Green Shoots For Ball Haye?

Ball Haye Green  1  Leek CSOB Reserves  5

Staffordshire County Senior League – First Division

Leek has been somewhat blessed over the years when it comes to football.

Leek Town, playing at the fantastic Harrison Park, at one point managed to attain Conference status, but while that experience was short lived, they’ve always been a club that has played at Step 3 or more latterly, Step 4. I’ve been to Harrison Park on umpteen occasions, and perhaps the most memorable being when Belper Town won a play-off semi final in front of a large and partisan crowd.

Leek County School Old Boys for many years were a North West Counties League side that shared Harrison Park. But, they left the NWCL to join the Staffordshire County Senior League and in the last few seasons have managed to obtain a facility of their own down in Cheddleton which is equipped with floodlights. A return to the NWCL might not be that far away?

Also based in Leek, on the North side of the town was Ball Haye Green, playing on a floodlit ground with a covered terrace at the back of the local working men’s club. It was a fantastic facility considering it was hosting Step 7 football in the Staffordshire County Senior League, and with the huge factory as a backdrop behind the terraces, it was something of an iconic venue. I made my one and only visit back in 2006, one Wednesday night where I saw them beat Norton 3-0.

The College - In The Distance

I’m sure that with a bit of refinement, Ball Haye Green had the facilities that could see them make a leap up the pyramid if they so wished, and with a decent support, it didn’t seem that unrealistic to see them make a fist of it. But, stay put they did for reasons that are clearly very justifiable, however the whole landscape changed last season.

2017-18 was to be the clubs last season at the ground they called home, because the landowner, who had previously had no issue with the club using the ground, decided they could no longer use it, this despite the club managing to register the ground as a an Asset of Community Value which meant nothing could have been built on it until at least 2022.

Notice was given and the club had to find a new home and quickly. The problem being, if they didn’t find a ground that was suitable for Step 7 football then they would find themselves relegated. I guess in the grand scheme of things, being relegated was a small price to pay for being able to stay in existence.

Rural Staffordshire

Relegated they were because the facility they found was the Westwood College New Hall campus on the Western edge of the town. Effectively a school playing field with a rope around it, but, it meant they could continue and eight years of history would not come to an abrupt end.

The college is found easily enough, if you have a sat nav, because it’s accessed via a housing estate and involves a bit of bobbing and weaving along the matrix of roads that eventually lead you to your destination.

Parking is limited, and I had to make do with the road outside, while the pitch is quite a way from the dressing rooms, set at the back of the colleges sports fields. Leek CSOB reserves were the visitors so we had a true Leek Derby, el classico if you like, and a modest sized crowd had tipped up to watch it.

Twilight Zone

The hosts took the lead in the first period and looked in the early part of the game to be the better side, but it all subsequently went wrong. Leek CSOB turned a one goal deficit into a 5-1 victory, and in the second half in particular, they simply had far too much for Ball Haye Green.

It was quite a physical game at times, but then local pride to a certain extent was at stake. CSOB saw their manager dismissed from the dugout after one particular outburst, while some of the tackles were on the meaty side.

You know what though, as much as I admire Ball Haye Green for their perseverance and determination to continue as football club, I’m not too sure what the future holds. I’m sure they would dearly love to get back to the top flight of the SCSL, but without a ground that meets the standard, that is going to be nigh on impossible.

Not Quite Ball Haye

If the old ground at the Working Men’s Club does ultimately cease to be a sporting venue, and that looks likely, then it will be a real shame for non-league football in Leek. That said, while those involved at Ball Haye Green Football Club have the desire to keep the club running, where there is light, there is always hope, and maybe, one of their neighbours might just lend a helping hand?

I can think of a couple of suitable venues not too far away.......