Burngreave Saints Under 8s are bidding a fond farewell to the area after being dealt a batch of mixed blessings since their formation, but a merger plan now promises a brighter future.
Two years of struggles off the pitch have tried the patience of Saints’ manager, Rob Jolley, but now Darnall’s Throstles JFC have joined forces with the Burngreave side, creating a squad to make rivals in the Sheffield and District Junior Sunday League green with envy.
“We managed to get through the season and made a vast improvement. We only won three games – performance wise it was a lot better than last season, but it’s been a struggle.”
The Saints have had problems attracting players and, the future was looking bleak. “We haven’t got as much interest as I thought we’d get,” Mr Jolley said. “We couldn’t have carried on and I’d have been upset if we folded.”
Now Mr Jolley will be moving with his players to Throstles JFC – a team with more than 35 years history – where he is looking forward to having enough players to employ a squad system and to enjoy such luxuries as substitutes. Mr Jolley has been impressed with his plucky Saints, who never let their heads drop despite the uncertainty surrounding their future.
“We played with a smile on our faces and win, lose or draw we enjoyed it. Nobody likes to lose but you take the positives from parents coming up to you and saying ‘brilliant’, ‘well done’.We’ve made a lot of friends along the way. I personally thank everyone who has supported us and whoever has played even a small part in our season.”