There’s still value in County Cup football.

2416 fans turned up at Hillsborough to see the final of the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Cup final and no one was disappointed. It was a cold evening, only 11 degrees, yet it was a pleasant walk to the ground from parking the car just outside the ground, something you couldn’t do when ‘Wednesday’ are at home.

Fans of both teams mingled in the bars and food kiosks before taking their seats. I was able to get one of the padded seats, so I sat back waiting for the players of Worksop Town FC and Hallam FC. Both have had successful years coming second in their respective leagues and both gaining promotion by way of the playoffs. Worksop Town will be leaving the Northern Premier League and returning to the National League North after an 18 year absence. Hallam FC will be leaving the Northern Counties East League, Premier Division, next season, and moving up to The Northern Premier League, East Division a level they have never before played at. Despite these moves there will still be two level between the clubs, Worksop at the 6th level of English Football and Hallam at the 8th level.

Both teams entered the arena to some vocal fans and a drum beat by the Hallam contingent. The grass surface looked like it was starting to be prepared for the close season with patches of sand all over the pitch. After the customary introduction to the supporters and each other the teams stood in the centre of the centre circle with everyone standing and observing a minutes silence on this 80th Anniversary of VE Day.

The Sheffield and Hallamshire County FA Senior Cup is the 5th oldest in the world and next year it will be 150 years old, having been first played for in 1876.

Worksop Town 2 Hallam 1

Friday 8th May 2025, 19.30 kick off. Hillsborough Stadium.

Tigers v The Countrymen

Worksop; grey shorts and shirts the front of which had a vertical black panel on one side, the goalkeeper had an orange top and black shorts.

Hallam; All royal blue strip with the goalkeeper in a pink top and black shorts.

Worksop looked in control from the start but Hallam were letting them come to them and counter attacking with some quick breaks down the wings particularly down the right. Hallam were also controlling the tempo of the game with slow goal kicks, throw ins and set pieces, this was something they continued with all match.

It was Worksop who took the lead when with 16 minutes gone, a cross from the left was beaten out by the Hallam keeper but only onto the head of Aleks Starcenco who directed it down and into the bottom right corner of the net. The game now ebbed and flowed and despite the difference in League levels Hallam held their own to only trail by the one goal at half time.

The floodlights were turned on at half time with it coming over gloomy, and Worksop should have made it two with only 4 minutes gone from the re-start when the ball was blasted over the bar from very close range. A few minutes later, Warhurst in the Hallam goal kept them in the game with a reflex point blank save.

The Worksop dominance continued with the Hallam break aways, and one of these lead to an equaliser when a cross in from the left found Rio Allan, unmarked, and he cleverly dinked it over the goalkeeper into the net. Que celebrations by the players just in front of their fans. Rio Allen had played some skilful football all night and deserved the goal.

This set up a nerve wracking 20 minutes for both fans with the pattern of play resuming as before. Both sides made numerous substitutions, and it seemed destined for penalties to decide the tie, when with a minute to go Worksop struck again, when after a higher tempo attack the ball was received by Aleks Starcenco on the right corner of the Hallam goal area and he blasted it into the top right hand corner of the net. Hallam could not come back in the final 4 minutes of added time but all of their team gave their all. Worksop will have known that they had been in a hard won game, just deserving to edge it on the night.

Football Food

Great to have chips again, they were a good portion, tasty, golden, firm to soft inside, and but for the fact that they were only warm they could have been the chips of the year, score 73.

Culture, tension, chaos, ecstacy. This must be Bradford City FC.

It seemed lest than 2 months ago that I bought a ticket to see Bradford City’s last game of the season. Little did I know at the time that Bradford would be sitting 3rd in the League 2 table, and in the last automatic promotion place needing to do better than Walsall, playing at Crewe, to go up.
I have seen Valley Parade set on the side of a hill overlooking the city many times as I passed through, with its huge stands, and I couldn’t understand why I have not been before.
I approached the ground and found parking a problem with the large crowd like me getting there early. Driving past Grosvenor Road, a throng of fans were swaying and chanting their way to the stadium under a haze of orange smoke from flares. Eventually, I found a space and abandoned the car, half on the path, near the top of one of Bradfords many hills. A 23-minute walk initially downhill but then the steep ascent to the ground. People were swarming in, in a happy mood. Inside the ravenous hall entrance to the Morrisons stand, I was greeted by long queues for food and drink, so I made my way up numerous steps to the top where my seat was near the back.
Wow, what a view of Bradford and hills beyond with spires and domes illustrating the multicultural life of the city.

Bradford is our ‘City of Culture’ for 2025, and in the ground, I was experiencing one of the events that shape some of our country’s culture.
After a week of temperatures in the mid 20’s it had dropped today to 14 degrees, with grey overcast clouds giving way to some blue skies and sunshine. The pitch shone a bright green with the flat grass surface cut in stripes. All parts of the stadium have seated stands but those behind one goal and down one side are immense, part of the redevelopment that followed the disastrous fire in 1985 that cost the lives of 56 fans on that fateful day, being remembered today, close to the May 11th anniversary.
The atmosphere was all consuming with a deafening noise and the brilliant orange and claret. The day was all about Bradford, but a group of Fleetwood fans made themselves known as they stood and chanted.

The teams entered the arena like gladiators and lined up for introduction. They then moved to the centre of the pitch to observe a minutes silence in remembrance when you could have heard a pin drop. Raucous applause, and the teams were ready for the contest.

Bradford City 1 Fleetwood Town 0

Saturday 3rd May 2025. 17.00 kick off
English Football League Division 2
University Of Bradford Stadium, Valley Parade, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, BD8 7DY.
3rd v 14th. Bantams v The Cod Army or the Fishermen

After the first 15 minutes, the Bradford fans had quietened due to the tension, and just 8 minutes later it was Fleetwood who had the first real chance of the game, which was blocked and cleared by defenders. Play was continually interrupted with injuries, and on 35 minutes, the teams took advantage with a drinks break.

Although Bradford retained most of the possession, neither side looked like they were going to break the deadlock as the teams left the field at hal time.

A cold wind blew up at the interval, hopefully not a portent of a cooling second half.
Bradford continued to press forward, but their high balls were easily dealt with by Fleetwood’s big back four. Some wing play, particularly from the left and long throws from their right back, did cause the most angst for Fleetwood.
Halfway through the half news came through from Crewe that Walsall had scored and the crowd groaned, knowing that only a win would see them up. A few ripples hope we’re extinguished when information of a Crew equaliser were unfounded. Could the introduction of substitutes galvanise the team to score.

It seemed unlikely, although the board saying 6 minutes of added time gave hope. Halfway through this, a shot hit the post, but the crowd continued to believe, and Bradley Halliday strode over from the right to deliver his last long throw. It reached the penalty area and was headed down for Antoni Sarkevic to get a foot to it. Somehow, it caught a slight deflection and ended up in the right-hand corner of the net.

Pandemonium broke out, and people from all around the stadium invaded the pitch. Most realised that time was not up and booed the interlopers. Stewards, police, officials and loudspeaker announcements finally cleared the pitch but an ill timed announcement of the goal scorer, with the words Bradford one Fleetwood nil only provoked another invasion as they only heard ‘Bradford won’. Another frantic effort again cleared the pitch for the referee to play one minute and blow the final whistle. Que pitch invasion and Bradford City were promoted in the Year of Culture.
Just down the road Leeds too were celebrating their winning of the Championship. No one cared here. It was all about their local sister city that is starting a fight back after so many years in their shadow.
I was out of the stand like a shot and sailed down the many stairs reflecting on an amazing finish to a game and a season. How lucky was I to be part of it.

Football food.

The queues were so long that I didn’t have anything. There were, however, no chips on the food menu anyway.

You have to deal with disappointment to follow the Villa….5….

An early start to head south to watch a grandson’s under 6 game in Northampton and then on to Wembley.

A Wembley trip is an occasion as well as a football match, and for me to go with two grandsons made me reflect on my first visit. Then there were twin towers, and England lost 2.3 to Sweden in 1959. This was only England’s second loss to a team other than a Home Nation on the hallowed turf. Just six years after the thrashing by Hungary and only 7 years before England’s World Cup triumph. Bobby Moore’s statue, with reference to the rest of the team, stands proud outside the entrance.

There have been other changes, too, even since a visit to see Aston Villa lose in a Championship Playoff final in 2018. On my first visit, my father showed me the decaying buildings left over from the British Empire Exhibition of 1924/25, and I showed what was left to my son in 1994 when Villa beat Manchester United. None of that now , the area has been transformed into a modern high-rise city of its own with the tiered walkway that was Wembley Way replaced by a flat pathed area to complement the new living style.

The organisation was fantastic, with the turnstiles and security opened, all of the queuing fans were whisked into the stadium. Inside the concourse offers food and drink and toilets to befit a national stadium.

The vastness of the red seats hit you as you walk into your seating area brought smiles to the grandsons. The immaculate pitch gleamed a bright green despite the grey overhead cloud, and there was no wind or breeze in this bowl.

Strangely, the Villa fans, so vociferous at home and away, seemed subdued, but a ripple of applause broke out as Stan Collymore was spotted standing above a ‘Villa Cannock’ flag.

Crystal Palace 3 Aston Villa 0

Saturday 26th April 2025, FA Cup Semi-final, 17.15 kick off.

Eagles v Villians.

There was little intensity to the start of the game, and Villa looked as if they were playing walking football out from the back as Palace didn’t press them but crowded out the mid field and defence. Palace fans were in ascendancy when 31 minutes Pau Torres made a mistake to let Ismail Sarr cross the ball for Ebrechi Eze to hit a fierce shot into the roof of the net past Martinez’s right hand.

Villa tried to get into the game and, with much of the possession, didn’t create a worthwhile chance despite some hard work by John McGinn.

Villa briefly looked a little sharper at the start of the second half but conceded a penalty . Jean-Paul Mateta stepped forward and placed the ball to the diving Martinez’s left, but with it clipping the outside of the post and going wide Villa fans thought this could be a sign of a come back.

However, Villa players looked like they had tired legs and were often picked off by some strong defending in mid field by Daichi Kamada and Adam Wharton. The Londoners doubled their lead on 58 minutes when Sarr dispossessed Tielemans and surged forward to power a drive along the ground into the left hand corner of the net. Villa made changes and could have reduced the lead but for their own player, Torres, blocking a powerful shot that looked destined to score.

With the minutes ticking away and the Villa fans drifting out, Sarr raced clear of the Villa defence and made it 3 nil, game well and truly over.

Although Villa had over 70 per cent of possession, it was Palace who outplayed them again this season, their defensive tack ticks and fast breaks, capitalising on Villa mistakes.

Palace had a game plan to disrupt Villa’s flow, they made the referee and Villa wait at the start as they held a long huddle, they made very long celebrations for each goal, Eze strutted back to the half way line after his goal celebrations at a crawl, Place came out in dribs and drabs to start the second half with a pause to wait for their 11th player and Henderson , who had a great game in goal should have been penalised by the referee for his time wasting. But despite this, you could not take it away from Crystal Palalce, who very much deserved to win and make Villa look second best.

Hopefully, the long season has not proved too much for Aston Villa and they can win the remainder of their games.

Football Food

The food at our magnificent football stadium was less than magnificent.

I was told I couldn’t just have chips to review for my annual chip league unless I had it as a meal deal with a burger. However, the chips were priced separately. Why not sell them separately then. The burger in what I think was supposed to be a Brioche Bun was awful. It was limp tasteless, just warm and made a McDonalds basic burger seem like a gourmet meal.

The chips were the worst I have had all season and sit bottom of my chip league, a score of 40 was generous. They were cold, dry limp, with no taste, and unfortunately, I left most of them under my seat for someone to clear up, sorry. I won’t ever buy anything inside this stadium again.

N.B. The heading to this post has been used before in my blog. However, it doesn’t reflect the enjoyment fun and smiles that Aston Villa have given me.

Wakefield AFC progressing off the pitch but not on.

With warmer weather promised, I ventured North to Featherstone on a clear night, 2 degrees, made colder by a northerly wind. My destination was Featherstone Rovers Rugby League ground to see Wakefield AFC play. Yes, last season, I saw them play t home at Wakefield Trinity’s ground. The agreement to play there has ended, and they are now a season into a 2 year agreement with Featherstone.

The Programme however brought good news that the club is involved in a project at Brook Farm in Walton just in the southeast of Wakefield. Perhaps I will in the future see these nomads in a permanent home.

Arriving at the ground, there was a large parking area which could certainly do with a little more lighting.

I have watched Wakefield’s rise and saw they were again challenging for promotion. With three games in hand, and 5 points behind, they were closing in on local rivals Horbury Town hoping to gain outright promotion rather than the play offs where they lost in the final last year.

Featherstone Rovers’ ground holds roughly 10000, 271 had braved the elements and were housed in a section of the main stand. The stadium has good covered seating on three sides with open seating on the other. The flat grass pitch looked in very good condition with the grass slightly longer than usual.

Football Histories

The current Wakefield was only formed in 2019 by a group of local businessmen, but a controlling interest was bought out in 2021 by VO2 Capital. They have climbed through the Sheffield and Hallamshire County League and are now pushing for promotion from the Northern Counties East League Division 1.

Ilkley Town was formed in the 1960s but disbanded in the early 90s. Reformed in 1994 as Ilkley AFC they played locally and renamed that Club back to Ilkley Town after previously joining the West Yorkshire League. They were elected in 2021 to the North West Counties League and transferred to the Northern Counties East League for this season.

Wakefield AFC 1 Ilkley Town 2

Tuesday 18th March 2025. 19.45 kick off. 2nd v 4th Falcons v Baht’atters

The Millennium Stadium, Post Office Road, Featherstone, WF7 5EN

Wakefield; White shirts with blue shorts, Goalkeeper Blue top with black shorts.

Ilkley; Pink shirts with purple shoulders, Goalkeeper all light orange.

Ilkley immediately went on the attack, being very successful down the right where Maxim Hague, with number 2 on his back, was quickly making it forward and releasing good crosses that were causing problems. Wakefield weathered the storm and their attacks were provided by long high balls and enormous long throws. The game was very competitive with a good level of skill. Ilkley looked the most promising with their mid-field duo getting the upper hand.

It was a quick run down the left on 21 minutes that provided a cross along the floor for Maxim Hague to pounce at the right post and place the ball high up into the net. Wakefield tried to respond. However, it was the away team who continued to look most likely to extend their lead. Both sides left the field at half time with Ilkley having been on top.

The second half continued in much the same way, and the evening was made worse for Wakefield when on 69 minutes, a misguided back pass was collected by Toby Marriot, who had just come on as a substitute. He had to move away from goal due to the advancing goalkeeper and, from a very difficult angle, squeezed the ball along the ground into the far corner of the net. Wakefield looked well defeated at this point but were back in the game with just over ten minutes left when Kelan Swales ran onto a speculative ball over the top of the Ilkley defence and he lobbed it over the advancing keeper.

Wakefield pushed forward to try and salvage something from the game but were thwarted by their own lack of chances and some deliberate time wasting by their opponents.

Wakefield still have a chance to win the league, although their progress was dented here, and Ilkley will be strong contenders in any play offs.

Football food

Unfortunately, there were no chips again, so a beef pie with gravy was a good substitute. Tasty, but could have been a little hotter.

The Cymru Premiership almost won.

A journey to the Wales, England border took me to the home of TNS (The New Saints).

I had watched them earlier in the season at Shrewsbury Town’s ground during their record-breaking exploits in European football. Now, at their home in curiously England, I was there to see them play Caernarfon in the JD Cymru Premier Championship Conference. TNS’s home is a modern facility on the outskirts of Oswestry.

“The Venue” is a complex, housing ten pin bowling. a gym, activity room, children’s play area, restaurant and bar, multi use conference and meeting rooms, and a floodlight all-weather artificial pitch available for hire throughout the week.

The floodlights can be seen from the approach road, and you arrive into a large, tarmacked car park. You walk through a glass doored entrance immediately into a large room with a food counter in one corner and a bar in the far corner. There is a large area to mingle and numerous seats and tables. One side is a glass wall with an entrance to the stadium.

You enter at the top of the large seated stand, which runs down one side and with the covered seated area behind one goal offer 1700 seats. There are no buildings on the other two sides, but there is planning permission to add a further 1300 seats.

Football Histories

The history of TNS goes back over 150 years when in 1860 Oswestry Town Fc were formed, but it was their merger with Llansantffraid that forged todays club. llansantffraid had been successful in climbing the Welsh Leagues to enter the Premier League and changed their name to Total Network Solutions in 1997 due to a worthwhile sponsorship deal. They first qualified for European football in 2000. The merger with Oswestry was completed in 2003, and the name of The New Saints was adopted in 2006 when the sponsors company was sold. They have stayed near or at the top of their league ever since. Although they have developed a very good ground with other sporting and leisure facilities it is not big enough for their European nights.

The first football team in Caernarfon was the Carnarvon Athletic Club, founded in 1876. The present Caernarfon Town Football Club dates from 61 years later in 1937. The club achieved success in Welsh leagues and Cup football and joined the Northern Premier league in 1981 where it stayed until they became members of the Welsh National League in 1995. Their highest place in the top tier of Welsh football has been 4th.

TNS 2 Caernarfon 0

Tuesday 11th March 19.45 kick off.

JD Cymru Premier Championship Conference.

1st v 5th. The “TNS” v The Canaries

TNS; White shirts with horizontal stripes on front and back, not joined with green shorts. Goalkeeper in all faded green. Caernarfon; Canary yellow tops green shorts, goalkeeper in all purple all purple’

The temperature had dropped to 3 degrees as the two teams walked out onto the pitch.

It soon became obvious that TNS were quick on the flanks but the balls delivered in were dealt with easily by the away defence and the fact that TNS didn’t appear to have a cutting edge to their forward play. TNS were also skillfully moving the ball about the field but matched by an equally skilful defence.

TNS’s attacking intent was thwarted on 28 minutes when Ben Hughes tipped the ball over his crossbar from a close range shot.

Caernarfon did cause some panic in the home defence when Caernarfon long throws, some of the longest I have ever seen, put them under pressure.

The game continued with this pattern until the board showed 2 minutes of added time a cross from the right was deflected in by Ryan Sears, a Caernarfon defender for an own goal.
TNS should have had more through their domination of push and run speedy runs and crosses.

The second half produced much of the same, even with the introduction of substitutes.

The last 10 minutes saw Caernarfon push more for an equaliser. Unfortunately, they were punished when a through ball was collected by Sion Bradley 30 yards out, and he sprinted forward on his own and curled it along the ground under the Caernarfon keeper. The referee soon whistled for full time to give TNS what looked like a comfortable result, although it was far from that.

The win for TNS practically ensured their 17th Cymru Premiership and forced a disappointing 2 hour journey home along the North Wales coastal road.

So, TNS as league champions will be able to compete in Europe again next season. It is somewhat strange that this team will represent Wales when they play in England. Recently, the four Welsh teams who play in the English Football League have been unsuccessful in their request to play in the Welsh Cup, and if they were to be winners qualify for Europe.

Next season more will be up for grabs due to league positions, which will be important when an expanded Premier League is planned for the following season.

The Welsh FA are also talking to Merthyr Town FC to encourage them to switch from the Southern League in England.

The chips were hot, a good quantity, skin on, crispy with soft centre but had some strong seasoning on. The seasoning was in my mind not good and unnecessary, reducing their score to 55.

Keswick, what a beautiful day for some.

On a bright sunny afternoon, with the temperature registering 17 degrees, I made my way to one of the most picturesque grounds in the country, Keswick FC. The sky was bright blue with a few white, thin clouds across the sky. Just over 30 others had turned up to watch, often swelled momentarily by passing walkers in the park.

The pitch in Fritz Park has the backdrop of Lake District hills on all four sides. Down one side is the river Derwent that flooded the park and much of the town in 2015, like Cockermouth, their opponents this afternoon. Cockermouth is only 14 miles away, and the game could be called the A66 derby.

The park was devastated, and a new club house has been built that is set up from the pitch and gives a good view from the veranda. The club house and changing room have been built to a good spec, and the facilities are complimented by a large nearby car park that does unfortunately get full very quickly with local park users and tourists.

Keswick FC 1 Cockermouth 5

Saturday 8th March 14.00 pm kick off. Cumberland County League, Premier Division
5th v 1st, The Cumbrians v The Cockers

Keswick; Red shirts with black shorts, goalkeeper in all luminous yellow.

Cockermouth; Yellow shirts with a series of black stripes vertically down the front with grey shorts, goalkeeper in Grey top with black sleeves and grey shorts.

Keswick began the match with only 2 substitutes to Suckermouths 6 and with a first game, 16 year old goalkeeper, between the sticks.

The game started evenly with each side having early chances. Cockermouth playing from right to left took the lead on 12 minutes when a ball was whipped out to the left, and a curling cross from their unmarked player was passed on to Robert Cox, who just had the keeper to beat.

The home side held their own against the league leaders, but disaster struck on
35 minutes when a ball crossed from the right was fumbled by the goalkeeper at left hand postand it was squeezed in from a difficult angle 2 by Luke Graham.

Cockermouth’s 2 nil lead at half time was a bit flattering and after the short interval Keswick were right back in the game. Within 5 minutes, they had reduced the deficit when a free kick from the right was met by Alfie West who stooped to head over the keeper into the centre of the net.
The game swung back in favour of the visitors when the referee gave a penalty, which caused consternation with the Keswick players who felt their man had won the ball fairly. The home sides number 7 received two yellows for what appeared to be arguing. The referee then checked with his linesman, and after a long discussion the penalty stood. The keeper dived to his right of Luke Grahams spot kick but the ball went into the left side of the net to restore the away teams two goal advantage.

Now playing with 10 men, things only became harder when on 65 minutes, a corner from the left by Kyren Bertram was knocked into the goal by the keeper.
Despite 10 men, being 1.4 down and substitutes refreshing their opponents, Keswick kept battling. A Fifth was added for Cockermouth at the death when a crossed ball from Lewis White deceived the home goalkeeper sailing over his head and into right hand corner of net.

Cockermouth stayed top of the division, and although Keswick let in five, they were not disgraced. The young keeper should not be disheartened by his performance, he will have better days for sure.

No chips here or food to discuss.

Non-League day March 22nd 2025.

This years Non-League day will soon be upon us.

Now, in its 15th year, this annual event that coincides with an Internationals weekend is an opportunity to showcase the importance of affordable, volunteer led, community football outside of the four major English Leagues.

Non-League Day was set up by James Doe in 2010 and has now become an annual event in the footballing calendar. Some of the Non-league clubs have special promotions for the weekend. Attendance generates needed funds for the smaller clubs who often are the hubs for local boys and girls football, mens, and womens and senior teams. If you have the chance please go along to a local game where I am sure you will receive a great welcome and enjoy what lower level football has to offer.

On the day Buckingham FC have reduced entry by 50% and free entry for under 16’s, look up Altrincham FC and Lancaster FC for an array of entry price offers, Oxford City will charge only £5 admission with under 16’s being £1. There are many more, just look up your local club.

As has been the case for many years the day will also advance a wider campaign in football to promote awareness of the Prostate Cancer Risk.

I have yet to decide where I will be going. I hope you all enjoy the day.

Hallam prize the table wide open.

After watching the bore of the season last week, I looked for a local game that appeared to throw up some goals.

At Hallam’s historic home they were entertaining Silsden AFC who were top of the Northern Counties East League, Premier Division. Silsden had been leading the division by double figure points for some time, but recently had dropped points, and the chasing pack had also made up any games in hand. Hallam were now just 8 points behind Silsden and were on a very good run of results. 1056 fans also had the same idea as me, with the crowd being swelled by the fact that Sheffield Wednesday and United were not at home and a beautiful afternoon. It was the first day of Meteorological spring in the UK, and the sun was out. There were bright blue skies, with some very wispy white clouds giving a temperature of 10 degrees. Seeing a few others in much lighter coats than me made me feel overdressed, although by the end of the game, the fading sun saw the temperature drop and vindicated my choice of clothes.

The grass pitch bore the scars of a wet winter with muddy patches showing through but the recent warmer, drier days, made the pitch look good compared to my recent visits. The cricket pitch beyond the open side looked magnificent and even tempted me to visit in the summer to watch a game.

Football Histories

Because I have written about Hallam’s ground and history in the past I will not return to it. However Silsden’s history goes back to a team in 1904 who gained entry to the Keighley and District League in which they were successful, transfering to the Bradford and District League for a brief spell before re-joining their previous league. The 1920’s saw some consolidation in the area as Silsden absorbed other local teams. At the same time they moved up to the West Riding County Amateur League and subsequently the South Craven and the Airedale and Craven League. Their nomadic life took another turn in 1933, entering the Bradford Amateur League, then, back to the Keighley League in 1937 and after the war, the Craven League. League hoping continued when they went back to the Bradford Amateur League and, by 1951, found themselves in the Wharfedale league but back to the Craven League eight years later. Here, success enabled them to be elected to the West Riding County Amateur League in 1964. The demise of local team Keighley Shamrocks in 1969 and the movement of most of that team to Silsden enabled them to win their league but disagreements with the league meant they had to move again, this time to the the West Yorkshire league but after progressing through the divisions they were expelled after altercations with another team. Luckily, they were allowed back to the West Riding County Amateur League in 1976. Having won the league the next season, they were again thrown out of the league for disciplinary issues and also lost their stadium.

Silsden United, the Sunday League team took over the tenancy and from this club emerged Silsden AFC getting back into the Craven League in 1980, promotions meant they were able to re-join the West Riding County Amateur league three years later. Although initially thriving, the team had to resign from the league in 1988. By keeping local youth football alive a new Silsden AFC were back in the Craven league in 1996 and some stability saw a new ground available from 2010 after they had been moved to the North West Counties league six years earlier. They then progressed through the North West Counties league until 2019, when they were transferred to the Northern Counties East League after an FA re-organisation.

Such a breath taking journey I have not seen at any other club, please excuse the lengthy resume.

Hallam FC 5 Silsden AFC 1

Saturday 1st March 2025 15.00 kick off. Northern Counties East League, Premier Division,

Hallam FC, Sandygate, Sandygate Road, Sheffield S10 5SE.

Countrymen v Cobbydalers, 2nd v 1st Attendance 1056

Hallam; All royal blue kit, goalkeeper in pink top and black shorts. Silsden; Red shirts and Black shorts, goalkeeper in all luminous yellow.

Hallam kicked down hill in the first half and soon gained superiority over the away team who were unable to deal with fast wing play and a boisterous presence in the middle of the attack. A goal inevitably came on 16 minutes when the ball was passed to Januz Lipka standing alone on the right of the goal area. He had time to look up and hit it across the keeper into the top left-hand corner. This goal wakened Silsden who now pushed forward, and created chances, but Hallam went further ahead when Rio Allen cut in from the right, kept going, unchallenged, and had a free shot that went along the ground just inside the left hand post.

Silsden’s defence looked shell shocked and had no answer to Hallam’s quick continuous pressure. They made it three on 35 minutes when, after a heading duel, the ball fell to the feet of Danny South, who calmly just prodded it home. Just 5 minutes later a ball from a corner was not properly cleared and when it was played back into the penalty area Janusz Lipka was on hand, amongst a mele of players to place the ball in the net to give the home side a four goal advantage at half time.

Talking to some Silsden fans next to me they hoped that the advantage of the slope in the second half would enable them to get back in the game. Unfortunately, thing were made worse for them when 5 minutes from the restart it was five nil, when Leo Howarth ran on to a ball that had been parried out and squeezed it between defenders and the left hand post. There seemed no coming back from this although Silsden did get one goal back on 56 minutes, Jake Maltby, collected a rebound from the Hallam wall, after a free kick, and his shot bounced in front of the goalkeeper and over his dive.

There was no further comeback as both sides had few chances, and tired legs started to take a toll. The introduction of substitutes had no effect either and Hallam’s win, roared on by their noisy supporters means the lead at the top is down to 5 points and what looked like a one horse race is now wide open.

Football Food

The chips were served very quickly, as always, and were hot, golden, crispy, soft centred and tasty. A good quantity for £3 and an equally good score of 69.

Unfortunately I just missed buying a program, which has happened to me before here, but a free team sheet was welcome.

They call it the blues

I journeyed over the river Trent to visit Gainsborough to see the local team play. Researching the town it turned out to have been both the capital of England and Denmark for just 5 weeks in 1013, things seemed to change quicker then than they do today. Gainsborough Trinity’s ground is north of the centre just past the modern Marshals Yard a modern retail/food experience in the old Marshals factory. Marshals were a past major employer in the town when they manufactured Steam engines and rollers, agricultural equipment and later in their existence, tractors.
The ground is very easy to find and I couldn’t believe my luck when just six spaces from the turnstile there was a gap to park the car. Everything looks better when the sun is out and there were only a few grey clouds scuttling across a bright blue sky and I felt overdressed in such warm clothes that didn’t reflect the temperature of 14 degrees.

This is a well established stadium having been in use since 1850 when it housed a cricket pitch. Like other cricket grounds, football was introduced for winter sport and eventually took over the whole area. The ground is dominated by a high seated stand in the middle of one side, underneath which the players change. Not many people sat in the seats, which was soon evident in that the leg room was severely restricted. The rest of the ground has covered tiered, standing at one end and one side and tiered open standing at one end. There was a food kiosk in one corner as you go through the turnstile and a queue was building up already.
Gainsborough had recently been involved in good cup runs having beaten 4 teams in the F.A. Cup to finally go out away to a league side, Harrogate, by the only goal. One of their wins was the unbelievably exciting 4-5 win at Hednesford that I saw back in November. They had also beaten 4 teams in the F.A. Trophy before coming up against Woking of the National League. These cup game meant that their 13th position in the league could be improved to just off the play off spot if they won their games in hand. Their opponents Mickleover in contrast sat 21st and well entrenched in a relegation battle.

Football Histories

Gainsborough Trinity started life as Trinity Recreationists in 1873, a team set up by a vicar in the Holy Trinity parish. By 1889 they were founder members of the Midland League where they were successful and gained election to the Football league in 1896 where they stayed until they were not re-elected in 1912. Back to the Midland league they often beat league teams in the F.A. Cup but were never able to get re-elected to the Football League. They continued playing in the Midland league which they won on several occasions and regularly appeared in the draw for the round of the F.A. Cup that included League teams.

The Midland League was disbanded in 1960 but re-formed a year later and after winning the league in 1967 were founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968. The club maintained its status when a Premier Division of the Northern Premier League was established in 1987 and moved up a level in 2004 with the formation of the Conference League North. They played at that level until suffering their first ever relegation in their history in 2018. They have stayed in the Northern Premier League, Premier Division ever since and this year resumed their historic exploits in the F.A. Cup.

Mickleover Sports F.C. was founded in 1948 as Mickleover Old Boys and played for 44 years in the Derby & District Senior League. In 1982 the Sports Club decided on a more ambitious regime joining the Central Midland League and planning the move to Station Road which they achieved in 1992.They rose through the Central Midlands League, Northern Counties East and eventually to the Northern Premier league for the 2010/11 season. But in 2011/12 they suffered their first ever relegation only to bounce back by 2015. In 2020 they were renamed Mickleover Football Club. Since then they have been transferred to the Southern League, Premier Division Central and were transferred back to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League at the start of this season.

Gainsborough Trinity F.C. 0 Mickleover F.C. 0

Saturday 22nd February 2025 15.00 pm kick off. Northern Premier League, Premier Division.

Gainsborough Trinity Football Club Gainsborough Lincolnshire DN21 2QW

Holy Blues v The Sports, 13th v 21st. Attendance 532

Gainsborough; Kit all Royal Blue, goalkeeper all light Blue. Mickleover; All white kit with salmon pink stripe down the sides of shirts and shorts, goalkeeper in all yellow.

Gainsborough entered the pitch with an all blue dolphin mascot. Did they come as far up the Trent? No, the answer from the clubs launch info was ‘Known for intelligence, teamwork, and playfulness, dolphins perfectly represent the essence of our football programme. Trenton will attend matches …….He’ll remind us that whether we win or lose, the game and supporting each other is truly what matters….August 2024.’

The grass pitch sloped slightly side to side and to one corner was heavily sanded and despite heavy recent rain, and standing water in fields in the drive over, was hard. The surface created an unusual bounce that the players couldn’t get a grip of. These conditions could possibly explain what I would say was an underwhelming first half. A Gainsborough forward was booked for simulation when the home crowd thought he had been fouled in the penalty area and a shot that looked to be going well wide took an unusual bounce and turned in to hit the bottom of the post were the highlights.

The second half wasn’t much better although Gainsborough did manage to be more attack minded but never looked likely to bother a resolute Mickleover defence and goalkeeper.

Whether it was the ‘Holy Blues’ having the blues after their magnificent cup antics of the season or that for them they feel that their season has come to an end early I’m not sure. I certainly felt blue in the fact that a club I had looked forward to visiting perhaps served up the worst football of any level I have seen this season. For Mickleover it was a good away point gained in their relegation struggle.

Football Food

I was excited to see a bucket of real potatoes that had been chipped and ready for frying when I ordered my portion. The excitement didn’t last long, the skin on chips, were dry, warm and with little taste. The portion was large but in the end needed some red sauce to make them edible. Even the large portion was off putting. I scored them a 62 for my Chip League but on recollection this should have been in the 50’s but the fact they used fresh real potatoes rather that frozen chips perhaps influenced me.

FC FARCE

FC FARCE, Written by Darryl Barkwill

Independently Published on 31st January 2025.

Available on Amazon as a download or for £8.99 as a paperback.

When Darryl asked if I would consider reading his first ever book, called FC FARCE, I thought, really! I wandered which of our hundreds of football clubs the book would be about considering the antics and mess of many over the years. I was wrong, the book is a story about Henlon Wanderers, a fictitious team who due to manipulative outsiders have to change their name to the Surname of the Chairman, Farce.

The hero is their reluctant Chairman, often the villains, who does every thing he can to keep the club alive despite many missiles and self inflicted problems. The book has a good mix of personalities who want to see the club survive and those who have motives to see it fold.

The whole story makes you smile and laugh although you can emphasise with the Manager and Chairman as they dig deep to keep themselves going yet alone the team and club.

This 150 page book would be great for a long journey or a few days away as it will keep you enthralled and engaged to the end, and you will want to reach the end. Too much information here would ruin a book I could recomend to anyone.

A great first book from Darryl and as a Plymouth Argyle supporter I could not have thought of anyone better to write about such ups and downs.