Wombwell Town are one win away from claiming the County Senior League Division Two title but are unsure where they will be playing next season or if they will have to change their name.
Town – who were formed as a club last summer – have won 15 and drawn two of their 17 league games this season, putting them seven points clear at the top of the league with three matches remaining. They are already promoted to Division One and have ambitions of becoming Barnsley’s highest-placed non-league club.
They began their season at the Wombwell Recreation Ground on Station Road but have had to play games since the turn of the year at Dearne Valley College in Wath, Redfearns Sports Club in Monk Bretton and now Shafton Community Centre.
Karl Rose, the former Barnsley striker from Darfield, dropped five leagues to take over as manager last summer. He said: “We wanted to be based at Wombwell Rec which is a fantastic facility and we were building a fanbase there with crowds of more than 100. But there are a lot of other teams from various sports playing there and we haven’t been able to play there since November due to the condition and the availability of the pitch.
“We are probably going to have to move elsewhere to progress, which is a crying shame for us and for the people of Wombwell and Darfield who had really taken to us. We will definitely field a team next season and keep the same players with the aim of going up the leagues and challenging the best teams in Barnsley. It will take more than this to stop us.
“We have five or six options for a new venue, either owning somewhere ourselves or groundsharing. We may have to change the name of the club but we don’t know yet.”
Town won 2-1 at home to United Worksop on Saturday. Luke Needham put them ahead early in the second half then, after the visitors equalised soon after, Joe Oliver scored a late winner. Victory at New Bohemians tomorrow would secure the title. Rose said: “We want to get the job done as soon as possible. The title would be great but we also want to go through the season unbeaten which would be a phenomenal achievement.
"I remember, after we got absolutely battered in one of our first friendlies, I told the lads we would win the league and they looked at me like I was mad. But we are one game away from it now. The players have been absolutely fantastic and worked very hard. We want to be competing for promotion in Division One next season as well.”
Rose, who played six games for Barnsley in the 1990s, is now 40 but has been playing recently due to injuries. He said: “I would rather focus on being the manager but I have had to help out a bit and borrow some shinpads. I am desperately looking for a couple of extra players so I don’t have to play again next season.”
