Sheffield United legends will turn out in force at the end of September to acknowledge the outstanding contribution that Stocksbridge Park Steels founder Allen Bethel has made to local football.
Mr Bethel retired from all roles with Stocksbridge at the end of last season. He had retired as chairman last year to make way for Graham Furness.
The Blades legends will face a Stocksbridge veterans side on Sunday 29th September at the Look Local Stadium.
The match will raise funds for the Blades nominated charities.
Kick-off is 2pm and admission is £7 for adults. £3 concession and children (pay on the day). Car parking is £2.
It is hoped that the likes of Chris Wilder, Paddy Kenny, Chris Morgan, Ian Bennett, Chris Morgan, Leigh Bromby, Richard Cresswell, Rob Kozluk, Michael Brown, Rob Hulse, Michael Tonge and Danny Webber.
Mr Bethel’s “legacy” is quite extraordinary and he certainly goes down as a pioneer of Non League football. He started Stocksbridge Juniors in 1982 with kids who lived on his street, having spotted that there was no football provision for juniors.
Four years later he realised Stocksbridge Works were folding which would “scupper” plans to grow the junior club. Oxley Park, who had three teams, were in a similar position so Mr Bethel’s own words: “I went and saw the Oxley Park chairman and agreed a merger in less than two hours to form Stocksbridge Park Steels.
Perhaps the biggest achievement has been the progression of number of players – most notably Jamie Vardy.
Vardy is not the only player who has gone onto higher climbs – Lee Mills (Wolves) Simon Marples (Doncaster Rovers) preceded him. Harrison Biggins was sold to Fleetwood Town in 2017.