Show Notes
After nine months of hope, heartbreak and extraordinary access, it all comes down to one game. Crowds are growing, optimism is sweeping through the club and the play-offs offer a chance to complete an incredible turnaround after relegation the previous season. As manager Vill Powell, chairman Jon McClure, star striker Alex Hardwick and the volunteers who keep the club running prepare for the biggest match of the season, Sheffield FC's future feels brighter than it has for years. With exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the dressing room, the terraces and the emotional aftermath of the play-off semi-final, Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem), Adam Oxley and Simon Thake bring the season to a dramatic conclusion.
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Four games in seven days tests the club. Players are balancing jobs, family life and football, while manager Vill Powell tries to keep a promotion push on track. Off the pitch, the race to take over Sheffield FC reaches its conclusion as the club chooses a new leadership team led by Reverend and the Makers frontman Jon McClure. With promotion hopes alive, attendances rising and a new energy around the club, Sheffield FC begins to feel different. Featuring News coverage by Channel 5 and Sky Sports.
Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem), Adam Oxley and Simon Thake, explore competing ambitions, local pride and the growing excitement surrounding Sheffield FC's future. Away from the pitch Sheffield FC receives two game-changing offers. One billionaire-backed investment or a local vision led by Reverend and the Makers singer Jon McClure. For a club that has spent years battling financial uncertainty, questions about its home, and life in the ninth tier of English football, the possibilities are extraordinary. Meanwhile, on the pitch, a gruelling run of fixtures leaves promotion hopes hanging in the balance as the season reaches a crucial stage. Featured song: Reverend and The Makers - Heavyweight Champion of the World.
After a dramatic match cancellation and a run of disappointing results, Sheffield FC's promotion push begins to wobble. However, football is about much more than what happens on the pitch. Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem), Adam Oxley and Simon Thake explore community, belonging and the human impact of a club fighting to secure its future. Questions grow about what happens next and rumours emerge that could transform Sheffield FC forever. Visit bbc.co.uk/actionline for help and support on topics discussed in this episode.
Sheffield FC's season is gathering momentum. The world's oldest football club is winning matches, climbing the table and daring to dream about promotion. Away from the pitch a different story is unfolding. As Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem), Adam Oxley and Simon Thake spend more time inside the club, they discover the small band of staff and volunteers holding everything together. Then a controversial matchday decision exposes just how fragile life can be in non-league football.
The world's oldest football club starts a season that could define its future. Sheffield FC invented modern football, helped create many of the game's rules and holds a unique place in sporting history. The club where it all began is now fighting for survival in the ninth tier of English football. Join Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem) alongside Radio Sheffield's Adam Oxley and Simon Thake as they go behind the scenes at Sheffield FC for a season that could change everything.