Sheffield FC, widely recognised as the world's oldest football club, saw Jon McClure, lead singer of indie band Reverend and the Makers, take over as chairman in March. This move came despite a Qatari-backed venture capital firm, Yorkshire AI Labs, reportedly having plans for a 15,000-seat stadium and a football museum.
McClure, who also leads the club's women's side, has outlined plans for a football academy, an eSports hub, a national football festival, a clothing brand, a visitor centre, and a TV show. He also aims to bring the club back to playing in the city of Sheffield, as they have played in Dronfield, North Derbyshire, since 2001.
The club, nicknamed 'The Club', is currently pushing for promotion from the United Counties League Premier Division North. McClure has introduced free entry for under-16s to boost atmosphere, even offering pies for those who bring a drum to matches.
Striker Alex Hardwick, a design engineer by profession, is leading the charge for promotion on the field. McClure has stated, "Judge it in a year. If it's not tangibly in a better place than it is now, come and see me at a match and discuss why you think that's not the case."