Ossett United v Stocksbridge Park Steels (27/09/2022)

Vs STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS

TUESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER | 19:45

PITCHING IN NPL EAST

Ingfield Stadium

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

Third Qualifying Round: 2022/23*

Official Teamwear Suppliers

Main Club Sponsor

WELCOME TO INGFIELD

JAMES ROGERS , CHAIRMAN

WELCOME TO INGFIELD FOR THIS RE-ARRANGED

PITCHING IN NPL EAST GAME WITH OUR FRIENDS FROM SOUTH YORKSHIRE, STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS.

THE ORIGINAL FIXTURE WAS POSTPONED DUE TO THE SAD PASSING OF HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II, WHETHER YOU ARE A SUPPORTER OF THE MONARCHY OR NOT I AM SURE YOU WILL AGREE THAT OVER THE PAST SEVENTY YEARS SHE HAS PERFORMED HER DUTIES ADMIRABLY. THE PERIOD OF MOURNING AND THE FUNERAL WERE SOMBRE AFFAIRS BUT VERY SPECTACULAR ALSO, WE DO POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE VERY WELL ON THESE SHORES!

TODAY SEE’S OUR FIRST HOME GAME IN A MONTH AND I AM SURE YOU ARE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GAME AS MUCH AS I AM. IN THE PAST FOUR WEEKS THERE HAS BEEN SOME CHANGES THAT YOU WILL BE AWARE OF, STARTING WITH THE DEPARTURE OF MARK WARD.

WARDY JOINED THE CLUB ALONGSIDE JAS COLLIVER AND TOGETHER THEY DID A GREAT JOB AT THE END OF LAST SEASON AND OVER THE SUMMER AS THE SQUAD WAS STRENGTHENED.

BVIOUSLY, RESULTS HAVEN’T BEEN AS GOOD AS HAD HOPED FOR AND AFTER THE DRAW AT RIDLINGTON, WARDY SADLY MADE THE DECISION TO STEP AWAY. THERE WAS NO FALL BETWEEN THE TWO, BUT SOME DIFFERENCE VIEWS ON THE MAKE UP OF THE SQUAD AND STARTING LINE UPS AND HE FELT IT WAS BEST HE STOOD DOWN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CLUB. SOMETHING I FIND ADMIRABLE AND MYSELF AND THE BOARD WISH HIM ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE, WE’VE NO DOUBT HE WILL BE BACK IN THE GAME SOON.

WITH THAT CHANGE THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE OF PLAYING PERSONNEL ALSO, WITH DANNY BURNS, GEORGE THEWLIS, BRAD GRAYSON AND LUKE HOGG JOINING THE SQUAD ON AN INITIAL MONTH’S LOAN DEAL.

WE ALSO WELCOME BACK FORMER PLAYER, ROSS KILLOCK, TO THE CLUB AS HE TAKES ON THE ROLE OF FIRST TEAM COACH.

THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF FIXTURE CHANGES OF LATE, SO PLEASE DO CHECK THE FIXTURE LIST ON THE WEBSITE AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.

WE HAVE RUNCORN LINNETS AWAY IN THE FA

TROPHY, 8 OCTOBER, SHILDON AWAY IN THE LEAGUE,11 OCTOBER, THE COUNTY CUP TIE AWAY AT KNARESBOROUGH TOWN,18 OCTOBER, AND THE RESCHEDULED LEAGUE GAME AT

SHEFFIELD ON 8 NOVEMBER.

HONEST AND AN ALL-ROUND GOOD MAN SO TO BRING HIM IN WAS A NO BRAINIER. MIDI WILL GIVE HIS ALL TO MYSELF AN ABSOLUTE DREAM TO

WE KNOW THE DIVISION IS TOUGH AND NEVER ALLOWS ANY SLIP UPS IF YOU SLIP UP YOU GET PUNISHED IT’S THAT BRIDLINGTON WE WERE LACK OF CONCENTRATION SUDDEN WE’VE DROP LAST TWO GAMES WE HAVE

TOGETHERNESS AND A TEAM ETHIC TO GRIND OUT THE WINS. WE HOPE NOW WE CAN TRANSFER THAT ATTITUDE INTO THE LEAGUE FIXTURES AND START TURNING THOSE POINTS INTO THREE!

I’M DELIGHTED FOR THE CLUB AND THE FANS TO BE PROGRESSING IN THE FA TROPHY AS WHO KNOWS HOW FAR WE CAN GO BUT I’M DESPERATE TO START PICKING UP LEAGUE WINS AND

CLIMBING THE TABLE, WITH THIS SQUAD I BELIEVE WE CAN

ADDRESS

WE’VE HAD RELATIVELY LITTLE FOOTBALL OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO AND WHETHER THE EXTENDED BUT UNAVOIDABLE BREAK IN OUR SEASON HAS HAD A POSITIVE OR DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON THE TEAM I DON’T THINK I’M SUFFICIENTLY QUALIFIED TO COMMENT ON AND ONLY TIME WILL TELL. WE’VE NOW GONE EIGHT GAMES WITHOUT AN OUTRIGHT WIN SINCE OUR OPENING DAY LEAGUE VICTORY AWAY AT CARLTON TOWN SO IT WOULD BE A REAL BONUS TO GET SOME MORE POINTS ON THE BOARD THIS EVENING NOT LEAST TO START BUILDING UP SOME KIND OF MOMENTUM AND PROMOTING CONFIDENCE AMONG THE TEAM AND SUPPORTERS ALIKE. RESULTS TO DATE HAVE BEEN A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING IN WHAT IS TURNING OUT TO BE, NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME, AN EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE DIVISION ONE EAST WHERE PREDICTING OUTCOMES OF GAMES IS ANYTHING BUT AN EXACT SCIENCE.

ONE THING I HAVE NOTICED THOUGH IS THAT THE ENTHUSIASTIC VOCAL SUPPORT, MUCH IN EVIDENCE AMONGST OUR FANS AT CARLTON TOWN, HAS DIMINISHED OF LATE AND RARELY HAVE I KNOWN THE OSSETT UNITED SUPPORT AS MUTED AS IT SEEMS TO BE RIGHT NOW AND PROBABLY HAS BEEN SINCE THAT OPENING DAY AT CARLTON. HOPEFULLY THE NEW ADDITIONS TO OUR SQUAD WILL SOON GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS THE KIND OF SUPPORT WE ARE CAPABLE OF GENERATING WHICH

WILL SURELY CONFIRM THAT THEIR MOVE TO NGFIELD HAS BEEN A REALLY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. GAINST STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS IN THE FA ROPHY TIE DANNY BURNS AND GEORGE THEWLIS HAD MEMORABLE DEBUTS AND BOTH LOOK TO BE STRONG CONTENDERS TO MAKE THE STARTING ELEVEN ON A REGULAR BASIS. ALTHOUGH IT’S STILL EARLY DAYS ONLY FOUR OF THE TWENTY SIDES IN THIS DIVISION REMAIN UNBEATEN AWAY FROM HOME AND STOCKSBRIDGE ARE ONE OF THEM WHICH MEANS WE WILL HAVE TO BE AT OUR BEST TO PUT ONE OVER ON OUR YORKSHIRE NEIGHBOURS. LAST SEASON WE RAN OUT COMFORTABLE WINNERS HERE AT INGFIELD WITH A 3 – 0 VICTORY IN FRONT OF A CROWD OF 416. A REPEAT OF THOSE FIGURES WOULD BE MOST WELCOME TONIGHT ESPECIALLY AS A FULL MONTH WITHOUT A HOME GAME IS DIFFICULT FROM A FINANCIAL POINT OF VIEW AND A REAL DRAIN ON OUR RESOURCES.

SINCE THE FORMATION OF OSSETT UNITED I’VE OFTEN COMMENTED IN THESE NOTES ABOUT OUR LACK OF SUCCESS IN CUP COMPETITIONS GENERALLY AND THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THAT BUT RECENT PROGRESSION IN THE FA TROPHY COURTESY OF WINS, BOTH AWAY FROM HOME, AT STOCKSBRIDGE AND SHEFFIELD IS MOST DEFINITELY WELCOME. BOTH WINS CAME COURTESY OF PENALTY SHOOT-OUTS, AND FOR THAT, MUCH OF THE CREDIT MUST GO TO OUR GOALKEEPER EDD HALL WHO MADE VITAL SAVES ON BOTH OCCASIONS. HOPEFULLY OUR RUN IN THAT COMPETITION ISN’T OVER YET BUT, AT THE TIME OF WRITING, THE DRAW FOR THE NEXT ROUND HASN’T BEEN PUBLISHED.

GOING BACK TO THE LEAGUE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT

THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

COME THE END OF THE SEASON FOUR CLUBS COULD BE RELEGATED FROM OUR DIVISION AND SINCE WE CURRENTLY SIT JUST ABOVE THE BOTTOM FOUR IN THE TABLE THE ACQUISITION OF SOME MORE POINTS IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE ONLY PLAYED TWO HOME LEAGUE MATCHES, WE SUFFERED DEFEAT IN BOTH, WHICH MEANS TONIGHT’S FIXTURE IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO RECTIFY THAT SITUATION AND ONE WE NEED TO CAPITALISE UPON.

WHEN WE WERE LAST VISITED BY THE GROUND GRADING PEOPLE WE RECEIVED A RECOMMENDATION TO PROVIDE A SOLID CONSTRUCTION BEHIND THE STAND ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE GROUND AND THAT WORK IS NOW REACHING A CONCLUSION. THE WALL HAS BEEN FINISHED AND IS NOW JUST WAITING FOR GATES TO BE INSTALLED. I HAVE TO SAY THIS PROJECT HAS REALLY TIDIED UP THAT AREA OF OUR FACILITY AND WHAT WAS A BIT OF AN EYESORE IS NOW LOOKING QUITE TIDY IN COMPARISON. OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR SET UP ARE STILL IN THE

PLANNING STAGE BUT, IF AND WHEN THEY COME TO FRUITION, WILL FURTHER ENHANCE OUR INGFIELD STADIUM AND IMPROVE THE MATCH DAY EXPERIENCE FOR HOME AND AWAY SUPPORTERS ALIKE.

THIS EVENING WE EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO OUR VISITORS FROM STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS WHO HAVE MADE THE RELATIVELY SHORT JOURNEY FROM SOUTH YORKSHIRE. WE ARE ALWAYS WELL TREATED AT STOCKSBRIDGE AND IT IS A PLEASURE TO RECIPROCATE WHEN THEY VISIT US HERE IN OSSETT.

© Jake Ratcliffe

ON THE BENCH

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 .

ROSS KILLOCK – COACH

ROSS KILLOCK RETURNED TO INGFIELD AS FIRST TEAM COACH AFTER RETIRING AS A PLAYER DUE TO INJURY . KILLOCK WAS A POPULAR PLAYER HERE AND PLAYED FOR THE LIKES OF LEEDS UNITED , CHESTER, HALIFAX TOWN AND SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC . THIS IS KILLOCK’S FIRST COACHING ROLE , HE DID OVERSEE ONE GAME AS CARETAKER MANAGER LAST SEASON

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 & EXERCISE 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 THE MANAGEMENT SINCE THEIR APPOINT . JAKE IS A KEY MEMBER OF THE SQUAD AND HAS NOT LET THE SIDE DOWN WHEN CALLED UPON .

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 .

DANNY BURNS – SPONSORED BY JAMES & DAWN ROGERS

CENTRAL DEFENDER SIGNED FROM WORKSOP TOWN . A TALL COMMANDING PLAYER WHO STARTED HIS CAREER AT CAMBRIDGE UNITED BEFORE SPELLS AT BUXTON , BLYTH SPARTANS, NUNEATON BOROUGH AND STAFFORD RANGERS AS WELL AS A SPELL AT FRICKLEY ATHLETIC ALONGSIDE BRAD BEATSON .

TOM CROPPER – SPONSORED BY: ROY TAYLOR & RICHARD FARRELL

TOM WAS A LONG-TERM TARGET BEFORE JOINING THE CLUB IN JULY 2022. THE FORMER AFC MANSFIELD SKIPPER IS AN ATHLETIC , NO -NONSENSE DEFENDER WHO IS KNOWN TO ALSO CHIP IN WITH GOALS AT TIMES.

PLAYER PROFILES

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-YEAR-OLD , 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 BY: JAYNE OGLEY & RED BRICK FM

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 U 23 SIDE TO AIDE HIS DEVELOPMENT . HODGSON WAS TARGETED BY SEVERAL CLUBS BEFORE AGREEING TO JOIN OSSETT UNITED .

LUKE HOGG

OSSETT UNITED ’S BOARD AND GARY WIDDOP SUPPORTER OF THE YEAR FOR 2021/22, HE SIGNED FOR WHITBY TOWN IN THE SUMMER. JAS COLLIVER WAS DELIGHTED WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE COMBATIVE MIDFIELDER BACK TO INGFIELD AROSE , HOGGY SIGNING AN INITIAL ONE MONTH LOAN DEAL IN SEPTEMBER 2022.

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 .

PLAYER PROFILES

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 .

GEORGE THEWLIS – SPONSORED BY PAUL COOPER

YOUNG MIDFIELDER WHO HAS SPENT HIS YOUTH CAREER AT LEEDS UNITED AND BRADFORD CITY . HAVING TRAINED WITH OSSETT UNITED HE DID ENOUGH TO EARN HIMSELF A DEAL AT THE CLUB .

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. DANNY IS CURRENTLY DUEL REGISTERED WITH HORBURY TOWN .

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 U 18S AND U 23S AND WILL BRING DANGER AND EXCITEMENT TO ATTACKS. CURRNENTLEY DIEL REGISTERED AT ARMTHORPE WELFARE

LUKE ALDRICH – SPONSORED BY: THE HANKS FAMILY

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.

PLAYER PROFILES

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

O

MUCH SOUGHT AFTER IN THE SUMMER, COLLIVER WAS 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 .

B

SIGNED FROM GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY , BRAD WILL BRING EXPERIENCE AND COMPETITION TO A TALENTED OSSETT UNITED FORWARD LINE . AS WELL AS A SUCCESSFUL NON -LEAGUE CAREER IN ENGLAND BRAD HAS ALSO PLAYED IN SWEDEN , THE PHILIPPINES AND AUSTRALIA.

VERSATILE LEFT SIDED PLAYER, STACEY HAD A FOUR YEAR SPELL IN VIRGINIA, US WHERE HE WAS PART OF A FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP AT BLUEFIELD COLLEGE . ON RETURNING TO ENGLAND HE HAS PLAYED FOR ALFRETON TOWN AND FRICKLEY ATHLETIC

SIGNED ON LOAN FROM BRADFORD CITY , JACK IMPRESSED FOR THE BANTAMS IN A PRESEASON 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 .

JACK WILSON – SPONSORED BY: BSP HYDRAULICS

LLIE FEARON – SPONSORED BY: KEITH & KATH WOOD

JOE STACEY – SPONSORED BY: STEVE MAUD

RAD GRAYSON – SPONSORED BY JOHN BOWKER

PLAYER PROFILES

BASILE ZOTTOS – SPONSORED BY: MOZ & MARV EXCITING FORWARD SIGNED THIS SUMMER AFTER HIS RELEASE FROM SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY , WHERE DESPITE BEING 19 YEARS OLD WAS A REGULAR IN THEIR U 23 SIDE . ZOTTOS HAS A DESIRE TO RETURN TO THE PROFESSIONAL GAME AND HAD OPTIONS TO SIGN FOR A NATIONAL LEAGUE CLUB BUT FELT THIS WAS THE BEST MOVE FOR HIM

STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS

HARRISON DAVISON-HALE (GOALKEEPER)

SIGNING IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, DAVISON-HALE IS A 21-YEAR-OLD GOALKEEPER WHO CAME THROUGH THE HUDDERSFIELD TOWN ACADEMY BEFORE DROPPING INTO NON-LEAGUE WHERE HE HAS QUICKLY BECOME A PROVEN SHOT STOPPER AT THE NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE LEVEL.

BAILEY BAKER (DEFENDER) SIGNING IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, BAKER IS A LIVELY FULL-BACK THAT LOOKS TO COMPLEMENT HIS DEFENSIVE WORK WITH ADDING TO THE ATTACK. HE WON THE U23S MANAGER’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD WHEN WITH THE BARNSLEY SHADOW ACADEMY AS WELL AS WINNING THE LEAGUE WITH THEM.

JORDAN LEMON (DEFENDER) LEMON IS A RIGHTBACK WHO HAS BEEN FEATURED IN TEAM OF THE YEARS BEFORE. HE SIGNED FOR THE STEELS AT THE END OF 2018 FROM MATLOCK TOWN AND HAS BEEN A REGULAR IN THE FIRST TEAM EVER SINCE.

CHARLIE OGLESBY (DEFENDER) SIGNING IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, OGLESBY HAD BEEN A LONG TERM PLAYER FOR STAVELEY AND HAD BECOME A LEGEND FOR THE CHESTERFIELD BASED SIDE. HE NOW LOOKS SET TO BE A KEY PART OF THE STOCKSBRIDGE DEFENCE.

MITCH LANGTON (DEFENDER) SIGNING IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, LANGTON JOINS SEVERAL PLAYERS WHO MADE THE MOVE FROM STAVELEY TO STOCKSBRIDGE. HIS VERSATILITY WILL BENEFIT THE SQUAD AS HE IS CAPABLE OF PLAYING IN BOTH MIDFIELD AND DEFENCE.

HARRISON FOULSTONE (DEFENDER) RESIGNED IN FEBRUARY AFTER A SPELL IN THE USA ON A SCHOLARSHIP. HE MADE ONE APPEARANCE FOR US IN THE ILL-FATED 2020/21 SEASON. BEFORE THAT WAS ON THE BOOKS AT GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY AND STARTED AT SHEFFIELD UNITED WHERE HE WAS PART OF THE SUCCESSFUL YOUTH TEAM.

JACK TINKER (DEFENDER) SIGNED IN OCTOBER 2021 FROM BRIGHOUSE TOWN. A YOUNG FULL BACK

WHO CAN PLAN ON EITHER FLANK. HAS PLAYED FOR SHELLEY FC IN THE NWCL AND ALSO WAS PART OF THE BARNSLEY FC SHADOW SCHOLARSHIP.

CLARKE GREAVES (DEFENDER/MIDFIELDER)

THE FULL-BACK, WHO CAN ALSO PLAY AS A WINGER, RETURNED TO THE CLUB THIS SUMMER FOLLOWING AN INJURY WHICH RULED HIM OUT OF THE ENTIRETY OF THE 2021/22 SEASON. WHEN PLAYING AT HIS BEST, TEAMS WILL STRUGGLE TO DEAL WITH HIM.

ROSS GOODWIN (MIDFIELDER) GOODWIN IS COMING INTO HIS FOURTH SEASON WITH STOCKSBRIDGE AFTER SIGNING FOR US IN 2019, FINALLY COMPLETING A FULL SEASON LAST SEASON. HE IS A CENTRAL MIDFIELDER IS KNOWN FOR HIS TOUGH TACKLING AND WORK RATE.

KURTIS TURNER (MIDFIELDER) KURTIS TURNER RE-SIGNED FOR STEELS AS IAN RICHARDS’ FIRST NEW SIGNING, THE EX-BARNSLEY MIDFIELDER HAD ENJOYED A BRIEF SPELL AT LOCAL RIVALS PENISTONE CHURCH. ALEX O’CONNOR (MIDFIELDER) AUTUMN 2021 SIGNING FOR YORKSHIRE RIVALS BRIGHOUSE TOWN. HAS PREVIOUSLY PLAYED FOR HYDE AND WAS PART OF BARNSLEY’S SHADOW SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME. O’CONNOR WAS ACTUALLY RAISED IN AUSTRALIA AND ATTRACTED HEADLINES AS A YOUNGSTER FOR HIS TALENT AND AMBITION TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL PLAYER. HE WAS COACHED IN THE AC MILAN ACADEMY IN AUSTRALIA BY FORMER ITALY INTERNATIONAL ANDREA ICARDI WHO SAID HE HAD UNLIMITED POTENTIAL.

JOSH MILLEN (MIDFIELDER) THE 19-YEAR-OLD MIDFIELDER, WHO CAN ALSO PLAY AT BOTH FULL-BACK POSITIONS IS A GRADUATE FROM THE ROTHERHAM UNITED ACADEMY BUT WAS RELEASED FROM THE MILLERS THIS SUMMER. AS WELL HAS RECEIVING A TRIAL FROM BRENTFORD, MILLEN SPENT SOME TIME WITH OUR FIRST TEAM IN PRE-SEASON, PLAYING IN THE FRIENDLIES AGAINST STOCKPORT TOWN AND MALTBY MAIN. HE WAS THEN SIGNED BY OUR RESERVE TEAM

THE STEELS

BEFORE MOVING TO GRANTHAM TOWN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

CODY PRIOR (MIDFIELDER) JOINING IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, PRIOR JOINS A COHORT OF OTHER STAVELEY PLAYERS WHO HAVE MADE THE MOVE TO STOCKSBRIDGE. HE BECOMES THE FIRST IRISH PLAYER TO PLAY FOR THE CLUB

TOMAS POOLE (MIDFIELDER) JOINING IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, HE CAME ACROSS TO THE CLUB WITH SEVERAL OTHER STAVELEY PLAYERS. HE’S A TRICKY WINGER WHO IS A PROVEN PLAYER IN THE NORTHERN

PREMIER LEAGUE.

BEN PARTRIDGE (FORWARD) PARTRIDGE HAS PLAYED FOR CLUBS SUCH AFC MANSFIELD, HANDSWORTH AND HARWORTH COLLIERY BEFORE SIGNING WITH OLLERTON. WHEN HE WAS AT MANSFIELD, HE PLAYED UNDER STOCKSBRIDGE LEGEND

MARK WARD. HE PRIMARILY PLAYS AS A STRIKER BUT CAN ALSO BE USED AS A WINGER. HE JOINED FROM OLLERTON TOWN THIS SEASON, SCORING SEVEN GOALS IN 21 APPEARANCES.

LUKE RAWSON (FORWARD) JOINING IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, RAWSON COMES TO THE CLUB AS A HIGHLY RESPECTED STRIKER WHO GOT RAVE REVIEWS WHILE PLAYING FOR CHESTERFIELD IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. HE JOINS THE CLUB FROM BRADFORD PARK AVENUE.

GARETH CURTIS (FORWARD) HOTSHOT STRIKER

WHO REGULARLY SCORED 20+ GOAL SEASONS WHILE AT SHERWOOD, INCLUDING HELPING THEM TO A HISTORIC

FA CUP RUN LAST SEASON. WILL BE LOOKING TO REPLICATE THOSE SEASONS WHILE AT BRACKEN MOOR.

IAN RICHARDS (MANAGER) He began his career with Blackburn Rovers but failed to make the first team and moved on to Halifax Town, where he made 24 Football League appearances. He went on to play for nonleague teams Belper Town and Stocksbridge Park Steels where he played alongside Jamie

Vardy and was part of the promotion winning team. He went onto manager Penistone Church for 12 years taking them from local football to NCEL big hitters, winning trophies along the way. Away from football he is the Assistant Principal at Penistone Grammar School. Appointed Stocksbridge manager in September 2021

ANDY RING (ASSISTANT MANAGER) Andy Ring is a Stocksbridge Steels FC legend. He joined Penistone Church after 11 successful years at Stocksbridge, making 330 appearances, scoring 110 goals in the process. Since 2014 he became Church’s record goalscorer with 84 goals in 194 appearances for them. He followed new manager Ian Richards back to Stocksbridge where he took over as new 1st team coach.

PETER GOLDSTRAW (COACH) Part of Ian Richards backroom staff followed him from Penistone. Well known up at Stocksbridge for his time behind the camera. Current store manager at Aldi in Stocksbridge

SAM EWANS (PHYSIO) Sam has been with the club for over a year and is currently doing his degree at Leeds Beckett University.

GARY WARD (KITMAN) Gary Ward is the clubs long serving kit manager, having first took up the post under Wayne Biggins. Gary has played disability football for Sheffield FC, Derek Dooley, Sheffield Wednesday, Sherwood Colliery.

LUKE ALDRICH

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.

OVER THE NEXT THREE PAGES WE WILL GET TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ’THE OSTRICH’

SPONSORED BY: THE HANKS FAMILY

A

IS FOR ALIEN: DO YOU BELIEVE?

YES ! SURELY THERE MUST BE LIFE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE ! B

IS FOR BALLER, WHO IS THE BEST YOU’VE PLAYED WITH?

IS FOR CRUSH: WHO WAS YOUR FIRST?

IS FOR DESTINANTION, WHERE WAS YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY?

IS FOR EAT: WHAT IS YOUR PRE MATCH MEAL ?

TENNIS PLAYER , MARIA SHARAPOVA

IT HAS TO BE DANNY NORTH WHEN I WAS AT CLEETHORPES TOWN C D E F

THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE TESCO MEAL DEAL HAS TO OFFER …

IS FOR FIVE, YOUR ALL TIME DREAM 5-A-SIDE TEAM IS..? G

IS FOR GUEST: WHICH THREE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO DINNER?

IS FOR HERO. WHAT SUPERPOWER DO YOU WANT?

RAFA NADAL, DAVID BECKHAM & CRISTIANO RONALDO

IKER CASSILLAS, NEMANJA VIDIC, CESC FABREGAS, KAKA & CRISTIANO RONALDO H

TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE, INSTANTLY. I

IS FOR ISLAND : WHICH TEAMMATE WOULD YOU WANT ON A DESERT ISLAND?

IS FOR JOKE. TELL US ONE…

I THINK HOLLI WOULD BE DECENT COMPANY AND A CALM HEAD IN THAT SITUATION J

TWO GUYS WALKED INTO A BAR. THE THIRD GUY DUCKED….

K

IS FOR YOUR L IS F LONGEST M N O P

IS YOUR IS F GET CALLED?

EASILY EDD I WOULD THINK

OCCASIONALLY, ‘THE OSTRICH

IS FOR OPPONENT. WHO IS THE BEST PLAYER YOU HAVE FACED?

HARRY CLIFTON

I’M A PHD STUDENT AT LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY

IS FOR QUIZ. WHAT IS YOUR SPECIALIST SUBJECT?

IS FOR PROFESSION. WHAT DO YOU DO AWAY FROM THE GAME? Q

I LOOK OUT FOR THE SPORTS ROUND R

IS FOR REWIND. WHAT FILM DO YOU WATCH OVER AND OVER?

S

IS FOR SPORT.. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE OUTSIDE FOOTBALL

IT ’S TENNIS FOR ME . T

IS FOR TROUBLE. HOW MANY RED CARDS HAVE YOU HAD?

IS FOR UNBELIEVABLE. WHAT’S YOUR HIDDEN TALENT

IS FOR VROOM. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM CAR?

ASTON MARTIN VANQUISH

IS FOR WHO. WHO DO YOU SUPPORT?

LEEDS UNITED

I’VE AVOIDED RED CARDS SO FAR! U V W X

IS FOR X-RAY. ANY BROKEN BONES? Y

NONE SO FAR, THANKFULLY!

IS FOR YOU. DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS?

HONEST , H Z A TIGER

IS FOR ZOO. IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL WHAT WOULD IT BE?

FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS

OF, COCKER HOOP : THE BIOGRAPHY OF LES COCKER , KEY MAN FOR RAMSEY AND REVIE BY ROBERT ENDEACOTT & DAVE COCKER. ENDEACOTT IS A WELL-KNOWN WRITER OF A NUMBER OF BOOKS, MANY ABOUT HIS BELOVED LEEDS UNITED , AND CO -AUTHORS THIS BOOK WITH LES COCKER’S SON DAVE . GIVEN THEN THAT ONE OF THE CO -AUTHORS AS A DIE -HARD LEEDS FANS COULD BE SEEN TO BE WEARING WHITE ROSE TINTED GLASSES AND THE OTHER CO -AUTHOR IS THE BOOK SUBJECT ’S SON , SOME MAY QUESTION HOW DISPASSIONATE A BOOK THIS CAN BE .

FOLLOWING A GENEROUS FOREWORD FROM EX -LEEDS UNITED PLAYER JOHN GILES (AS HE SIGNS HIMSELF IN THE BOOK, RATHER THAN THE JOHNNY FAMILIAR IN HIS PLAYING DAYS) ABOUT HIS TIME WORKING AT THE ELLAND ROAD CLUB WITH LES COCKER, THERE FOLLOWS AN INTRODUCTION FROM ENDEACOTT . HERE , HIS DISTAIN FOR THE FILM THE DAMNED UNITED IS DETAILED GIVEN ITS PORTRAYAL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS, INCLUDING COCKER. NOW AS A NONLEEDS UNITED FAN AND GIVEN MY VIEW THAT THE FILM IS DEEPLY FICTIONALISED FOR CINEMATIC EFFECT , I DON ’T HAVE THE SAME MISGIVINGS OR DEEP ROOTED ANGER TOWARDS THE FILM AS MANY OF THE ELLAND ROAD FAITHFUL HAVE . HOWEVER, WITH ENDEACOTT HAVING EXPRESSED THIS, FROM THIS POINT ON FOR ME AS A READER, THERE WAS A NAGGING FEELING THAT THE BOOK FELT LIKE IT HAD TO COME UP WITH A JUSTIFICATION TO DISPEL THE ‘FICTIONAL’ COCKER FIGURE .

THE GREAT LEEDS UNITED SIDE OF THE LATE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES AND THE ENGLAND WORLD CUP WINNING TEAM OF 1966 ARE REMEMBERED FOR THE MEN THAT MANAGED THEM , DON REVIE AND SIR ALF RAMSEY RESPECTIVELY . BUT THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT CONNECTS BOTH , AND WHOSE NAME IS NOT SO FAMILIAR – THAT OF LES COCKER. AND WHILST THERE ARE VARIOUS BOOKS ABOUT REVIE AND RAMSEY DETAILING THEIR RESPECTIVE PLAYING AND MANAGERIAL CAREERS, THE STORY OF THE ASSISTANT TO BOTH THESE GIANTS OF THE ENGLISH GAME IS PRETTY MUCH UNKNOWN .

THAT WRONG HAS BEEN RIGHTED WITH THE PUBLICATION

SO WHO WAS THE ‘REAL’ LES COCKER?

READERS ARE TOLD HIS STORY IN A TRADITIONAL TIMELINE , WITH THE OPENING CHAPTERS LOOKING AT HIS CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY AS THE YOUNG COCKER GREW UP IN STOCKPORT , FOLLOWING HIS BIRTH THERE IN MARCH 1924. AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, COCKER WAS TOO YOUNG TO JOIN UP, BUT IN 1941 WAS CALLED UP FOR NATIONAL SERVICE . IN 1944 D-DAY 06 JUNE , LES SUFFERED A HEAD WOUND WHICH SAW HIS RETURNED TO ENGLAND TO RECOVER. LIKE MANY MEN OF THE TIME , WE DISCOVER THAT HE DIDN ’T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HIS WARTIME EXPERIENCES AND IN UNDERSTATED

COCKER HOOP: THE BIOGRAPHY OF LES COCKER, KEY MAN FOR RAMSEY AND

FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS

BY ROBERT ENDEACOTT & DAVE COCKER

FASHION REFERRED TO HIS INJURY AS, “JUST A GRAZE ” INDICATIVE OF A STOIC NATURE .

WITH THE WAR OVER, WE DISCOVER THAT COCKER HAD A PROFESSIONAL PLAYING CAREER, BEGINNING IN 1945 AND FINISHING IN 1958 AS A FORWARD WITH LOCAL SIDE STOCKPORT COUNTY AND THEN ACCRINGTON STANLEY . PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PART OF HIS TRANSFER AND WHICH WAS TO ULTIMATELY CREATE HIS FUTURE CAREER WAS THE AGREEMENT THAT ACCRINGTON WOULD PAY FOR HIS FA COACHING COURSES AND TREATMENT OF INJURIES COURSE .

WHAT IS ENGAGING AND WORKS TO PROVIDE REAL INSIGHT INTO COCKER ARE THE INTERVIEWS THAT ENDEACOTT PROVIDES WITHIN THE BOOK. ONE SUCH AND RELATING TO COCKER’S TIME AT ACCRINGTON AS A PLAYER, IS WITH THE EX -LANCASHIRE AND ENGLAND PLAYER AND UNTIL RECENTLY SKY CRICKET COMMENTATOR, DAVID ‘BUMBLE ’ LLOYD .

ACCRINGTON BORN LLOYD SPEAKS WITH AFFECTION ABOUT COCKER THE PLAYER, “HE WAS A MARAUDING CENTREFORWARD , I MEAN FEARLESS, ALL ACTION , ALL EFFORT …YEAH , HE WAS A DIRTY BUGGER BUT A REALLY NICE BLOKE . ” THIS INTERVIEW FORMS PART OF CHAPTER 2, TAKING COCKER’S STORY UP TO THE POINT OF HIM ACCEPTING HIS FIRST COACHING ROLE AT LUTON TOWN IN 1959.

CHAPTER 3 SEES HIM MAKE THE MOVE TO LEEDS UNITED IN JULY 1960 WHO ALONG WITH COCKER’S PREVIOUS EMPLOYER, LUTON TOWN HAD BEEN RELEGATED FROM THE FIRST DIVISION AT THE END OF THE 1959/60 CAMPAIGN . IN ANOTHER OF ENDEACOTT ’S INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEWS, FORMER LEEDS PLAYER GERRY FRANCIS, PROVIDES AN EARLY ASSESSMENT OF COCKER’S IMPACT AT ELLAND ROAD . “LES WAS A VERY GOOD COACH AND TRAINER…HE WAS ALSO VERY STRICT . IF YOU DID NOT TRAIN AS HARD AS HE THOUGHT YOU COULD , LES WOULD BE TOUGH ON YOU . ” LEEDS THOUGH STRUGGLED IN THE 1960/61 SEASON AND IN MARCH 1961, DON REVIE TOOK UP THE REINS AT THE CLUB AS PLAYER/MANAGER, KEEPING THE ELLAND ROAD CLUB OUT OF THE IGNOMINY OF RELEGATION TO THE THEN THIRD

DIVISION .

MEANWHILE LES WAS STARTING ON A PATH TO CONNECTION WITH THE ENGLAND NATIONAL TEAM SET -UP, BECOMING TRAINER TO THE UNDER 23 SIDE IN NOVEMBER 1961. THE REMAINDER OF THE CHAPTER TAKES READERS THROUGH TO THE 1963/64 SEASON , WHEN LEEDS WON THE SECOND DIVISION TITLE TO RETURN TO THE TOP-FLIGHT OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL, WITH JOHN GILES HIGHLIGHTING THAT COCKER’S SKILLS DIDN ’T SIMPLY EXTEND TO COACHING, WITH LES ALSO TAKING “CARE OF THE MEDICAL SIDE OF THINGS FOR THE PLAYERS TOO , IN THE AFTERNOONS. LES WAS A HUGE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE SUCCESS OF THE CLUB . ” CHAPTER 4 SEES LEEDS START TO MAKE THEIR MAKE ON THE ENGLISH GAME WITH A FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE 1964/65 FA CUP FINAL, ALTHOUGH ULTIMATELY LOSING 2-1 TO LIVERPOOL. THERE IS ALSO A TELLING STORY OFFERING ANOTHER VIEW TO THE ALTERNATIVE AS COCKER AS JUST A TOUGH TRAINER. IN A UNDER 23 FRIENDLY IN VIENNA, ALAN BALL WAS SENT OFF WITH LES PROVIDING A CONSOLING ARM TO THE DISTRAUGHT PLAYER. ENGLAND SENIOR MANAGER SIR ALF RAMSEY NOTED THIS AS “IT SHOWED THAT HE (COCKER) WOULD INFLUENCE , FOR THE BETTER, THE PLAYER’S FUTURE CONDUCT ” AND WAS NO DOUBT PART OF RAMSEY ’S DECISION TO PROMOTE COCKER TO TRAINER OF THE SENIOR ENGLAND SQUAD AND THEREFORE A KEY PART OF THE 1966 WORLD CUP PREPARATIONS.

THE LEAD UP AND THE TOURNAMENT IN 1966 DOMINATE CHAPTER 5, WITH AN EXCELLENT INTERVIEW WITH THE THREE LIONS RIGHT -BACK OF THE TIME , GEORGE COHEN , PROVIDING A GREAT INSIDE VIEW OF THE ENGLAND SET -UP AND COCKER’S CONTRIBUTION DURING THAT HISTORIC TIME . ONCE AGAIN READERS GET TO SEE ANOTHER PART OF COCKER’S RANGE OF SKILLS, WITH COHEN STATING, “HE (COCKER) KNEW WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL NEEDED , HE WAS VERY GOOD THAT WAY , SPOTTING AREAS THAT A PLAYER MIGHT NEED TO WORK ON . ”

CHAPTER 6 1967 TO 1970 – LEEDS ’ TIME AND TURN FOR GLORY ?, CENTRES ON THE ELLAND ROAD CLUB FINALLY BRINGING MAJOR SILVERWARE TO LS11, WITH THE LEAGUE

FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS

CUP, FIRST DIVISION TITLE AND INTER CITIES FAIRS CUP

ADORNING THE TROPHY CABINET . IT HIGHLIGHTS COCKER’S CONTRIBUTION TO SUCCESS AND HOW HE UNDERSTOOD THE SUPPORT THAT INJURED PLAYERS NEEDED IN THEIR REHABILITATION DURING A PERIOD WHEN LEEDS WERE PLAYING FOR A NUMBER OF TROPHIES AT HOME AND IN EUROPE . THE CHAPTER ALSO LOOKS AT ENGLAND ’S PREPARATION FOR THE 1970 WORLD CUP IN MEXICO AND THE UNSUCCESSFUL DEFENCE OF THE JULES RIMET TROPHY .

CHAPTERS 7 & 8 LOOK AT THE PERIOD UP TO 1973, WITH LEEDS PICKING UP MORE SILVERWARE IN THE SHAPE OF THE 1971/72 FA CUP BUT MISSING OUT ON THE FIRST DIVISION TITLE AS RUNNERS-UP IN 1970/71 AND 1971/72. COCKER AGAIN CONTINUES AS THE NO -NONSENSE AND LOYAL ASSISTANT AS PART OF REVIE ’S BACKROOM STAFF. HOWEVER, FOR THE ENGLAND NATIONAL SIDE DARK CLOUDS GATHER AS THEY MISS OUT ON QUALIFICATION FOR THE 1974 WORLD CUP FINALS IN WEST GERMANY .

1974 AND PAST IT ? FOCUSES ON THE PERIOD OF CHANGE BOTH FROM AN ENGLAND PERSPECTIVE AND THAT AT ELLAND ROAD . APRIL 1974 SAW SIR ALF RAMSEY SACKED , PROMPTING ALL THE BACKROOM STAFF INCLUDING COCKER STATING THEY WOULD RESIGN IN A SHOW OF LOYALTY TO THE EX -ENGLAND BOSS. HOWEVER, RAMSEY WHILST APPRECIATING THE GESTURE , TALKED THEM ALL OUT OF THE COURSE OF ACTION . INDEED THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, THE FA IS NOT SEEN IN A GOOD LIGHT , WITH THE INSTITUTION IN ONE INCIDENT MORE CONCERNED WITH LOOKING AFTER THE FA COUNCIL MEMBERS THAN THOSE ON THE FRONTLINE . LEEDS WENT ONTO WIN THE 1973/74 FIRST DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP AND WITH IT , PUT DON REVIE IN A POSITION AS FAVOURITE TO TAKE THE ENGLAND JOB . INTERESTINGLY , THE BOOK DETAILS HOW COCKER “URGED HIM (REVIE ) NOT TAKE IT AS IT WAS THE WORST INTERNATIONAL SQUAD LES HAD KNOWN IN HIS CAREER; THERE WERE TOO MANY ‘ORDINARY ’ PLAYERS AROUND. ” DESPITE REVIE ’S RECOMMENDATION OF JOHN GILES AS THE NEW MANAGER, THE BOARD WENT WITH BRIAN CLOUGH , AND IN DOING SO , COCKER LEFT TO TAKE UP A ROLE AS ASSISTANT ENGLAND MANAGER.

CHAPTER 10 LOOKS AT THE THREE YEARS FOR LES IN THE

ENGLAND SENIOR CAMP . IT SHOWS HOW THE WORLD OF CLUB AND INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL DIFFER WITH THE LACK OF REGULAR CONTACT THAT WAS ENJOYED AT LEEDS NOT ABLE TO BE REPLICATED FOR ENGLAND , AND AS ENDEACOTT REFLECTS, “RECREATING SUCH WONDERFUL ALCHEMY WAS A ROMANTIC BUT IMPLAUSIBLE IDEA AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. ” WITH REVIE UNABLE TO WORK HIS MAGIC FOR THE THREE LIONS AND THE FA IT SEEMS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO BRING IN ANOTHER MANAGER, HE RESIGNED IN IN 1977 TAKING UP A ROLE AS THE MANAGER OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES NATIONAL TEAM . COCKER THE EVER-LOYAL ASSISTANT JOINED HIS ‘GAFFER’ IN DUBAI.

THE FINAL CHAPTER, THE UAE AND THEN ‘DONNY ’ , SEES COCKER COMPLETE THE TWO -YEARS OF HIS CONTRACT IN THE MIDDLE EAST , LEAVING REVIE TO STAY ON AND LATER MANAGER EMIRATI CLUBS, AL-NASR AND AL-AHLY . COCKER RETURNED TO ENGLAND AS ASSISTANT TO BILLY BREMNER AT FOURTH DIVISION DONCASTER ROVERS, “WORKING THERE VOLUNTARILY , BEING PAID ONLY FOR HIS TRAVEL EXPENSES. ” THERE IS ANOTHER WELL CONDUCTED INTERVIEW FROM ENDEACOTT , WITH GLYNN SNODIN WHO WAS AT ROVERS AT THE TIME (AND LATER WENT ON TO PLAY FOR LEEDS), EXPLAINING THAT COCKER’S ENTHUSIASM AND INPUT WAS THE SAME WHATEVER THE LEVEL OF THE GAME , “IF YOU NEEDED HELP, LES WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU . HE ’D TELL YOU THINGS BUT ASK YOU THINGS AS WELL, HE WANTED YOUR OPINION , HE WASN ’T JUST ABOUT ORDERING YOU ABOUT . ” TRAGICALLY , LES WAS TO DIE SUDDENLY OF A HEART ATTACK, ONLY 55 YEARS OLD , ON 04 OCTOBER 1979, A SHOCKING LOSS TO HIS FAMILY AND THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL.

CO -AUTHORS ROBERT ENDEACOTT AND DAVE COCKER HAVE PROVIDED A WONDERFUL TRIBUTE TO LES COCKER IN THIS BOOK, WITH ENDEACOTT ’S INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEWS AND KNOWLEDGE OF LEEDS UNITED COMBINING WITH COCKER’S FAMILY ANECDOTES AND STORIES OF THE TIME . IT SHOWS LES COCKER AS A TALENTED INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER AS A COACH , ASSISTANT MANAGER OR TRAINER, LOYAL, HARDWORKING, WANTING NOTHING MORE THAN TO MAKE PLAYERS AND THE TEAM THE BEST THEY COULD BE . A GREAT READ FOR THE ELLAND ROAD FAITHFUL, BUT ALSO FOR ANYONE WANTING TO GET A VIEW OF FOOTBALL FROM THE 1960S AND 1970S.

256 pages)

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 PITCH SIDE 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.

AT THE END OF AUGUST MARK WARD LEFT THE CLUB, CITING ONE VOICE WOULD BE BETTER THAN TWO IN THE MANAGERIAL POSITION. JAS COLLIVER ACTED QUICKLY TO BRING IN FORMER PLAYER ROSS KILLOCK AS FIRST TEAM COACH.

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY 2023

FEBRUARY

PLAYER STATS

PITCHING IN NPL EAST

2022/2023

FA TROPHY 2Q | 24/09/2022 | SHEFFIELD 1 - 1 OSSETT UNITED | OUFC WON 4-2 ON PENS

OSSETT UNITED TRAVELLED DOWN THE M1 FOR THE SECOND ROUND IN A ROW IN THIS SEASON’S FA TROPHY AND ONCE AGAIN RETURNED HOME WITH A PLACE IN THE HAT THANKS TO AN IMPRESSIVE PENALTY SHOOT-OUT.

THERE WERE DEBUTS FOR BRAD GRAYSON AND LUKE

HOGG AND IT WAS THE FORMER WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE EARLY STAGES AS A DANGEROUS CROSS WAS DEFENDED WELL BY THE HOME SIDE.

GRAYSON THEN HAD THE BALL IN THE NET AFTER A QUARTER HOUR BUT THE REFEREE ADJUDGED HIM TO HAVE FOULED THE KEEPER WHO APPEARED TO FUMBLE THE BALL AS HE CLIMBED ABOVE A DEFENDER.

BOTH SIDES WERE TRYING TO PLAY ON THE FRONT FOOT, CUTTS FOR THE HOME SIDE PULLED A SHOT OUT OF NOWHERE THAT EDD HALL WAS EQUAL TOO.

NATHAN MODEST HAD A GOOD CHANCE FOR SHEFFIELD AS HE FOUND SPACE IN THE RIGHT CHANNEL, HIS SHOT ACROSS GOAL CAME TO NOTHING WITH HIS TEAM MATES EXPECTING TO SEE THE NET BULGE.

THE OSSETT UNITED SIDE WERE FIGHTING HARD WITH

HOGG AND AND BURNS WINNING KEY CHALLENGES AND THE WIDE MEN WERE MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE AS UNITED LOOKED TO ATTACK. AS HALF TIME APPROACHED UNITED CREATED A COUPLE OF CHANCES, FIRST GOOD WORK BY GAGEN SAW HIS CROSS FIND ALDRICH WHO HEADED OVER BEFORE A GREAT PHASE OF PLAY SAW HOGG FIRE OVER FROM DISTANCE.

WITH THE HALF TIME WHISTLE SOON FOLLOWING BOTH MANAGERS WILL HAVE BEEN PLEASED WITH THE HALF THEY HAD SEEN AND HAVE CONFIDENCE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CREATE THE KEY CHANCE.

OSSETT STARTED THE SECOND HALF QUICKLY AND SAW APPEALS FOR HANDBALL IN THE AREA IGNORED AS

GRAYSON WAITED FOR THE BALL IN SPACE.

THERE WERE FEW CHANCES IN EARLY STAGES OF THE

SECOND HALF UNTIL THE HOUR MARK WHEN AN GREAT BALL FROM SHEFFIELD’S BROGAN RESULTED IN A CORNER WHICH WAS ULTIMATELY CLEARED OFF THE LINE BY A RESOLUTE OSSETT DEFENCE.

SHEFFIELD HAD A GOOD SPELL AND OPENED THE SCORING IN THE 70TH MINUTE AS WATSON HEADED HOME A RIGHT WING CROSS.

THE LEAD ONLY LASTED FOUR MINUTES AS FEARON, ON FOR ALDRICH, CONVERTED A ZOTTOS CROSS AFTER EXCELLENT PLAY BY BURNS AND HOGG.

BOTH SIDES PRESSED FOR A WINNER WITH BOTH DEFENCES ON TOP, JOSH BURNS WENT CLOSE FOR SHEFFIELD WHILE BRAD GRAYSON WAS LEFT ON THE FLOOR IN FRUSTRATION AFTER BEING BUNDLED OVER.

SHEFFIELD WERE REDUCED TO TEN MEN AS THEY LOST WATSON AS HE WAS CARRIED OFF - WE WISH HIM A QUICK RECOVERY.

UNITED ATTACKED THE TEN MEN BUT COULDN’T GET THE DECISIVE GOAL WITH PENALTY KICK’S REQUIRED TO SETTLE THE GAME.

NEWSHAM CONVERTED THE FIRST FOR SHEFFIELD WHICH WAS LEVELLED BY THEWLIS FOR OSSETT. EDD HALL THEN MADE A GREAT SAVE FROM BROGAN WITH A GREAT SAVE TO HIS LEFT. FEARON MADE IT 2-1 AND ADVANTAGE OSSETT. COLEMAN CONVERTED FOR THE HOME SIDE, AS DID BRAD GRAYSON FOR OSSETT.

EDD HALL ONCE AGAIN WAS THE HERO SAVING JOE

MAGUIRE’S KICK BEFORE HOGG STEPPED UP TO SCORE, ENDING THE SHOOT-OUT 4-2.

EDD HALL, HARRY GAGEN, JOE STACEY, LUKE HOGG,

DANNY BURNS, BRAD BEATSON, GEORGE THEWLIS,

MICHAEL HOLLINGSWORTH, BRAD GRAYSON, LUKE

ALDRICH (OLLIE FEARON), BASILE ZOTTOS | JACK

WILSON, JAKE TEALE, ROSS HARDAKER, OLI

METCALFE.

STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS

STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS WAS CREATED IN 1986

WIXTH THE MERGER OF STOCKSBRIDGE WORKS FC AND ANOTHER STOCKSBRIDGE CLUB OXLEY PARK SPORTS

FC. STOCKSBRIDGE WORKS HAD THE GROUND AND ONLY ONE TEAM AND OXLEY PARK HAD THREE TEAMS AND NO GROUND. IN THE EARLY YEARS 1986 TO 1991

THE NEW CLUB PLOUGHED ALL ITS RESOURCES INTO THE BRACKEN MOOR STADIUM SO AS TO MEET GROUND

GRADING CRITERIA AND ENABLE THE CLUB TO RISE THROUGH THE NON-LEAGUE PYRAMID SYSTEM.

THERE WAS AN OPENING OF A SOCIAL CLUB, REFURBISHMENT TO THE DRESSING ROOMS, ERECTION OF FLOODLIGHTS, THE BUILDING OF NEW STAND AND EXTENSION TO THE SOCIAL CLUB NEW CANTEEN AREA, MAKING THE GROUND THE BEST JUNIOR STADIUM IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE, WHICH CURRENTLY HOSTS 8 TO 9

SHEFFIELD AND HALLAMSHIRE COUNTY FA FINALS. THE

APPOINTMENT OF MICK HORNE AND TREVOR GOUGH AS

TEAM MANAGER AND ASSISTANT IN FEBRUARY 1991

HERALDED A PERIOD OF SUCCESS TO RIVAL THE WORKS

IN THE 1950 TO 1964 PERIOD. UNDER MICK AND

TREVOR, STEELS STARTED THEIR RUN TO THE

NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE (NPL). 1993/94 SAW

STEELS WIN THE PREMIER DIVISION OF THE NCEL, BUT

STEELS CELEBRATIONS WERE CUT SHORT WHEN THE GROUND IMPROVEMENTS NECESSITATED WERE NOT AT AN ADVANCED ENOUGH STATE TO ALLOW STEELS TO TAKE PLACE IN THE NPL. THE FOLLOWING SEASON

STEELS FINISHED IN THIRD PLACE AND IN 1995/96

THEY WERE RUNNERS-UP TO HATFIELD MAIN AND GAINED PROMOTION TO THE UNIBOND NPL FIRST

DIVISION. STEELS MADE STEADY PROGRESS IN THE FIRST FIVE SEASONS IN THE LEAGUE, WITH THE HIGHEST PLACED POSITION OF FOURTH ACHIEVED IN 2000/01.

IN 2002 WAYNE BIGGINS WAS SUBSEQUENTLY APPOINTED PLAYER/MANAGER AFTER A SHORT SPELL AS ASSISTANT MANAGER, WITH GRAHAM FURNESS AS ASSISTANT. IN THE 2002/03 SEASON, PAUL JACKSON, EQUALLED AN FA CUP RECORD OF TEN GOALS IN ONE

GAME, DURING THE STEELS 17-1 THRASHING OF OLDHAM TOWN. STEELS HAD THEIR BEST FA CUP RUN IN THE 2003/04 SEASON REACHING THE FOURTH QUALIFYING ROUND EVENTUALLY LOSING AWAY AT SHILDON IN NOVEMBER 2003 PETER RINKCAVAGE WAS APPOINTED AS MANAGER FROM GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY WITH PAUL BRADSHAW AS ASSISTANT WITH JASON MAYBURY, TAKING OVER FROM BRADSHAW IN 2004. A GOOD SEASON FOLLOWED IN 2005/06 WITH THE STEELS, JUST MISSING OUT ON PROMOTION AFTER LOSING TO KENDAL IN THE PLAY-OFFS. IN THE 2006/07 SEASON STEELS MISSED OUT ON A PLAY-OFF POSITION AFTER BEING IN THE TOP THREE IN 90% OF THE SEASON. BUT THE TEAM FINISHED THE SEASON ON A HIGH NOTE BEATING LOCAL RIVALS WORKSOP TOWN IN THE SHEFFIELD SENIOR CUP FINAL AT HILLSBOROUGH. THIS WAS TO BE THE LAST GAME, WITH PETER RINKCAVAGE IN CHARGE. HE ALONG WITH ASSISTANT JASON MAYBURY, LEFT TO JOIN WORKSOP TOWN IN THE SUMMER OF 2007. GARY MARROW, ALONG WITH HIS ASSISTANT MARK OGLEY WAS APPOINTED MANAGER BEFORE THE START OF THE 2007/08 SEASON, WITH FORMER PLAYER GARY INGHAM TAKING OVER FROM OGLEY MIDWAY THROUGH THE SEASON. IN HIS FIRST SEASON AT THE CLUB, MARROW STEERED THEM TO A CREDIBLE FIFTH PLACE LOSING TO LOCAL RIVALS SHEFFIELD FC IN THE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL.

STEELS WAS AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS TOP FA CHARTER STANDARD COMMUNITY CLUB AWARD AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM MOST OF THE CLUBS 22 SQUADS WERE AT THE PRESENTATION ON AUGUST 6TH WHEN SHEFFIELD UNITED PLAYER GEOFF HORSFIELD AND BLADES LEGEND KEITH EDWARDS HANDED OVER THE FA PLAQUE. AT THE MOMENT THE CLUB HAS 420 PLAYERS EITHER PLAYING IN A SQUAD OR BEING COACHED ON A REGULAR BASIS. STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS IS NOW ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE THE TOP ‘GRASS ROOTS’ COMMUNITY CLUB IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE.

2008/09 WAS A FABULOUS SEASON FOR GARY

THE STEELS

MARROW’S TEAM, HAVING FINISHED THIRD IN UNIBOND NPL LEAGUE DIVISION 1 SOUTH THEY WON THE PLAYOFF FINAL AGAINST DERBYSHIRE RIVALS BELPER TOWN

1-0 AND WERE PROMOTED TO THE UNIBOND NPL

PREMIER LEAGUE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE CLUB’S HISTORY.

STEELS SUPPORTERS WERE IN FOR A ROLLER COASTER DEBUT SEASON IN THE PREMIER DIVISION, TEN GAMES INTO THE SEASON WHILE HIS TEAM WERE TOP OF THE LEAGUE, MANAGER GARY MARROW RESIGNED. FORMER

STEELS PLAYER SIMON COLLINS TOOK OVER BUT UNFORTUNATELY HIS TENURE DIDN’T LAST LONG.

RESERVE MANAGER STEVE SHUTT TOOK OVER AND GUIDED STEELS TO AN EXCELLENT ELEVENTH PLACE.

THE 2010/11 SEASON STARTED WITH THE RETURN OF GARY MARROW AS MANAGER.

GARY MARROW RESIGNED JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS DURING THE 2011/12 SEASON AND WAS REPLACED WITH CHRIS WILLCOCK, DARREN SCHOFIELD WAS APPOINTED HIS ASSISTANT. WILLCOCK GUIDED THE STEELS TO SAFETY THAT SEASON WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MICKLEOVER SPORTS WHO WERE DOCKED POINTS FOR PLAYING AN INELIGIBLE PLAYER. WILLCOCK’S

SECOND SEASON IN CHARGE DIDN’T START WELL AND HE WAS REPLACED BY HIS ASSISTANT DARREN SCHOFIELD WHO BROUGHT IN THE EXPERIENCED DEFENDER BRETT

LOVELL AS HIS NUMBER TWO. ONCE AGAIN STOCKSBRIDGE MANAGED TO AVOID RELEGATION BUT AGAIN IT WENT DOWN TO THE WIRE.

THE 2013/14 SEASON STARTED ON A HIGH WITH AN EXCITING VICTORY OVER DROYLSDEN BUT FROM THEN ON THE STEELS STRUGGLED, SPENDING MOST OF THE SEASON IN THE RELEGATION ZONE. THE CLUB AND LONG SERVING PLAYER/MANAGER DARREN SCHOFIELD

PARTED COMPANY AT THE END OF THE SEASON. FORMER

WORSBOROUGH BRIDGE MANAGER CHRIS HILTON WAS APPOINTED THE NEW BOSS FOR THE 2014/15 SEASON.

CHRIS IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IN THE FORMER EMLEY

MIDFIELDER MARK ‘WILLY’ WILSON AS HIS ASSISTANT

AND EXPERIENCED FORMER BARNSLEY DEFENDER RYAN LAIGHT AS PLAYER COACH.

2015/16 WAS A SUCCESSFUL SEASON FOR STOCKSBRIDGE HAVING THEIR BEST EVER RUN IN THE FA TROPHY EVENTUALLY LOSING OUT TO NATIONAL SIDE GATESHEAD, THIS WAS AFTER THEY HAD BEATEN THE HOLDERS NORTH FERRIBY IN THE PREVIOUS ROUND. STEELS FINISHED THE LEAGUE IN SIXTH PLACE JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS BEHIND THE PLAY-OFF POSITIONS AND MANAGER CHRIS HILTON WAS REWARDED WITH A CONTRACT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

2016/17 SAW THE STEELS FINISH FOURTH IN THE LEAGUE, ALONG WITH ANOTHER GOOD RUN IN THE FA TROPHY. UNFORTUNATELY STOCKSBRIDGE WERE BEATEN IN THE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL LOSING TO SPALDING UNITED. THE 2018/19 SEASON STARTED WITH MANAGER CHRIS HILTON SIGNING A CONTRACT TO STAY WITH THE CLUB, BUT BIG CHANGES WERE JUST ABOUT TO HAPPEN WHEN ALLEN BETHELL WHO HAD BEEN THE CHAIRMAN SINCE THE CLUBS FORMATION IN 1986 ANNOUNCED HE WAS GOING TO RETIRE DUE TO HEALTH REASONS. GRAHAM FURNISS WHO HAD BEEN AT THE CLUB FOR OVER 20 YEARS IN DIFFERENT ROLES INCLUDING ASSISTANT MANAGER, STEPPED UP TO THE CHAIRMAN’S JOB WITH ROGER GISSING BECOMING THE VICE-CHAIRMAN. STEELS WERE IN PLAY-OFF CONTENTION TILL COVID PUT BREAKS ON THE SEASON. HOWEVER HILTON AND ASSISTANT LEE THOMPSON DID GREAT HOB FOR CLUB KEEPING THE TEAM TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LOCKDOWN BUT WHEN THE FOOTBALL STARTED AGAIN FOR THE 2021/22 SEASON, IT WASN’T TO BE AND AFTER ANOTHER EARLY FA CUP EXIT CHRIS HILTON BROUGHT AN END TO HIS EIGHT YEARS AT THE CLUB AS HE RESIGNED AS MANAGER. LEE THOMPSON STEADIED THE SHIP AS CARETAKER FOR THREE GAMES SECURING BACK TO BACK WINS.

THE CLUB THEN IN SEPTEMBER ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF FORMER PLAYER IAN RICHARDS AS THEIR NEW MANAGER,

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