Sheffield FC's Chris Dolby looks forward to India visit

When Chris Dolby arrived as a player at Sheffield FC, the world’s first Football Club, he would never have dreamed that one day he would be managing the team in a tournament in India to commemorate a major event in their football history.

And what makes this journey so interesting for Chris Dolby is that he is of Asian origin. From being the first Asian player of note to play in the Football League, when he signed as a professional for Rotherham United in 1993, Chris moved through the playing ranks of non-league football to become Player Manager of the world’s first Football Club in 2008.

Now in his third season as Manager of Sheffield FC, Chris has already led the club to a league semifinal play-off place last year and more recently to within one game of the 1st Round Proper in the FA Cup – an achievement that no manager at the club has bettered in its modern history.

Chris is well-placed through his experience to comment on the position of Asian players in English football, "Asian kids are now playing at grass roots, comprehensive school and Sunday league level, which was not happening before," he said. "Asians used to divide themselves off before and play in Asian-only leagues. But if they are thinking of progressing, that won't help them. They need to play in mixed local teams and that is now happening to a degree."

“We are well aware, as we get ready to visit India, that the game over there has been somewhat overshadowed by the tremendous growth and popularity of cricket. Football in India needs a role model, a superstar as cricket has found in Sachin Tendulkar. Once one player makes that break through, then others will surely follow. Taking a side from the world’s first Football Club to Kolkata, to play in the Platinum Jubilee Cup feels me with great pride and I hope that the publicity from our visit will help to promote the sport throughout the country.”

Apart from playing in the Platinum Jubilee Cup the team will also be playing in Shillong and Guwahati. Sheffield FC will also be doing some coaching in the local community, which will give Chris and the team a firsthand glimpse at the potential of young local players.


About Sheffield Football Club

Sheffield FC, the world’s first Football Club, was founded in 1857 and has been officially recognised by the FA and FIFA as the oldest football club in the world.

Sheffield FC competes in the Evo-Stik League Division One South and plays home games at the BT Local Business Stadium in Dronfield.

Sheffield FC was awarded the FIFA International Order of Merit in 2004 (Real Madrid are the only other club in the world to hold this). In 2010 the club also received the Nelson Mandela Sport and Solidarity Award and the International Fair Play Award.