EXCLUSIVE: Researchers argue Penistone should be recognised as the 'home of football'
Richard Galliford & Kevin Neill reckon the village had a major role to play in the birth of the sport
Sheffield has always been recognised internationally as the home of football.
However, we're being told exclusively that another place in South Yorkshire should actually hold that title!
It's as two football researchers from Penistone believe it was first played in the village during the 1840's & 50's - before Sheffield FC became the world's oldest football club in 1857.
Kevin Neill is one of the researchers:
"Several historians have identified Penistone as the hotbed of football in the whole country.
"Penistone is a major, major contributor to the football that took off in Sheffield.
"We have no doubt that the game that flourished in Penistone in the 1840's and 1850's was taken to Sheffield.
"We think that informal games of football were taken to Sheffield in 1853.
"Penistone's contribution to Sheffield is massive, and it cannot be underestimated in terms of what Penistone gave to Sheffield to create itself as the home of football."
Richard Galliford is somebody else who's spent a lot of time studying Penistone's role in the so called 'birth' of the sport:
"We think that Penistone is sitting on something massive.
"All we want is for Penistone to be recognised for its contributions to the modern game of association football."
Richard Tims - the Chairman of Sheffield FC - provided us with this statement:
"We absolutely recognise the importance of the area around Penistone as being a hotbed of football in the pioneering early days.
"We also recognise the part they played and continue to play in helping the city and region become known globally as The Home of Football."