A new BBC Local and BBC Radio Sheffield podcast series follows the fortunes of the world’s oldest football club over an entire season as it battles to secure its future.
The six-part series – Trouble at the Bottom: Sheffield FC – is a compelling series telling the remarkable story of a club caught between its illustrious past and an uncertain future.
The podcast is hosted by Sheffield singer-songwriter and actress, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, better known as Self Esteem, and follows Sheffield FC through a pivotal season as the club faces some of the biggest challenges in its 169-year history and searches for relevance in the Premier League age.
Sheffield FC should be one of the most celebrated names in world football. Founded in 1857, the club helped create the game now played and followed by billions of people across the globe. Yet, despite its unique place in football history, many football fans have never even heard of it, nor its prestigious position as the world’s oldest football club.
Sheffield FC’s contribution to football is extraordinary. The club helped shape many of the rules that underpin the modern game, played football’s first-ever derby match and remains one of only two clubs to have received FIFA’s prestigious Order of Merit, alongside Real Madrid.
But for all its heritage, Sheffield FC is a long way from football’s spotlight. The club currently competes in the ninth tier of English football and, remarkably, does not even play in the city whose name it bears – it is currently based in Dronfield, Dertbyshire after losing its home at the now-demolished Don Valley Stadium in 2001, despite ongoing efforts for a return to the Steel City.
Throughout the series, Self-Esteem – whose great grandad played for Sheffield Wednesday a hundred years ago – asks the difficult questions. Can Sheffield FC achieve success on the pitch and secure promotion? Will plans to build a new stadium finally bring the club home to Sheffield? How do those involved honour a globally significant legacy while creating a sustainable future? And, ultimately, can the world’s oldest football club secure its place for generations to come?
Taylor said: “Trouble at the Bottom – Sheffield FC is an incredible and inspiring story. Tales of community and humanity are needed more than ever right now, and I am honoured to tell the story of Sheffield FC and those who continue to preserve its iconic legacy and protect and nurture its vital future.”
Trouble at the Bottom – Sheffield FC is the first podcast for Mud, Sweat and Cheers, a new BBC Local podcast strand on BBC Sounds celebrating the stories behind grassroots and community sport across the country.
Across six episodes, Mud, Sweat and Cheers: Trouble at the Bottom – Sheffield FC explores the challenges facing an historic club trying to survive in the modern game. With unprecedented access to players, staff, volunteers and supporters over a year, the series captures the passion, determination and resilience of a club fighting for more than results. It is a story of identity, belonging, and the enduring importance of football’s roots.
Chris Burns, head of local audio commissioning at the BBC added: “Sheffield FC’s story is unlike any other in football. This series captures the passion, challenges, and ambition of the people working to preserve a unique sporting institution. It’s a compelling story about football’s past, present and future, and BBC Local is delighted to bring it to BBC Sounds as part of Mud, Sweat and Cheers.”
Mud, Sweat and Cheers: Trouble at the Bottom – Sheffield FC is available from today (22 September) on BBC Sounds.
