Sheffield United Season Scrapbook 1897/98: T'First Proper Champions

In the final decade of the 19th Century the City of Sheffield was very much the dominant bastion of the Association game in the county of Yorkshire, which was otherwise an established stronghold of the oval ball game. The city and it’s immediate environs boasted several prominent and influential amateur clubs in the likes of Attercliffe, Hallam, Staveley, Thornhill United and of course the famous Sheffield F.C. Indeed the clubs in the Sheffield area had adopted a standardised set of rules, drafted by the Sheffield club, some five years before the Football Association was formed in 1863 to do the same thing for London and, eventually, nationally. Indeed, the first F.A. rules were heavily influenced by the Sheffield rules and by annual inter-association games played between London and Sheffield until the rules were unified in 1874.This was the atmosphere into which the Sheffield United Football Club was born. The Sheffield United Cricket Club already hosted important matches involving local clubs on their Bramall Lane ground, including many of those of Sheffield Wednesday, the City’s one professional club. When Wednesday established their own well appointed ground as a permanent home the Sheffield United committee saw the wisdom of establishing their own football section to keep the Association game as a regular attraction at their ground. Formed in 1889 it took the new club only three years to earn a place in the Football League, one more to rise to the First Division, and only nine years from their inception to win the League Championship – the first Yorkshire club to do so!Every match of the season covered - League, Cup and 'Ordinary', including battles with the famous Corinthians and end of season Scottish tour. Also includes brief history of the club and reports of some important early matches.

Every match of the season covered, including full period match report and additional commentary by the author.