FOURTH OLDEST GROUND?

I drove to Worksop today, down the M1, A57 and then amongst a huge crowd of over 1,000 at the Sandy Lane Stadium, watched a Toolstation Premier League match between the "Tigers" and Penistone Church.
https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2018/11/tigers-beat-church.html

The blog above tells much about Worksop Town FC and to add to the club's alumini, there is Graham Taylor, who was born in Worksop and Peter Swan played for the club...who he? Well have a read of Sheffield Wedneday's 1950-60's history and England's too, if you need enlightening.

As I have mentioned before, Worksop Town's 1910 minutes' book refers to the forming of a football team "50 years ago", that is circa 1861 and the playing of a game between "15 Locals and 15 Church lads", may well mark the first football played in the area. This could make Worksop Town the 4th oldest in England (in the World?).

Herbert Chapman (who he?-well shame on you) played there in 1900-1 and more recently Ronnie Glavin (yes, that Barnsley old boy) turned out for the Tigers too.

To cut a long story short then, this league match was very much top of the table stuff.
Penistone were second with 61 points from 30 games and Worksop top with 69 from 31. So a win today would make the last weeks of the league campaign either very interesting or maybe a done deal! There are still 7 or so games to go however. Things could change later.

The last time the two met was on November 24th and in the final seconds of the game, there was an almighty punch up at the Memorial Ground, Penistone, which Worksop snatched from a penalty scored  in overtime. 4 players, two from each side were sent off in that hectic period.

I had been to Sandy Lane before because Handsworth Parramore groundshare with the Tigers since PCFC have been there earlier in the season to play a league match.