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KICKING-OFF
A WORD FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Hello and welcome to Ingfield for today’s game between one of the world’s youngest and the oldest club sides!
Saturday’s game was disappointing for a couple of reasons, first being the serious injury suffered by Pickering’s Omar Sanyang. I would like to praise Nathan Fennell (Pickering’s sports therapist) as well as Emma Parkinson who was covering the sports therapist role for us at the weekend. They were both very calm in an awful situation and gave Omar the best treatment until the ambulance arrived, which thankfully was here very quickly.
On behalf of everyone associated with Ossett United I would like to wish Omar a speedy, and more importantly, a full recovery.
That leads me to the second disappointment from a minority of the supporters in attendance. The chant directed towards the player as he lay on the field with a double leg fracture is not something I ever want to hear again.
We welcome and appreciate the excellent support we get as a club, however, we will not ever condone the sort of behaviour we saw on Saturday from a minority of our young fans.
If you want to support Ossett United, you’re very welcome to join us, but when that support turns to offensive and inappropriate chanting/singing then please choose something else to do on a Saturday afternoon.
We had to eject 50 or so young fans for what was inappropriate, childish and offensive behaviour.
We appreciate that it was only a minority of the 50 that caused it, but the fact you were all grouped together and supported such inappropriate behaviour made it impossible to distinguish the trouble causers from the legitimate fans wanting to watch a game.
As a community club we will not just stand by and let you embarrass the club as a number of you did on Saturday.
If you are unhappy with that view we suggest you go support another team.
To the vast majority of you, thank you for excellent support lets hope by full time today we are all celebrating three points!
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The Presidents Address
Neville Wigglesworth
Contributors to the programme notes rarely, if ever, consult one another on content prior to submission but it often strikes me how regularly we choose to comment on very similar topics. For that reason if no other I will not dwell on the unsavoury events which occurred in our previous game against Pickering Town as I feel sure others will wish to do so in tonight’s programme. Suffice to say that, like everyone else, I was disgusted with the behaviour of a minority of our so-called supporters who brought nothing but shame on our Club. Like all self-respecting people I would like to place on record our best wishes to the injured Pickering player Omar Sanyang. We hope he makes a full and speedy recovery following his operation. He can rest assured many genuine Ossett United supporters will be thinking of him in the weeks and months to come.
As I mentioned in my last programme notes an Ossett United fan Gary Widdop had raised the suggestion that, after an absence of a couple of seasons mainly through the Covid19 pandemic and its effects on Non-League football, we might consider a collection for the local Ossett food bank which we have supported on a number of occasions in the past. On Gary’s behalf I raised the question with our Chairman last Saturday and I can now confirm that the Club would be fully behind and supportive of such an initiative. I have also spoken to Paul Stephenson who has been instrumental in arranging our collections in the past and over the course of the next few weeks Paul and I will be getting together to make sure such a collection gains momentum.
Just so that everyone who feels inclined to contribute can make appropriate plans for the collection I can announce that this will take place on the day of our League fixture against Frickley Athletic on Saturday March 12th. Between now and then this match day programme, along with our media department, will be plugging the event in the hope that we can make it a huge success for the benefit of the local community. If you feel willing and are able to make donations please can we suggest that you consider buying a couple of extra purchases for the food bank each time you do your own weekly shopping? Each person’s donation needn’t be massive and expensive but rather if lots of people could consider bringing along just a couple of items we could be in a position to make a real success of it and make a real contribution to those who in our community are in the greatest need. Thanks in anticipation of your involvement in this project.
This evening we welcome the oldest football club in the world in Sheffield FC to Ingfield for this Northern Premier League Division One East fixture. Sheffield are having quite a struggle this season in league competition and they currently lie second bottom in the table having amassed 17 points from their 22 matches to date. So, like Pickering Town last Saturday, they are well and truly in a relegation battle which will, I’m sure, make them all the more determined to get something out of tonight’s encounter. A draw against Pickering was a little disappointing as we continue to amass as many points as possible and to finish as high up as we can in what is undoubtedly a highly competitive league. Once again we must treat tonight’s opponents with the upmost respect if we are to achieve a positive result. If we show the kind of determination and application that we did especially in the second half against Pickering we might enhance our position in the higher echelons of the division.
When these two teams met earlier in the campaign at Sheffield on Saturday November 13th the 445 people in attendance witnessed a somewhat drab goalless draw so hopefully we will see a bit more excitement this evening.
It has to be said that Sheffield don’t travel too well as, in their ten away fixtures prior to tonight, they have yet to register a victory. Hopefully from our perspective we hope they don’t break their duck tonight but we do wish them well for the remainder of the season.
Neville Wigglesworth – President Ossett United FC
A very warm welcome to everyone connected to Sheffield FC, we wish you well for the remainder of the season. (Apart from tonight!) I have fond memories of the club which will stay with me forever I felt honoured to manage the worlds first football club and build a positive relationship with the board and fans a like.
Briefly looking back on Saturdays 1-1 draw with Pickering I think it’s the first time since we joined the club we can say we didn’t get the result we deserved. I felt we started bright taking what we have worked on in training into the game. I was pleased with the positive approach to the game and movement in and out of possession, we then had a spell where we switched off a few times and got punished on a counter attack for their goal. Their goal was their only real chance of the game with the ball bobbling over Edd and sneaking in. After the goal there was the serious injury to Omar, this was mentally a difficult period for both teams to continue after the severity of the tackle between him and Greeny. I must say well done to all players but a special mention to the physios for a quick response and getting the lad the care he required. We wish Omar a speedy recovery and will be in close contact with him and Steve ( Pickering Town manager) moving forward. After the break in play I felt we struggled to gain any momentum and forced too many long passes. I’m not sure Wally was offside also but will look back on the footage. In the second half there only looked like one team was going to win the game, we’ve talked about needed a strong squad of 16 players each week and subs having an impact on the game and on Saturday I felt Louis and JT did that. They added energy and that willingness to run from deep with and without the ball. I felt we also looked a lot fitter and finished the game strong and should’ve won. I was pleased for Wally who hasn’t had much service but we all know with the right service he will score goals. Although people will look at it and feel we should be winning those games overall I was pleased particularly when you consider the weather conditions and surface of the pitch it was a leveller for anyone, just look at the results in the leagues. Lots of positives to take forward!
We have added more experience to our squad who will be involved tonight, Mikey Williams is a creative midfield player with bags of games at this level and above. I've been in talks with Grantham Town and Mikey for a few weeks, he made it clear he wanted to come which we are delighted with.
Once the skipper is up to speed and one or two new faces are in I feel we will have 17 bodies who are all good enough for the league. He’s not a million miles off now, we don’t want to rush him after such a stop start season but he’s making good progress on his recovery and currently strengthening his injury.
Once again thanks for the support it’s incredible, it really spurs the lads on. To have 450 fans in the ground in terrible conditions is testament to what we are all about.
Take care and enjoy the game.
Jas
A view from the Press Box...
Craig Biddlestone
This weekend I’ve been unfortunate enough to witness the darker side of football. Saturday’s off the pitch events have been well documented of course, and then on Sunday in Nottingham some football ‘fans’ decided to attack a couple of bars and restaurants, and in the case of the latter there were families in their having Sunday lunch at the time.
Then of course there was the football ‘fan’ who decided that at 3-0 down he would enter the pitch and punch a player, and he has now been given a lifetime ban by Leicester City (and rightly so) and will probably end up spending some time in prison.
Football for many years was known as a working class game where (mostly) men who had worked all week could go to the football at the weekend, have a few beers and catch up with their mates, from that led to football getting a bad name, especially in the 70’s and 80’s, attendances dropped because many football fans were too afraid to attend because of the hooliganism and violence, that all changed for me with the advent of all-seater stadiums and banning orders, families returned to grounds, attendances rose significantly and the football was again a safe place to go.
These days with Social Media and camera phones it is all too easy for hooligans to be caught almost instantly, so for example when the restaurant in Nottingham was being attacked on Sunday the videos taken at the time immediately ended up on Social Media and the mindless idiots causing the trouble had their faces all over the internet, so I imagine it won’t be too long before these ‘fans’ are being woken up by the police banging their doors down in the early hours.
One thing that unfortunately hasn’t been eradicated though is obscene chanting, I’ve been going to football matches now for nearly 40 years, and as an impressionable teenager in the early 90’s I certainly wasn’t an angel, but I knew where to draw the line. I have witnessed racial and homophobic chants and immediately distanced myself from them, there is no need for it in any walk of life, not just football, I don’t understand it, I don’t get it. The good thing about football chants is that they can be very funny but there is a massive difference between banter and insults.
I don’t want to touch too much on Saturday’s events but thought it important to say that most of the staff at Ossett United are volunteers, they give up their free time to help out at a community club so don’t expect to be chaperoning groups of supporters out of the ground mid game. The volunteers are also fans and are part of the heart and soul of the club.
On the pitch I really hope Omar Sanyang has a speedy recovery from his horrific leg break, I’d also like to welcome Mikey Williams to the club, Wardy has now been officially relegated to second place in the “best beard at the club” category!
On Saturday there were some huge improvements against Pickering Town, it was a massive reaction to the previous two games and on another day we would have gone on to win that game. Hopefully we can build on that tonight against Sheffield FC, I really do hope it’s a better game than the 0-0 draw down in Derbyshire in November, the game could have lasted another 3 hours and there still wouldn’t have been any goals.
Finally, tonight’s half-time play list has been chosen by our cameraman and video editor Chris Boyd, enjoy the music and hopefully enjoy the game.
Craig
OSSETT UNITED
SQUAD LIST
Ossett United Coaching Team:
- Manager: Jas Colliver
- Assistant Manager: Mark Ward
- Coach: Gary Middleton
- Physio: Emily Crispin
- Video Analyst: Jack Sloan
Ossett United Squad:
- Edd HALL (GK)
- Jake TEALE (GK)
- Prince ATTAKORAH
- Brad BEATSON
- Jack COWGILL (C)
- Harry GAGEN
- Ross HARDAKER
- Dec McGIVERN
- Louis BECKETT
- George GREEN
- Aaron HASWELL
- Luke HOGG
- Nathan VALENTINE
- Mikey WILLIAMS
- Charlie WOOD
- Ify OFOEGBU
- Jordan TURNER
- James WALSHAW
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Sheffield FC
SQUAD LIST
Sheffield FC Coaching Team:
- Manager: Ryan CRESSWELL
- Assistant: Spencer FEARN
- Coach: Jamie YATES
- Physio: Lewis YATES
Sheffield Squad:
- Ryan MUSSELWHITE
- Luke CHADWICK
- Ben TURNER
- Rory COLEMAN
- Jack BIRKS
- Jamie ROBINSON
- Adepapo ADELEKAN
- Sam ACKROYD
- James BAXENDALE
- Marc NEWSHAM
- Luke RAWSON
- Manasse KIANGA
- Damian MAGEE
- Nathan MODEST
- Leigh WHELAN
- Jamie YATES
Today's officials
Match Referee: Luke Watson
I started refereeing at the age of 14. I passed my course in 2002.
I got into refereeing through my grandad who came to all my games until he passed away 3 years ago.
Highlights have been referee of England v Italy u16, referee at Old Trafford, assistant to referees like Michael Oliver Howard Webb, Paul Tierney and the Madley brothers.
I currently live with my wife and my two boys Alfie 6 and Theo 1.
My favourite ground to ref at is Old Trafford as it’s such and iconic ground. My favourite non league ground was Bootham Crescent, York as it was a traditional old school ground.
Today's Assistants: Connor Everard, Michael Corbally
The Uncomfortable Truth About Racism by John Barnes
Growing up in the nineties and coming to football in the new millennium, I had the impression – naively – that racism in the beautiful game was a thing of the past, that it was consigned to an era of hooligans and hostility and would nary tarnish the sport again. How wrong, how ignorant, I was. Two decades into that new millennium and football – and society – is still marred by disgusting instances of racism. Who can forget the way three of England’s heroes of summer 2021 were racially vilified after defeat to Italy on penalties in the Euros? When the vitriol spewed out, for many it was shocking; but, sadly, for many others, there was also a degree of inevitability. The real questions over age, experience and game time which should have been central to the analysis of that penalty defeat, as well as a celebration of England’s best tournament since 1966 which should have rounded off the Euros, were lost to racist abuse and discrimination that proved just how endemic racism is in society and, consequently, football. It has never gone away, as John Barnes points out in his book The Uncomfortable Truth About Racism as he spotlights these uncomfortable truths and debunks myths about progress and equality.
Books by footballers tend to be in a certain vein: autobiographies discussing their life in and around the game. Whilst some books in recent times have begun to tackle more difficult subjects and footballers have also begun to speak out more on social and welfare issues, Barnes’ book represents a significant departure. He may be a former footballer – and one of the best of all time for England and Liverpool – and this book may touch on football, but this is a book of social and political commentary by a man who has experienced and understands racism first-hand. It is hard-hitting, frank and, as the title suggests, uncomfortable, as Barnes really gets to grips with and tackles one of the biggest social problems in history. Anyone expecting a football-focused commentary or reflection specifically on racism in football will find something rather different as Barnes offers a much more nuanced perspective, looking at football not as the problem but rather probing instead the environment and society that shapes those that go on to racially abuse others, be it in football stadiums, in the supermarket or any other place or space. Indeed, Barnes scrutinises the social and political roots that have fixed discrimination firmly into society, making racism both endemic and ingrained and superficial efforts to challenge it largely fruitless.
Barnes offers a thoroughly thought-provoking and engaging perspective and readers will certainly be made to question, challenge and confront their own beliefs and opinions. Even when there may be stances the reader takes issue with, Barnes, to borrow his own phrase, does not shy away from ‘putting his head above the parapet’. Nor does he avoid taking the counterargument in some existing debates. He confronts the issue of racism head on and in doing so seeks to ‘open up the discussion’. And there are without doubt some really interesting, thoughtful and challenging points throughout that force the reader to engage. Indeed, I found myself thinking a lot about the idea of social conditioning and unconscious bias and querying the role of the individual, in as much as whilst society may shape and condition a person, there comes a point when each person knows right from and wrong and has the power to shape themselves. There are no quick and simple answers to the questions posed in this book or, indeed, the challenge of racism, but what the book does is continue the discussion and engage others.
Interestingly, at one point in the book, Barnes writes, ‘there are three types of people: people who are racists and know it, people who are racist but don’t know or think they are… and people who aren’t racist at all… The people who belong to the first group don’t care and won’t suddenly have an epiphany to stop being racist… the people in the second group don’t actually think they’re racist so they feel it doesn’t apply to them… Finally the people in the third group don’t need to change as they have no racial bias to start with… so overall nothing changes.’ It’s a somewhat depressing thought that those people who would most benefit from this book are those who are the least likely to be changed by it; but there is no question that people who do read it will benefit from doing so. Will this book end racism? No. That goes beyond the capability of any single book, any single person or any single reform. But can it play a part in changing the perceptions of society? Absolutely. Racism has no place in society and no place in our beautiful game and hopefully one day the colour of a player’s shirt will be the only colour that matters.
(Publisher: Headline. October 2021. Hardcover: 320 pages)
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Match Report: OUFC 1-1 Pickering Town
Ossett United returned to action after a two week break with three changes to the starting XI with Edd Hall making his debut Ross Hardaker returning for injury and George Green making his first start since the away game at Pickering in November. They replaced Louis Beckett and the now departed Mat Zaniewski and Jude Adebayo. A second new signing, Jordan Turner took his place amongst the substitutes.
Whoever said Football is the beautiful game clearly wasn’t watching on in Yorkshire in February as strong winds heavily affected the game, one throw in by Ross Hardaker ended up with more curl on it than a Roberto Carlos free-kick!
That said, the game was an entertaining one with Ossett United starting on the front foot putting Pickering under a lot of pressure, penning them in their own half for much of the opening twenty minutes of the game.
The first chance of the game fell to Aaron Haswell after some excellent football from Ossett. Valentine winning the ball on half way with an excellent tackle, the ball was moved across the pitch eventually finding Haswell who struck well in the turn from 18 yards only for Pickering debutant, Harry Flatters, to save well low to his right.
Flatters again was called into action as again Ossett United pressed Pickering back, Hardaker whipped over a cross which the Pickering keeper collected under pressure from both Walshaw and Ofoegbu.
Pickering looked to get a foothold in the game and a rare first half attack saw a corner cleared, Hogg and Haswell broke quickly only for some excellent last ditch defending forcing the ball out of play for an Ossett corner. Green swung over a wicked set piece that once again Flatters dealt with.
The game was turned on its head in the 24th minutes as Pickering carved out their only chance of the game, excellent work by Omar Sanyang down the Pickering right saw him cut the ball back to Jamie Thornton, his effort, curling across goal and inside the far post from around ten yards.
Ossett looked to get straight back into attack mode and won a free kick some 25 yards from goal. Green was the one over it, his effort beat the wall but curled agonisingly wide of the post.
As the half hour approached, Omar Sanyang and George Green challenged for a 50/50 ball, Green winning the ball well play continued for a second or two until it became clear Sanyang had been hurt.
Sadly a broken leg was the outcome, play was stopped while Omar received treatment from both Nathan Fennell from Pickering and Emma Parkinson, whilst an ambulance was called. Thankfully for Omar the emergency services arrived within 20 minutes of the incident.
All at Ossett United send our best wishes to the player and hope sincerely for a speedy and more importantly full recovery.
Ossett had a goal ruled out for off-side which I am told was a close call.
The second half started slowly with Ossett looking for an equaliser, but being mindful of leaving gaps at the back. New number 1, Edd Hall was only called into action once.
Ify Ofoegbu was looking dangerous and sent over some dangerous crosses only for the Pickering defence to do their job very well preventing any clear opportunities.
Colliver and Ward made a double change on the hour with Beckett and Turner replacing Ofoegbu and Green and straight away they were into the action and linking up well
Turner getting a cross into a dangerous area which almost fell nicely for Valentine who had broken into the area. Turner and a number of his teammates were calling for a penalty moments later as the referee awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, they were pointing to the mark on the pitch where the tackle was made which from my vantage point did appear to be inside the white line.
United fans were able to celebrate a deserved equaliser in the 73rd minutes as Hogg won the ball well, a great run by Turner down the right channel received the ball and a his driven cross was turned home by James Walshaw.
With their tails up, Ossett continued to press, Turner was denied on two occasions by the impressive Flatters while a McGivern header from a corner was inches wide and just out of the reach of Turner at the far post.
The referee blew the whistle on what was a far more entertaining game than was expected with the conditions as they were. Whilst just a point Colliver and Ward can take positives from a much improved performance but ultimately today is about Omar Sanyang, an unfortunate injury that no one wants to see on a football field.
Ossett United return to action here at Ingfield on Tuesday 8 February as Sheffield make the short trip from South Yorkshire, kick off 7:45pm
Ossett United: 1. Edd Hall, 2. Harry Gagen, 3. Ross Hardaker, 4. Luke Hogg, 5. Dec McGivern, 6. Brad Beatson, 7. Ify Ofoegbu (15. Jordan Turner), 8. Nathan Valentine 9. James Walshaw (c) (Goal, 73), 10. Aaron Haswell, 11. George Green (12. Louis Beckett) | 14. Tom Deighton, 16. Charlie Wood, GK Jake Teale.
Pickering Town: 1. Harry Flatters, 2. Wayne Brooksby (c), 3. Liam Love, 4. Dom Joynes, 5. Ben Clappison, 6. Harry Lovick, 7. Jamie Thornton (Goal, 24) (15. Moses Aboiye), 8. Will Taylor, 9. Billy Logan, 10. Omar Sanyang (12. Donny Holdsworth), 11. Rafael Ferreira (14. Alhassane Keita) | 16. George Harrison.
OUFC MoM: James Walshaw
Attendance: 439
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Credits:
JonHuntPhotography Keith Wood