In an email last night, the club made the following statement:

But is this correct? I thought there had been discussion about this on Demonland previously where it was suggested that we might be the third-oldest still functioning sporting club with one of the English soccer clubs (Sheffield?) being the oldest.

I wouldn't expect the club to knowingly misrepresent the facts...but on the other hand, we know that everyone in the AFL can be economical with the truth when it suits.

Is the club correct?

The Melbourne cricket club was formed in 1838 and the Melbourne football club in 1858

i remember someone (G.Lyon?) on the hawthorn game commentary saying we were the 2nd oldest and i thought, wrong. Oldest.

According to the interest Sheffield FC was founded in 1857.

8 minutes ago, Demonland said:

According to the interest Sheffield FC was founded in 1857.

There's some doubt about its continuous status from foundation until today.

1 hour ago, John Lord said:

The Melbourne cricket club was formed in 1838 and the Melbourne football club in 1858

So, just on this statement, doesn't this mean the Melbourne Cricket Club is 20 years older than the Melbourne Football Club? And surely the Marylebone Cricket Club is older still. 

i always thought it was oldest, continuous, professional, football club

11 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

i always thought it was oldest, continuous, professional, football club

Perhaps the club meant to say "oldest football club" rather than "oldest sporting club"

Oldest continuous club

1858

1 hour ago, Demonised said:

There's some doubt about its continuous status from foundation until today.

the English Football Association recognize it as the oldest club in the world. 

Either way they play in the =8th level in England in the football pyramid (with Premier League being 1st)

1 hour ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Perhaps the club meant to say "oldest football club" rather than "oldest sporting club"

definitely

Oldest professional sports club, that’s what I’ve been rolling with

Edited March 20, 20206 yr by Forest Demon

A quick google search tells me that the Marylebone Cricket Club was founded in 1787.

I don't think we can claim to be the world's oldest sporting club.

Oldest football club? Possibly

Oldest professional sporting club? Possibly  

Edited March 20, 20206 yr by La Dee-vina Comedia

On memory it is the oldest sporting club in the world to play at the highest level of its sport, continuously.  Other clubs mentioned have or no longer play at the highest level for their sport throughout their existence.  i.e cricket is now national teams. 

Edited March 20, 20206 yr by Darkhorse72
typo and extra info

1 hour ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

A quick google search tells me that the Marylebone Cricket Club was founded in 1787.

I don't think we can claim to be the world's oldest sporting club.

Oldest football club? Possibly

Oldest professional football club? Possibly  

oldest professional football club ......playing at the top level.......otherwise sheffield is the oldest

Edited March 20, 20206 yr by daisycutter

4 hours ago, Demonised said:

There's some doubt about its continuous status from foundation until today.

Correct.

 

There  are some archery competitions that date back 500 years or so and still exist to this day.

Surely there would be some archery clubs that are older than the game of Aussie Rules.

2 hours ago, Darkhorse72 said:

On memory it is the oldest sporting club in the world to play at the highest level of its sport, continuously.  Other clubs mentioned have or no longer play at the highest level for their sport throughout their existence.  i.e cricket is now national teams. 

+1. Continuously at the highest level.

Gees I hope we win on Sunday so I don't have to revisit this thread.

4 hours ago, daisycutter said:

i always thought it was oldest, continuous, professional, football club

This is the correct answer by Daisy.

The questions is about the OLDEST continuous FOOTBALL club - which is the  mighty MFC. I think the Cats are second oldest

The MCC is not the oldest sporting club, there are older cricket clubs in the UK.

Sheffield United was formed in 1889.  There was probably an ealrier verison prior to united but again, not coninuous.

39 minutes ago, JakovichScissorKick said:

There  are some archery competitions that date back 500 years or so and still exist to this day.

Surely there would be some archery clubs that are older than the game of Aussie Rules.

yes, but its painful to kick arrows especially if you get the arrow drop right.

Surely the word "professional" isn't part of our claim to fame. No way it was a professional club from its beginnings. 

Is this a Monty Python skit?

"Yes Dierdre apart from Sheffield , MCC and some bows and arrows we are..."

2 minutes ago, Fanatique Demon said:

Surely the word "professional" isn't part of our claim to fame. No way it was a professional club from its beginnings. 

maybe it's a loose term to distinguish it from sporting clubs as part of a school or college (like where rugby originated)

Could be, DC.

To distinguish between school clubs, then the word would be independent, not professional