Oldest Football Clubs In England: A Journey Through Time

Football is among the oldest games in the world. According to various sources, football dates back to Ancient Greece, somewhere around 375 to 400 BC. So it’s natural that many countries have played football for centuries. Among those countries is England. The country has a long heritage of playing football and is home to some of the oldest football clubs in the world. But how old exactly are we talking about? Well, the short answer is, quite a bit old. In this blog, we will look at the oldest football clubs in England and see how they helped in the sport’s progression.

List of Oldest Football Teams In England

Before taking a look at the oldest Football clubs in England, we have to tell you that the teams we are about to list are still active. Some of the oldest clubs in England have long been discontinued. So, for the sake of this list, we have only chosen the teams that are still competing.

10- Marlow FC

Marlow Football Club is one of the oldest football clubs in England and has a long and storied history in English football. Founded in 1870, this is a semi-professional football club. Initially, Marlow Football Club only played friendly matches with local teams. However, after joining the Great Western Suburban League, Marlow FC started participating in many different leagues. They also played in the Football Association Cup and reached the third round, which was unheard of, for a semi-professional team.

Founded- 1870

Nickname- The Blues

Notable Players- Garry Haylock, Matty Collins, and Yeovil Town

9- Maidenhead United FC

Maidenhead is a professional football club in English football and also one of the oldest football clubs in England. This club has a long and proud history in English football. Currently, the team plays in the National League in England, which is the 5th tier league in the English football league system. They have several achievements to their name, like winning the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup four times or reaching the semi-finals of the Football Association (FA) Cup in the 2016-2017 season.

Founded- 1870

Nickname- The Magpies

Notable Players- Alex Finney

8- Sheffield Wednesday FC

Having been founded in 1867, Sheffield Wednesday FC is one of the oldest football clubs in the world. Sheffield has a robust record and has achieved many milestones throughout their history. They have won four top-tier league titles, three of those were FA Cup wins, and the other one was a League Cup title. The club is based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, and is among the oldest football clubs in England.

Founded- 1867

Nickname- The Owls

Notable Players- Chris Waddle, John Sheridan and David Hirst

7- Nottingham Forrest FC

Founded in 1865 in Nottingham, England, Nottingham Forrest FC is one of the oldest football clubs in England and throughout their long and glorious history, they have won several titles. Some of their biggest title wins are two European Cup wins, one UEFA Super Cup win, One Intercontinental Cup win, one Football League First Division title, and Four football league cups. The club also has one of the most supportive and loyal fan bases out there.

Founded- 1865

Nickname- The Garibaldi

Notable Players- Stuart Pearce, Brian Cough, and Roy Keane

6- Wrexham Association FC

Based in Wrexham, North Wales, Wrexham Association is a professional English football club. This club is also one of the oldest football clubs in England and has a long history of winning league titles. In their 160 years of history, they have won 23 Welsh Cups, one FA Club Title, and one Football League trophy. However, the club is mostly known for its owners. Wrexham Association FC is owned by the Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mcelheny.

Founded- 1864

Nickname- The Red Dragons

Notable Players- Tommy Bamford, Andy Morell, and Arfon Griffiths

5- Brigg Town FC

Another semi-professional football team, Brigg Town FC, is among the oldest football clubs in England. They currently play in Nothern Countries East League Division One, the tenth English football League system tier. Brigg Town FC also does its job for society as it works closely with local school groups and community clubs to help them understand the importance of sports and teamwork.

Founded- 1864

Nickname- The Zebras

Notable Players- Neil Buckley, Gavin Bassinder, and John Borland

4- Stoke City FC

Stoke City FC is a professional football club located in Stoke-on-Trent, England. The club has a rich history and is one of the oldest football clubs in England. Their home stadium is Bet365 Stadium, which has a capacity of over 30,000 spectators. Throughout history, Stoke City FC has been successful many times. However, their most notable achievements include winning the Football League Trophy in 1972 and reaching the final of FA CUP in 2011.

Founded- 1863

Nickname- The Potters

Notable Players- Daniel Iverson, Andre Vidigal, and Tyrese Campbell

3- Notts County FC

Based in Nottingham, England, Notts County FC is a professional football club and one of the oldest football clubs in England. Throughout their history, they have won many high-level league titles and have a rivalry with nearby clubs like Nottingham Forrest FC. Some of their most significant victories include three Football League Third Division trophies, 2 Football League Fourth Division trophies, and one Anglo-Italian Cup.

Founded- 1862

Nickname- The Magpies

Notable Players- Jack Lane, Jimmy Logan, and Tony Hateley

2- Hallam FC

Another semi-professional club from the city of Sheffield, England, Hallam FC is among the oldest active football clubs in England. It is also the second-oldest football club in the world. Their home ground stadium is Sandygate Road, which is the oldest football stadium in the world, hosting its first-ever football match in 1860. The club has a strong presence in the local community and is adored by fans; hence, they are nicknamed the countrymen.

Founded- 1860

Nickname- The Countrymen

Notable Players- Michael Boulding, Tony Crane, and Sean Dunphy

1- Sheffield FC

Having been founded in 1857, Sheffield FC is the oldest football club in England and not just England. Sheffield FC is also the oldest football club in the world. Throughout their long and prosperous history, they have won several trophies including 9 Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cups, two Nothern Premier League Challenge Cups, and two Nothern Countries East League cups.

Founded- 1857

Nickname- The Club

Notable Players- Steve Fleetwood, Samuel Ashworth and Ollie Banks

Our Take

Football is a sport that is played and watched by billions of people worldwide. No other sport in the world has a fan base like football and England is at the epicentre of football. Moreover, England has given some of the best football players in the world. This concludes our list of the oldest football clubs in England. We hope you liked our list and blog. Feel free to comment and let us know which list you would like to see next.