Stocksbridge is a town and civil parish in the City of Sheffield, east of the Peak District. It is located in the steep-sided valley of the Little Don River, below the Underbank Reservoir. The bottom of the valley is almost completely occupied by steel works, dating back to 1842 when Samuel Fox acquired the old cotton mill, which he converted as a wire mill. He built much of the infrastructure of Stocksbridge, primarily to house his new workforce and to supply their needs.
From 1860 steel manufacture in Stocksbridge had always been by melting iron and steel firstly in crucibles, then from 1862 Bessemer converters were used. Siemens Open Hearth Furnaces were operated for the majority of the 20th century, as well as Electric arc furnaces. (population: over 13,000)
Stocksbridge Park Steels F.C. was formed in 1986 following the merger of Stocksbridge Works, the works team of the local British Steel Corporation plant and Oxley Park Sports. The new club was admitted to the Northern Counties East League Division Two, with the works club having previously played in Division Three of the NCEL.
Jamie Vardy famously began his career with the club, as well as Eire international Scott Hogan and my old gig-pal Chris Waddle made an appearance for The Steels at the end of his career.
Northern Counties East League 1986-1996:
Division One champions 1991-92, Premier Division Champions 1993-94 and Runners-Up 1995-96
Northern Premier League 1996 - present
Played in the Premier Division between 2009-10 - 2013-14.
Bracken Moor Sports Club
2 Bracken Moor Lane,
Stocksbridge,
Sheffield
S36 2AN
Capacity 3,500 (450 seats)
Current NPL East Division grounds visited 20/20
The ground was originally a cricket pitch until after the Second World War, when it was purchased by the steelworks and converted into a football ground.
Stone-built changing rooms were erected in the mid-1960s, as well as a seated stand and terracing. The main stand has a distinctive angled awning which extends from the fascia with seats supplied from Hillsborough Stadium. The terracing runs into the corner in front of the building, with a covered enclosure behind the goal. The neighbouring cricket pitch is divided by a fence on the far side, which was required in order to gain entry to the Northern Premier League.
Floodlights were installed in 1990 and the main stand is now named in honour of Jamie Vardy.
Stocksbridge Park Steels 2(Wood 87 90+4)
Dunston 2(Thear 45+1,60)
NPL - East Division matchday 32v31
5th v 6th
1945.ko
Att.103
Weather: lashed down
Spondoolicks:
Admission £8
Pin badge £4
Stancil 'Blonde' pints £3.70 each, coffee £1 sausage roll £3
For the watching neutral this was a cracking match, but as someone who has a keen interest in Dunston it was a right sickener! Both teams scored twice and each missed a penalty, with the visitors blowing a two goal lead.
Liam Thear scored a belter in first half added on time, then on the hour made it 0-2 with a superb 35 yard chip after spotting the 'keeper off his line. Those goals deserved to be match winners, but Charlie Woods scrambled in a header late on, then deep into injury time he rifled home the equaliser.
Both goalkeepers saved penalty kicks, with Townsend out foxing Dale Pearson when the match was still goalless, then Dan Staples had preserved the two goal lead on the hour mark.
Both clubs are still in the play-off hunt but Dunston will be disappointed in letting two extra points slip away.
#Heedhopper
124 miles stadium-to-stadium
I travelled on the coach with the committee, players and staff, leaving the UTS Stadium at 4pm.
When the season started Stocksbridge was the only ground I hadn't done in the NPL East. The original postponed fixture was due to be played on the 18th December(which I couldn't make) and since then it has been moved four times, to eventually fall nicely on my holiday week.
We arrived in Stocksbridge at half-six, so plenty of time for a couple of pints in the clubhouse. The return journey was a late one - back home at 1.15am, but it was worth it to finally tick off this ground and complete the league.
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