Happy birthday from world football!

Well-wishers from around the world are bombarding the EVO-STIK League South club's social media accounts with messages of congratulations on Tuesday as fans, players and officials celebrate its foundation 160 years ago on 24 October 1857.

While Notts County are traditionally recognised as the oldest club in the Football League, proud Club out date them by six years and their existence famously pre-dates even the Football Association's rulebook. As the FA wasn't formed until 1863, they played by the local 'Sheffield Rules' until 1878.

The messages continue to flood in from clubs and fans from Norway and Spain to the Middle East and South America for one of only two clubs to have been awarded FIFA's Order of Merit award, the other 12-time European champions Real Madrid. Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan, who shares his birthday with the club, was among the top players, leagues, governing bodies like FIFA and UEFA and clubs like his own who've sent their congratulations.

Using his account @IlkayGuendogan and a mocked-up graphic, the midfielder tweeted: "As my story started on the 24th of October 1990, so did football‘s 160 years ago today. Happy birthday to #theworldsfirst club Sheffield FC!"

BBC News also broadcast a special feature to mark the historic day at the BT Local Stadium before proud club officials used their Twitter account to send their thanks, @Sheffieldfc tweeting: "From 1857 to 2017 we're proud to celebrate 160 years of football with fans from across the world. Thank you all!#HappyBirthdayFootball"

To live up to their responsibilities as the world's oldest club, Sheffield now run a host of youth teams, a women’s team who play in the second tier of the Women’s Super League, as well as veteran teams and futsal. The club is also developing its disability section and away from the pitch have education link-ups with many schools and both of the city’s universities. They are also launching an international education programme with Hallam University and boast more than 60,000 followers around the world on social media.

When Sheffield FC celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2007, Ajax and Pele visited Dronfield along Roberto Mancini and his Inter Milan team to play a friendly. Their finest hour came way back in 1904 when they won the FA Amateur Cup, a competition Club suggested!

Images courtesy of @Sheffieldfc/Twitter

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