Newham pupils quiz Sheffield FC chairman via Skype

Students at one of Newham’s newest schools spoke to the chairman of one of the oldest football clubs in the world via Skype.

The youngsters from Chobham Academy, the first school to open in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, spoke to Richard Timms about the history and the evolution of the “beautiful game”.

The event was organised by former Sheffield FC player and now PE teacher at Chobham Academy Ben Leonard who contacted his old chairman to arrange the lesson for a group of post 16 students at the academy who were learning about the history of sport, Along with some keen year 7 students the call took place in the Academy’s theatre.

Mr Timms explained to the students how the club was first created and the first rules drawn up in 1857. He spoke to them about the club’s 150 year anniversary match against Inter Milan where Mario Balotelli played for the visitors with footballing legend Pele as guest of honour. The chairman explained that when the club first started players played for the love of the game and not for money.

He said there were only two football clubs in the World with a FIFA order of merit award, these are little old Sheffield Club who are playing in the 7th tier of English Football and the galacticos of Real Madrid.

Mr Leonard said :”The students were very engaged with what was going on. It was a very different way of teaching them, using new technology to make things (like this) possible.”