Barnsley Sunday league memories

As a kid I always remember on a Sunday my dad would get picked up to play local football, he would come home with a big netted bag full of used kit for my mum to wash and I would hear the stories of what had happened in that days game.

I would hear stories about the referee Don Mellor and how you could kick someone up in the air and not get a booking but swearing in his presence would get you sent off.

I heard stories about crackpot centre halves, punch ups on the pitch and full time fights at Grimey and Kendray.

What are your memories? Who were the best players? Who were the hardest players/crackpots? Who should have made it pro but didn't?

 

Very true about Don Mellor infact he sent off one of our lads off for swearing at our own player

 

Only good memories for me. Grew up watching Pogmoor West End (based at Poggy Club), and Travellers Rest when each had their own pitch in Poggy Rec.
That was the Don Mellor era I believe. We were West End loyals and I remember the Travs goalie leaving his goal to chase us off after we were hurling abuse from behind the net during a rare derby game. John Pyne scored the winner that day if any of you remember that legend.
Ironically I ended up playing for the Travellers Rest who went from pub team to Sunday League Div One Champions in the 80s.

 

My dad played for Fosters Bakery and Old Town St Pauls in the 70s. Won a couple of trophies

 

used to be involved with the wat tyler (now demolished) in low valley, had some good times and great wins over the years, kev byron was secretary and dogsbody, we had a few good players too, steve paver was the no nonsense defender, built like a brick wall, alan mynett did a few years with us and scored quite a few goals, sunday mornings after a saturday night were memorable and continued into sunday afternoons.

 

I flatly refused to run the line when Don Mellor was reffing cos it was a waste of time. He saw everyone as cheats. So made his own decisions. He was quite happy to do without linesman anyway. (Even though clubs should have provided 1 each)
As for swearing. He once sent a player off for saying/mumbling b'std in earshot. (A team out Scisset way) After his shot just whistled over the bar. Player was spoken to after the game in the dressing room. Someone called him a name. Summat like 'two hat' he asked who said that. ?. And about 4/5 piped up "me" none would give him their names. The club got a big fine and sine die for a period.
Another ref. I walked over and told him to shove flag up his arse. As he listened to the opposition centre half (a certain Geoff Hazelhurst who later played for us and became a ref himself lol ) claiming onside everytime as the forward made my job easy. allus a mile off. But then the ref gave a goal. (Mile off again) hence shove it up yer arse. Told him mi name and report me tut S&H
He did. But I knew a local ref/come linesman very well (lined many a game in top english and European competion.) called George Martin, who defended my integrity as he generally watched our home games and knew I wouldn't cheat. Even our own players played fekk up wi mi. But I said what's point of cheating. ( I hated it lol. )

I was involved with the same team for 30+ yrs. Jump coach and horses. (Originally wombwell rovers as we couldn't get a pitch in Jump for several yrs) Got changed in garages. Attics. Pub best sides. .
As wombwell we drew 1 game, lost all others in first 2 seasons. And got promoted both years lol. Due to drop outs..But had a decent side eventually and some great rivalries with other decent sides through the divisions.

Another funny story A quality Jump Wellington inn side, played Saturday football. (A lot played with Hoyland jags on sunday.).towd Eva (famous owd lass in the Barnsley district known by most clubs bless her) used to give opposing players loads of verbals. And once stuck out her walking stick tripping the winger up lol.

 

I refereed for about 15 years from about 1987 so have many great, and some not so great memories, of Sunday and Saturday local football. Don Mellor, cheating club linesmen, threats of violence from players and supporters, all fondly remembered

 

Hated it when no ref turned up and you had to use one of the other clubs people and deffo remember the cheating linesmen of which my club were just as guilty.

 

"No offside on Sundays"

 

Played many seasons at Cawthorne.

Some great characters in that team, including Nige West, the Parkin bros, Webbo and Scoff.

Webbo a great 6ft 9 keeper, Scoff a cracking full back who liked a bit of bother, not least with the opposition subs and manager.

On one occasion, following a ****-up between them, we shipped an awful goal which prompted a foul-mouthed exchange which saw Don Mellor send them both off!

The pitch at Cawthorne was horribly exposed which was brutal when windy as gales blew straight down the ground which was on a sizeable slope. It wasn’t unusual for goal kicks from the bottom end to go out for corners so strong was the wind.

One lad foolishly hit an outswinger corner from the top end which was caught on the wind and went out for a corner at the other end of the ground!
Happy days.

 

I've 100s of memories...I ran Prospect/Potters/Hoyland

On field fighting with Athersley Rec or Lundwood, then drinking with them on Saturday in Town.

I got kicked out of pitch in cup game at Hall Green in cup. I was watching game when I heard sniffling/snorting behind me. Bloody cows up.mi arse haha.

Told a woman she should be at home cooking puddings on a Sunday morning, hit me with her thermos flask.( Hooky, we were playing Lundhill Tavern, could it be that lady ??)

Best one.... I went from hoyland to monk Bretton to pick up Jeff Haselhurst who was the ref at our game at Thurgoland. During game, he booked me, kept all the match fee, Inc mileage, didn't give me a penny....and sent in my booking..

 

Worked with Webbo and Mick Parkin at BMB...

 

I also played for Old Town in the 70’s (amongst others).

 

Wow..some great memories I came out the forces in 88 and signed with some mates for coach and horses at Ardsley. My mates girlfriend had come to watch and was been horribly insulted all game by one certain player who had a bit of a reputation...enough was enough my mate blew a gasket....near the end of the first half he literally ran up to him and rugby tackled and didn't stop punching the lad until the coaches etc pulled him off the abuser!
A couple of years later, I was playing for the Hewer and Brewer at Darfield, when midway through the second half of a game, two wild horses came galloping at high speed through our match. This was later recorded in a Stoke city fanzine (he was guest of our coach)....funny thing was as dangerous as it was everyone was a bit non plus about it!
Had the same experience with Don Mellor think it was Tommytredeloyle (who had all the super stars)...but our young striker had his head stamped on (deliberately) while on the floor..."play on lads!!" then booked 3 of ours for complaining and using expletives.

 

Me too…. And Mick is still there. We must have crossed paths.

And bizarrely, from further up the thread, my only ever sending off (or even booking) was from the legendary Don Mellor, and was also for swearing at a team mate when he aimed to put a cross onto my head, for an open goal, skied it and I shouted ‘I am not ten foot effin tall’ only to get sent off!!!

 

Think the penny has dropped….
Are you, now, a driving instructor?

 

It was Jeff Haselhurst who did me when he was playing for Monk Bretton he knackered my ankle ligaments with a late tackle.

 

At the age of 17 I was playing in goal for Barnsley Optimists at Laithes Lane. I tipped a shot onto the crossbar, which dislodged and hit me on the head. I don't remember anything else until I woke up. But apparently I played on, finished the match, got showered and changed and left in a teammate's car. When I eventually realised I was awake, I assumed I was in A and E. Far from it. I was in the King George on Peel Street having a pint.

 

Yes JBP...worked 15 years on Wakey Road, then 2 at South Kirby

 

Only sent sent off once and that was by Stephen Lodge who went on to referee in Premier.Had my hearing in Tollgate down Harbrough Hills.