THOUGHTS FROM THE DUGOUT
Good evening and welcome back to Rakesmoor Lane for this evening’s North West Counties Football League fixture against Steeton AFC.
We know we’re not where we would have liked to have been after our first three games, but unfortunately, I don’t think we could have prepared for the injury list we are currently faced with.
On a positive note, we have played two teams competing in last season’s playoffs and more than matched them in all areas, but unfortunately, at the moment, we’re not creating enough chances to win games.
The young lads who have come in have stepped up very well. Tom Stephenson had a great end to last season and a strong pre-season showing his football intelligence, so we were expecting him to push on this season. Frankie Ellis has put a string of his best performances for Holker together recently. We need to keep plugging away, being solid defensively, and limiting teams to very few chances whilst working harder in possession in the final third to create and take more opportunities.
The congested fixture list in August always posed a threat to players due to a shortage of recovery time. All we can do is stick together through a challenging period and gradually welcome some bodies back bit by bit. I’m hoping we can get some minutes out of Tommy and Jack Litherland this week and ease them back in. We must take it game by game, trying to pick up as many points as possible.
KEV WATKIN
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THEIR HISTORY
EARLY DAYS
The 1908-09 season saw Steeton’s first properly organised soccer team. Steeton Church Lads Brigade appeared in the Keighley & District League. Before that time, dozens of ‘scratch’ or one-off teams in the district were experimenting with the game and no doubt several in the Steeton area. One, named Steeton FC, played a team from Haworth in November 1905 and won 5-0, but this side was short-lived.
For the 1909-10 season, Steeton Church Lads Brigade continued in the Keighley League (finishing 3rd in the first division). There was also a new Steeton FC in the same division. This new side was probably formed from the village rugby team Steeton Wesleyans FC also played in the 2nd division of the Keighley League this season, where they finished bottom.
For the 1910-11 season, only Steeton FC existed. The other two sides of the village were said to have become defunct. Still, there was likely some merger between all three clubs, creating a solid village side independent from the rugby club. The fact that there was a reserve team this season further suggests that a merger had occurred. The final of the prestigious Keighley Charity Cup was reached for the first time. Steeton lost 1-5 to a strong Keighley Celtic.
The club plied its trade in the Keighley and District League until the early 1960s when it moved to the Craven League.
The late 1960s saw the club move from The Oaks to Summerhill Lane as the Oaks was part of a rebuild in the area that included Airedale Hospital and a new housing estate. Jack Fortune, a driving force behind the club’s move to Summerhill Lane.
THE MODERN ERA
When Jez Fay took over an ailing side towards the end of the 1999-2000 season, Steeton struggled in the third tier of the West Riding League. Fay’s appointment proved a sound one as within 12 months, they were Division Two champions, on goal difference from Rawdon Old Boys. Not only that, but the side reached the semi-final of the recently introduced West Riding County Trophy, going out only to eventual winners Carlton Athletic reserves.
The 2001-02 season saw both heartbreak and glory. By the end of the season, Steeton were just a point away from becoming Division One champions. Yet, they were still deprived of a second successive promotion as Bay Athletic edged the runners-up spot on goal difference. Steeton were among the favourites to win the County Trophy. Progress was made to the final, where they met County Amateur Division Two runners-up Hunsworth. In a dramatic game, Steeton trailed by two goals early on before winning the trophy thanks to a late winner from Steven Barker.
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Sit-in Stand at Marley Stadium
Promotion to the league’s Premier Division was not far off, as Steeton earned the right at the end of the 2002-03 season.
With Paul Ettenfield taking the reins from Fay in 2003, Steeton sought to establish itself in the top league but were sadly relegated back to the first division in 2005. Three midtable positions were achieved back in the second tier, and another league cup was won the same season, with Roy Mason taking over the manager’s role before the start of the season.
Mason’s side finished a fine third in the league at the close of the 2008-09 campaign.
Steeton did win the District Cup for only the third time in their history in 2011, defeating holders Cowling 5-0 in the final. The club continued to rise, and in the 2012/13 season, Steeton attained their highest league position finishing in second place behind Bay Athletic. The side also won the Keighley Cup final that season.
COUNTY CUP FINAL
The following season saw Steeton have one of their most memorable seasons when they reached the final of the County Cup for the first time, with the final game played at Elland Road. The earlier rounds had seen the likes of Oxenehope, Beeston and Brighouse Town’s reserves beaten for a semi-final place at Woodlesford.
It took an early Michael Rhodes penalty to settle a tense and close encounter and set up a final with Bradford side Field FC. However, it wasn’t to be Steeton’s day, and in an awful first half, they found themselves 4-0 down before Lee Reilly pulled two goals back. Field eventually ran out 5-2 winners.
ENTRY INTO THE NWCFL
The 2017/18 season saw Steeton apply for promotion to the North West Counties League. With the introduction of many younger players, the team started to gel. Apart from a County Cup defeat by Carlton Athletic, they remained unbeaten all season.
The Keighley Cup was won thanks to two late goals from Graham Holmes. One to send the game into extra time after Silsden Whitestar had taken a first-half lead.
EYES ON OPPONENT
The League Cup was won for the first time in the club’s history. Ben Richardson, Andy Holden and Andy Briggs had put Steeton 3-0 at half-time against Campion. A further Briggs goal in the second period saw Steeton win convincingly.
However, the season was tinged with sadness as club stalwarts David Baxter and Archie Airdrie passed away within a few weeks.
The 2018/19 season saw the club move into the North West Counties League. It proved to be one of the most historic moments of the club’s history, as we won our first-ever game in the FA Vase by beating Northallerton 2-1. We also defeated Thackley in the Senior West Riding County FA Cup.
The 2019/20 season saw club stalwart Albert Bates move up as club President and Pete Jeffrey take over as club chairman. On the field, the team will embark on its second season at this level, playing at Cougar Park. The season on the field was challenging for the team, which was eventually interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 20/21 season marked a new era with the move to our new home at Marley Stadium in Keighley, and planned to grow both the senior football side and our junior set-up. After COVID-19 had curtailed that season, things got going in 2021/22, with Steeton achieving its highest-ever position in the pyramid (12th place). Steeton also reached its highest-ever attendance (980 vs Bury on Boxing Day 2022).
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Ben Burnett - Midfielder
CLUB NEWSROOM
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
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