I journeyed into Sheffield and avoided the Christmas shoppers and Sheffield United fans, at home to Birmingham, to meet my daughter to visit Hallam.
She completed the ’92’, seeing a match at all Football League grounds in 2022 and has been on a few European ones as well. But she had never been to the FIFA recognised oldest football ground, Hallam FC.
This is a ground visited by people from all over the world and even on this grey day you recognise the history as you approach it. You first see the cricket pitch adjacent to the Football and the reason for Hallam FC’s existence, like many of the other first football clubs.
As well as visiting for the football, and my daughters experience, I was collecting my membership of the ‘1860 Members Club’ which I had joined earlier in the season. The £12 for a years membership helps to maintain this historic ground and club. https://hallamfc.co.uk/product/club-membership-2025-26/
We bought our food from the outside kiosk and then took it inside to the warm and comfortable clubhouse. Unfortunately there was no programme to study or a team sheet to view.
Hallam we’re playing North Ferriby FC who were only formed in 2019 after a previous club, North Ferriby United were wound up .
North Ferriby FC have come a long way in a short time and the game was quite poignant in that they last played against each other just before ‘[Covid Lockdown’ scrubbed out all Football. Both teams were then in the Northern Counties East League Division One and both gained promotion to the NCE League, Premier Division and then to the Northern Premier League East, where they both play today.
The Grey skies over hung the pitch that was also shrouded with some mist despite a cold breeze that made the temperature of 7 degrees feel colder. The pitch has a big slope, within FA rules, which does not always drain well, and the teams warming up were already cutting up the turf.
Hallam FC 2 North Ferriby FC 2
Saturday 20th December 2025, 15.00 pm kick off.
Hallam FC, Sandygate Road, S10 5SE
The Countrymen v The Villagers
13th v 9th
Hallam; all royal kit with some white edging. The Goalkeeper in all orange.
North Ferriby FC; White shirts with green shorts. The goalkeeper in all gold.
Hallam kicked off down hill and immediately you knew that the game wasn’t going to be dull. Both teams played at a quick pace and the pitch looked heavy fro the start. A no holds barred tackle by two opposing players popped the ball after 9 minutes.
Only two minutes later Hallam we’re Infront when a throw in from the right was headed on into the centre of the goal where Brandon Bradbury, making his 200th appearance for the Countrymen, hooked the ball into the opponents net with an overhead kick.
The Hallam team stopped/hesitated when their Central Defender seemed to have recieved a finger in the eye. The referee allowed play to continue and Lewis Dennison curled the ball, from outside the goal area, into the top right hand corner of the goal hitting the underside of the cross bar on the way in. Hallam’s protests were waved away and it stayed 1.1 on 16 minute.
The game was end to end entertainment but was disrupted around 32 minutes after a collision and injury to Hugo Warhurst in Hallam’s goal.
With the first 45 minutes up of the first halt a Hallam corner from right was headed on and on again to far post where it was Brandon Bradley again, nodded it past the away keeper for the lead at half time.
Hallams goalkeeper could not resume in the second half and their number 9 South substituted for him.
Within one minute of the restart the referee booked Hallam’s 5th player, this time for simulation after a tc#ackle in the opposing box. This didn’t endear the home fans with no North Ferriby players having been booked.
The second half had slowly turned into a rear guard action by Hallam who in theory with the slope should have had a slight advantage. Hallam did go forward and the North Ferriby keeper made a great save with 10 minutes left. At the other end, South in goal, was dealing competently with the Villagers attacks until with just 6 minutes to go a visitors throw in from the right was flicked into the centre and bundled in by Joshua Martin Thacker.
The last few minutes were a nervy time with either team trying not to make a mistake. The 2.2 draw was fair on the day with both teams showing a lot of fight and skill in poor conditions. Both of these teams look unlikely to be drawn into a relegation battle as they look to consolidate themselves at this level.
Considering the weather, and it being the last weekend for shopping before Christmas, the crowd of 622 was excellent.
The other bonus of the game was that there were chips, and these turned out to be hot, golden, tasty, crispy with firm but fluffy centres. Having not eaten any lunch a large portion was called for. A great score of 74.
Thank You Hallam.
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