern Counties East League Division One South | – | 10th/14 | – | – | – | 3R | |
| 1983–84 | Northern Counties East League Division One South | – | 9th/14 | – | – | – | 2R | |
| 1984–85 | Northern Counties East League Division One South | – | 9th/16 | – | – | – | 1R | |
| 1985–86 | Northern Counties East League Division Two | – | 5th/16 | – | – | – | 1R | Promoted |
| 1986–87 | Northern Counties East League Division One | – | 6th/18 | – | – | – | 2R | Promoted |
| 1987–88 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 10th/17 | – | – | – | 1R | |
| 1988–89 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 12th/17 | – | – | – | PR | |
| 1989–90 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 14th/18 | – | – | – | EPR | Relegated |
| 1990–91 | Northern Counties East League Division One | – | 2nd/13 | – | – | – | EPR | |
| 1991–92 | Northern Counties East League Division One | – | 5th/16 | – | – | – | 1R | |
| 1992–93 | Northern Counties East League Division One | – | 3rd/14 | – | – | – | PR | |
| 1993–94 | Northern Counties East League Division One | – | 2nd/15 | – | – | – | 1R | Promoted |
| 1994–95 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 17th/20 | 1QR | – | – | PR | |
| 1995–96 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 17th/20 | 1QR | – | – | 1QR | |
| 1996–97 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 7th/20 | PR | – | – | 3R | |
| 1997–98 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 17th/20 | – | – | – | 2QR | |
| 1998–99 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 4th/20 | – | – | – | 2R | |
| 1999–2000 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 12th/20 | PR | – | – | 1QR | |
| 2000–01 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 5th/20 | PR | – | – | 2QR | |
| 2001–02 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 3rd/20 | 1QR | – | – | 3R | |
| 2002–03 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 17th/20 | 1QR | – | – | 1R | |
| 2003–04 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | – | 15th/20 | PR | – | – | 2R | |
| 2004–05 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 15th/20 | PR | – | – | 1R | |
| 2005–06 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 17th/20 | PR | – | – | 1QR | |
| 2006–07 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 14th/20 | 2QR | – | – | 1QR | |
| 2007–08 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 6th/20 | 1QR | – | – | 3R | |
| 2008–09 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 10th/20 | EPR | – | – | 1R | |
| 2009–10 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 15th/20 | 1QR | – | – | 2R | |
| 2010–11 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 19th/20 | EPR | – | – | 1R | Relegated |
| 2011–12 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 14th/20 | EPR | – | – | 1QR | |
| 2012–13 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 12th/22 | EPR | – | – | 1QR | |
| 2013–14 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 20th/22 | – | – | – | 1QR | |
| 2014–15 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 14th/22 | – | – | – | 2QR | |
| 2015–16 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 6th/21 | – | – | – | 2R | |
| 2016–17 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 5th/22 | EPR | – | – | 2R | |
| 2017–18 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 8th/22 | PR | – | – | 2QR | |
| 2018–19 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 3rd/20 | EPR | – | – | 2R | |
| 2019–20 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | – | EPR | – | – | 1QR | League season abandoned due toCOVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | – | – | – | – | 2R | League season abandoned due toCOVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021–22 | Northern Counties East League Division One | 10 | 1st/21 | – | – | – | 1QR | League champions, promoted |
| 2022–23 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 6th/20 | EPR | – | – | 2R | |
| 2023–24 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 9th/20 | EPR | – | – | 5R | |
| 2024–25 | Northern Counties East League Premier Division | 9 | 2nd/20 | 2QR | – | – | 4R | Play-off winners, promoted |
| Season | Division | Level | Position | FA Cup | FA Amateur Cup | FA Trophy | FA Vase | Notes |
| Source:Football Club History Database | ||||||||
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Craig Denton - Manager
Wayne Thompson and Rob Poulter - Assistant Managers
Andy Emsley and Matt Chatfield - Coaches
Ryan Pugh - Goalkeeping Coach
Harry Oldroyd and Georgie Gibbs – Physiotherapist
Players that have played in theFootball League either before or after playing for Hallam –
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Sandygate, Crosspool, Sheffield, UK, S10 5SE.
Sandygate is afootball andcricket stadium in theSheffieldsuburb ofCrosspool,South Yorkshire, England. It is home toHallam F.C. andHallam C.C.
First opened in 1804, Hallam have played at the ground since 1860.Sandygate has been recognised by theGuinness Book of Records as the "Oldest Football Ground in the World".[21] On 26 December 1860, the world's first inter-club football match was played at the ground, Hallam F.C. taking on Sheffield F.C. The pitch at Sandygate is quite unique itself, the stadium is built upon a slope leaving players to compete on a slight incline.
The ground offers viewing for spectators from 3 sides of the pitch. The Shed End, the Main Stand and the Cricket Net End.
The Shed End is a covered terrace behind the goal on the Sandygate Road side of the ground. This mainly houses the vocal home supporters and is where the bulk of the atmosphere is created.
League[edit]
| Cup[edit]
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