Ossett United v Brighouse Town (10/04/2023)

VS BRIGHOUSE TOWN

MONDAY 10 APRIL | 15:00

PITCHING IN NPL EAST

CLUB PRESIDENT: NEVILLE W

CHAIRMAN: JAMES ROGERS

VICE-CHAIRMAN: PHIL SMITH

SECRETARY: NEIL SPOFFORTH

TREASURER: PAUL BILLING

BOARD MEMBERS: LEE BROADBENT

HANKS

MANAGER: GRANT BLACK

ASSISTANT MANAGER: MICK N

COACH: DAVID BROWN, RYAN

MATCH ANALYST: VACANCY

MEDICAL TEAM: EMILY CRISPIN

MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING

HEAD OF MEDIA: CRAIG BIDDLESTONE

MEDIA TEAM: CHRIS CASSIDY, H

JON HUNT, GEORGE NORTHOVER

PROGRAMME DESIGN: NEIL SPOFFORTH

CLUB HONOURS – OSSETT UNITED

WEST RIDING COUNTY SENIOR

WINNERS: 1949/50

WEST RIDING COUNTY CUP

WINNERS: 1958/59, 1964/65

2018/19

RUNNERS UP: 2000/01

NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE

RUNNERS UP: 2001/02

PLAY-OFF RUNNERS UP: 2016/17

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST P

WINNERS: 1998/99, 2003/04

RUNNERS UP: 1998/99, 2000/01

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST F

WINNERS: 1986/87

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST S

WINNERS: 1988/89

CLUB RECORDS

FA CUP

FOURTH QUALIFYING ROUND: 1965/66

2017/18 (R)

SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND: 2019/20

FA TROPHY

SECOND ROUND: 1999/00

FIRST ROUND: 2001/02, 2004/05

THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND: 2022/23

WELCOME TO INGFIELD ON THIS BANK

HOLIDAY MONDAY, I HOPE YOU HAVE ALL HAD A GREAT EASTER BREAK THAT WILL END WITH A GREAT GAME OF FOOTBALL AND POSITIVE RESULT TODAY.

ONLY 48 HOURS AGO WE TRAVELLED TO CLEETHORPES TOWN WHERE DESPITE A POSITIVE OPENING 45 MINUTES WHERE WE STRUCK THE BAR AND CREATED CHANCES WE FELL TO A 2-0 DEFEAT AFTER A DISAPPOINTING SECOND HALF.

THE HOST ’S DEFINITELY HAD THE BETTER OF THE SECOND HALF AND WE CANNOT ARGUE THAT THEY DESERVED THE POINTS ON THE DAY.

TODAY WILL BE ANOTHER CHALLENGE AND ONE WE WILL FACE HEAD -ON AS WE LOOK TO BRING THE SEASON TO A CLOSE ON A POSITIVE NOTE . OUR HOME FORM HAS NOT BEEN GOOD ENOUGH RECENTLY , AND WE HOPE THAT WILL CHANGE TODAY.

THIS YEAR 'S PRESENTATION EVENT WILL BE

HELD ON FRIDAY 12TH MAY FROM 7PM AT THE CLUBHOUSE .

THE THEME FOR THE NIGHT IS "ROCKAOKE - THE ULTIMATE ROCKSTAR EXPERIENCE ”

YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SING LIVE ON STAGE WITH A REAL LIVE ROCK BAND - DESCRIBED AS “ONE OF LONDON ’S FINEST WTF EXPERIENCES !” BY TIMEOUT LONDON ! HTTPS ://WWW .ROCKAOKE .COM

ANYONE WHO WISHES TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SING NEEDS TO PICK THEIR SONG AND

EMAIL ADMIN @OSSETTUTD .COM - CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE LIST OF SONGS .

THERE 'S NO CHARGE FOR THE EVENT AND WE 'RE NOT DOING TICKETS , BUT FOR CATERING PURPOSES WE NEED TO KNOW WHO'S COMING AND ANY GUESTS PLEASE .

WILL BE A GREAT NIGHT SO PUT IT IN YOUR DIARIES AND LET ME KNOW HOW MANY PLACES YOU WANT - AND DON 'T FORGET THE SONG SHEET !

JAMES ROGERS , CHAIRMAN

GRANT BLACK

WELCOME TO INGFIELD AS WE TAKE ON LOCAL RIVALS BRIGHOUSE TOWN IN OUR PENULTIMATE HOME GAME OF THE SEASON AFTER THREE ON THE ROAD WHERE WE TOOK FOUR POINTS FROM NINE.

THE POINT AT LINCOLN UNITED WAS A GOOD ONE, ALTHOUGH WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITIES TO WIN THE GAME AND SHOT OURSELVES IN THE FOOT WITH THE EQUALISER WE CONCEDED, THEN LAST TUESDAY WE FINALLY GOT TO PLAY AT SHEFFIELD AFTER FIVE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS WERE POSTPONED FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

THAT GAME WAS MORE THAN THE THREE POINTS THAT WE WON, IN THE WARM UP IT WAS VERY DOUBTFUL IF PADDY MILLER AND CHRIS DAWSON COULD EVEN START THE GAME AS THEY WERE STRUCK BY INJURY AND ILLNESS AT THE LAST MINUTE SO THERE WAS A LOT OF DISRUPTION IN THE FINAL MINUTES BEFORE THE GAME. DAWS, PLAYING WITH A MIGRAINE, WAS EXCELLENT ONCE AGAIN AS WAS PADDY MILLER WHO LASTED ALMOST AN HOUR.

FROM BEING COMFORTABLE AT 2-0 SHEFFIELD MADE US BATTLE HARD FOR THE POINTS PEGGING US BACK TO 2-1, THEN AFTER HOGGY WAS DISMISSED WE ADDED TO THE LEAD BEFORE SHEFFIELD MADE IT A NERVY

LAST FEW MINUTES. THE 3-2 FINAL SCORE LINE WAS A CREDIT TO THE LADS FOR THE WAY THEY FOUGHT THROUGHOUT THE GAME.

THEN TWO DAYS AGO WE SUFFERED OUR FIRST AWAY DEFEAT OF 2023 AT CLEETHORPES TOWN, FIRST HALF WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AHEAD, BUT ULTIMATELY THEY TOOK THEIR CHANCES IN THE SECOND HALF AND CLAIMED THE POINTS.

TODAY, IN FRONT OF WHAT I HOPE WILL BE A BUMPER EASTER MONDAY CROWD WE WILL TAKE ON BRIGHOUSE TOWN, I’D LIKE TO WELCOME VIL POWELL AND HIS MANAGEMENT TEAM TODAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WILL UNDOUBTABLY BE A HARD FOUGHT DERBY GAME.

SPONSOR A MATCH OF YOUR CHOICE FOR UP TO 8 PEOPLE (£30 PER HEAD FOR ADDITIONAL GUESTS)

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

GROUND ENTRY, ACCESS TO HOSPITALITY SUITE WITH PANORAMIC PITCH VIEWS (2PM-5PM)

SELECT THE OFFICIAL PLAYER OF THE MATCH

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IN THE DIGITAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME AND PA ANNOUNCER

GOURMET BUFFET

SIX BEERS, WINE OR SOFT DRINKS PER PERSON

ENQUIRIES TO: COMMERCIAL@OSSETTUTD.COM

T PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

NEVILLE WIGGLESWORTH

HIDING AT THEIR HANDS AS PER LAST SEASON AND, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AT LEAST, IT WAS A WARMER THAN IS USUALLY THE CASE WHEN TRAVEL TO THE EAST COAST.

ONCE AGAIN CONSISTENCY IS THE WORD OF THE MOMENT AFTER LAST WEEK’S PERFORMANCES AGAINST SHEFFIELD AND CLEETHORPES TOWN AND THIS MUST SURELY BE THE CONUNDRUM THAT OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM NEED TO ADDRESS IN THE REMAINING THREE GAMES OF WHAT HAS BEEN A LONG SEASON. WE’VE BEEN ‘ON THE FRINGES’ AT BOTH ENDS OF THE TABLE. AT ONE TIME WE WERE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING THE END OF SEASON PROMOTION PLAY-OFFS BUT CURRENTLY WE ARE NOT ENTIRELY SAFE FROM DROPPING INTO THE RELEGATION PLAY-OFFS, I THINK WE’VE DONE ENOUGH TO AVOID THAT POSSIBILITY BUT IT’S NEVER OVER UNTIL THE FAT LADY SINGS AS I THINK THE SAYING GOES SO A COUPLE OF MORE POINTS AT LEAST WILL ALLOW US ALL TO BREATHE A LITTLE MORE EASILY.

AT SHEFFIELD IN MIDWEEK WE WERE WELL WORTH THE THREE POINTS IN MY OPINION AND PLAYED SOME OF OUR BEST FOOTBALL FOR QUITE SOME WHILE WHEREAS AT CLEETHORPES WE FAILED TO EXPLOIT THE VAST OPEN SPACES OF THEIR PLAYING AREA WITH TOO MANY PASSES GOING ASTRAY AND WE SUFFERED THE CONSEQUENCES. THE COUPLE OF POSITIVES IS THAT WE DIDN’T SUFFER THE IGNOMINY OF A 7 –

BOTH THESE GAMES THERE WERE EYECATCHING DISPLAYS BY OUR ON LOAN GOALKEEPER PAUL COOPER WHO WAS OUTSTANDING IN BOTH MATCHES AND HIS AGILITY BETWEEN THE POSTS WHEN HE MADE A WHOLE STRING OF TELLING SAVES CLEARLY SHOWED WHY BARNSLEY HAVE SO MUCH FAITH IN HIM. HOPEFULLY HE WILL CONTINUE IN HIS RICH VEIN OF FORM AS LONG AS WE’VE GOT HIM AND FROM HEREON I’M SURE WE WILL BE WATCHING HIS PROGRESS WITH INTEREST IN THE SEASONS TO COME. WE WISH PAUL ALL THE BEST IN THE FUTURE WHEN HE RETURNS TO BARNSLEY HIS PARENT CLUB.

THIS AFTERNOON’S VISITORS ARE OUR NEAR NEIGHBOURS BRIGHOUSE TOWN WHERE THE OUTCOMES OF MATCHES PLAYED ARE JUST ABOUT EVENLY SPLIT. OF THE SEVEN LEAGUE MEETINGS TO DATE THERE HAVE BEEN 3 OSSETT WINS, 3 BRIGHOUSE WINS AND 1 GAME DRAWN. HOPEFULLY THOUGH THIS AFTERNOON WE CAN REPLICATE THE ATTENDANCES HERE AT INGFIELD WHICH STAND AT 618, 461 AND 739 RESPECTIVELY. AS THINGS STAND PRIOR TO KICK OFF BOTH SIDES HAVE 42 POINTS AND THE BRIGHOUSE GOAL DIFFERENCE IS SUPERIOR BY JUST THE ONE GOAL THOUGH THEY DO HAVE A GAME IN HAND OF US. THE POINTS AT STAKE

THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

THIS AFTERNOON ARE VITAL TO BOTH CLUBS SO A COMPETITIVE ENCOUNTER IS JUST ABOUT ASSURED.

IF YOU ARE READING THESE NOTES PRIOR TO COMING TO THE MATCH TODAY COULD I MAKE A REQUEST THAT YOU CONSIDER DONATING TO OUR COLLECTION FOR THE SOUTH OSSETT CHURCH FOODBANK. WE SUPPORT THIS MOST WORTHY OF CHARITIES EVERY YEAR AND WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A WORTHWHILE DONATION BEFORE THE SEASON DRAWS TO A CLOSE. WE WILL ALSO BE MAKING A COLLECTION AT THE GAME AGAINST GRANTHAM TOWN ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE SEASON (APRIL 22ND). PLEASE CONTRIBUTE IF YOU ARE ABLE.

ONCE THE SEASON HAS DRAWN TO A CLOSE WE WILL BE EMBARKING ON A WHOLE RAFT OF JOBS AROUND THE GROUND. AS THE COMBINED AGE

OF THE CURRENT THREE MEMBERS OF THE GROUND MAINTENANCE TEAM STANDS AT 226 (76, 75 AND 75) ANY FORTHCOMING VOLUNTEERS IN THEIR TWILIGHT YEARS WON’T FEEL OUT OF PLACE IF THEY CARE TO JOIN THE TEAM. IF NOTHING ELSE IT GETS YOU OUT OF THE HOUSE WITH A READY-MADE EXCUSE FOR YOUR SPOUSE! IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED JUST GIVE YOUR NAME AND TELEPHONE NUMBER TO ME AND I WILL MAKE SURE YOU ARE KEPT UP TO DATE WITH ANY ONGOING WORKS. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE SKILLED IN CONSTRUCTION WORK BUT THE ABILITY TO WIELD A PAINT BRUSH WOULD MAKE YOU A VALUABLE ADDITION TO THE TEAM.

ON THE BENCH

GRANT BLACK – MANAGER

GRANT BLACK HAD A SUCCESSFUL PLAYING CAREER BEFORE STARTING HIS MANAGERIAL CAREER HERE AT INGFIELD WITH OSSETT TOWN IN 2016 TAKING THEM TO THE BRINK OF PROMOTION BEFORE MOVING TO BELPER TOWN WHERE HE ENJOYED FOUR SUCCESSFUL SEASONS CULMINATING IN PROMOTION TO THE NPL PREMIER DIVISION . BLACKIE RETURNED IN INGFIELD WITH OSSETT UNITED IN OCTOBER 2022.

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

MICK NORBURY– ASSISTANT MANAGER

NORBS IS NO STRANGER TO OSSETT HAVING PLAYED FOR BOTH TOWN AND ALBION AND ALSO HAVING A SPELL AS ASSISTANT TO GRANT BLACK AT OSSETT TOWN AS WELL AS WORKING WITH HIM AT BELPER TOWN .

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

DAVID BROWN– PLAYER/COACH

DAVID BROWN BOASTS A SUCCESSFUL PLAYING CAREER WITH A NUMBER OF CLUBS INCLUDING OSSETT ALBION AND TOWN AS WELL AS SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC AND HYDE AMONGST OTHERS. HAVING QUALIFIED AS A COACH HE HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT MEMBER OF BLACK’S TEAM .

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

RYAN PUGH– GOALKEEPER COACH

PUGHY SPENT HIS PLAYING DAYS AT GOOLE , NEW MILLS, MATLOCK TOWN AS WELL AS A LOAN SPELL AT OSSETT ALBION BEFORE TURNING HIS HAND TO COACHING ALONGSIDE GRANT BLACK AT BOTH OSSETT TOWN AND BELPER TOWN .

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

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 .

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

PLAYER PROFILES

EDD HALL

PAUL COOPER

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 .

COOPER HAS JOINED US ON LOAN FROM BARNSLEY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 2022/23 SEASON HAVING IMPRESSED IN HIS FIRST FEW GAMES. THE STOPPER IS HIGHLY THOUGHT OF BY THE OAKWELL CLUB

SPONSORED BY: FOOTBALLBOOKREVIEWS.COM

B

DANNY BURNS

RANDON WEBSTER

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 .

BRANDON IS COMFORTABLE ANYWHERE DOWN THE LEFT HAND SIDE HAVING JOINED FROM LOUGHBOROUGH DYNAMO AND COUNTS HANDSWORTH AND STAVELEY MINERS WELFARE AS FORMER CLUBS.

SPONSORED BY JAMES & DAWN ROGERS

SPONSORED BY: JAMES AND DAWN ROGERS

HARRY COATES

HIGHLY RATED CENTRE HALF WHO TURNED DOWN A NUMBER OF CLUBS FROM THE NPL PREMIER DIVISION AND NPL EAST TO SIGN FOR THE CLUB FROM ASHTON UNITED WHERE HE WON A NUMBER OF AWARDS LAST SEASON . COATES FORMER CLUBS INCLUDE TADCASTER ALBION , SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC AND BRADFORD PARK AVENUE

SPONSORED BY: BSP HYDRAULICS

HARRY GAGEN

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 .

SPONSORED BY: LJB JOINERY

CRAIG NELTHORPE

A VASTLY EXPERIENCED PLAYER WITH FOOTBALL LEAGUE APPEARANCES FOR DONCASTER ROVERS AND DARLINGTON . NELLY HAS ALSO PLAYED FOR SEVERAL NATIONAL LEAGUE SIDES. A VERSATILE PLAYER WITH EXCELLENT SET PIECE DELIVERY HE IS AN ASSET FOR ANY SIDE .

SPONSORED BY: KEITH & KATH WOOD

PLAYER PROFILES

DANNY SOUTH

GRANT BLACK’S FIRST SIGNING, AND CAPTAIN . DANNY SOUTH HAS PLAYED FOR BOTH OSSETT ALBION AND TOWN AND MOST RECENTLY AT BELPER TOWN WHERE HE ENJOYED PROMOTION TO THE NPL PREMIER DIVISION . THERE WON ’T BE A STRIKER IN THE LEAGUE WHO WANTS TO COME UP AGAINST HIM .

SPONSORED BY THE ADAMSON FAMILY

PADDY MILLER IS A WELL KNOWN PLAYER HAVING TURNED OUT FOR THE LIKES OF HYDE UNITED , SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC AND TADCASTER ALBION BEFORE RETIRING FROM THE GAME IN 2019, ENCOURAGED TO RETURN TO THE GAME BY FORMER TEAM MATES NOW AT OSSETT UNITED PADDY WILL BE A VALUABLE ASSET TO THE SIDE .

SPONSORED BY: PAUL COOPER

FABIAN BAILEY

BAILEY JOINS OSSETT UNITED FROM PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES WHERE HE HAS SPENT THE LAST FOUR SEASONS. COMFORTABLE IN DEFENCE OF MIDFIELD HE STARTED HIS CAREER AT ROTHERHAM UNITED AND HAS ALSO HAD SPELLS AT FRICKLEY ATHLETIC AND OSSETT TOWN .

SPONSORED BY: JAYNE OGLEY & RED BRICK FM

LUKE HOGG

COMBATIVE MIDFIELDER, HOGGY WON THE GARY WIDDOP SUPPORTERS PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD IN 2021/22, HOGG HAD A BRIEF SPELL AT WHITBY TOWN BEFORE JOINING FIRST ON LOAN AND THEN MAKING THE MOVE PERMANENT IN DECEMBER 2022.

SPONSORED BY: R&R GROUNDWORKS

JANNI LIPKA

HIGHLY RATED MIDFIELDER WHO HAS PLAYED A KEY ROLE FOR HYDE UNITED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WHERE HE EXPERIENCED PROMOTION TO THE NPL PREMIER DIVISION .

JANNI JOINED BELPER TOWN IN THE SUMMER BEFORE GRANT BLACK BROUGHT HIM TO INGFIELD IN OCTOBER 2022

SPONSORED BY: THE HANKS FAMILY

PADDY MILLER

PLAYER PROFILES

JAMES CADMAN

CADMAN JOINS THE CLUB FROM SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC WHERE HE PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN THEIR PROMOTION TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH IN 21/22. CADDY HAS PLAYED FOR HARROGATE TOWN , STALEYBRIDGE CELTIC AND HYDE UNITED IN HIS CAREER AND WILL ADD ABILITY AND EXPERIENCE TO THE SQUAD.

SPONSORED BY: OSSETT TOWN JUNIORS

DERRY ROBSON

A TALENTED AND VERSATILE MIDFIELDER, DEZ HAS VAST NPL EXPERIENCE AND HAS A PROMOTION ON HIS CV AS RECENTLY AS LAST SEASON . ROBSON MOVED TO CLEETHORPES TOWN EARLIER THIS SEASON BEFORE GRANT BLACK TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING HIM TO INGFIELD

SPONSORED BY: LIAM MOORE-MCCLUSKEY

A SKILFUL AND DIRECT WINGER, PETE HAS PLAYED FOR MATLOCK TOWN , BELPER TOWN , FRICKLEY ATHLETIC AND A STINT IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC WITH 1.FC SLOVACKO FOLLOWING A SPELL WITH LEEDS UNITED U 18S

SPONSORED BY: STEVE MAUD

EXCITING FORWARD THINKING PLAYER WHO HAS LINKS TO BOTH OSSETT TOWN AND ALBION , SIGNED FROM TADCASTER ALBION AFTER A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL SPELL AT BELPER TOWN CURTIS WILL ADD SKILL, ENDEAVOUR AND GOALS TO THE OSSETT UNITED SIDE .

SPONSORED BY: ROY TAYLOR & RICHARD FARRELL

BRAD GRAYSON

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.

SPONSORED BY JOHN BOWKER

PITEU CROUZ

NATHAN CURTIS

PLAYER PROFILES

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 .

SPONSORED BY SPOFF & KATE

PETERSON HAS SIGNED FROM SHEFFIELD AFTER STARTING THE SEASON AT BELPER TOWN WHO HE HELPED TO PROMOTION IN 21/22. THE STRIKER IS A HANDFUL FOR OPPOSITION CENTRAL DEFENDERS AND WILL ADD STEEL TO THE FORWARD LINE .

SPONSORED BY: MOZ & MARV

WALSHAW RETURNED TO THE CLUB IN JANUARY 2023 AFTER A BRIEF SPELL WITH LIVERSEDGE AND EMLEY . WALSHAW IS A RENOWNED STRIKER IN NON -LEAGUE FOOTBALL HAVING ALSO PLAYED FOR ALTRINGHAM, HARROGATE TOWN , GUISELEY AND SCARBOROUGH AMONGST OTHERS.

SPONSORED BY: THE SCOTTISH SUPPORTERS CLUB

CHRIS DAWSON STARTED HIS CAREER AT LEEDS UNITED WHERE HE MADE FOUR FIRST TEAM APPEARANCES AS WELL AS TWO FOR WALES U 21’S. HE HAS ALSO PLAYED FOR SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC , GRANTHAM TOWN AND BUXTON FROM WHO HE JOINED US ON DUEL REGISTRATION TERMS.

SPONSORED BY: PAUL COOPER

ALEX PETERSON

JAMES WALSHAW

CHRIS DAWSON

OLI METCALFE

VACANCY AT OSSETT UNITED

VOLUNTARY MATCH DAY PROGRAMME EDITOR

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A VOLUNTARY MATCH DAY PROGRAMME EDITOR TO ASSIST THE MEDIA TEAM FOR THE 2023/24 SEASON TO WORK ON THIS VERY PROGRAMME.

THE VOLUNTARY MATCH DAY PROGRAMME EDITOR WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING CONTENT FOR, AND PUTTING TOGETHER THE MATCH DAY PROGRAMME FOR EACH HOME LEAGUE AND CUP GAME.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• CREATE ENGAGING AND CREATIVE CONTENT, WITH ACCESS TO THE MANAGEMENT TEAM, PLAYERS AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR INTERVIEWS AND ARTICLES.

• LIAISE WITH THE WOMEN’S AND U18 TEAM MANAGEMENT FOR ADDITIONAL CONTENT.

• WORK ALONGSIDE THE MEDIA TEAM FOR ARTWORK AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO INCLUDE IN THE PROGRAMME. AS WELL AS THE CLUB STATISTICIAN FOR HISTORICAL INFORMATION.

• ENSURE THE PROGRAMME IS COMPLETED, IN LINE WITH LEAGUE RUES, PROOFREAD AND SIGNED OFF BY PUBLISHING DEADLINE.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

• CREATIVE AND ARTICULATE WRITER WITH AN EYE FOR DETAIL.

• ABILITY TO WORK TO TIGHT DEADLINES.

• HAVE AN INTEREST IN NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

• PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL, BUT NOT ESSENTIAL.

• ABILITY TO COMMIT TO APPROXIMATELY 3-5 HOURS PER PROGRAMME (19 LEAGUE GAMES, PLUS FA CUP AND FA TROPHY GAMES AS REQUIRED).

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL RECEIVE TWO TICKETS FOR ALL HOME FIXTURES.

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST SHOULD BE SENT TO MEDIA@OSSETTUTD.COM

BRIGHOUSE TOWN

THE CLUB WAS ORIGINALLY FORMED IN 1963, AS A REPRESENTATIVE SIDE OF THE BLAKEBOROUGH

VALVE COMPANY OF BRIGHOUSE AND THEIR HOME GAMES WERE PLAYED ON THE

WOODHOUSE RECREATION GROUND, WITH THE SIDE COMPETING IN THE HUDDERSFIELD WORKS

LEAGUE. THE CLUB GAINED VARIOUS LEAGUE HONOURS OVER THE YEARS, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMING IN THE 1968/69 SEASON, WHEN THEY WON BOTH THE LEAGUE CUP AS WELL AS THE HALIFAX DISTRICT CUP.

FOLLOWING THIS SUCCESS, THE CLUB TOOK THE HUGE STEP OF OBTAINING ITS OWN GROUND AT HOVE EDGE. WHILST AT GREEN LANE, WHERE THEY PLAYED FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, THEY ACHIEVED TWO MORE LEAGUE TITLES BEFORE TAKING ANOTHER MAJOR STEP, IN APPLYING FOR AND ACHIEVING WEST RIDING COUNTY AMATEUR

LEAGUE STATUS IN 1975.

THE CLUB THRIVED THERE, UNTIL THEIR GREEN

LANE GROUND WAS DEVELOPED FOR HOUSING, UPON WHICH THEY MOVED TO THEIR PRESENT GROUND, JUST ROUND THE CORNER, ON ST

GILES ROAD. THERE FOLLOWED A PERIOD OF STAGNATION, COMPETING MAINLY IN THE LOWER DIVISIONS OF THE WRCAL UNTIL 1988 WHEN THE DEMISE OF THE BLAKEBOROUGH COMPANY RESULTED IN A NEW OUTLOOK, AS WELL AS A NEW NAME. THIS CHANGE PROVED TO BE THE CATALYST FOR THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PERIOD IN THE CLUBS HISTORY SO FAR.

THE NEWLY NAMED BRIGHOUSE TOWN AFC WON PROMOTION TO THE WRCA PREMIER DIVISION IN THEIR FIRST SEASON, AS WELL AS WINNING THE WRCAL DIVISION ONE CUP. IN 1991 THE PREMIER DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP WAS WON FOR THE FIRST TIME AND IN 1992 SOON FOLLOWED THE WEST RIDING COUNTY CHALLENGE CUP. IN 1994 TOWN WON THE PREMIER DIVISION LEAGUE CUP AND WERE RUNNERS UP IN THE COUNTY CHALLENGE CUP, AND THEY WERE PREMIER DIVISION CHAMPIONS AGAIN IN 1995.

SEASON 1995/96 WAS PERHAPS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SEASON IN THE CLUBS HISTORY SO FAR. BRIGHOUSE TOWN ONCE AGAIN WON THE WRCAL PREMIERSHIP TITLE AND ALSO COMPLETED THE DOUBLE BY WINNING THE WRCA LEAGUE CUP. THEY ALSO WON THE BOB WEDGEWORTH MEMORIAL TROPHY.

SEASON 2008/09, SAW THE CLUB MAKE THE SIGNIFICANT STEP INTO SEMI-PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL BY ENTERING AND BEING ACCEPTED INTO THE NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE (NCEL) DIVISION ONE. AFTER ONLY TWO SEASONS IN NCEL DIVISION ONE, THE CLUB WON PROMOTION TO THE NCEL PREMIER DIVISION UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF MARK BRIER AND DAZ ATTWOOD. 2011/12 SEASON SAW THE APPOINTMENT OF PAUL QUINN AS MANAGER AND AFTER FOURTH AND SECOND PLACE FINISHES IN HIS FIRST TWO SEASONS, THE NCEL PREMIER TITLE WAS ACHIEVED WITH A RECORD

TOWN

POINTS TOTAL IN 2013/14 – THE CLUBS 50TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON.

PROMOTION TO THE NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE DIVISION ONE NORTH BROUGHT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF FOOTBALL IN THE HISTORY OF THE CLUB ONLY SIX YEARS AFTER LEAVING THE WEST RIDING COUNTY AMATEUR LEAGUE, AND A NEW AND EXCITING CHALLENGE LAY AHEAD. A VERY RESPECTABLE 15TH PLACE FINISH WAS ACHIEVED IN THE CLUB’S INAUGURAL SEASON, AND WITH VALUABLE EXPERIENCE GAINED, SOLID FOUNDATIONS HAVE BEEN LAID FOR PLAYING FOOTBALL AT THIS LEVEL.

ANOTHER 15TH PLACE FINISH BUT WITH A FAR HIGHER POINTS TALLY FOR PAUL QUINN’S SIDE IN SEASON 2015/16 BROUGHT OPTIMISM THE CLUB IS STILL HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND COMING TO TERMS WITH THE DEMANDS OF THE NPL. THE CLUB’S DEVELOPMENT SIDE ALSO WON THE LANCASHIRE LEAGUE EAST DIVISION FOR THE FIRST TIME.

IN WHAT ULTIMATELY BECAME HIS FINAL SEASON, PAUL QUINN CEMENTED HIS LEGACY AT THE CLUB WITH A NINTH PLACE 2016/17 FINISH, THE HIGHEST POSITION ACHIEVED IN THE CLUBS HISTORY AND A FITTING REFLECTION OF THE TREMENDOUS JOB QUINN, AND HIS ASSISTANT MARK BOOTH HAD DONE FOR BRIGHOUSE TOWN.

2017/18 SEASON BROUGHT A NEW ERA WITH MANAGER VILL POWELL AND ASSISTANT NAT BROWN TAKING OVER THE REINS AND STARTING TO REBUILD THE SQUAD AFTER A PLAYER EXODUS FOLLOWING PAUL QUINN’S DEPARTURE.

POWELL’S APPOINTMENT JUST BEFORE THE START OF THE SEASON MEANT THAT SQUAD REBUILDING HAD TO BE DONE AS THE SEASON WENT ALONG, NEVER AN EASY JOB IN SUCH A COMPETITIVE LEAGUE. DESPITE SPENDING TIME IN THE LOWER PART OF THE TABLE DURING THE SECOND-HALF OF THE SEASON, TOWN HIT TOP FORM IN THE RUN-IN TO FINISH THE SEASON IN A VERY RESPECTABLE 17TH POSITION.

POWELL USED HIS FIRST PROPER PRE-SEASON AT BRIGHOUSE TOWN TO STRENGTHEN HIS MANAGERIAL TEAM; CONFIRMING LEON WAINMAN AND STACY REED AS HIS ASSISTANTS AND HAD THE MAJORITY OF HIS PLAYING SQUAD ALREADY IN PLACE FOR THE FIRST TRAINING SESSION OF THE NEW 2018/19 SEASON.

THIS RESULTED IN A FANTASTIC SEASON, FIRSTLY QUALIFYING FOR THE END OF SEASON PLAYOFFS, AND THEN GOING ON TO WIN THE PLAYOFF FINAL WITH AN EMPHATIC 3-0 VICTORY AGAINST PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES. THE PROMOTION PLACE TO THE PREMIER DIVISION THAT THIS WOULD USUALLY HAVE BROUGHT, WAS DENIED TO TOWN DUE TO HAVING AN INSUFFICIENT POINTS-TO-GAMES RATIO DURING THE SEASON, WHICH WAS THE CRITERIA TO DECIDE WHO GOT PROMOTION, DUE TO A LACK OF PROMOTION PLACES AVAILABLE FOR ALL THE PLAY-OFF WINNERS!! DESPITE THIS DISAPPOINTMENT, THE SEASON HAD BROUGHT THE HIGHEST EVER LEAGUE POSITION IN THE CLUB’S HISTORY.

SEASON 2019/20 SAW TOWN’S LATE PUSH FOR A PLAY-OFF PLACE BROUGH TO AN ABRUPT END.

BRIGHOUSE TOWN

DUE TO THE COVID 19 OUTBREAK AND ULTIMATELY THE SEASON BEING DECLARED NULL AND VOID.

MANAGER VILL POWELL ADDED EXPERIENCED

COACH AND EX-PROFESSIONAL JOHN FRANCIS TO HIS COACHING TEAM AND THE SQUAD OF PLAYERS FOR THE 2020/21 SEASON. IT CAME TO AN EVEN MORE ABRUPT FINISH THAN THE PREVIOUS SEASON WITH THE MAJORITY OF TEAMS NOT GETTING INTO DOUBLE FIGURERS FOR GAMES PLAYED BEFORE COVID 19 FORCED THE SEASON TO BE CURTAILED.

THANKFULLY THERE WERE NO COVID ISSUES IN THE 2021/22 SEASON AND IT WAS PLAYED TO ITS’ CONCLUSION AND SAW TOWN MAKE AN EXCELLENT LATE PUSH FOR THE PLAY-OFFS BEFORE NARROWLY MISSING OUT TO ULTIMATELY FINISH WITH A VERY CREDITABLE SEVENTH PLACE FINISH. TOWN DID MANAGE TO MAKE A BIT MORE HISTORY FOR THE CLUB BY MAKING A FIRST EVER APPEARANCE IN THE FINAL OF THE WEST RIDING SENIOR COUNTY CUP BUT WERE UNABLE TO MAKE THEIR FIRST APPEARANCE A WINNING ONE

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

VIEW FROM THE PRESS BOX

CRAIG BIDDLESTONE

WELL, HERE WE ARE , THE TAIL END OF ANOTHER SEASON , A SEASON THAT SEEMS TO HAVE DRAGGED ON AND ON , MUCH LONGER THAN NORMAL!

NOW I’M NOT COMPLAINING AS I LOVE FOOTBALL (WELL I DO AT KICK -OFF, NOT SO MUCH AT FULL-TIME ), BUT ANY VOLUNTEER IN NON -LEAGUE FOOTBALL WILL TELL YOU THAT SOMETIMES IT CAN BECOME EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING .

WORK BEHIND THE SCENES CAN BE A CONSTANT , EVEN WHEN SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH THE FAMILY, OR DOING YOUR REAL JOB , MOST OF US NOWADAYS USE

WHATS APP FOR EXAMPLE , AS A FORM OF KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH THINGS , AND FOR MANY OF US THE AMOUNT OF GROUPS WE ARE IN ON WHATS APP CONTINUES TO GROW .

IT HAS TO BE SAID THOUGH , THAT DESPITE

WHATS APP BEING MORE THAN USEFUL IT ALSO IS THE BANE OF MANY OF OUR LIVES , AS I SAID EARLIER WORK BEHIND THE SCENES CAN BE A CONSTANT , SO MUCH SO THAT CLUB RELATED MESSAGES WERE EVEN POPPING UP ON CHRISTMAS DAY THIS SEASON , I DID TRY AND IGNORE THE FIRST COUPLE , BUT BY THE TIME THE UNREAD MESSAGED COUNT REACHED 4 OR 5 I THOUGHT I’D BETTER RESPOND !

I’M NOT COMPLAINING BY THE WAY, AT OSSETT UNITED I’M INVOLVED IN PROBABLY 5 OR 6 WHATS APP GROUPS , WITH MY MAIN FUNCTION BEING TO POST INFORMATION , BUT IT ’S THOSE PEOPLE AT THE CLUB WHO ARE WAY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE THAT ARE PROBABLY IN AT LEAST DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF GROUPS I’M IN , AND SOMETIMES I DO FEEL FOR THEM .

THERE IS OF COURSE THOUGH A CHAIN , IF WE ARE TO ANNOUNCE A NEW SIGNING FOR EXAMPLE IT ’S NORMALLY SOMEONE LIKE NEIL SPOFFORTH THAT WILL START THE BALL ROLLING . ARMED WITH THE PLAYER INFO FROM GRANT BLACK AND HAVING DEALT WITH THE LEAGUE , THE FA AND SOMETIMES THE OTHER CLUB , SPOFF WILL THEN MESSAGE ME AND I’LL START THE

VIEW FROM THE PRESS BOX

CRAIG BIDDLESTONE

BALL ROLLING MY END . THIS INVOLVES DOING QUICK RESEARCH ON THE INCOMING PLAYER , OFTEN PAINSTAKINGLY TRYING TO FIND A SUITABLE PICTURE OF SAID PLAYER SO I CAN GET THE GRAPHIC READY, THEN WRITE THE STORY FOR THE WEBSITE , THEN BEFORE WE CAN EVEN THINK ABOUT ANNOUNCING THE NEW SIGNING I OFTEN HAVE TO SPEAK WITH THE OTHER CLUB SO WE CAN SYNCHRONISE ANNOUNCEMENT TIMES , THEN FINALLY POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE MANY WHATS APP GROUPS .

AS I SAID THOUGH THERE IS A CHAIN AND THAT CHAIN FINALLY TIES TOGETHER FOR POOR SPOFF AS HE THEN RECEIVES THE

MESSAGES ON THE MANY WHATS APP GROUPS TELLING HIM WHAT HE ALREADY KNEW IN THE FIRST PLACE , BUT I’M SURE IF YOU ASKED HIM , ME , OR ANY OF US THAT WORK HARD BEHIND THE SCENES WE WOULD ALL AGREE THAT WE DO THE VOLUNTARY WORK WE DO FOR THE LOVE OF THE CLUB . BACK TO TODAY AND OUR PENULTIMATE HOME GAME OF THE SEASON , WE NORMALLY GET A BUMPER CROWD AGAINST BRIGHOUSE TOWN , SO IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD TO TURN OUR RECENT HOME FORM AROUND AND GET THE THREE POINTS ON OFFER TO SEND OUR SUPPORTERS HOME WITH A SMILE ON THEIR FACE . ENJOY THE GAME .

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 LEFT THE CLUB IN OCTOBER AND WAS REPLACED BY GRANT BLACK ON AN 18 MONTH CONTRACT.

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY 2023

FEBRUARY

MARCH

PITCHING IN NPL EAST

AT FIRST IT SEEMS A SIMPLE QUESTION. WHO IS THE GREATEST BULGARIAN TO HAVE EVER PLAYED THE GAME? THE NATION BOASTS JUST ONE BALLON D’OR WINNER, AND THAT MAN, HRISTO STOICHKOV, BECAME A LEGEND BOTH FOR HIS COUNTRY AND FOR BARCELONA, ONE OF THE GIANTS OF THE EUROPEAN GAME. HE IS RIGHTLY REGARDED AS ONE OF THE FINEST FOOTBALLERS OF HIS GENERATION. SO WHY IS IT THAT IF YOU ASK THE QUESTION IN BULGARIA, YOU’LL LIKELY GET A DIFFERENT ANSWER?

GEORGI ASPARUHOV – GUNDI – WAS BORN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, IN SOFIA, AND SPENT MOST OF HIS CHILDHOOD IN THE POSTWAR CHAOS DEMONSTRATING HIS PRODIGIOUS TALENT IN THE CITY’S YOUTH LEAGUE. AS HE TURNED 15 IN THE LATE 1950S, HE WAS INVITED FOR A TRIAL AT CITY HEAVYWEIGHTS LEVSKI SOFIA, AND DULY TAKEN ON AS A MEMBER OF THEIR UNDER 16 SIDE. IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE HE MADE HIS MARK THERE AS WELL, WITH HIS MANAGER KONSTANTIN GEORGIEV REPORTING TO THE FIRST TEAM THAT ‘THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO WITH HIM’ TO MAKE HIM BETTER. ‘THE BOY IS A BORN FOOTBALLER. ’

GUNDI DIDN’T STICK AROUND IN THE YOUTH TEAMS FOR LONG, AND HE WAS IN THE FIRST TEAM, AT JUST 17, AGAINST BOTEV PLOVDIV.

TALL AND IMPOSING, THE LEVSKI COACHES THOUGHT HE WAS A NATURAL CENTRE BACK,

GUNDI: THE BULGARIAN HERO

DESPITE GUNDI’S BELIEF IN HIS ATTACKING TALENTS. GRATEFUL, HOWEVER, HE LINED UP AT THE BACK, BUT HE COULDN’T CONTAIN HIS OWN TALENTS. HE QUICKLY BECAME KNOWN FOR BOTH GOALSCORING AND FOR DRIBBLING OUT OF DEFENCE, OFTEN EMBARRASSING HIS OPPONENTS. WHEN HE WAS CALLED UP FOR BULGARIA’S YOUTH TEAMS, AND EXCELLED. IN A TOURNAMENT IN AUSTRIA, HE JINKED PAST TWO PLAYERS AND SCORED FROM ALMOST THE HALFWAY LINE. EVERYONE AGREED, HE WAS AN ATTACKER, AND THAT’S WHERE HE PLAYED FROM THEN ON. NATIONAL SERVICE THREATENED TO STALL GUNDI’S CAREER JUST AS HE MADE HIS BREAKTHROUGH, BUT HE WAS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE PLAYING FOR THE CLUB NEAREST TO WHERE HE WAS STATIONED; BOTEV PLOVDIV. IN HIS TWO SEASONS, HE TRANSFORMED THEM FROM MID-TABLE FODDER TO GENUINE TITLE CONTENDERS, FINISHING THIRD AND THEN SECOND. BUT HIS HEART WAS IN SOFIA, AND WHEN HE WAS RELEASED FROM THE MILITARY HE WENT BACK TO LEVSKI. BY NOW HE HAD BECOME AN IMPOSING STRIKER. TALL, STRONG, FAST, HE WAS A DEFENCE’S NIGHTMARE. IN 1965 LEVSKI WON THEIR FIRST TITLE IN 12 YEARS, WITH GUNDI SCORING 27 IN 29. HE THEN WENT OFF WITH THE NATIONAL TEAM TO A DIFFICULT WORLD CUP QUALIFIER AGAINST BELGIUM, WHICH BULGARIA WERE EXPECTED TO LOSE. IN A PERFORMANCE DESCRIBED AS ‘DIVINE’ HE SCORED TWICE TO SEND HIS COUNTRY TO THE FINALS, AND

IND M

AT T

GAME .

WOULD BE NOMINATED FOR THE BALLON D’OR, AHEAD OF FRANZ BECKENBAUER AND FERENC PUSKAS.

WITH LEVSKI IN NOW EUROPEAN CUP ACTION, IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT SOME EUROPEAN GIANTS WOULD COME KNOCKING. AFTER THREE GOALS AGAINST BENFICA, THE PORTUGUESE CHAMPIONS MADE AN APPROACH, WITH EUSEBIO DECLARING THAT HE CRAVED TO PLAY ALONGSIDE THE BULGARIAN. MILAN WERE THE MOST PERSISTENT THOUGH, MAKING REPEATED OFFERS. BULGARIA, UNDER STRICT COMMUNIST CONTROL REFUSED TO LET HIM LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

THE 1966 WORLD CUP WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT FOR BULGARIA, BUT GUNDI FLOURISHED. IN A GROUP OF DEATH WITH BRAZIL, PORTUGAL AND HUNGARY (WITH BALLON D’OR WINNER FLORIAN ALBERT). GUNDI SCORED HIS SIDE’S ONLY GOAL, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CARRY THE TEAM HIMSELF WITH SO MUCH TALENT AGAINST HIM. HE LEFT DISAPPOINTED, BUT WITH HIS REPUTATION FURTHER ENHANCED.

UNFORTUNATELY, HIS HEROICS JUST MADE HIM MORE OF A TARGET IN WHAT WAS AN INCREASINGLY VIOLENT BULGARIAN LEAGUE. INJURIES THREATENED TO FINISH HIS CAREER EARLY, BUT IT WAS TO END IN FAR MORE TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES.

HAVING BEEN INJURED ONCE TOO OFTEN, AND UNABLE TO PLAY FOR LEVSKI, GUNDI WAS INVITED

TO A CELEBRATION BY BOTEV PLOVDIV, WHO STILL LOVED HIM FROM HIS TWO SEASON SPELL THERE A DECADE EARLIER. HE TOOK HIS INTERNATIONAL TEAMMATE NIKOLA KOTKOV WITH HIM FOR THE RIDE, AND PICKED UP A HITCHHIKER ON THE ROAD. AS HE MADE HIS WAY DOWN THE HEMUS MOTORWAY, HIS ALFA ROMEO LOST CONTROL AND SMASHED INTO A TRUCK. THE CAR WAS SET ALIGHT, AND ALL THREE MEN DIED. KOTKOV WAS 32, GUNDI WAS 28.

IN 1999, HE WAS VOTED (AHEAD OF STOICHKOV) AS BULGARIA’S GREATEST EVER PLAYER. HE WAS PLACED 40TH ON FIFA’S LIST OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GUESS HOW HIS REPUTATION MIGHT HAVE CHANGED HAD HE MOVED TO WESTERN EUROPE, BUT ONE SUSPECTS HE MIGHT BE MUCH MORE READILY REMEMBERED. FOR GUNDI, THOUGH, HE ACHIEVED HIS DREAM. ONE AUDACIOUS ATTEMPT BY MILAN TO LURE HIM ACROSS THE IRON CURTAIN, WITH THE PROMISE OF $500,000, A CONTRACT LEVEL WITH THE HIGHEST PAID PLAYER IN ITALY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SAFE PASSAGE OUT OF THE COMMUNIST BLOC, HE RESPONDED BY SAYING ‘THERE IS A COUNTRY CALLED BULGARIA, AND IN THIS COUNTRY THERE IS A TEAM CALLED LEVSKI. YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF IT, BUT I WAS BORN THERE AND THERE I SHALL DIE. ’ TRAGICALLY, HE WAS RIGHT.

F

ORE

HE UNTOLD

CO.UK OR ON SOCIAL MEDIA @THE UNTOLD GAME

BRIGHOUSE TOWN

ELLIOT HARRISON

BORN 15/10/1996, HUDDERSFIELD, CENTRE

MID/ATTACKING MIDFIELD

PREVIOUS CLUBS: FC HALIFAX TOWN,

MOSSLEY, TRAFFORD, OSSETT UNITED

SAM REED

BORN 27/03/2003, SHEFFIELD, LEFT BACK

PREVIOUS CLUBS: STOCKSBRIDGE

MATTHEW NEBARD

BORN 9/10/1993, LEEDS, CENTRE BACK

PREVIOUS CLUBS: ALBION SPORTS,

PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES

THOMAS HAIGH

BORN 28/5/1996, HUDDERSFIELD, MIDFIELD

PREVIOUS CLUBS: MELTHAM, BRADFORD CITY,

LEEDS UNITED

BRETT SOUTER

BORN 21/10/1993, ROTHERHAM,

GOALKEEPER

PREVIOUS CLUBS: SHAW LANE AQUAFORCE,

OSSETT ALBION, SHEFFIELD FC, OSSETT

UNITED, HEMSWORTH MINERS WELFARE FC.

MOHAMMED TIJANI IBRAHIM

BORN 23/11/1996 SHEFFIELD, FORWARD

PREVIOUS CLUBS: SHEFFIELD FC, STAVELEY

HARRISON BEEDEN

BORN 31/05/2002, SHEFFIELD, DEFENDER

PREVIOUS CLUBS: ROTHERHAM UNITED,

CHESTERFIELD

PLAYER PROFILES

JAVELLE CLARKE

BORN 13/04/2002, SHEFFIELD, WINGER

PREVIOUS CLUBS: SHEFFIELD UNITED

LAURENCE SORHAINDO

BORN 06.06.1997, BRADFORD, STRIKER

PREVIOUS CLUBS: CAMPION AFC, SILSDEN AFC

HARRY WILKINSON

BORN 06/06/02, DEWSBURY, CENTRE BACK

PREVIOUS CLUBS: GUISELEY

ZEPHANIAH THOMAS

BORN 14/11/89, BRADFORD, STRIKER

PREVIOUS CLUBS: BOSTON UTD,

COWDENBEATH, ROYAL RACING MONTGNEE,

THUNDER BAY CHILL

JACK BOYLE

BORN 14/11/1997, LEEDS, FORWARD

PREVIOUS CLUBS: HUDDERSFIELD, CLYDE,

THACKLEY

MOHAMMAD QASIM

09/07/1997, BRADFORD, FORWARD

PREVIOUS CLUBS: CAMPION, SILSDEN, ALBION

SPORTS

ALEX KING

06/09/2000, HUDDERSFIELD, WINGER

PREVIOUS CLUBS: HALIFAX TOWN

BOBBY POINTON

04/01/2004, BRADFORD, RIGHT WING

PREVIOUS AND CURRENT CLUB: BRADFORD CITY

TOWN

JAMIE HASSALL

03/09/02, HARROGATE, GOALKEEPER

PREVIOUS CLUBS: HARROGATE RAILWAY,

KNARESBOROUGH TOWN

CALLUM CHARLTON

13/11/96, HALIFAX, LEFT BACK/WING BACK

PREVIOUS CLUBS: EMLEY, YORKSHIRE

AMATEURS, HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

AIDEN LEE WALKER

18/12/1999, HALIFAX, CENTRE BACK

PREVIOUS CLUBS: MANSFIELD TOWN

SAM DRAKE

02/04/1998, HUDDERSFIELD, CENTRE MID

PREVIOUS CLUBS: FARSLEY CELTIC

MYRON GIBBONS

15/11/2000, DONCASTER, STRIKER/WINGER

PREVIOUS CLUBS: DONCASTER ROVERS,

STAVELEY MWFC, ROSSINGTON MAIN

JAMES TETLEY

29/08/2004, WAKEFIELD, RB OR CM

PREVIOUS CLUBS: HUNSLET, ROBIN HOOD,

WOODKIRK, MANSFIELD TOWN EDUCATION

CHARLIE ENGLISH

23/09/2004, HALIFAX, GOALKEEPER

PREVIOUS CLUBS: LEEDS UNITED

JACK NORMANTON

07/04/1997, HALIFAX, FORWARD

PREVIOUS CLUBS: SILSDEN, THACKLEY, OSSETT

UNITED, PARK FC

COREY GREGORY

22/02/1983, SHEFFIELD, CENTRE MIDFIELD

PREVIOUS CLUBS: SHEFFIELD UTD, BELPER

TOWN, HUCKNALL TOWN, LEICESTER CITY,

STALYBRIDGE CELTIC, MATLOCK TOWN,

STOCKSBRIDGE PS, SHAW LANE, OSSETT

TOWN, OSSETT UTD, BELPER TOWN.

Ever thought of volunteering to help your local football club?

There are many diferent volunteer roles in non-league football and Northern Premier League football clubs need your help with them.

The Trident Leagues and Pitching In have recently launched a new online Volunteer Hub where you can fnd opportunities and contact your local football club.

Please visit Pitchinginvolunteers.co.uk to fnd out more

PAUL COOPER

FABIAN BAILEY

HARRY COATES

HARRY GAGEN

LUCA LAZZARI-WILLIAMS

PADDY MILLER

CRAIG NELTHORPE

DANNY SOUTH (CPT)

BRANDON WEBSTER

IDRIS ATTA

JAMES CADMAN

CHRIS DAWSON

LUKE HOGG

JANNI LIPKA

JOSH LINDLEY

OLI METCALFE

TOM PRIESTLEY-STANDING

DERRY ROBSON

DAVID BROWN

JAMES CARVELL

NATHAN CURTIS

KEEL DEL-GRANDE

ALEX PETERSON

JAMES WALSHAW

JAMIE HASSALL

SAM REED

MATTHEW NEBARD

JOSH DACRE

THOMAS HAIGH (CPT)

JAVELLE CLARKE

ZEPHANIAH THOMAS

JACK BOYLE

ALEX KING

COREY GREGORY

AIDEN LEE WALKER

SAM DRAKE

JAMES TETLEY

CHARLIE ENGLISH

JOSH GRANY

MO QASIM

REON BENJAMIN-POTTS

COLE ROBERTS