If you take the Dearne Valley Expressway off the M1 you will eventually come to a sign that says Thurnscoe which is on the right side of the road and it is Goldthorpe on the left where Dearne & District FC play. You will have had to negotiate the numerous roundabouts and view the many new vast sheds and the infrastructure for more. I often wander what happens to all of the old warehouses, is there a home for old ones.

Dearne and District FC are a very progressive community club in the Central Midlands North Division. Their Facebook page on Friday said it all.

Talking to a local fan whose son is in the under 16’s the club can involve over 650 players competitively over a weekend, an amazing feat. A feat that is replicated in differing numbers all over the country that keep grass roots football alive, amazing.

Dearne  & Districts ground is in Goldthorpe in what was the edge of town but is getting surrounded by a growing large housing estate which is one of the reasons they are preparing to move to the Welfare ground where lights are being installed ready for a move up the non-league pyramid structure.

It was a beautiful sunny day with a few grey fluffy clouds moving over a bright blue sky, my coat I had brought with me stayed on the bench next to me. The pitch was a vivid green with thick grass and a few bare patches which sloped from end to end. There was a small corrugated stand on one side of the ground and some containers in one corner that served as changing rooms, club house and bar/food counter. Small but very homely which reflected the family atmosphere with a crowd that had a good mix of ages as six boys kicked into one goal up to the start of play, /no one seemed to mind, I estimated the crowd of about 70/80.

I was unable to find anything about the history of Dearne and District except that they were formed in 1982 and that this Goldthorpe based club has many teams of all ages, sexes, and abilities but I would suggest that there is a good story to be told here as they progress.

I have written about Staveley Miners Welfare before nut they too only have a short history going back to 1962 starting in Sunday football and have grown in the same way that Dearne must want to emulate.

Dearne & District FC 9 Staveley Miners Welfare Reserves FC 0

Well where do you start, a minute into the game and the home team were already ahead when Nick Guest hit home from a cross in a melee of players. Dearne’s dominance took another 13 minutes before they scored again when a clearance from their goalkeeper found Callum Clarke on the left side of the goal area who riffled it into the right side of the net. Six minutes later and Nick Guest made it 3-0 with a close header and it was soon four as a player cut in from the left and placed the ball across the Staveley keeper to end up just inside the far post. Another went in just before half time when Carlton Carty made no mistake when given a free hit on goal after a clearance.

So leading by five nil Dearne did not let up in the second half when Jimmy Ghaichem was gifted a rebound that he put away with ease. With 63 minutes on the clock it was seven nil when what looked like a cross sailed into the net. Nick Guest made it a hat trick on 72 minutes when he ran past the static Staveley back line to score and to end his happy day he made it four for him and nine for the home side when he tapped in after a ball was headed on to him.

So Dearne & District move up to second in the table behind Retford who are unbeaten in the League. There is hope though as they have beaten Retford in the cup.

Staveley did keep at it to the end and a few substitutes in the second half seemed to make them a little more competitive.

No chips here but there were pies, peas and gravy which I didn’t savor as I try to keep my weight in check, a coffee had to do.

Good luck to Dearne, I admire your enthusiasm and will be back in the future to see your new home.

I visited Kiveton Miners Welfare ground to watch a Saturday match between Sheffield Town and South Kirkby Colliery in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Premier Division. The interest was that Sheffield Town FC were playing their first game as the home team at Kiveton after agreeing a ground share with the local club. The pitch looked immaculate and shone a bright green in the early autumn sun that was occasionally snuffed out with rolling wispy white clouds.

It was also a game in the Sheffield and Hallamshire League Premier Division having seen a Division 1 game the previous week at Denaby. That game also had a Sheffield named team, Sheffield Union and I had just read an article in the Guardian about a University of Sheffield study that ‘has demonstrated once and for all that Sheffield is the home of the beautiful game – sporting the oldest clubs, grounds, trophies and even many of the rules that shaped the way football is played today.’

Sheffield Town are not at the level of United or Wednesday and even have some way to go to match Sheffield F.C. Hallam, Dronfield, Handsworth or Swallownest but they are on the journey. With teams such as Sutton United and Harrogate having made it to the Football League and the National League made up of almost all previous League members it seems dream’s can come true. Perhaps it will be a new first for Sheffield.

I have tried in vain to find some history to Sheffield Town but failed miserably whereas South Kirkby Colliery look as if they have been playing football in the area since 1894. South Kirkby is situated North East of Barnsley and South East of Wakefield where the local pit closed in 1988. Up until the end of the 1930’s the club played in senior non-league football but after the Second World War there has been a spiralling decline that finds them in the Sheffield and Hallamshire League although they did gain a recent promotion.

Sheffield Town 4 South Kirkby Colliery 1

Sheffield and Hallamshire County League Premier Division. Kick Off 15.00 pm

Sheffield Town: Yellow tops with green shoulders and blue shorts. South Kirkby Blue shirts and Blue shorts,

Sheffield dominated the first half with some very intricate play and made it difficult for South Kirkby to clear their lines and mount any forward counter attacks. Sheffield seemed to be trying to create the perfect goal, perhaps it was their Brazil look a like kit, with some great inter passing, running and ball skills but they failed with the final pass and a phobia about shooting at the goal. The half’s excitement was the size of the crowd, to start with there were 3 of us but every couple of minute a few more turned up until at one time there were 21.

The same pattern carried on in the second half with Sheffield Town playing uphill, but 15 minutes in after some more intricate passing Robert Seck found himself one on one with the South Kirkby keeper and coolly slid it into the net. Minutes later though the away side had a great chance to equalise when their number 9 was fouled by the Town keeper, Aaron Stockton and a penalty was awarded. Luckily for the keeper he was not sent off and dived to the right of the No9’s spot kick for it to hit him and balloon onto the bar and over.

A more open game was now unfolding and Robert Seck again produced some fancy footwork and a run to the goal line to cut it back for Jamal to tap home. Ten minutes later Robert Seck again after more skilful play slid the ball back for Jamal to again score. This pattern of play just kept coming and Town made it 4 nil on 38 minutes with another tapped in goal this time from Ahmed.

It wasn’t until 41 minutes that South Kirkby scored their consolation goal when No4 hit a beautiful powerful shot from a free kick 30 yards out into the top left hand corner of the net.

Sheffield Town won easily on their home debut and as they become more accustomed to the surroundings could see many more victories, especially if they shoot more often. Looking back a week at the lower division game I would think any of the two teams I saw would have given either side a strong contest.

I had hoped that the Kivo cafe would have been open to give them a chance to retain the Chip League Trophy but obviously only for their home games. I will have to visit again. I was impressed with the food huts new colours.

Unusually I will start with chips.

I decided to revisit all previous winners of the chip league this season so noticing that Ilkeston were at home I was off to see a previous winner. Firstly the chips, unfortunately I must have been given that last portion, before new ones are fried, that we have all experienced and found them to be hot, golden, crispy on the outside but lacking any depth and made up of lots of little pieces along with a few bigger ones. The chips were also greasy and so a poor score of 58 won’t see them being winners again. Pity really because Ilkeston have three food/drinks kiosks which offer a good range and a very comfortable and large club house.

Parking at Ilkeston is good with their own carpark and plenty of spaces on the nearby roads. As I have said before there is always a good buzz as you enter a stadium at night with the lights penetrating the gloom to light up the arena. When entering this ground you are met with the unusual stand in the far corner and the roman numeral clock, to the locals it must be like coming home.

Immediately I was struck by two changes, a perfectly flat all weather pitch has been installed and the programme has gone on line but otherwise nothing else had changed in this very tidy and clean ground. There were some high dark clouds in the sky and with the start of Autumn in the air some gloves and a warmer coat wouldn’t have gone a miss. The lowest home attendance of the season of 522 may have reflected Ilkeston’s average start to the campaign or may be heralds a reduction in fans as the economic crisis deepens.

lkeston Town F.C. have only been in existence since 2017 taking up the local mantle from Ilkeston F.C. who had only been reformed in 2010. The current team having been elected to the Midland Football League won back to back promotions before results were expunged due to covid. The Non League reorganisation found them in the Northern Premier League – Division One Midlands Division which they won last season gaining the team automatic promotion but were reallocated for the 2022/23 to the Southern Football League Premier Division Central.

Stratford Town (from Stratford on Avon) were formed in 1941 taking on their current name in 1949. They played in local Birmingham and Midlands Leagues until reaching the Southern League in 2015 where they have consolidated their place.

Ilkeston Town 2 Stratford Town 1

Tuesday 27th September 2022 Southern League Premier Division Central

The New Manor Ground Ilkeston The Robins v The Bards

Ilkeston, Red and white vertical striped shirts white shorts: Stratford, Blue shirts with one withe vertical stripe down one side and matching blue shorts.

Ollie Battersby was making his debut for Ilkeston in goal, I had been impressed by him at Belper last season and believe that he will go further in his career.

The first half could be summed up as plenty of endeavour but no sparkle As it came to an end Stratford’s No16, who was on as a substitute, on the right wing who had injected some ingenuity into the Stratford attack was hit by a home player when controlling the ball in the air. The coming together was on the side line and Jack Storer was forced off the pitch down a small gully into the fencing. The medical teams from both clubs attended to him and the referee blew for half time leaving them to deal with the injury. Jack was eventually stretchered off with a neck injury and was later transferred to hospital,

The second half started brighter and it needed to as the evening got colder.

A fast break away by Stratford on 63 minutes led to a sweeping pass from the right that was met by Adam Rooney for the away team to take the lead. It needed the goal to wake Ilkeston and the piled on the pressure to get the equaliser four minutes later when a cross along the ground was turned into his own net by Jack Turner as he tried to clear the ball away from the nearby Ilkeston player.

Further chaos reined four minutes later when Jack Turner made a horrible back pass to Stratfords goalkeeper, Leon Phillips and his hurried clearance with little space hit Stratford’s Arlott-John and ballooned over his head and despite a despairing run back it was in the net and Ilkeston had turned it around. So within 8 minutes the game has burst to life and was all over. Leon Phillips did redeem himself near the end with an amazing reflex save to his right to thwart the marauding Ilkeston forward.

Ilkeston will have been pleased with their second half performance but Stratford will have been well miffed with their luck on the night after some crazy mix ups.

I decided a trip back into the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Diovision would be my Saturday afternoon football. A trip to Swinton to see the last years runners up, to progressive Wakefield, was planned. I had really enjoyed watching football at this level last season when I spent a balmy spring evening at North Gawber Colliery FC.

I delayed my journey to the last minute because of a morning commitment and arrived at the ground with 8 minutes in hand. There was however no sign of football, you can see Swinton’s pitch from the road. Surely they would be warming up by now I thought. I checked the Leagues Website which still listed a game but on checking Swinton’s twitter feed it told me that they had no game this weekend. The ground itself looks definitely worth a visit in the future. Some of the games listed took place so I didn’t beat my self up.

So sat in the car I was reminded of a phrase that is written in the front of our address/phone number/email address book, ‘Failure isn’t fatal but hesitation can be’. In researching this league I had noticed that nearby Denaby were at home to Sheffield Union in Division 1. So with Google maps engaged I didn’t hesitate and I was off to arrive 8 minutes after the start.

Denaby’s ground is next door to Denaby & Cadeby Miners Welfare Social Club and I walked through the entrance and didn’t have to pay or donate anything. There were a crowd of about 50 watching the game and what struck me was the mix of ages and sexes, infact one of the youngest attendance I have seen for sometime. It is set on the side of a hill with a newish brick built club house which had changing facilities an area for reception after the game and a food bar and tables. The food bar had all sorts of delights with one person eating a bacon sandwich and another waiting for a burger. There are two small stands on either side and a perimeter fence around the ground with a paved walk way. Siting in one stand I could see fields and wind turbines on the distant hills. The playing surface looked a lush green but there were some patches where the dry summer has taken its toll and a few undulations were evident.

Denaby were making use of the small slope from end to end and a steady breeze from behind their goal which gave an autumn feeling. Some fluffy grey clouds were fighting off some blue skies and the clouds became darker and more fierce as the game went on.

I have failed to find out anything about Sheffield Union only that they joined the League in 2019.

Denaby is a different matter, the current club being reformed in 2011 but football goes back locally to a team called Denaby Parish Church in 1895. Becoming Denaby United within a few years they competed at the highest non-league level for some time. They notably made it to the first round of the F.A. Cup on three occasions losing to then football league opposition in Southport, Carlisle United and Oldham Athletic. Their senior Non-league days were cut short in 2001 when the Miners Welfare told them they could no longer play at their Tickhill Square home from 2002. The current club was reformed in 2011 playing in the local Doncaster leagues and in 2015 moved on to their current league status, inexplicably at the Tickhill Square ground.

Denaby Main JFC (Adult) First 3 Sheffield Union FC 0

Saturday 23rd September kick off 15.00 pm. Tickhill Square Ground

Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Division One

Denaby, red and black vertical striped shirts, black shorts – Sheffield Union, black and white vertical striped shirts and black shorts,

The first half was an end to end affair with both sides having chances and on 22 minutes a Union forward went down, what looked to me easily, in the box but the player who stepped up to take the penalty blasted the ball onto the cross bar and over. Sheffield Union looked the more composed side playing some good team football but it was Denaby who ended the first half on top. It may have been playing against the slope and the wind that seemed to tire the away team.

The second half was a different game with the home side taking control and going ahead after 9 minutes when a Sheffield defender made a mistake that gifted the ball to Pilling who lifted the ball over the goalkeeper into the net, With no time to settle Sheffield found themselves two down a minute later when Hancock received a through ball and he ran some way to slide the ball past the goalkeeper.

Main were out of sight after 23 minutes when a shot was parried by the keeper but Pilling swept in to head the ball home. It was all over at 3 nil and with a Union player sin binned they didn’t look like coming back. However they showed some good resilience and play in the final 20 minutes to show that they will do better as the season goes on.

Denaby are now top after just two games and look strong contenders for promotion. Their diminutive number 7 impressed either on the right or left supplying some effortless crosses from either feet.

The food was great and the chips were cooked separately for me, they were hot, golden, fluffy on the inside, tasty and with no greasy after taste. the portion was also smaller than some and did not over face me. A great score of 79.