DRONFIELD, England, March 9 (Reuters) - The world's oldest football club Sheffield FC opened a new chapter in their 168‑year story on Monday, unveiling a refreshed ownership structure rooted not in grand promises but in a desire to preserve their historical significance.
For David Bianchi of performing arts firm IAV Holdings, part of the new ownership group, the club's challenge is as much cultural as financial.
"It's an origin story which hasn't been told adequately," he said. "I don't think people know that football originated in Sheffield, let alone that football originated at Sheffield FC."
That sense of under-told history runs through almost every layer of the club.
Founded in 1857, Sheffield FC games were initially played among club members, separated into teams of "married v singles" or "professionals v the rest".
Sheffield FC and Real Madrid, founded in 1902, are the only two football clubs awarded FIFA's Order of Merit, Sheffield as the world's oldest club, and Real as a 20th-century giant.
Brazilian great Pele was an honorary club member, famously saying during a 2007 visit that "Without Sheffield FC, there wouldn't be me."
The new owners believe that by embracing and broadcasting that identity -- through projects ranging from a documentary film to the development of an esports team -- they can unlock the support and investment needed to rebuild the club from the ground up.
New chairman Jon McClure, frontman for the band "Reverend and the Makers," said a top item on the to-do list is returning the team, who have played their games in nearby Dronfield since 2001, to Sheffield.
McClure said they were looking at several options for a new stadium, with a move to the former Sheffield Transport Sports Club site at Meadowhead remaining a possibility.
"The planning application is still live and we're undertaking a review," McClure said.
The club's men play in the ninth tier of men's English football after relegation last year, while the women play in the fourth-tier.
'NO BIG PROMISES'
The owners are quick to say they are under no illusions of becoming the next Wrexham, who have been promoted in three successive seasons under the ownership of Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
If the club's story is gaining volume, it remains grounded.
"You'll notice we're not making big promises sat here today," Bianchi said. "We have 100 things we're talking about at the moment, but they're realistic things, they're not things built on pipe dreams or magic beans."
For first‑team manager Vill Powell, this new era feels deeply personal. A former player who returned as manager in 2024, Powell described Sheffield FC as his "spiritual home".
"It was the last game my mum ever saw me play, so there's an emotional connection there, as well as the passion for the football club," he said.
"And when you talk about football, you're talking about Sheffield FC ultimately, whoever you support and wherever you're from," he added. "Because without Sheffield FC and the people from Sheffield, football doesn't exist."
Raising the money needed for stadium plans, infrastructure, academy development and long‑term stability remains a steep challenge.
The owners will lean on the team's history for help.
"It's very difficult to raise the kind of money that's needed within the traditional scaffolding," Bianchi said. "So we're trying to think out of the box. It's about telling that story. We will be able to attract the investment that's needed when people understand the story."
Bianchi and McClure are joined by local businessmen Andrew Ford and Alexis Krachai on the club's new board alongside existing owner, Jeremy Levine, and his son Jack. Ford is the son of former Sheffield Wednesday footballer David Ford.
(Reporting by Lori EwingEditing by Christian Radnedge)
