North Gawber completed a historic treble this week but say that not being able to play at Bramall Lane in the Sheffield Senior Cup final is a ‘kick in the teeth for the community.’
Frickley Athletic have pulled out of the final, due to be held at Sheffield United’s ground on May 23, complaining that it was too long after their final league game. Gawber manager Dave Simms said: “We’re really, really disappointed and gutted. Most of us have never been involved in a game at a stadium like that before. It’s a massive kick in the teeth for myself, the players, the staff and the community.
“We would have taken hundreds of fans and we had organised busses for the junior teams. It would have been the biggest game in the club’s history and our FA Cup final. We were really looking forward to doing battle there and representing Barnsley. It’s just devastating. We might never get an opportunity like that again.”
Frickley have apologised to Gawber but Simms is frustrated and says it is ironic that now-defunct Barnsley club Shaw Lane were criticised for withdrawing from a previous final as it was scheduled the night before a play-off game. Simms said: “I cancelled by 50th birthday celebrations and a lot of the lads are not going on stag dos and other things. We would have done anything to make sure we played that game. Frickley absolutely hammered Shaw Lane when they pulled out. I am not saying what Shaw Lane did was right, but it was a better reason than Frickley’s.”
Gawber reached the final by beating Athersley Rec, Maltby Main and Parkgate who all play at least one division above them. He said: “We would rather have played the game but no one can argue that we deserve the trophy after beating three teams in the league above us. “We’re hoping the FA will let us go to Bramall Lane on May 23 anyway and pick the trophy up. It will be a strange experience but we want that feeling of lifting the trophy there because we’ve deserved it.”
Gawber have been cheered up by securing the County Senior Premier Division title with a 2-1 win against Wombwell Main on Wednesday. Simms has dedicated the treble – which also includes the League Cup – to his predecessor as manager Nick Bedford who died in 2015.
Simms said: “I thought at the start of the season that we could challenge for the title but I never expected to get a treble. It’s an amazing season and all the lads can be really proud of themselves. Nick’s son Jake plays for us and, when we won the first cup, his wife and other children were there. When the final whistle went a lot of us pointed to the sky and said it was for him. The club nearly folded after he died but we’ve kept it going and everything we do is for him.
“Most of the squad are his players and 90 per cent of them are from the Mapplewell and Darton area. “Nick would be smiling down on us, although he would be furious that the little club he set up didn’t get the chance to play the final at Bramall Lane.”
