Park Life: Grassroots cup ties worthy of a TV audience

THE COUNTDOWN is on to Leeds United's EFL Cup corker at Liverpool '“ and some juicy cup ties await in the Leeds grassroots football sphere this weekend.
Morley Town secretary Noel Bullock.Morley Town secretary Noel Bullock.
Morley Town secretary Noel Bullock.

The first weekend of the new month traditionally brings about the next stages of the West Riding FA County Cup competitions with both the Saturday County Challenge Cup and the County Sunday Cup now at the last 64 stages.

And perhaps it is the Sunday clash between Chapeltown Fforde Grene and New Sharlston Welfare that takes top billing.

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The Leeds grassroots football scene didn’t feel the same following Fforde’s resignation from the Leeds Combination League last term.

But Fforde are now back with a bang having won four games out of four in the league’s Jubilee Premier which is led by Hope Inn Whites who have 13 points from six games.

New Sharlston, meanwhile, have traditionally been a strong force in the Wakefield Sunday League – finishing third in Premiership One last season.

They have had a slow start to the new campaign and sit fourth-bottom but will be hoping to fly the Wakefield Sunday League flag with pride in Fforde’s back yard.

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There are several other interesting ties on offer in the Sunday arena with the leading Castleford Sunday League outfit meeting a Combination League one as league champions Ferrybridge Progressive WMC host Horsforth Fairweather.

Seacroft WMC also welcome Hope Inn Whites in an all-Leeds Combination League top-flight County Cup cracker.

And were the Sky cameras to visit a Saturday County Cup fixture then perhaps they would descend on Manse Lane where Knaresborough Town welcome Beeston St Anthony’s as fifth plays second from the West Yorkshire League.

Plenty of decent contests to look forward to, and following on from last week’s Park Life column, it’s been warming to receive such a notable response to the previous weekend’s shortage of referees in the West Yorkshire Premier.

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Richard May, the recruitment and retention officer for Leeds RA, was quick to get in touch about the situation, as was Morley Town secretary Noel Bullock.

A call to arms of sorts as the Leeds grassroots football scene attempts to rally through adversity and show the sort of fighting spirit that has taken Garry Monk’s men to one point off the play-offs in the Championship. Bring on Norwich.

Leeds United are on the up and we want the Leeds grassroots football scene to be the same.

Marching On Together.

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