The oldest football club in the world, Sheffield FC, has strongly condemned the proposed European Super League saying that “it goes against everything that football stand for”.

In a statement the club said: “We regard ourselves as custodians of the beautiful game, and as such we are deeply concerned about the proposed European Super League and what it means for the future of the sport.

“We would like to have it on record that Sheffield FC strongly opposes the formation of a new European Super league, we maintain the opinion that it goes against everything that football stands for.”

Sheffield FC is the world’s oldest football club, playing the game for 164 years since 1857, also said that it would continue to honor the games traditions and game’s values.

The European Super League would see six premier league sides – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham – join a 20-team competition with other top clubs in Europe.

Football fans and football organisations across Europe, including UEFA and the FA, have condemned the idea with the UEFA president calling the plans “fuelled purely by greed”.

Sheffield United owner, Prince Abdullah, wrote on Twitter: “May be a quick idea to kill this super league, FIFA and local federations tell those clubs, you don’t back off your players are free agents and can sign for any other team.”