Ossett United v Stockton Town (16/08/22)

CLUB PRESIDENT: NEVILLE WIGGLESWORTH

CHAIRMAN: JAMES ROGERS

VICE-CHAIRMAN: PHIL SMITH

SECRETARY: NEIL SPOFFORTH

TREASURER: PAUL BILLING

BOARD MEMBERS: LEE BROADBENT, STUART GARSIDE, JOE HANKS, STEVE HANKS

TEAM MANAGEMENT: JAS COLLIVER, MARK WARD

TEAM COACH: GARY MIDDLETON

MATCH ANALYST: JACK SLOAN

MEDICAL TEAM: EMILY CRISPIN

MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING OFFICER: KATE HENNIGHAN

HEAD OF MEDIA: CRAIG BIDDLESTONE

MEDIA TEAM: CHRIS BOYD, LUCY BURNS, CHRIS CASSIDY, OWEN GERRARD, JON HUNT, ADAM LUNAT, KEITH WOOD

PROGRAMME DESIGN: CHRIS BOYD, NEIL SPOFFORTH

Club Honours – Ossett United, Ossett Town, Ossett Albion

West Riding County Senior Cup

Winners: 1949/50

West Riding County Cup

Winners: 1958/59, 1964/65, 1965/66, 1967/68, 1981/82, 1998/99, 2018/19

Runners Up: 2000/01

Northern Premier League First Division

Runners Up: 2001/02

Play-off Runners Up: 2016/17

Northern Counties East Premier Division

Winners: 1998/99, 2003/04

Runners Up: 1998/99, 2000/01

Northern Counties East First Division

Winners: 1986/87

Northern Counties East Second Division

Winners: 1988/89

Club Records

FA Cup

Fourth Qualifying Round: 1965/66, 2003/04, 2005/06, 2012/13, 2017/18 (R)

Second Qualifying Round: 2019/20

FA Trophy

Second Round: 1999/00

First Round: 2001/02, 2004/05, 2012/13

Second Qualifying Round: 2018/19

WELCOME TO INGFIELD

Ingfield Stadium

Official Teamwear Suppliers

Main Club Sponsor

WELCOME TO INGFIELD

JAMES ROGERS , CHAIRMAN

LEAVE WITH ALL THREE POINTS AND A CLEAN SHEET TOO IS A VERY GOOD ACHIEVEMENT.

JOE STACEY HAS MADE A FANTASTIC START TO HIS CAREER HERE, ANOTHER ASSIST ON SATURDAY TO ADD TO HIS GOAL AND ASSIST IN THE FA CUP. HE PICKED UP MAN OF THE MATCH AT THE WEEKEND AND IT WAS A CLOSE RUN THING WITH OLLIE FEARON PROVIDING A MASTERCLASS IN HOW TO LEAD THE LINE AND ADDING A GREAT GOAL TO OPEN HIS ACCOUNT.

I’D LIKE TO WELCOME PLAYERS, OFFICIALS AND SUPPORTERS FROM STOCKTON TOWN WHO HAVE MADE THE JOURNEY SOUTH FOR TODAY’S FIXTURE.

OUR VISITORS WILL BE FULL OF CONFIDENCE AFTER AN OPENING DAY VICTORY OVER WORKSOP TOWN, WHO AFTER THEIR SUMMER RECRUITMENT WILL BE EXPECTING TO BE PROMOTED THIS SEASON.

AS WILL STOCKTON AFTER MISSING OUT IN THE PLAYOFFS THEMSELVES LAST SEASON SO TODAY WILL BE A REAL TEST OF WHERE WE ARE OURSELVES AFTER A VERY POSITIVE START TO THE SEASON WITH 2-0 WINS OVER NEW MILLS IN THE FA CUP THEN AT CARLTON TOWN IN OUR OPENING LEAGUE FIXTURE.

CARLTON TOWN ONLY MISSED OUT ON A PLAY-OFF PLACE LAST SEASON BY ONE PLACE IN THE MIDLANDS DIVISION BEFORE THEIR LATERAL TRANSFER TO THE EAST DIVISION FOR THIS SEASON.

THE CONDITIONS ON SATURDAY WERE NOT EASY FOR ANYONE INVOLVED WITH THE TEMPERATURE OVER 30 DEGREES FOR THE DURATION OF THE FIXTURE.

THE LADS PERFORMED ADMIRABLY AND THE GAME PLAN PUT TOGETHER BY JAS AND WARDY FOR THE FIXTURE WAS FOLLOWED TO A TEE. IT WAS CERTAINLY A DIFFICULT OPENING DAY FIXTURE ON PAPER SO TO

THE MANAGEMENT TEAM HAVE PUT TOGETHER A GOOD QUALITY SQUAD, ONE OF THE STRONGEST I HAVE SEEN HERE IN ALL HONESTY. IN PREVIOUS YEARS STRENGTH IN DEPTH HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AND THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE THIS SEASON WITH REAL COMPETITION FOR PLACES AND GAME CHANGERS ON THE BENCH.

I’D LIKE TO FINISH THESE NOTES WITH A CHANGE OF SPORT, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED MY COLLEAGUE DIRECTOR JOE HANKS MISSES SATURDAY GAMES AT THE START OF THE SEASON, THIS IS BECAUSE HE PLAYS CRICKET FOR LOCAL CRICKET CLUB, PLEDWICK CC. ON SATURDAY HE HIT A HUGE SIX TO NOT ONLY WIN THE GAME BUT TO REACH 100 FOR THE FIRST TIME, FINISHING ON 103 NOT OUT.

CONGRATULATIONS JOE!

PRESIDENTS ADDRESS

NEVILLE WIGGLESWORTH

TWO WINS FROM OUR FIRST TWO GAMES AND BOTH WITHOUT CONCEDING A GOAL EQUALS OUR BEST START TO A SEASON SO FAR. WITHOUT WISHING TO SOUND TOO DISMISSIVE OF NEW MILLS AND CARLTON TOWN, HOWEVER, I’M PRETTY SURE THAT THIS EVENING’S VISITORS STOCKTON TOWN WILL PROVIDE US WITH A MUCH STERNER TEST THAN WE HAVE FACED TO DATE.

STOCKTON REACHED THE DIVISION ONE EAST PLAYOFFS AT THE END OF LAST SEASON AND OPENED THIS TIME AROUND WITH A 2–1 HOME VICTORY AGAINST MUCH-FANCIED WORKSOP TOWN. THEY’LL BE PLEASED WITH THAT FIRST DAY OF THE SEASON OUTCOME BUT I’D BE WILLING TO SUGGEST THAT THEY WILL BE EQUALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE TREMENDOUS ATTENDANCE AT THAT GAME WHICH TOTALLED 1014.

WELCOMING STOCKTON TO INGFIELD TONIGHT BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF LAST SEASON’S ENCOUNTER HERE WHEN

OSSETT GRABBED A DRAMATIC LAST GASP WINNER COURTESY OF JAMES WALSHAW. AFTER A SOMEWHAT FRUSTRATING PRE- SEASON PERIOD FOR JAMES’S REPLACEMENT OLLIE FEARON, IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THE LATTER GET HIS NAME ON THE SCORE SHEET AT CARLTON ON SATURDAY. THIS WAS A JUST AND PLEASING REWARD FOR A VERY COMPETENT ALL-ROUND PERFORMANCE BY OUR NEW STRIKER. IF OUR

SECRETARY NEIL SPOFFORTH’S SNIPPET OF TRIVIA IS CORRECT, AND IT USUALLY IS, THE WIN AT CARLTON TOWN WAS OUR FIRST AWAY VICTORY SINCE BOXING DAY 2021 WHEN WE SUCCEEDED BY THREE GOALS TO TWO AWAY AT TADCASTER ALBION.

AT THIS TIME IN THE CALENDAR MY USUAL THRUST IN PROGRAMME NOTES IS TO COMMENT ON GROUNDWORK CARRIED OUT OVER THE CLOSE SEASON. I ALWAYS SAY THAT, IN REGARD TO FOOTBALL GROUNDS AT WHATEVER LEVEL, YOU CAN’T STAND STILL AND MUST CONTINUALLY

STRIVE FOR IMPROVEMENTS. THE ALTERNATIVE IS THAT IF YOU DO STAND STILL THERE IS ALMOST INEVITABLY A DETERIORATION.

THE TWO MAJOR PROJECTS LAST YEAR WERE THE NEW PITCH PERIMETER BARRIER AND THE NEW FLOODLIGHTS BOTH OF WHICH, OF COURSE, HAD TO BE CARRIED OUT BY SPECIALIST CONTRACTORS AND ONCE COMPLETED WERE OBVIOUSLY VERY EVIDENT TO SUPPORTERS VISITING THE GROUND.

THIS TIME THE MAJOR PROJECT HAS BEEN IN RESPONSE TO LAST SEASON’S OFFICIAL GROUND GRADING VISIT LAST MARCH BY THE NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE’S GROUND GRADING INSPECTORS. FOLLOWING THAT VISIT WE WERE AWARDED A ‘C’ GRADE WHICH MEANS THAT, SHOULD WE QUALIFY FOR PROMOTION, WE HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED THE GRADING REQUIRED FOR THE COMPETITION AT THE HIGHER LEVEL WITH NO SPECIFIED WORK TO DO.

PRESIDENTS ADDRESS

THE CURRENT SITUATION IS THAT CLUBS CAN ACHIEVE PROMOTION EVEN THOUGH THEIR GROUND MAY NOT BE UP TO SCRATCH BUT THEY HAVE UNTIL THE END OF MARCH IN THAT SEASON TO OBTAIN THE NECESSARY GRADING OR RELEGATION MAY BE THE CASE SHOULD THEY FAIL TO DO SO.

HENCE THE DEMISE OF YORKSHIRE AMATEUR IN OUR LEAGUE LAST SEASON.

THE DEVELOPMENT OVER THIS SUMMER, FOLLOWING A RECOMMENDATION RATHER THAN A REQUIREMENT BY THE GRADING COMMITTEE, HAS BEEN THE PROVISION OF A SOLID CONSTRUCTION (JARGON FOR WALL) ON THE DUGOUT SIDE OF THE GROUND.

DAD’S ARMY (MYSELF, JOHN HIRST AND STUART GARSIDE) WHOM JASON THACKRAH RATHER UNKINDLY COMMENTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA HAD A COMBINED AGE OF 437 SET ABOUT (WITH NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WHATSOEVER) TACKLING THE WORK. THE THREE SEPTUAGENARIANS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY JOINED BY VOLUNTEER MICK JAVENS, WHO DID NOTHING TO LOWER THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE GROUP BUT NEVERTHELESS DID A STERLING JOB.

SIMON AND WAYNE HUDSON ALSO PUT IN SEVERAL SHIFTS UNTIL THEY GOT FED UP AND JASON THACKRAH’S HELP AND BRAWN CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.

SIMILARLY NICK GOUGH WHO PROVED TO BE EXCELLENT

NEVILLE WIGGLESWORTH

NOT ONLY IN EXPERTISE BUT ALSO IN HELPING TO MAINTAIN FLAGGING MORALE BY AT LEAST SOUNDING AUTHORITATIVE AT ALL TIMES! DAVE BALLARD, MISTAKENLY THINKING HE WAS ATTENDING A CLUB MEETING WITH THE MANAGEMENT, AND RYAN GLOVER TURNED UP ONCE AND STOOD AROUND DOING LITTLE OR NOTHING OTHER THAN OBSERVE OTHERS SWEATING THOUGH DAVE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY AND TO HIS CREDIT, DID LIFT A COUPLE OF PANELS!

THOUGH NOT FINISHED YET THANKS TO EVERYONE ABOVE FOR ALL THE BLOOD (MICK JAVENS), SWEAT (JASON THACKRAH AND NICK GOUGH) AND TEARS (EVERYONE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER)

AND FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN GETTING ANOTHER JOB CROSSED OFF THE LIST. WE HOPE ONE UNSIGHTLY PART OF THE GROUND HAS BEEN SUITABLY IMPROVED.

THE DUGOUT

JAS COLLIVER & MARK WARD

G OOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ALL OFFICIALS, SUPPORTER AND PLAYERS OF S TOCKTON T OWN WHO HAD AN UNBELIEVABLE WIN ON S ATURDAY AGAINST TITLE FAVOURITES W ORKSOP T OWN H OPEFULLY THEY TRAVEL SAFE BUT NOT VERY WELL FOR THIS T UESDAY NIGHT FIXTURE, BONKERS IF YOU ASK ME! W E TRAVEL UP TO D UNSTAN NEXT T UESDAY BUT I SUPPOSE YOU HAVE TO JUST GET ON WITH WHAT EVER FIXTURES ARE THROWN AT YOU. W E APPROACH TONIGHT’S GAME WITH CONFIDENCE AFTER A SOLID END TO LAST SEASON AND A POSITIVE START TO THIS YEAR. W E ARE STILL VERY MUCH A WORK IN PROGRESS, WE SEE MANY POSITIVES IN THE GAME BUT ALSO PLENTY OF AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT, BOTH MYSELF AND W ARDY WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH THE LADS OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONES TO HELP THEM IMPROVE AS INDIVIDUALS BUT THE MAIN AIM IS GELLING AND BEING BETTER AS A COLLECTIVE W E FEEL IN BOTH GAMES WE HAVE DOMINATED THE BALL, BEEN PHYSICAL AND CREATED CHANCES TO WIN BY MORE THIS CAN ONLY BE A GOOD PLATFORM TO BUILD ON BUT WE ARE AWARE TONIGHT WILL BE OUR TOUGHEST TEST YET AGAINST A TEAM THAT IS TIPPED FOR A TOP FIVE FINISH A GAINST N EW M ILLS WE WON EVERY AREA OF THE GAME AND ALL THE STATISTICS SHOWED THAT, I’M CONFIDENT AGAINST C ARLTON THE STATS WILL SHOW THAT TOO. W E DECIDED TO ROTATE THE SQUAD SLIGHTLY AND IT PAID OFF ON S ATURDAY.

A S A WHOLE GROUP THE LADS HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS SO FAR, EVEN THOSE WHO HAVEN’T KICKED A BALL AS OF YET. IT FEELS LIKE A GROUP OF LADS ALL PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION WHICH IS REALLY PLEASING. W E WON’T KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT WE WILL BE FAIR, WHEN THE CHANCE COMES LADS NEED TO TAKE IT. IT’S A FIFTY GAME SEASON SO PLAYERS WILL GET OPPORTUNITIES WHETHER THAT’S THE FIRST 25 GAMES OR THE LAST THEY WILL ALL CONTRIBUTE.

O N S ATURDAY WE ENJOYED THE WIN WITH OUR FABULOUS FANS WHO ENJOYED A FEW DODGY INITIATIONS TOO ON THE WAY HOME, IT’S GREAT TO SEE US TRAVELLING IN NUMBERS AND GETTING RIGHT BEHIND THE PLAYERS.

IT’S HARD TO SINGLE INDIVIDUALS OUT BECAUSE SO FAR WE HAVE DONE WELL AS A COLLECTIVE BUT WE FEEL FEARO DESERVES A SPECIAL MENTION, HE DESERVED HIS GOAL ON S ATURDAY AFTER HOW HARD HE HAS WORKED ON THE PITCH ALL SUMMER BUT PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST TWO GAMES HE SETS THE TONE AND LADS FOLLOW. H E’S BEEN IMMENSE.

ENJOY TONIGHT’S GAME, THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

CLUB PROFILES

TEAM MANAGEMENT

JAS COLLIVER - MANAGER

JAS WAS APPOINTED AS MANAGER ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2021. HIS MOST RECENT ROLE WAS AT GRANTHAM TOWN WORKING ALONGSIDE CARLTON PALMER, HE ALSO HAS EXTENSIVE MANAGERIAL EXPERIENCE AT STAVELEY MINERS WELFARE, SHEFFIELD AND HANDSWORTH

MARK WARD - MANAGER

‘WARDY’ WAS APPOINTED ALONGSIDE COLLIVER. THE FORMER ENGLAND YOUTH INTERNATIONAL LED BUXTON ON A 20-GAME UNBEATEN RUN AT THE START OF THE 2021/22 SEASON AND PRIOR TO THAT HAS BEEN INVOLVED AT AFC MANSFIELD AND HEDNESFORD TOWN, AMONGST OTHERS

GARY MIDDLETON - COACH

MAKING OVER 1000 APPEARANCES AS A DEFENDER IN HIS PLAYING DAYS, ‘MIDI’ PLAYED ALONGSIDE COLLIVER AT STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS AND WAS HIS ASSISTANT AT SHEFFIELD FC. ‘MIDI’ HAS EXTENSIVE COACHING EXPERIENCE AND IS A VALUABLE MEMBER OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM.

EMILY CRISPIN – SPORTS THERAPIST

EMILY GRADUATED FROM LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY WITH A BSC HONOURS IN SPORT AND EXERCISE THERAPY. SHE IS ALSO QUALIFIED IN FIRST AID AT WORK AND TRAUMA MANAGEMENT WITHIN SPORT.

JACK SLOAN – DATA ANALYST

JACK HAS ASSISTED THE COACHING TEAM AS THE CLUB’S DATA ANALYST SINCE THEIR APPOINTMENT IN DECEMBER 2021. THE ROLE IS PROVIDING JACK WITH VALUABLE EXPERIENCE, AS HE BEGINS STUDYING SCIENCE OF SPORTS PERFORMANCE AT LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY THIS YEAR

PLAYER PROFILES

EDD HALL - SPONSORED BY: FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS

EDD JOINED THE CLUB IN JANUARY 2022 AND IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED AS ONE OF THE BEST GOALKEEPERS AT STEP FOUR AND WAS VOTED AS THE SECOND-BEST GOALKEEPER IN THE NPL EAST FOR THE 21/22 SEASON. EDD HAS NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH EXPERIENCE HAVING PLAYED FOR BRADFORD PARK AVENUE AND FARSLEY CELTIC.

JAKE TEALE – SPONSORED BY ADAMSON FAMILY

JAKE IS A YOUNG GOALKEEPER, FORMERLY OF YORK CITY, WHO HAS IMPRESSED JAS AND WARDY SINCE THEIR APPOINT. JAKE IS A KEY MEMBER OF THE SQUAD AND HAS NOT LET THE SIDE DOWN WHEN CALLED UPON

PRINCE ATTAKORAH

ATTAKORAH WAS PART OF THE ACADEMY AT ROTHERHAM UNITED AND CHESTERFIELD AND HAS ALSO PLAYED FOR HARROGATE TOWN’S U23S. PRINCE IMPRESSED LAST SEASON WHEN CALLED UPON AND WILL BE LOOKING TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF IN THE SQUAD THIS SEASON

BRAD BEATSON – SPONSORED BY: LIAM MOORE-MCCLUSKEY

BEATSON IS A CENTRAL DEFENDER WHO JOINED THE CLUB FROM FRICKLEY ATHLETIC DURING THE 21/22 SEASON, MAKING 16 APPEARANCES. THE FORMER SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY TRAINEE WAS ONE OF JAS’ FIRST SIGNINGS AND A PLAYER HE HAD TARGETED PREVIOUSLY.

JACK COWGILL – SPONSORED BY: JAMES & DAWN ROGERS

FORMERLY OF BARNSLEY, COWGILL MADE HIS EFL DEBUT IN 2014 AGAINST WALSALL. HE ENJOYED LOAN SPELLS AT BRAINTREE AND FYLDE BEFORE SIGNING FOR BOSTON UNITED. COWGILL SIGNED FOR NOSTELL MW WHERE HE REDISCOVERED HIS LOVE FOR THE GAME BEFORE SIGNING FOR OSSETT UNITED IN THE SUMMER OF 2019. JACK IS OUR CLUB CAPTAIN.

PLAYER PROFILES

TOM CROPPER – SPONSORED

ROY TAYLOR & RICHARD FARRELL

BY:

TOM WAS A LONG-TERM TARGET OF JAS & WARDY’S BEFORE JOINING THE CLUB IN JULY 2022. THE FORMER AFC MANSFIELD SKIPPER IS AN ATHLETIC, NONONSENSE DEFENDER WHO IS KNOWN TO ALSO CHIP IN WITH GOALS AT TIMES

HARRY GAGEN – SPONSORED BY: LJB JOINERY

AFTER A LOAN SPELL AT INGFIELD IN 2020, GAGEN SIGNED PERMANENTLY FOR THE CLUB UPON HIS RELEASE FROM BARNSLEY FC. ‘GADGE’ ESTABLISHED HIMSELF IN THE FIRST TEAM LAST SEASON, WINNING THE PLAYER’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD.

ROSS HARDAKER - SPONSORED

BY: PAUL COOPER

ROSS HARDAKER IS VERY POPULAR WITH PLAYERS AND SUPPORTERS ALIKE. HE HAS PLAYED FOR BOTH ALBION AND TOWN AND MADE HIS DEBUT AS A 15-YEAROLD, FOLLOWING A SPELL PLAYING IN GERMANY. DESPITE TALK OF A STATUTE BEING BUILT IN OSSETT FOR THE CULTURED FULL BACK, THE RUMOURS SO FAR ARE UNFOUNDED.

CONNOR HODGSON – SPONSORED

: JAYNE OGLEY & RED BRICK FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

BY

CONNOR IS A SUMMER SIGNING FROM BARNSLEY, A CLUB HE JOINED AT THE AGE OF EIGHT. HE IS EQUALLY ADEPT IN A NUMBER OF POSITIONS AND MADE APPEARANCES IN THE BARNSLEY U23 SIDE TO AIDE HIS DEVELOPMENT. HODGSON WAS TARGETED BY SEVERAL CLUBS BEFORE AGREEING TO JOIN OSSETT UNITED

TOM DEIGHTON

TOM MADE THE STEP UP INTO THE FIRST TEAM SQUAD LAST SEASON FROM THE U18S, WHERE HE WAS PART OF THE TEAM THAT REACHED THE FA YOUTH CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME. TOM IS AN ATTACKING MIDFIELDER WHO IS GOOD ON THE BALL AND HAS AN EYE FOR GOAL

CLUB PROFILES

MICHAEL HOLLINGSWORTH – SPONSORED BY: SCOTTISH SUPPORTERS CLUB

FORMERLY OF BOSTON UNITED, GRANTHAM AND MATLOCK, HOLLINGSWORTH HAS ALSO PLAYED FOR PICKERING TOWN AND FRICKLEY ATHLETIC. IN 2012/13, WAS VOTED “APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR” AT NOTTINGHAM FOREST. HE IS A NATURAL LEADER AND WILL BRING EXPERIENCE, QUALITY, AND WORK ETHIC TO OUR MIDFIELD

OLI METCALFE – SPONSORED BY: SPOFF & KATE

OLI SPENT THE SECOND HALF OF THE 21/22 SEASON ON LOAN FROM GUISELEY BEFORE MAKING THE MOVE PERMANENT THIS SUMMER. THE CENTRAL MIDFIELDER HAS GONE FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH AS HE LOOKS TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF IN THE SIDE. METCALFE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY ESTABLISH HIMSELF AS A KEY PLAYER AT INGFIELD.

CRAIG NELTHORPE – SPONSORED BY: JOHN BOWKER

A KEY PLAYER IN JAS & WARDY’S SQUAD, NELTHORPE IS AN EXPERIENCED PLAYER WITH FOOTBALL LEAGUE EXPERIENCE AT DONCASTER ROVERS AND DARLINGTON. CRAIG HAS ALSO PLAYED FOR SEVERAL NATIONAL LEAGUE SIDES AND WILL ADD STEEL TO THE SIDE AND DANGEROUS SET PIECES TO THE TEAM

DANNY WARD

SIGNED IN THE SUMMER OF 2022 AFTER IMPRESSING THE MANAGEMENT WHILST ON TRIAL, DANNY IS A FIT, STRONG, BOX TO BOX MIDFIELDER WITH A GREAT ATTITUDE. HE HAS PREVIOUSLY PLAYED IN THE NCEL AND WANTS TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO STEP UP THE THE NPL AND PROVE HIMSELF.

DAN WASSELL – SPONSORED BY: OSSETT TOWN JUNIORS

DAN IS YOUNG MIDFIELDER WHO PREVIOUSLY PLAYED FOR OSSETT TOWN JUNIORS FROM THE AGE OF FIVE, BEFORE JOINING SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY AS A 15-YEAR-OLD. THE ATTACKING MIDFIELDER PLAYED FOR WEDNESDAY’S U18S AND U23S AND WILL BRING DANGER AND EXCITEMENT TO ATTACKS

PLAYER PROFILES

LUKE ALDRICH – SPONSORED BY: THE HANKS FAMILY

GOALKEEPERS

LUKE IS A SUMMER SIGNING FROM ECCLESHILL UNITED WHERE HE SCORED 25 TIMES LAST SEASON AS THE CLUB NARROWLY MISSED OUT ON PROMOTION TO THE NPL. ALONG WITH HIS EYE FOR GOAL, HE IS A SELFLESS PLAYER AND LOOKS TO CREATE SPACE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIS TEAMMATES

JUNAYD CASSIUS-GILL

21 YEAR OLD JUNAYD SPENT IS YOUTH AT HUDDERSFIELD TOWN AND BRADFORD CITY WITH NPL EXPERIENCE AT TADCASTER ALBION AND YORKSHIRE AMATEUR. HE CAN PLAY IN ANY OF THE ATTACKING POSITIONS AND WILL CERTAINLY EXCITE THE FANS WITH HIS ABILITY ON THE BALL

OLLIE FEARON – SPONSORED BY: KEITH & KATH WOOD

MUCH SOUGHT AFTER, JAS AND WARDY ARE DELIGHTED TO ADD FEARON TO THE SQUAD THIS SEASON. OLLIE AVERAGED A GOAL EVERY TWO GAMES LAST SEASON AND IS A HARDWORKING FORWARD WHO WILL MAKE THE SIDE STRONGER ON AND OFF THE FIELD

IFY OFOEGBU – SPONSORED BY: PAUL COOPER

IFY MADE AN INSTANT IMPACT UPON SIGNING FROM GRANTHAM TOWN LAST SEASON, SCORING THE CLUBS GOAL OF THE SEASON ON HIS DEBUT, IN THE NEW YEAR’S DAY VICTORY OVER BRIGHOUSE TOWN. IFY IS A FAN FAVOURITE AND CEMENTED HIS POPULARITY FURTHER WITH A 96TH MINUTE WINNER VS SHEFFIELD FC LATE IN THE SEASON

JACK WILSON – SPONSORED BY: BSP HYDRAULICS

SIGNED ON LOAN FROM BRADFORD CITY, JACK IMPRESSED FOR THE BANTAMS IN A PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY AGAINST OSSETT UNITED, THE FORWARD HAS GREAT ABILITY AND WILL HOPE TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF CHARLIE WOOD AND BREAK INTO THE BRADFORD CITY FIRST TEAM SQUAD AFTER A LOAN SPELL AT INGFIELD.

STOCKTON TOWN

STOCKTON TOWN FC WAS FORMED IN 1979 UNDER ITS ORIGINAL NAME, HARTBURN JUNIORS. ALTHOUGH RECORDS AROUND THAT TIME ARE SKETCHY, IT WOULD APPEAR THE CLUB WAS FORMED BY DERRICK SMALL, WHO AT THE TIME WAS COACHING YOUNGSTERS FROM THE HARTBURN AREA OF STOCKTON AT THE LOCAL YMCA. THE CLUB HOME COLOURS OF YELLOW /ROYAL SHIRTS AND ROYAL SHORTS ESTABLISHED THEN, REMAINS THE SAME NOW .

THROUGHOUT THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES

HARTBURN JUNIORS CONTINUED TO GROW AND OPERATE AS A JUNIOR FOOTBALL CLUB, COMPETING IN THE TEESSIDE JUNIOR FOOTBALL ALLIANCE. THE CLUB FROM TIME TO TIME HAD VARIOUS BASES AROUND THE TOWN, BUT THE EARLY YEARS OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM SAW A MARKED CHANGE IN THE CLUB AND A PERMANENT BASE AT OUR LADY OF ST BEDES SCHOOL ON BISHOPTON ROAD WEST, STOCKTON.

IT WAS FELT BY THE MEMBERS THAT THE CLUB'S NAME DIDN’T REALLY REFLECT THE AREA WHERE MOST PLAYERS CAME FROM . THE CLUB HAD GROWN AND NOW HAD PLAYERS WHO CAME FROM ALL OVER STOCKTON BOROUGH, SO IT WAS DECIDED TO CHANGE THE NAME TO STOCKTON TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB. THERE WAS ALSO A DESIRE TO RESURRECT A SENIOR FOOTBALL TEAM TO REPRESENT THE TOWN OF STOCKTON AND IT WAS FELT THIS WOULD CREATE A GREAT DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE WHOLE CLUB AND PROVIDE TO ACHIEVE THIS FROM GRASS ROOTS THROUGH A JUNIOR FOOTBALL CLUB WAS POSSIBLE.

IN APRIL 2008, THE CLUB UNDERWENT A MASSIVE INVESTMENT TOTALLING £1.4 MILLION, WHICH ALSO SAW A PARTNERSHIP

WITH STOCKTON BOROUGH COUNCIL, STOCKTON SIXTH FORM COLLEGE AND OUR LADY & ST BEDES SCHOOL TO DEVELOP THE FACILITIES AT THE SITE, BUILDING A NEW CLUBHOUSE AND CHANGING FACILITIES. THIS DEVELOPMENT WAS THE SPRINGBOARD FOR A FURTHER EXPANSION FOR THE CLUB.

THE NEXT STEP WAS TO INTRODUCE OPEN AGE MEN’S FOOTBALL TO THE CLUB. STOCKTON TOWN HAD PROVED VERY SUCCESSFUL IN PRODUCING TOP QUALITY YOUNG PLAYERS THAT THEN FROM AGE 16 WENT ON TO PLAY FOR VARIOUS LOCAL NON-LEAGUE TEAMS. THE CLUB DECIDED IT WANTED TO GIVE THESE YOUNGSTERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STAY WITHIN THE CLUB, SO IN THE 2009/10 SEASON, STOCKTON TOWN ENTERED A TEAM IN THE TEESSIDE LEAGUE SECOND DIVISION, USING A MIX OF PLAYERS FROM THE OUTGOING AND CURRENT UNDER-18S

THE FIRST GAME IN SENIOR FOOTBALL WAS AN AWAY FIXTURE AT ST MARYS COLLEGE, MIDDLESBROUGH, WHICH ENDED IN A 2-1 DEFEAT. HAVING LED THE LEAGUE FOR MOST OF THE SEASON, THEY FADED IN THE SPRING TO FINISH FOURTH IN THEIR FIRST SEASON AS A TEAM . THE CLUB AND THE PLAYERS WERE KEEN TO PROGRESS, AND, IN THE SUMMER OF 2010, STOCKTON TOWN SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED FOR MEMBERSHIP FOR THE WEARSIDE LEAGUE FOR THE 2010/11 SEASON. THE TEAM STRUGGLED IN THE EARLY PART OF THEIR FIRST SEASON IN THE WEARSIDE LEAGUE, BUT AN IMPRESSIVE RUN OF RESULTS AFTER THE CHRISTMAS/NEW

YEAR SAW THEM FINISH A CREDITABLE 10TH.

THE IMPROVEMENT CONTINUED IN 2011/12, WITH A THIRD-PLACE FINISH AND A LEAGUE

CUP FINAL APPEARANCE, LOSING 2-0 TO

STOCKTON TOWN

RYHOPE CW IN 2012/13, STOCKTON TOWN, WITH A SQUAD MADE-UP MAINLY OF YOUNG, LOCAL HOMEGROWN TALENT, WON THEIR FIRST TROPHY IN SENIOR FOOTBALL, CLINCHING THE WEARSIDE LEAGUE TITLE WITH A SPECTACULAR RUN-IN, WINNING THE FINAL 12 GAMES TO OVERHAUL WILLINGTON FC IN THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON.

THE FOLLOWING SEASON, A SECOND WEARSIDE LEAGUE TITLE WAS WON A LITTLE EASIER, BUT BROUGHT ANOTHER CUP FINAL

DEFEAT TO RYHOPE CW. THIS HERALDED THE START OF A PERIOD OF DOMINANCE IN THE WEARSIDE LEAGUE FOR STOCKTON TOWN’S YOUNG, BUT MATURING SQUAD. IN 2014/15, THE CLUB COMPLETED THE CLEAN SWEEP OF LEAGUE TITLE, LEAGUE CUP, SHIPOWNERS

CUP AND MONKWEARMOUTH CUP, A FEAT

ACHIEVED ONLY TWICE BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE UNBEATEN IN ALL COMPETITIONS, THE TEAM MISSED OUT ON A

‘PERFECT’ SEASON BY LOSING THEIR

PENULTIMATE LEAGUE GAME, AWAY TO PRUDHOE. THE NEXT SEASON SAW A FOURTHCONSECUTIVE WEARSIDE LEAGUE TITLE ALONG WITH THE LEAGUE CUP AND MONKWEARMOUTH CUP BACK IN THE BISHOPTON ROAD TROPHY CABINET DURING THIS PERIOD THE CLUB HAD BEEN WORKING TO IMPROVE FACILITIES TO THE REQUIRED STANDARD TO GAIN PROMOTION TO THE NORTHERN LEAGUE AND AFTER TWICE BEING THWARTED AT THE LAST MINUTE, PROMOTION WAS FINALLY ACHIEVED IN THE SPRING OF 2016 AND SHORTLY AFTER THE CLUB OPENED ITS STADIUM FACILITY WITH A LEAGUE GAME AGAINST HORDEN CW.

THE 2016/17 SEASON SAW THE UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS CONTINUE IN THE

CLUB’S FIRST SEASON IN THE NORTHERN LEAGUE SECOND DIVISION BY WINNING THE LEAGUE TITLE AND LOSING THE ERNEST ARMSTRONG MEMORIAL CUP FINAL TO NORTHALLERTON TOWN ON PENALTIES. IN A MEMORABLE FIRST CAMPAIGN IN THE NORTHERN LEAGUE, THE CLUB WAS VISIBLY GROWING AND TOPPED THE AVERAGE ATTENDANCE CHARTS FOR DIVISION TWO (179). STOCKTON TOWN UNBELIEVABLY HAD RISEN FROM AN UNDER-18S TEAM TO NORTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE IN JUST EIGHT YEARS.

THE 2017/18 SEASON SAW A DISASTROUS, ALMOST TERMINAL, START TO THE FIRST SEASON IN NORTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, TURN INTO THE SEASON OF A LIFETIME FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED AT THE CLUB AFTER LOSING THE FIRST EIGHT LEAGUE GAMES, THE TEAM RALLIED TO WIN 19 AND DRAW ONE OF THE NEXT 23 MATCHES, A RUN THAT SAW THE ANCHORS CLIMB THE TABLE TO SAFETY AND ALSO SET UP AN EXCITING RUN IN THE FA VASE. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS WAS BEATING COMPETITION FAVOURITES WEST AUCKLAND TOWN IN THE FIFTH ROUND IN EXTRA-TIME OF A THRILLING GAME. COMPARATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD HOME VICTORIES AGAINST STOURPORT SWIFTS AND WINDSOR FC SET UP AN ALL-NORTHERN LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL CLASH WITH CHAMPIONS-ELECT MARSKE UNITED. AN EPIC TWO-LEGGED AFFAIR TOOK PLACE, WITH BOTH GAMES PLAYED ON STOCKTON’S HOME GROUND, ENDING WITH JOYOUS SCENES AND PITCH INVASIONS FROM THE HUGE 1,800 CROWD AS STOCKTON TOWN EDGED OUT MARSKE UNITED 3-2 ON AGGREGATE TO CLINCH A PLACE AT WEMBLEY.

BEFORE THAT GLORIOUS DAY ARRIVED, THE

STOCKTON TOWN

ANCHORS GOT BACK DOWN TO BUSINESS IN THE LEAGUE AND WON SIX OF THE LAST SEVEN LEAGUE GAMES TO FINISH SIXTH, BUT MISS OUT ON A LEAGUE CUP FINAL, DISAPPOINTINGLY LOSING AT HOME IN THE SEMI-FINAL AFTER TWO TERRIFIC AWAY WINS AT MORPETH TOWN AND NORTH SHIELDS.

THE FA VASE FINAL WAS A DAY TO REMEMBER AND A FANTASTIC OCCASION FOR THE TOWN AND THE WHOLE OF THE CLUB, BUT DESPITE A BRAVE ATTEMPT THE LADS WENT DOWN 1-0 AGAINST THATCHAM TOWN, THE MEMORIES WILL LAST FOREVER.

AFTER ANOTHER GOOD BUT AT TIMES FRUSTRATING SEASON IN 2018/19, THE CLUB MADE A SERIES OF KEY SIGNINGS IN THE CLOSE SEASON WITH A VIEW TO PUSHING FOR PROMOTION TO STEP 4 AND THE PROPOSED ‘ADDITIONAL’ EAST DIVISION. THE RETURN OF PROLIFIC STRIKER JAMIE OWENS COMPLIMENTED A RETURN TO HIS ROOTS FOR EX-DARLINGTON STAR TOM PORTAS. DAN

MCWILLIAMS ARRIVED FROM WHITBY TOWN AND WHAT PROVED TO BE JUST AS SIGNIFICANT WAS THE CAPTURE OF EX PRESTON NORTH END GOALKEEPER CALLUM

ROBERTS, AND YOUNG FULL-BACK LEWIS

KING, WHO JOINED FROM SPENNYMOOR TOWN AFTER SPENDING THE PREVIOUS SEASON WITH BURNLEY'S YOUTH SET-UP

IT WAS THE DEFENCE THAT WAS THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT WAS BUILDING TO BE A SEASON OF A LIFETIME ONLY FOR THE PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS TO FORCE THE FA TO END IT PREMATURELY AND CRUELLY LEAVE THE ANCHORS WITH NOTHING TO SHOW FOR ALL THEIR LABOURS. THEY DOMINATED THE LEAGUE CAMPAIGN, LOSING JUST ONCE AND CONCEDING A PALTRY 14 GOALS IN 30

LEAGUE MATCHES THEY WERE ON A 20-GAME UNBEATEN RUN WHEN THE CURTAIN WAS BROUGHT DOWN, AND THE TEAM WERE, PRETTY MUCH, STEAM ROLLING THEIR WAY TO GLORY. GOOD RUNS IN THE FA CUP AND FA VASE, ALONG WITH A JAUNT TO THE SEMIFINAL OF THE DURHAM COUNTY CUP, CAUSING AN UPSET AGAINST SOUTH SHIELDS ALONG THE WAY, LOOKED TO MERELY PUNCTUATE WHAT SEEMED TO BE A RUNAWAY PROMOTION AND TITLE-WINNING CAMPAIGN. RECORD CROWDS WERE SEEN NO LESS THAN THREE TIMES, WITH OVER 900 SPECTATORS ATTENDING THE LEAGUE FIXTURE ON BOXING DAY IN 2019 AND AN AVERAGE OF 500 FOR LEAGUE GAMES, WHICH SHOWED HOW FAR THE CLUB HAD COME AND ALMOST CERTAINLY A FOUR FIGURE CROWD WAS INEVITABLE BEFORE THE FINAL GAME. MEMORIES OF FAMOUS VICTORIES AND AN EXCITING SEASON WILL LIVE ON FOREVER, BUT NO OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS WILL BE HELD.

AS ALWAYS, THE CLUB MARCHED ON, AND THE ANCHORS SIGNED SPENNYMOOR TOWN MIDFIELDER SHANE HENRY AND FORMER DEFENDER DALE MULLIGAN RE-SIGNED FOR THE 2020/21 SEASON. WITH THE BIT BETWEEN THEIR TEETH, STOCKTON WENT INTO THE SEASON WANTING TO PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF THE SEASON ITSELF BEGAN WITH A 2-0 WIN AGAINST SHILDON IN THE FA CUP, BUT THERE WERE ONLY 12 LEAGUE GAMES PLAYED BEFORE THE UK WENT INTO ANOTHER NATIONAL LOCKDOWN IN NOVEMBER 2020 –THE ANCHORS WERE SITTING SECOND IN THE TABLE WITH 27 POINTS. FOOTBALL DID RETURN, BUT IT WAS THE FA VASE AND NOT THE LEAGUE AS STOCKTON BEAT CHARNOCK RICHARD 4-2 AT HOME AFTER A FOUR-WEEK

STOCKTON TOWN

BREAK BEFORE LOSING OUT AGAINST SHILDON IN THE NEXT ROUND OF THE COMPETITION THIS TURNED OUT TO BE THE FINAL MATCH OF THE 2020/21 SEASON AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED AND MEANT NO MORE FOOTBALL COULD SAFELY BE PLAYED

WITH OVER 40 GAMES PLAYED ACROSS THE TWO SEASONS, QUESTIONS WERE BEING ASKED AS TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE SEASON. THE FOOTBALL

ASSOCIATED DECIDED TO COMBINE THE TWO SEASONS DURING THEIR RESTRUCTURE OF NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL, MEANING THE

ANCHORS FINISHED TOP ON POINTS-PER-GAME

– THEREFORE GAINING PROMOTION TO THE NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE CLUB’S HISTORY. MICHAEL

DUNWELL’S SIDE HEADED INTO THEIR FIRST SEASON IN THE NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE

EAST DIVISION FULL OF BELIEF THAT THEY WON’T JUST BE THERE TO MAKE UP THE NUMBERS BUT COMPETE WITH THE VERY BEST IN THE LEAGUE

AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE CASE AS THE ANCHORS MANAGED TO FINISH FOURTH IN THE TABLE AND MAKE THE PLAY-OFFS IN THEIR FIRST SEASON AT STEP 4. A HISTORIC NIGHT IN CLEETHORPES IN THE SEMI-FINAL WILL LIVE LONG IN THE MEMORY. ADAM NICHOLSON AND KEV HAYES SCORED THE GOALS TO FIRE

STOCKTON THROUGH TO THE FINAL, WHERE THEY TOOK ON LOCAL RIVALS MARSKE

UNITED. UNFORTUNATELY, PROMOTION TO THE PREMIER DIVISION WASN’T TO BE AS TWO WONDER STRIKES WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SIDES IN DIFFICULT CONDITIONS.

DUNWELL AND THE STOCKTON MANAGEMENT TEAM RECRUITED FOUR PLAYERS IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, WITH FORMER

SPENNYMOOR TOWN STRIKER STEPHEN

THOMPSON THE FIRST THROUGH THE DOOR

FORMER MARSKE STRIKER MATTY TYMON, EX-

BLYTH SPARTANS AND STOCKTON YOUTH

PRODUCT CAMERON PAINTER, AND HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER STRIKER ELLIOTT BEDDOW ALSO FOLLOWED AS THE ANCHORS LOOK TO PUSH TO GO ONE BETTER IN THE 2022/23 CAMPAIGN.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

VIEW FROM THE PRESS BOX

CRAIG BIDDLESTONE

WELL, THAT WAS A FUN WEEKEND !

LEAGUE FOOTBALL FINALLY RETURNED ON SATURDAY , AND IT RETURNED IN STYLE . WHEN THE FIXTURES WERE FIRST SENT TO US A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK, I WAS PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO RECEIVE THEM A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE THE LEAGUE EMBARGO WAS LIFTED FOR PUBLICATION , SO THE FIRST GAME I WAS LOOKING FOR WAS OUR TRIP TO CARLTON TOWN . WHY SOME OF YOU MAY ASK?

WELL, OBVIOUSLY BEING FROM NOTTINGHAM IT WAS AN AMBITION OF MINE TO SEE US PLAY THERE . THE LAST TIME WE WENT TO CARLTON IN 2018/19 I WAS DJ’ING A WEDDING THAT NIGHT SO WOULDN ’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET BACK IN TIME , SO AS I’M SCANNING THROUGH THE FIXTURES FOR THIS SEASON ... TO MY DELIGHT I SAW THAT WE WOULD MAKE THE TRIP TO NOTTINGHAM ON THE OPENING DAY OF THE SEASON ! THIS WAS MADE EVEN BETTER BECAUSE NOTTINGHAM FOREST ’S HOME GAME WITH WEST HAM UNITED SCHEDULED FOR THE SAME DAY HAD JUST BEEN MOVED TO THE SUNDAY , WEEKEND IN MY HOME CITY UPCOMING.

SO , IMAGINE TO MY HORROR WHEN I THOUGHT I’D BETTER CHECK MY DIARY , AND YES, YOU GUESSED IT , I WAS BOOKED IN TO DO A WEDDING. TRUST ME , THAT WAS SOON CHANGED (THE VENUE DID OWE ME A COUPLE OF FAVOURS)!

TO SAY I’D BEEN EXCITED ABOUT THE GAME AT CARLTON IN THE WEEK LEADING UP TO THE TIE WAS AN UNDERSTATEMENT , I KNOW A FEW OF THE PEOPLE AT CARLTON DUE TO MY FOREST LINKS, SO IT WAS NICE TO SEE A FEW FAMILIAR FACES, ADDED TO THE FACT THAT A COUPLE OF VERY GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE THAT OFTEN COME TO GAMES AT INGFIELD (ONE SUPPORTS FOREST , THE OTHER LEEDS) WERE BIZARRELY SPONSORING THE CARLTON TOWN MASCOTS. BUT ONCE THE GAME GOT UNDERWAY AT 3PM ANY FRIENDSHIPS WERE CAST ASIDE AS THIS WAS ABOUT OSSETT UNITED AND GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START , WHICH WE EMPHATICALLY DID IN MY EYES. I SAID DURING THE COMMENTARY ON SATURDAY THAT I HONESTLY THINK THE GROUP OF PLAYERS THAT JAS AND WARDY HAVE BROUGHT IN MAKES US THE STRONGEST OSSETT UNITED TEAM SINCE OUR FORMATION BACK IN 2018, A COMMENT WHICH WAS THEN ECHOED BY JAMES ROGERS (ALBEIT FROM HIS SUNBED IN BENALMADENA).

IT ’S NOT JUST ON THE PITCH BUT OFF IT TOO WHERE IT ’S CLEAR FOR ALL TO SEE THAT THERE IS A TOGETHERNESS AMONGST THIS GROUP. YOU JUST HAD TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE COMMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ON SATURDAY NIGHT BY THE LIKES OF OLLIE FEARON AND JOE STACEY . NOW I’M NOT NORMALLY ONE TO MAKE A BOLD PREDICTION BUT I HONESTLY DO THINK THAT THIS TEAM IS CAPABLE OF SUCCESS THIS SEASON .

ON TO TONIGHT , UNFORTUNATELY CHRIS CASSIDY ISN ’T WITH US TONIGHT BUT IT ’S A TIE THAT REMAINS FIRMLY IN HIS AND A LOT OUR SUPPORTERS MEMORIES AFTER HIS BRILLIANT COMMENTARY LAST SEASON ENDED UP GOING VIRAL. AFTER OUR 93RD MINUTE WINNER, AND TO QUOTE CHRIS HIMSELF, “STOCKTON TIME WAS BORN !” AFTER SATURDAY ’S WIN THOUGH IT WOULD BE SO GOOD TO CONTINUE TO UPBEAT FEELING, WE FACED OUR GUESTS 3 TIMES LAST SEASON BUT THE LAST OF THOSE WAS A GAME TO BE BANISHED TO THE BACK OF BEYOND , WE SIMPLY DID NOT TURN UP THAT AFTERNOON IN STOCKTON , BUT I EXPECT TODAY WE WILL SEE A MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT FROM THIS EXCITING BUNCH OF PLAYERS.

VIEW FROM THE PRESS BOX

AWAY FROM THE PITCH , OUR MEDIA TEAM CONTINUES TO WORK VERY HAD BEHIND THE SCENES, FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT AWARE OWEN GERRARD , WHO PLAYS FOR OUR BTEC

ACADEMY TEAM , HAS JOINED US AND IS HELPING WITH GRAPHICS, COMMENTARY , VIDEOS AND TIKTOK – WHICH I STILL DON ’T FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS! IN THE SHORT SPACE OF TIME THAT OWEN HAS BEEN WITH US HE ’S ALREADY ELEVATED OUR STATUS ON THAT PARTICULAR PLATFORM TO THE SECOND MOST SUCCESSFUL AT OUR LEVEL AFTER SHEFFIELD FC.

SO WELCOME TO THE TEAM OWEN AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK! AS WELL AS OWEN , GEORGE PHILLIPS HAS JOINED US AS A CO -COMMENTATOR, GEORGE HAS NO BACKGROUND IN MEDIA WHATSOEVER, AND IS REALLY JUST A MASSIVE AND PASSIONATE FOOTBALL FAN , BUT IN HIS 4 GAMES ALREADY HE REALLY HAS IMPRESSED ME AND OTHERS.

ADAM LUNAT ALSO JOINS US TO WRITE MATCH REPORTS, AND ALTHOUGH YOU WON ’T SEE ANY IN THE SHORT TERM AS IT ’S REALLY JUST AN EXPERIENCE THING FOR HIM AT THE MOMENT , ONCE HE GETS THE CONFIDENCE YOU WILL START SEEING HIS TAKE ON OUR GAMES.

AND FINALLY , LUCY BURNS JOINS US TO LOOK AFTER THE SOCIAL MEDIA SIDE (FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM ),

LUCY MAY BE FAMILIAR TO SOME OF YOU AS SHE HAS PREVIOUSLY VOLUNTEERED AT OSSETT ALBION , AND AFTER TAKING A BREAK FROM FOOTBALL SHE IS NOW READY TO RETURN .

THE SOCIAL MEDIA SIDE IS A MASSIVE ROLE BUT THE PLAN IS FOR LUCY TO LEAD THAT AREA WITH NEIL SPOFFORTH AND MYSELF ALSO AVAILABLE TO JUMP IN WHEN NEEDED .

SO TO GEORGE , ADAM AND LUCY , WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF FUN !!

I HOPE YOU ENJOY TONIGHT ’S GAME VS STOCKTON TOWN .

CRAIG

JOE PARKIN

JAS COLLIVER & MARK WARD HAVE BOOSTED THEIR SQUAD THIS WEEK WITH THE ACQUISITION OF JOE PARKIN , A TWENTY TWO YEAR OLD CENTRAL MIDFIELDER WHO HAS PREVIOUS NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE EXPERIENCE WITH GRANTHAM TOWN & GAINSBOROUGH TRIMITY . HE IS A GRADUATE OF THE SUCCESSFUL HANDSWORTH FC SET UP, WHERE HE WAS SEEN AS AN ATTACKING MIDFIELDER BY THE AMBERS. PARKIN IS ADDED TO THE SQUAD IN TIME FOR TUESDAYS FIXTURE VS STOCKTON TOWN .

JOE IS ANOTHER FIT , ATHLETIC LAD WHO LIKES TO BREAK UP PLAY AND RUN FROM BOX TO BOX . HE IS A PLAYER THAT PLAYED OVER 40 GAMES AT THE LEAGUE ABOVE LAST SEASON WITH GRANTHAM AND GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY HE CAN PLAY EITHER CENTRAL MIDFIELD OR AS A CENTRE BACK, JOE IS EAGER TO LINK UP WITH JAS COLLIVER ONCE AGAIN WHO GAVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY NPL PREMIER FOOTBALL.

JAS SAID “JOE IS AN HONEST LAD, HE TRAINS AS HE PLAYS AND WANTS TO WIN . HE TRAVELLED TO CARLTON TOWN ON SATURDAY WITHOUT A DEAL ON THE TABLE TO ME THAT MEANS A LOT , HIS FIRST QUESTION WASN ’T ‘HOW MUCH ’ IT WAS ‘WHEN CAN I GET INVOLVED WITH THE LADS?’ JOE IS A STRONG ATHLETIC PLAYER WHO WILL ADD FURTHER COMPETITION TO THE TEAM ” .

WELCOME TO OSSETT UNITED JOE .

FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS

HOOKED: ADDICTION AND THE LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY BY PAUL MERSON

IN RECENT YEARS, PAUL MERSON HAS STUCK HIS HEAD ABOVE THE PARAPET TO SPEAK OPENLY , HONESTLY , MOVINGLY AND AT TIMES HEARTBREAKINGLY ABOUT HIS STRUGGLES WITH ADDICTION , AND HIS LATEST BOOK , HOOKED , DELVES MORE DEEPLY INTO THESE ISSUES , HIS TROUBLESOME RELATIONSHIP WITH ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND GAMBLING AND HIS LONG AND CONTINUING ROAD TO RECOVERY . FOR ALL OF THE BRILLIANCE OF THE MAN ON THE PITCH , HIS GREATEST CONTRIBUTION MAY BE OFF IT , WITH A BOOK THAT HELPS READERS UNDERSTAND THE ILLNESS THAT IS ADDICTION AND HOPEFULLY SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO REALLY NEED IT

MERSON ’S LIFE HAS ARGUABLY BEEN DEFINED BY TWO THINGS: FOOTBALL AND ADDICTION , SO IT ’S NO SURPRISE THAT THESE TWO THEMES ARE THE CENTREPIECE OF THIS BOOK . BUT IN MANY WAYS , AS IN HIS LIFE ITSELF , FOOTBALL TAKES A BACK SEAT TO THE NARRATIVE OF ADDICTION . INDEED , WHILST FOOTBALL MAY HAVE SEEMED LIKE THE CRUX OF MERSON ’S LIFE , HE EXPLAINS HOW ADDICTION , IN FACT , OVERRODE EVERYTHING A SHY AND SOMEWHAT ANXIOUS YOUNG FOOTBALLER WHO WAS THRUST INTO THE BIG LEAGUES AS A MERE TEENAGER AT ARSENAL , MERSON SOON FOUND CONFIDENCE IN ALCOHOL AND A RELEASE IN GAMBLING , BUT JUST AS HIS CAREER WOULD TAKE OFF , SO TOO WOULD HIS ADDICTIONS. AND WHAT STRIKES YOU IS WHETHER MORE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO HELP A YOUNG MERSON NAVIGATE SUCH A FORMATIVE STAGE IN HIS LIFE AND HIS CAREER , TO HAVE GUIDED HIM DOWN A VERY DIFFERENT PATH , BRINGING TO MIND THAT OPENING LINE IN ROBERT FROST ’S POEM ‘THE ROAD NOT TAKEN ’ – ‘TWO ROADS DIVERGED IN A YELLOW WOOD ’ . THIS WAS , OF COURSE , THE 1980S , WHEN DRINKING CULTURE IN PARTICULAR WAS SYNONYMOUS WITH FOOTBALL,

AND ARSENAL ’S INFAMOUS TUESDAY CLUB WOULD BECOME THE EPITOME – OR NADIR – OF THAT CULTURE , AND FOR MERSON THERE WAS NO BETTER – OR , RATHER , NO WORSE – PLACE FOR HIM TO BE . I’D LIKE TO THINK THAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND THERE IS A LOT MORE SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE NOW ,

ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG FOOTBALLERS COMING THROUGH AS STILL IMPRESSIONABLE ADOLESCENTS, BUT SADLY THIS CERTAINLY WASN ’T THE CASE BACK THEN . AND WHILST IT ’S

FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS

HEARTENING TO HEAR MERSON SPEAK WITH SUCH RESPECT FOR THE LIKES OF GEORGE GRAHAM AND BRYAN ROBSON WHO DID WHAT THEY COULD TO TRY TO HELP , THE SYSTEM AND THE ORGANISATION JUST WASN ’T SET UP THEN TO ASSIST PLAYERS , LEAVING THEM TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES .

MERSON ’S ROAD TO RECOVERY HAS BEEN A LONG AND DIFFICULT ONE AND IT ’S EASY TO PICK UP ON HIS INSECURITIES, HIS VULNERABILITIES AND HIS WEAKNESSES , BUT ALSO HIS DETERMINATION AND HIS HOPE , ALTHOUGH WHAT IS ALSO PAINFULLY CLEAR IS THAT ADDICTION IS A DAILY STRUGGLE . INDEED , WHAT MERSON COMMUNICATES SO EFFECTIVELY , I THINK, IS ADDICTION AS A DISEASE . AS THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION DEFINED , IT IS NOT A BEHAVIOUR PROBLEM OR JUST THE RESULT OF MAKING BAD CHOICES , BUT A CHRONIC BRAIN DISORDER ONCE ADDICTS AND NON -ADDICTS ALIKE BEGIN TO ACCEPT AND UNDERSTAND THIS A LOT MORE , GREATER SUPPORT AND EMPATHY SHOULD FOLLOW , BUT STILL ADDICTION SEEMS TO BE TREATED AS A TABOO , AND THAT CAN ’T HELP ANYBODY. PAUL MERSON HAS DONE A LOT IN RECENT TIMES TO ADVANCE DISCUSSIONS AND BREAK DOWN BARRIERS, EVEN WHEN BATTLING AGAINST HIS OWN ADDICTIONS, AND I THINK HE DESERVES A LOT OF RESPECT AND CREDIT FOR FIGHTING FOR BOTH HIMSELF AND OTHERS , ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO TACKLING GAMBLING ADDICTION . HIS BBC 1 DOCUMENTARY , FOOTBALL , GAMBLING AND ME , WAS BOTH AN EYE -OPENING AND HEARTRENDING LOOK AT THIS LESSER -ADDRESSED , BUT ARGUABLY MORE INSIDIOUS PROBLEM , WHICH HE EXPLAINS IN THIS BOOK IS THE INVISIBLE ENEMY , LESS OBVIOUS AND MORE SECRETIVE THAN THE OBVIOUS OUTWARD DISPLAYS OF ALCOHOLISM OR DRUG ABUSE IT IS THE ADDICTION THAT HAS POSSIBLY COST HIM THE MOST , BOTH MATERIALLY AND FINANCIALLY – HE DOESN ’T SKIRT AROUND DETAILING THE MAMMOTH SUMS HE LOST , NOT TO

BOAST OR TO BRAG ABOUT THE MONEY HE WAS ON , BUT RATHER TO DEMONSTRATE JUST HOW THE DISEASE COMPLETELY TOOK OVER – BUT ALSO SOCIALLY , HAVING ROBBED HIM OF BRILLIANT MOMENTS IN LIFE , WITH FOOTBALL AND FAMILY . WHAT COMES ACROSS SO POIGNANTLY IN THIS BOOK IS THAT MERSON WAS JUST AN ORDINARY BOY WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY TALENT THRUST INTO A MAN ’S WORLD WHEN STILL HIMSELF JUST A YOUTH WITHOUT THE MECHANISMS OR SUPPORT IN PLACE TO GUIDE HIM OR HELP HIM COPE AND HE ’S STRUGGLED EVER SINCE TO BATTLE HIS ADDICTIONS AND FIND RESPITE AND INNER PEACE . IT ’S GREAT TO HEAR THAT HE ’S FINALLY OVERCOMING THE DISEASE BUT IT ’S ALSO MOVING TO SEE THAT EVERY DAY HAS ITS CHALLENGES . FOOTBALL HAS ALWAYS BEEN HIS SALVATION AND I, FOR ONE , LOVE HIM AS A PUNDIT AND AM GLAD TO SEE HIM STILL FINDING REPRIEVE IN THE BEAUTIFUL GAME A SUPREMELY TALENTED FOOTBALL, MERSON ’S LEGACY SHOULD COMPRISE ALL OF HIS HEROICS ON THE PITCH , BUT THIS BOOK AND HIS WORK TO FURTHER THE DISCUSSION AROUND ADDICTION IS A SYMBOL OF HIS REAL HEROISM . HE HAS PROVEN HIMSELF TO BE A BRAVE , STRONG AND TOP MAN , BUT WHAT IS SO ENDEARING IS THAT HE ’S THE FOOTBALLER , THE PRO , THE PUNDIT , THAT YOU ’D WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH AND DISCUSS FOOTBALL, BECAUSE YOU KNOW HE ’D BEEN HIMSELF – OPEN , HONEST , KNOWLEDGEABLE AND GOOD FUN . UNTIL THAT DAY WHEN I GET TO SIT WITH THE MAN HIMSELF , I’LL CONTINUE TO ENJOY HIS INPUT ON TV, WITH ABSOLUTE RESPECT FOR HIS COURAGE, EMPATHY OF HIS ISSUES AND BELIEF IN HIS JOURNEY . BUT IF I DO EVER GET TO SIT DOWN WITH HIM , THERE WILL BE ONE PRESSING MATTER FROM THIS BOOK TO TACKLE FIRST – HONESTLY , PAUL, NOT CHELSEA ? I GUESS , WE ’VE ALL GOT OUR FLAWS (PUBLISHER : HEADLINE SEPTEMBER 2021 HARDCOVER : 304 PAGES )

STOCKTON TOWN

LEWIS MCDONALD LEWIS SIGNED FOR THE ANCHORS IN THE SUMMER OF 2021 AND WILL PROVIDE COMPETITION FOR THE NUMBER ONE SHIRT. AN EXCELLENT BACKGROUND IN NON -LEAGUE , THE SHOT-STOPPER HAS PREVIOUSLY PLAYED FOR MARSKE UNITED AND BILLINGHAM TOWN – AND HAS PLAYED AGAINST STOCKTON TOWN FOR THE LATTER .

CALLUM ROBERTS CALLUM JOINED FROM BILLINGHAM SYNTHONIA , WHERE HE SPENT ONE SEASON WITH IN THE NORTHERN LEAGUE SIDE. BEFORE THAT , CALLUM SPENT SIX YEARS OF HIS YOUTH CAREER WITH SUNDERLAND BEFORE JOINING PRESTON NORTH END IN 2014, WHERE HE SPENT TWO YEARS ON A SCHOLARSHIP, AND HE WENT ON TO SIGN A PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT IN APRIL 2017.

TOM COULTHARD TOM IS A PRODUCT OF THE YOUTH SYSTEM HERE AT STOCKTON TOWN . THE DEFENDER BROKE THROUGH INTO THE FIRST TEAM SQUAD WHEN HE WAS 17 AND HAS BEEN AN EVER PRESENT SINCE. A TOUGH , STRONG , QUICK , THOROUGHBRED OF A CENTRE HALF, TOM RARELY GETS RUFFLED OR LOSES A CHALLENGE IN THE AIR OR ON THE FLOOR AND HAS FORGED AN IMPRESSIVE LONG -STANDING PARTNERSHIP AT THE BACK ALONGSIDE CAPTAIN ADAM NICHOLSON . TOM HAS A DECENT SCORING RECORD FOR A DEFENDER AND IS ALSO PARTIAL TO SCORING THE ODD FREE KICK OR PENALTY WHEN CALLED ON .

LOUIE HALL LOUIE IS ANOTHER PLAYER TO HAVE MADE THE TRANSITION UP TO THE FIRST TEAM FROM OUR UNDER -18 SIDE THIS SUMMER AND HAS CERTAINLY IMPRESSED BOTH MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORTERS ALIKE WITH SOME GREAT PERFORMANCES IN PRE -SEASON . LOUIE IS CALM AND COMPOSED ON THE BALL, KNOWS HOW TO DO BOTH SIDES OF THE GAME VERY WELL, AND CAN ALSO GET FORWARD WITH EASE.

LEWIS KING LEWIS WAS A MEMBER OF HARTLEPOOL UNITED ACADEMY UNTIL 16. HE THEN SPENT TIME AT BURNLEY IN THEIR YOUTH SET UP BEFORE RETURNING TO THE NORTH EAST AND JOINING SPENNYMOOR TOWN WHERE HE IMPRESSED WITH A STRING OF SOLID PERFORMANCES FOR THE UNDER -18S EARNING A CALL INTO THE FIRST TEAM SQUAD. LEWIS IS A GREAT PROSPECT , HE'S ATHLETIC AND LIKES TO GET FORWARD WHEN PLAYING AS A FULL BACK BUT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET PAST WHEN DEFENDING AND CAN PERFORM EQUALLY AS A CENTRE BACK .

DAN MCWILLIAMS DAN IS A STOCKTON LAD AND AFTER BEING RELEASED AGED 16 FROM MIDDLESBROUGH ACADEMY WHERE HE PLAYED IN THE NIKE CUP WINNING SIDE. HE PLAYED FOR THE ANCHORS FOR A SEASON , BUT THE TALENTED LEFT FOOTER WAS TAKEN INTO THE NORTHERN LEAGUE BY BILLINGHAM SYNTHONIA AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR HE JOINED A VERY GOOD GUISBOROUGH SIDE.

THE FULL-BACK MOVED WITH THE MANAGER TO WHITBY TOWN IN 2015 AND WAS A REGULAR FOR THE NPL

PREMIER SIDE. DAN IS AN ATHLETIC QUICK LEFT SIDED DEFENDER WHO OPERATES MAINLY AT LEFT BACK . HE'S TECHNICALLY EXCELLENT AND A GOOD PASSER OF THE BALL, AND ALSO IS COMFORTABLE IN POSSESSION AT EITHER END OF THE PITCH .

DALE MULLIGAN DALE RE-JOINED HIS BROTHER NATHAN AT HIS HOMETOWN CLUB AFTER A SPELL AT SHILDON . HE PLAYED FOR THE ANCHORS DURING THEIR SUCCESSFUL WEMBLEY RUN IN THE 2017/18 SEASON AND WON MANAGER ’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR SOME COLOSSAL PERFORMANCES, LEAVING FOR THE RAILWAYMEN EARLY THE NEXT SEASON . DALE IS AN OLD SCHOOL CENTRE HALF, BIG AND STRONG WITH A GREAT NEVER -SAY -DIE ATTITUDE . HE IS A NO-NONSENSE PLAYER , GOOD IN THE AIR AND LOVES A TACKLE , AND ALWAYS DEFENDS WITH

STOCKTON TOWN

EVERYTHING ON THE LINE. HIS EXPERIENCE OF THE NORTHERN LEAGUE, AND CHARACTER , STRENGTHENS THE SQUAD FURTHER .

ADAM NICHOLSON CLUB CAPTAIN ‘ADI’ RE-JOINED STOCKTON TOWN TO PLAY UNDER -18 FOOTBALL AND WENT ON TO MAKE HIS SENIOR DEBUT IN THE FIRST EVER SEASON OF ADULT FOOTBALL IN THE TEESSIDE LEAGUE AGE 16 AND NOW HAS NOTCHED UP OVER 400 APPEARANCES FOR THE FIRST TEAM . AT 6’5”, HIS STRENGTH IS IN THE AIR , BUT HIS COMMITMENT TO THE TEAM AND DESIRE TO WIN ARE A MAJOR FACTOR IN A BACK FOUR THAT HAS BEEN SO INSTRUMENTAL IN THE TEAM 'S SUCCESS TO DATE. AFTER MISSING MOST OF THE WEMBLEY SEASON WITH A SERIOUS KNEE INJURY , HE FOUGHT HIS WAY BACK TO BE FIRST CHOICE AGAIN AND WAS BACK TO HIS DOMINANT BEST LAST SEASON . A GOOD ORGANISER AND READER OF THE GAME , HE'S FORGED A FORMIDABLE PARTNERSHIP WITH TOM THAT HAS NOW SPANNED EIGHT SEASONS – AND HE ALSO HAS AN IMPRESSIVE GOAL SCORING RECORD FOR A DEFENDER .

ALFIE CONWAY ALFIE IS ONE OF FIVE UNDER -18 PLAYERS TO HAVE IMPRESSED THIS PRE -SEASON AND SIGNED WITH THE FIRST TEAM AHEAD OF THEIR FIRST SEASON IN STEP 4. BROTHER OF SAM , THE MIDFIELDER SHOWS EXPERIENCE BEYOND HIS AGE AND IS COMFORTABLE IN POSSESSION AND GOING FORWARD.

LIAM COOKE LIAM STARTED HIS CAREER WITH MIDDLESBROUGH , PLAYING WITH THEIR ACADEMY , BEFORE JOINING WHITBY TOWN ON A DUALREGISTRATION IN AUGUST 2019, FOLLOWING A TRIAL WITH THE CLUB . IN DECEMBER 2021, THE MIDFIELDER JOINED STOCKTON TOWN ON A PERMANENT DEAL FROM WHITBY , WHERE HE MADE 37 APPEARANCES. COOKE IS A PLAYMAKER WITH AN EYE FOR A PASS AND CAN PLAY EITHER BEHIND THE FRONT MAN OR OUT WIDE AND KNOWS WHERE THE BACK OF THE NET IS. HE IS ALSO THE

BROTHER OF BRADFORD CITY ATTACKING MIDFIELDER CALLUM COOKE.

SHANE HENRY SHANE 'S NICKNAME 'THE BULL’ BECOMES CLEAR WHEN YOU SEE HIM PLAY . HE JOINS HIS HOMETOWN CLUB AFTER SIX SEASONS PLAYING NATIONAL LEAGUE FOOTBALL WITH SPENNYMOOR TOWN WHO HE JOINED FROM WHITBY TOWN IN 2014. HE IS RENOWNED FOR HIS POWERFUL MIDFIELD DISPLAYS AND TIRELESS WORK -ETHIC ON THE PITCH . TWICE MANAGERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR AT THE MOORS HIS EXPERIENCE WILL BE INVALUABLE IN THE ANCHORS DRIVE TO CLIMB THE PYRAMID AND HE WILL BECOME AN ESSENTIAL COG IN THE MIDFIELD.

NATHAN MULLIGAN NATHAN WAS WITH MIDDLESBROUGH FC UNTIL HIS RELEASE AT AGE 18, WHEN HE JOINED DARLINGTON FC AND PLAYED IN THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE. HE JOINED STOCKTON TOWN FROM BILLINGHAM SYNTHONIA HAVING PREVIOUSLY PLAYED FOR WHITBY TOWN , MARSKE UNITED AND NORTON & STOCKTON ANCIENTS. NATHAN ’S QUALITY AND EXPERIENCE WAS KEY ON THE ROAD TO WEMBLEY IN 2018 – IN THE FA VASE FINAL - AND HE WROTE HIMSELF INTO ANCHORS HISTORY BY TUCKING AWAY THE CRUCIAL PENALTY IN THE SEMI-FINAL SECOND LEG AGAINST MARSKE . NATHAN IS A TECHNICALLY GOOD, ALL-ROUND PLAYER , MOBILE , DECEPTIVELY GOOD IN THE AIR AND CAN PLAY IN A VARIETY OF POSITIONS BUT OPERATES MAINLY AS AN ATTACKING OR HOLDING MIDFIELDER . HE SCORES GOALS, IS UP THERE AT THE CLUB FOR BEING A PENALTY EXPERT AND ALWAYS CONTRIBUTES IN EVERY GAME .

CAMERON PAINTER PAINTER WAS STOCKTON ’S THIRD SIGNING OF THE SUMMER , ARRIVING FROM NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH SIDE BLYTH SPARTANS THE MIDFIELDER , WHO CAN ALSO PLAY IN DEFENCE AT RIGHT BACK , WAS WITH THE ANCHORS YOUTH SET UP BEFORE HEADING TO

STOCKTON TOWN

THEN -FOOTBALL LEAGUE CLUB GRIMSBY TOWN .

TOM PORTAS TOM STARTED HIS CAREER AT MIDDLESBROUGH ’S YOUTH ACADEMY LEAVING AT AGE 15. HE PLAYED FOR STOCKTON TOWNS SUCCESSFUL U16S BEFORE BEING PICKED UP BY GUISBOROUGH WHERE HE RECEIVED A LOT OF ATTENTION . HE JOINED WHITBY TOWN IN 2011 AND WON THREE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS AT THE CLUB IN SEASON 2012/13. HE SIGNED FOR DARLINGTON IN THE SUMMER OF 2014 AND SCORED THE GOAL OF THE SEASON AGAINST BAMBER BRIDGE. TOM STARRED IN TWO CONSECUTIVE PROMOTIONS FOR THE QUAKERS INCLUDING WINNING THE NPL PREMIER TITLE. AFTER MISSING MOST OF THE 2016/17 SEASON WITH A BAD INJURY , HE LEFT AND SPENT LAST SEASON AT WEST AUCKLAND. TOM IS A MOBILE , ALL ROUND, PROVEN HIGH QUALITY , CENTRAL MIDFIELDER WHO HAS A COMPLETE RANGE OF PASSING AND DEAD BALL SKILLS.

ELLIOTT BEDDOW ONE OF THE HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER STRIKERS THIS SUMMER , BEDDOW PUT PEN TO PAPER AND BECOME THE CLUB ’S FOURTH SIGNING OF THE SUMMER . THE MARKSMAN HAS SPENT THE LAST TWO SEASONS PLAYING IN THE NORTHERN LEAGUE, WHERE HE SCORED 31 GOALS IN ALL COMPETITIONS LAST SEASON FOR THE BLUES – INCLUDING 24 IN THE LEAGUE TO HELP HIS SIDE FINISH THIRD BEHIND PROMOTED CLUBS NORTH SHIELDS AND CONSETT. BEDDOW BEGAN HIS SENIOR CAREER AT BILLINGHAM TOWN AS AN 18-YEAR -OLD IN 2016 AND WAS PART OF THE TOWN SIDE, WHICH PIPPED THORNABY TO THE NORTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION TWO TITLE IN 2019. THE STRIKER THEN MADE THE MOVE ACROSS TEESSIDE TO TEESDALE PARK IN 2020 AND HAS FEATURED AGAINST THE ANCHORS FOR BOTH CLUBS.

PETER BULMER PETER PREVIOUSLY PLAYED AT GUISBOROUGH TOWN IN THE NORTHERN LEAGUE, WHERE HE WON THE NORTH RIDING SENIOR CUP. HE

THEN JOINED MARSKE UNITED AND PLAYED HIS PART IN WINNING THE NORTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE TITLE IN 2018. PETE IS AN INTELLIGENT FOOTBALLER WHO CAN PLAY A VARIETY OF POSITIONS, INCLUDING FULLBACK . HE OPERATES MAINLY AS A WIDE ATTACKER AND WITH HIS PACE, QUICK FEET AND CLOSE CONTROL HE’S VERY DIFFICULT TO DEFEND AGAINST AS HE CAN GO INSIDE OR OUTSIDE COMFORTABLY .

KEV HAYES KEV FORCED HIS WAY INTO THE FIRST TEAM SQUAD DURING THE NORTHERN LEAGUE SECOND DIVISION TITLE WINNING SEASON IN 2017 WITH A STRING OF IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCES FOR THE UNDER18S AND THEN CONTINUED THAT FORM TO CEMENT A REGULAR STARTING PLACE . KEV IS THE TYPE OF PLAYER THAT SPECTATORS WANT TO SEE ON THE BALL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE , A NATURALLY GIFTED WIDE ATTACKER , WHO COMMITS DEFENDERS WITH A DROP OF THE SHOULDER , CAN GO PAST PLAYERS AT VERY CLOSE QUARTERS AND HAS ROCKET OF A LEFT FOOT . THE WINGER CAN PLAY ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PITCH AND WITH HIS WORK RATE AND REGULAR GOALS, HE IS A VITAL MEMBER OF THE ATTACKING PART OF THE TEAM . AFTER SOME MESMERISING PERFORMANCES ON THE WAY TO THE FA VASE FINAL IN 2018, HE WAS VOTED NORTH EAST YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR BY THE SUNDAY SUN .

MATTY TYMON HAVING SAW TWO STRIKERS DEPART IN THE SUMMER , THE ANCHORS WERE QUICK TO SNAP UP THEIR SUMMER TARGETS, AS TYMON BECOME THE SECOND SIGNING AFTER THOMPSON . THE FORMER MARSKE UNITED MAN SPENT THE LAST TWO SEASONS WITH THE SEASIDERS, WHERE HE WENT ON TO SCORE 32 GOALS IN 68 APPEARANCES. THE STRIKER FEATURED AGAINST THE ANCHORS THREE TIMES LAST SEASON AND PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE SEASIDERS GAINING PROMOTION TO STEP 3 FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER A 2-1 WIN IN THE PLAY -OFF FINAL AGAINST STOCKTON .

Juice Personnel are an independent recruitment agency based in Wakefield. We were founded in 2003 in Huddersfield with the knowledge that things could be done differently. This led us to adopt what we called our ‘refreshingly different’ approach. This radical new approach to recruitment was based around our core values of mutual understanding, honesty, integrity and quality.

From day one we had a policy to constantly review how we worked. Because of this dedication to self-improvement and our refreshing, personal approach to recruitment we saw a client and candidate loyalty that we’ve never experienced before and quickly outgrew our small office.

Skip forward a few years and we still hold fast to the same morals we started with: mutual understanding, honesty, integrity and quality. Because of our unwavering dedication to client and candidate satisfaction Juice Personnel are now seen as one of the leading independent recruiters in Wakefield.

OSSETT UNITED MEDIA PARTNER

CLUB HISTORY

THE FORMATION

Ossett United was created on the 1st June 2018 following the merger of Ossett Town AFC (est. 1936) and Ossett Albion AFC (est. 1944). Both Ossett Town and Ossett Albion had managed to gain Northern Premier League status and maintain that level of football for a remarkable period of time.

EARLY HISTORY

The two clubs merged under the leadership of a new board brought together from the two previous clubs. The founding directors were John Chidlaw (OA), James Rogers (OT), Emma Chidlaw (OA), Dawn Rogers (OT), Lee Summerscales (OA) and Lee Broadbent (OT) forming the new Board with support from Phil Smith as CEO. John Chidlaw took on the role of Chairman for the first season. The Club made its new home Ingfield, the previous home of Ossett Town, and used Dimple Wells, the previous home of Ossett Albion, as its Ladies and Academy Team base.

On the pitch, the first year (2018/19) was a remarkable success with attendances significantly increased from what either club had experienced previously, coupled with success on the pitch reaching the play-off semi-final and winning the County Cup, under the guidance of manager Andy Welsh. Off the pitch things were not as successful with a number of resignations and board changes and some challenging financial issues to deal with following the merger. By the end of the 2018/19 season, Phil Smith had taken on the mantle of club chairman following a number of board changes.

Wayne Benn took up the managerial reigns in late 2019 following a poor start to the 2019/20 season, however, that season was ended abruptly in March 2020 with the onset of a global pandemic known as Covid 19. The season was null and voided. Off the pitch there were more troubles for Ossett United in November 2019 as

a significant and unprecedented court case, dating back to a tackle in 2015 when Ossett Town were playing Radcliffe Borough, was lost with United facing legal and damages costs amounting to £135,000. Fortunately, the club received a generous loan from two of its closest supporters to avoid the club going into liquidation (at worst) or selling the Ingfield ground (at best).

The start of the 2020/21 season started late due to the ongoing pandemic and virtually finished as soon as it had started with only eight league games having been played by United. This time the season was curtailed rather than null and voided and meant a second season had gone unfinished. Off the pitch Rogers and Smith swapped roles due to Smith's work commitments and Rogers took on the role as Chairman, a role he had previously held at Ossett Town. 2020 also saw the club declare Dimple Wells as surplus to requirements and made arrangements to surrender the lease making Ingfield the single home of the united club.

2021/22

Last season saw many changes at Ossett United both on and off the field. After a strong start to the Pitching In NPL East season a run of only one win in three months saw Wayne Benn and Andy Hayward leave the club in December. Jas Colliver and Mark Ward were appointed to re-ignite the season and strengthen the squad which they did from day one. The duo saw the club go unbeaten at home with 7 wins and draws however the away form continued to be in consistent. Off the field new dugouts were installed, before the erection of a new pitchside barrier followed by the upgrading of the floodlights to LED to bring the facilities to a high standard.

Colliver and Ward have spent the close season working hard to retain players from the squad as well as bringing in reinforcements to strengthen the squad further as the club looks to improve upon the ninth placed finished in 21/22

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY 2023

DATE OPPONENT RESULT SCORERS MOM ATT

FEBRUARY

MARCH

PLAYER STATS

PITCHING IN NPL EAST 2022/2023

OSSETT UNITED KICKED OFF THE 2022/23 SEASON WITH A HOME FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND TIE AGAINST

NORTH WEST COUNTIES DIVISION ONE SOUTH SIDE NEW MILLS WHO ONLY MISSED OUT ON PROMOTION IN THEIR PLAY -OFF FINAL LAST SEASON .

COLLIVER AND WARD GAVE STARTS TO SIX OF THE SUMMER SIGNINGS WITH A NEW LOOK FORWARD LINE LED BY OLLIE FEARON AND SUPPORTED BY BASILE ZOTTOS, JOE STACEY AND JUNAYD CASSIUS- GILL.

ZOTTOS WAS THE FIRST TO SHOW WHAT HE CAN DO LATCHING ONTO A BALL ON THE FIGHT HAND SIDE , HE DROVE TO THE DEAD BALL LINE AND FIRED OVER A DANGEROUS CROSS THAT SAW THE NEW MILLS DEFENCE BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF AS THE BALL WAS JUST IN FRONT OF THE ON FUSHING FORWARDS FOR OSSETT UNITED , BUT CERTAINLY POSITIVE SIGNS IN THE EARLY STAGES.

UNITED WENT CLOSE AGAIN IN THE EARLY STAGES AS THIS TIME IT WAS STACEY SHOWING GOOD WING PLAY , HIS CROSS WAS MET BY ZOTTOS BUT UNDER PRESSURE FROM SOLID DEFENDING BY THE MILLERS SAW HIS HEADER CLEAR THE CROSS BAR.

IT WASN ’T JUST THE FORWARD PLAYERS CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AS BRAD BEATSON SENT AN ACCURATE BALL INTO THE BOX , CLEARING THE CENTRAL DEFENDER AND DROPPING TO FEARON WHO HIT A SNAP SHOT JUST WIDE .

NEW MILLS

WHILST OSSETT UNITED WERE IN CONTROL OF THE OPENING EXCHANGE NEW MILLS WERE NOT CONTENT TO SIT BACK, HOWEVER THEIR ATTACKS WERE NULLIFIED BY A STRONG OSSETT UNITED DEFENCE, PARTICULARLY WITH TOM CROPPER KEEPING THE MILLERS LEFT WINGER UNDER CONTROL.

WITH 26 MINUTES ON THE CLOCK OSSETT UNITED MADE THE BREAK THROUGH , A DIFFICULT BOUNCING BALL WAS BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL BY STACEY WHO BEAT HIS MAN AND SEND A LOW CROSS TO THE NEAR POST WHERE BASILE ZOTTOS, SIGNED JUST THIS WEEK , SLID IN AND BEAT THE KEEPER.

FEARON WAS A REAL HANDFUL FOR THE DEFENCE AND IT WAS HIS FLICK-ON THAT CREATED THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY AS CASSIUS-GILL PICKED UP THE BALL A WITH AND EXCELLENT TURN CREATED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A CROSS THAT WAS JUST OUT OF THE REACH OF JOE STACEY .

STACEY WASN ’T TO BE DENIED THOUGH AS ON 40 MINUTES HE AGAIN TOOK THE BALL WELL, BEATING HIS FULL BACK HE DROVE INTO THE AREA AND FIRED THE BALL INTO THE ROOF OF THE NET TO OPEN HIS ACCOUNT FOR THE SEASON , ADDING TO HIS ASSIST FOR THE OPENING GOAL.

AS HALF TIME APPROACHED CASSIUS-GILL AGAIN WENT CLOSE , AS HE TURNED THE DEFENDER INSIDE OUT BEFORE SEEING A SHOT JUST CLEAR THE CROSSBAR FROM A TIGHT ANGLE . NEW MILLS ENDED THE FIRST 45 IN THE OSSETT UNITED HALF WITH A COUPLE OF CORNERS, THE SECOND OF WHICH WAS DEALT WITH WELL BY HALL, DIVING AT THE FEET OF A NEW MILLS STRIKER AS THE BALL WAS BOUNCING AROUND.

THE SECOND HALF STARTED QUIETLY , COLLIVER AND WARD MADE THEIR FIRST CHANGE AS JACK WILSON REPLACED ZOTTOS AND HE WAS STRAIGHT INTO THE ACTION , HE LIFTED THE BALL INTO THE AREA FOR FEARON WHO CONTROLLED THE BALL BUT WITH IT JUST BEHIND HE HIM HE HOOKED HIS SHOT JUST WIDE OF THE POST .

NEW MILLS HAD THEIR BEST OPPORTUNITY OF THE GAME

MID -WAY THROUGH THE HALF AS TAMPE FOUND SOME SPACE

20 YARDS FROM GOAL, HE WELL STRUCK EFFORT CLIPPING THE OUTSIDE OF EDD HALL’S POST .

UNITED CONTINUED TO PRESS, SOME OUTRAGEOUS SKILL BY STACEY SAW HIM CROSS THE BALL FROM THE CORNER WITH A RABONA, THE RESULTING HEADER GOING JUST WIDE BEFORE WILSON HAD AN OPPORTUNITY , BLOCKED ON THE LINE AS NEW MILLS DEFENDED WELL.

AS FIVE MINUTES OF ADDITIONAL TIME WAS COMING TO A CLOSE THE VISITORS WERE AWARDED A FREE -KICK ON THE EDGE OF THE AREA, THEY APPEALED FOR A PENALTY KICK AND IT CERTAINLY LOOKED CLOSE BUT WITH REFEREE MR

ROSE IN A GOOD POSITION AND HAVING HAD A VERY GOOD GAME WITH THE WHISTLE THE COMPLAINTS WERE QUICKLY QUIETENED .

OSSETT UNITED 1. EDD HALL, 2. TOM CROPPER, 3. ROSS

HARDAKER, 4. MICHAEL HOLLINGSWORTH (14. CRAIG

NELTHORPE , 60). 5. JACK COWGILL (C ), 6. BRAD BEATSON ,

7. BASILE ZOTTOS (GOAL, 26) (15. JACK WILSON , 64), 8.

OLI METCALFE , 9. OLLIE FEARON , 10. JUNAYD CASSIUS-

GILL (12. LUKE ALDRICH, 80), 11. JOE STACEY (GOAL, 40)

|

13. JAKE TEALE , 16. CONNOR HODGSON , 17. DANNY

WARD , 18. TOM DEIGHTON .

NEW MILLS 1. DYLAN FORTH , 2. CHRIS RODGER, 3. MASON

FALLON , 4. DARREN MC KNIGHT , 5. HARRISON

CUNNINGHAM , 6. MARCUS DIBBLE , 7. KYLE OAKES (12.

FINLAY PHILLIPS, 80), 8. JACK WRAY , 9. KYLE HAWLEY , 10.

GEORGE HOWARTH (15. ENOCH TAMPE , 45), 11. TEDDY

OSIPITAN (16. JOHN COFIE , 80) | 14. FINLEY RORKE , 17.

ADAM STUART .

MAN OF THE MATCH : TOM CROPPER (OSSETT UNITED )

ATTENDANCE: 275

NPL EAST | 13/08/2022 | CARLTON TOWN 0 – 2 OSSETT UNITED

FOR THE THIRD SEASON IN A ROW, OSSETT UNITED STARTED THE LEAGUE CAMPAIGN ON THE ROAD, THIS TIME WITH A TRIP TO NOTTINGHAMSHIRE TO TAKE ON CARLTON TOWN AT STOKE LANE.

STABILITY TO THE MIDFIELD AND THE RETURN OF IFY

OFOEGBU AT THE EXPENSE OF THE UNFORTUNATE BASILE ZOTTOS AND JUNAYD CASSIUS-GILL.

THE GAME WAS PLAYED IN HIGH TEMPERATURES WHICH CREATED A SLOW PACE TO THE GAME. CARLTON GOALKEEPER, MIKE EMERY WAS CALLED INTO ACTION AND PRODUCED AN EXCELLENT SAVE TO DENY OFOEGBU BEFORE OFOEGBU CROSSED THE BALL TO FEARON WHO SAW A HEADER GO OVER EMERY’S BAR.

MARTIN BALL HAD THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE HOME SIDE AS HE SAW HIS HEADER BLOCKED BEFORE OFOEGBU AGAIN WENT CLOSE ON THE STROKE OF HALF TIME.

COLLIVER AND WARD KNEW THEY HAD A TOUGH GAME ON THEIR HANDS AGAINST A SIDE WHO JUST MISSED OUT ON A PLAY-OFF PLACE IN THE MIDLANDS DIVISION LAST SEASON BEFORE A LATERAL TRANSFER TO THE EAST DIVISION IN THE SUMMER.

OSSETT UNITED MADE TWO CHANGES TO THE STARTING XI WITH CRAIG NELTHORPE ADDING MORE DEFENSIVE

OSSETT UNITED HAD THE BETTER OF THE OPENING 45 MINUTES BUT BOTH SIDES WENT INTO THE BREAK EVEN.

THE VISITORS STARTED THE SECOND HALF QUICKLY AND WON THE GAME WITH TWO GOALS IN THREE MINUTES.

OLIVER FEARON HEADED HOME A JOE STACEY CROSS IN THE 54TH MINUTES BEFORE OFOEGBU TURNED THE BALL HOME AFTER A SCRAMBLE IN THE PENALTY AREA.

EDD HALL PRODUCED A GREAT SAVE FROM JACK DEAKIN AS THE OSSETT UNITED DEFENCE STOOD FIRM TO

COLLECT BACK TO BACK CLEAN SHEETS AS THE SIDE

MAKE A POSITIVE START TO THE 22/23 SEASON.

OSSETT UNITED ARE NEXT IN ACTION ON TUESDAY 16

AUGUST WITH STOCKTON TOWN THE VISITORS TO

INGFIELD, KICK-OFF 7.45PM

CARLTON TOWN: 1. MIKE EMERY, 2. LAWRENCE

STEWART, 3. LEWIS DUROW (14. DEAN FREEMAN, 46),

4. MARTIN BALL, 5. DANIEL BROWN, 6. KYLE TOMLIN

(16. NIALL DAVIE, 62), 7. NAT WATSON, 8, KHYLE

SARGENT, 9. BRAD WELLS, 10. JACK DEAKIN (12.

DARYLL THOMAS, 62), 11. ALEX HOWES | 13. RICHARD

STAINSBY, 15. RYAN TAIT.

OSSETT UNITED: 1. EDD HALL, 2. TOM CROPPER, 3.

ROSS HARDAKER, 4. CRAIG NELTHORPE, 5. JACK

COWGILL (C), 6. BRAD BEATSON, 7. IFY OFOEGBU

(GOAL, 57) (14. BASILE ZOTTOS, 76), 8. MICHAEL

HOLLINGSWORTH (17. HARRY GAGEN, 71), 9. OLLIE

FEARON (GOAL, 54), 10. OLI METCALFE (15. LUKE

ALDRICH), 11. JOE STACEY | 12. JUNAYD CASSIUS-

GILL, 16. CONNOR HODGSON.

ATTENDANCE: 212

MAN OF THE MATCH: JOE STACEY (OSSETT UNITED)

TEA BOY WHO CREATED A DYNASTY

MANCHESTER UNITED ARE (NOTWITHSTANDING THEIR RECENT DIFFICULTIES) ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FOOTBALL CLUBS IN EUROPE , AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST SPORTING BRANDS IN THE WORLD . WHEN THE STORY OF THEIR SUCCESS IS WRITTEN , CERTAIN OBVIOUS NAMES LEAP OFF OF THE PAGE . SIR MATT BUSBY , SIR ALEX FERGUSON , DUNCAN EDWARDS, BOBBY CHARLTON , GEORGE BEST , RYAN GIGGS, PAUL SCHOLES. THIS LIST GOES ON AND ON . BUT BEFORE ALL OF THEM , AND THE MAN WITHOUT WHOM MANCHESTER UNITED SIMPLY WOULDN ’T BE WHAT THEY ARE TODAY , WAS AN ITALIAN IMMIGRANT WHO SNUCK IN TO WATCH NEWTON HEATH . IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A LIFELONG RELATIONSHIP .

GROUNDSMAN , BUT THINGS WERE NOT ROSY AT NEWTON HEATH .

BY 1902 THE CLUB HAD RACKED UP CONSIDERABLE DEBTS AND NEEDED TO RAISE FUNDS TO STAY IN EXISTENCE. ROCCA AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS TOURED AROUND THE CITY FOR FOUR DAYS SOLICITING DONATIONS, NOTABLY TAKING A DOG WITH THEM WITH A MONEYBOX STRAPPED TO ITS BACK. IT WAS THIS DOG WHO WOULD ULTIMATELY SAVE THE CLUB WHEN HE ESCAPED , SETTING UP A FORTUITOUS MEETING WITH JOHN HENRY DAVIES, WHO WOULD STEP IN AND BUY THE CLUB . HIS VISION FOR THE TEAM WAS GRAND , MUCH GRANDER THAN THE SMALL CONFINES OF NEWTON HEATH . HE PROPOSED A NAME CHANGE , AND WHILE MANCHESTER CELTIC WAS CONSIDERED , ROCCA, JUST 19 AT THE TIME , IS SAID (MOSTLY BY HIMSELF) TO HAVE SUGGESTED THE NAME UNITED . IT STUCK, AND THE CLUB WE KNOW TODAY WAS BORN .

LOUIS ROCCA, BORN IN 1882, WAS PROMISED A BEATING FOR SNEAKING UNDER THE FENCE AT HIS LOCAL FOOTBALL CLUB , BUT INSTEAD WAS GIVEN THE TASK OF MAKING TEA FOR THE PLAYERS AT HALF TIME . HE DUTIFULLY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY ACCEPTED HIS NEW POSITION , AND BEFORE LONG WAS ALSO GIVEN THE JOB OF FIRST -TEAM KITMAN , A COVETED POSITION THAT MADE HIM THE ENVY OF OLDER CHILDREN IN THE AREA. BEFORE THE END OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY , HE WAS THE CLUB ’S FIRST EVER

FIVE YEARS LATER, ROCCA MADE THE MOVE THAT WOULD SHAPE THE SOUL OF THE CLUB , RATHER THAN JUST THE NAME ABOVE THE DOOR. HE WAS APPOINTED AS CHIEF SCOUT , AND CREATED AN EXTENSIVE AND INEXPENSIVE SCOUTING NETWORK THROUGHOUT MANCHESTER, ENLISTING THE HELP OF PRIESTS AND SCHOOLTEACHERS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS TO REPORT BACK TO HIM ANY EXCITING YOUNGSTERS FOUND IN SCHOOL AND YOUTH TEAMS. HE ALSO HAD THE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS FROM EACH SATURDAY NIGHT BROUGHT TO HIM EVERY WEEK , AND POURED THROUGH THE LOCAL MATCH REPORTS. ANY NAME THAT CROPPED UP REPEATEDLY , HE WOULD GO TO WATCH IN PERSON . IF THEY IMPRESSED HIM , HE WOULD INVITE THE TO JOIN MANCHESTER UNITED . THE NEW SYSTEM , ALONG WITH DAVIES’ INVESTMENT , LED UNITED TO THEIR FIRST MAJOR TROPHIES, THE FIRST DIVISION TITLE IN 1908 AND 1911, WITH THE FA CUP IN 1909.

FIND MORE AT

THE UNTOLD GAME .CO.UK OR ON SOCIAL MEDIA @THE UNTOLD GAME

ROCCA DREAMED OF A TEAM MADE UP OF LOCAL PLAYERS, WHO REPRESENTED THE PEOPLE ON THE TERRACES. A COUPLE OF DECADES OF BUILDING FOLLOWED BEFORE , IN THE EARLY 1930S, UNITED WERE BOUGHT OUT OF MORE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY BY JAMES GIBSON . THE NEW OWNER SHARED ROCCA’S DREAM , AND ALLOWED HIM (AND NEW ADDITION WALTER CRICKMER) TO SET UP THE MANCHESTER UNITED JUNIOR ATHLETIC CLUB , WHAT WOULD NOW BE UNDERSTOOD AS AN ACADEMY . THE SYSTEM WAS A GREAT SUCCESS IN FINDING AND DEVELOPING LOCAL PLAYERS, BUT WAR IN 1939 LIMITED HOW THE SYSTEM TRANSLATED INTO THE SENIOR TEAM . IT WASN ’T UNTIL AFTER THE WAR THAT THE FRUITS OF ROCCA’S LABOUR COULD REALLY BE SEEN .

AS THE WAR CONCLUDED , MAN UNITED NEEDED A NEW MANAGER, AND GIBSON AND ROCCA THOUGHT THEY KNEW JUST THE MAN . THEY HAD TO ACT QUICKLY THOUGH , AS HE HAD BEEN OFFERED A POSITION IN LIVERPOOL’S STAFF.

ROCCA REACHED OUT TO ONE OF HIS OLD FRIENDS QUITE CRYPTICALLY , NOT WANTING LIVERPOOL TO INTERCEPT THE LETTER, AND INVITED HIM TO OLD TRAFFORD . THAT FRIEND WAS MATT BUSBY . BUSBY HIRED JIMMY MURPHY AS HIS ASSISTANT , AND ROCCA WATCHED AS HIS FRIEND LED A TEAM – FULL OF THE JUNIOR ATHLETIC CLUB ’S PROTÉGÉS –TO THE 1948 FA CUP.

ROCCA PASSED AWAY IN 1950, UNABLE TO SEE THE FRUITS OF HIS WORK IN ALL THEIR GLORY AS FIRST THE BUSBY BABES, AND LATER BUSBY ’S REBUILT SIDE AFTER THE MUNICH DISASTER, CHANGED THE FACE OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL FOREVER. BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE , THOSE SIDES, AND THE LEGACY OF MANCHESTER UNITED , COULD NOT HAVE EXISTED WITHOUT THE ITALIAN . AS MATT BUSBY WROTE SOME FOUR DECADES AFTER ROCCA’S DEATH , “HE WAS A TREMENDOUS HELP TO ME IN EVERY WAY . ”

ENJOY THE GAME .

MARTYN GREEN, THE UNTOLD GAME

EDD HALL

JAKE TEALE

PRINCE ATTAKORAH

BRAD BEATSON

JACK COWGILL (C)

TOM CROPPER

HARRY GAGEN

ROSS HARDAKER

CONNOR HODGSON

TOM DEIGHTON

MICHAEL HOLLINGSWORTH

OLI METCALFE

CRAIG NELTHORPE

JOE PARKIN

JOE STACEY

DANNY WARD

DANNY WASSELL

LUKE ALDRICH

JUNAYD CASSIUS-GILL

OLLIE FEARON

IFY OFOEGBU

JACK WILSON

BASILE

ZOTTOS

LEWIS MCDONALD

CALLUM ROBERTS

TOM COULTHARD

LOUIE HALL

LEWIS KING

DAN MCWILLIAMS

DALE MULLIGAN

ADAM NICHOLSON

ALFIE CONWAY

LIAM COOKE

SHANE HENRY

NATHAN MULLIGAN

CAMERON PAINTER

TOM PORTAS

ELLIOTT BEDDOW

PETER BULMER

KEV HAYES

MIKEY ROBERTS

LLOYD SHOBO

MATTY TYMON

STEPHEN THOMPSON