Toolstation NCEL Division One
Back in February 2016, Worsbrough Bridge has just returned to Park Road after several months away at Grimethorpe and then Maltby following floodlight problems at their historic home.
Luke Forgione had also just re-signed for them as a player to help them attempt to pull out of trouble.
Worsbrough played three times at home that month.
Fifty-eight people watched their return ‘home’ in the 1-1 draw with Winterton Rangers.
Attendances then plummeted with just 38 watching the defeat to Shirebrook Town before a terrible number of 22 witnessed the 7-1 drubbing by Westella VIP.
But five years on, Worsbrough are on a crest of a wave with crowds now breaking 200.
The bad old days are a distant memory and the club is in a 100 times stronger position in all areas and Forgione, who returned as manager last October, has guided them to a positive start to the campaign.
“I think the club has progressed on-and-off-the-field (since 2016),” Forgione told Non League Yorkshire.
“It is still early days but there is promising signs in the league season.
“For our home games we have had over 200 for two of them and 170s for another two.
“To go back to 2016, we got one man and a dog.
“It is great to have the crowds and we’re grateful that people want to come down and support us.
“I think the pandemic has had something to do with it.
“People were allowed to return to watch Non League before professional level.
“I think some fans who had never been to a Non League game in this area may have come down and thought ‘yeah it’s not bad’.
“I spoke to someone the other day and they came to the Parkgate game.
“He said ‘I paid £5 and we saw three goals, a sending-off, a chip-butty for £2 and my lad came and he got in for a £1, all for under £10, it’s value for money’.
“I think people can relate to Non League as well.
“I don’t think people are disillusioned with the top end of the game but I don’t think they can relate to the players anymore.
“Whereas people can relate to the players because they are all hard-working lads who all work.”
Worsbrough are back in league action this week with the trip to Ollerton Town, one of the league’s strugglers.
But Forgione knows they are in for a battle.
“Ollerton are down there but I don’t want my lads to think ‘it is three points’,” he said.
“It is not going to be like that.
“They have some good players who I am aware of and I know some of them.
“It will be difficult.
“People may give us more respect now because when you’re up there people want to beat you.”