In celebration of Sheffield’s rich football history, a Sheffield-born artist’s sculptured was revealed on Friday near the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield City Centre.

The ‘Heads or Tails’ sculpture commemorates the first and only coin toss to decide an FA Cup game on 30 October 1873.

It was commissioned by Sheffield Home of Football (SHOF), a charity which seeks to safeguard Sheffield’s football heritage.

The sculpture tells the story of the only FA cup match won on the toss of a coin, in which Sheffield FC, the world’s oldest football team, beat Shropshire Wanderers in their first-ever entry to the competition in October 1873.

The unveiling was attended by South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard and Lord Mayor of Sheffield Safiya Saeed-Berberawi, both of whom said a few words to honour the occasion.

“I’m really pleased that as a city we are increasingly owning that story,” said Mr Coppard. “Sheffield all too often does not shout about itself. We haven’t done for far too long.”

The sculptor, David Westby, also attended the event and paid tribute to his brother, the late Martin Westby, one of the founders of SHOF and a renowned football historian.

Mr Westby said the sculpting “wasn’t a textbook process” and joked about how football had both united and divided his family throughout his life.

The unveiling comes as SHOF look to secure UNESCO status for Sheffield’s unique football history.

At the event, Mr Coppard showed his support for the bid and said he would be writing to the UN in favour of it.

Former BBC journalist and Media Officer for SHOF, Andy Kershaw, said: “Manchester may have the national football museum, but the world football museum is going to be in Sheffield.”

The bolstering of Sheffield’s footballing history was a theme throughout the day.

Dr John Wilson, a trustee of SHOF, said: “Football is about sharing, it’s about enjoying, it’s more than a game. It’s art, it’s community, it’s culture.”

Ms Saeed-Berberawi added: “We must take this message further than today.”