Jump to content

Are we the oldest sporting club?

La Dee-vina Comedia
La Dee-vina Comedia
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

Posted

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

image.png.f6e657c9a464ab1ebd12e64d23b2c4ca.png

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?

  • Quote
    •  

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

  • Quote
    •  
    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.

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    • Author
    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. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Author
    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"

  • Quote
    •  
    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)

  • Quote

    1 hour ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

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

    definitely

  • Quote

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

    Edited by Forest Demon

  • Quote
    • Author

    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 by La Dee-vina Comedia

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    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 by Darkhorse72
    typo and extra info

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    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 by daisycutter

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    4 hours ago, Demonised said:

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

    Correct.

     

  • Quote

    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.

  • Quote
    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.

  • Quote

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

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Haha 1
    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.

  • Quote

    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.

  • Quote

    Is this a Monty Python skit?

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

  • Quote
    • Haha 2
     
    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)

  • Quote

    • Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • PREVIEW: West Coast

      Saturday’s election night game in Perth between the West Coast Eagles and Melbourne represents 18th vs 15th which makes it a tough decision as to which party to favour. The Eagles have yet to break the ice under their new coach in Andrew McQualter who is the second understudy in a row to confront Demon Coach Simon Goodwin who was also winless until a fortnight ago. On that basis, many punters might be considering to go with the donkey vote but I’ve been assigned with the task of helping readers to come to a considered opinion on this matter of vital importance across the nation. It was almost a year ago that I wrote a preview here of the Demons’ away game against the Eagles (under the name William from Waalitj because it was Indigenous Round).  I issued a warning that it was a danger game, based on my local knowledge that the home team were no longer easybeats and that they possessed a wunderkind generational player in Harley Reid who was capable of producing stellar performances playing among men a decade and more older than he.  At the time, the Eagles already had two wins off the back of a couple of the young man’s masterclasses and they had recently given the Bombers a scare straight after their Anzac Day blockbuster draw against the then reigning premiers.

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 1 reply
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • NON-MFC: Round 08

      Round 08 of the 2025 AFL Season kicks off on Thursday with a must-win game for the Bombers to stay in touch with the top eight, while the struggling Roos seek a morale-boosting upset. Friday sees the Saints desperate for a win as well if they are to stay in finals contention and their opponents the Dockers will be eager to crack in to the Top 8 with a win on the road. Saturday kicks off with a pivotal clash for both sides asthe Bulldogs look to solidify their top-eight spot, while Port seeks to shake their pretender tag. Then the Crows will be looking to steady their topsy turvy season against a resurgent Blues looking to make it 4 wins on the trot. On Election Night a Blockbuster will see the ladder-leading Pies take on the Cats, who are keen to bounce back after a narrow loss. On Sunday the Sydney Derby promises fireworks as the Giants aim to cement their top-eight status, while the Swans fight to keep their season alive. The Hawks, celebrating their centenary, will be looking to easily account for the Tigers who are desperate to halt their slide. The Round concludes on Sunday Night with a top end of the table QClash with significant ladder implications; both Queensland teams are in scintillating form. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons?

      • 1 reply
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: West Coast

      The Demons hit the road in Round 8, heading to Perth to face the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium. With momentum building, the Dees will be aiming for a third straight victory to keep their season revival on course. Who comes in and who goes out?

        • Thanks
      • 284 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Richmond

      The fans who turned up to the MCG for Melbourne’s Anzac Day Eve clash against Richmond would have been disappointed if they turned up to see a great spectacle. As much as this was a night for the 71,635 in attendance to commemorate heroes of the nation’s past wars, it was also a time for the Melbourne Football Club to consolidate upon its first win after a horrific start to the 2025 season. On this basis, despite the fact that it was an uninspiring and dour struggle for most of its 100 minutes, the night will be one for the fans to remember. They certainly got value out of the pre match activity honouring those who fought for their country. The MCG and the lights of the city as backdrop was made for nights such as these and, in my view, we received a more inspirational ceremony of Anzac culture than others both here and elsewhere around the country. 

        • Love
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Richmond

      The match up of teams competing in our great Aussie game at its second highest level is a rarity for a work day Thursday morning but the blustery conditions that met the players at a windswept Casey Fields was something far more commonplace.They turned the opening stanza between the Casey Demons and a somewhat depleted Richmond VFL into a mess of fumbling unforced errors, spilt marks and wasted opportunities for both sides but they did set up a significant win for the home team which is exactly what transpired on this Anzac Day round opener. Casey opened up strong against the breeze with the first goal to Aidan Johnson, the Tigers quickly responded and the game degenerated into a defensive slog and the teams were level when the first siren sounded.

        • Clap
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: Richmond

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 28th April @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we analyse the Demons 2nd win for the year against the Tigers.
      Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show.
      If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human.
      Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/
      Call: 03 9016 3666
      Skype: Demonland31

        • Thanks
      • 29 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland
    View All