​Enterprising cricketers form Upper Haugh CC set up a football team

Upper Haugh FC has been formed by players from Upper Haugh CC and plays its home matches on the pitch behind Rawmarsh Health Centre.

It has been accepted into the Sheffield Fair Play League and may join a fully competitive league in the future.

Chairman – and striker – of the new team is cricket first club captain Tommy Hyde.

"It was something that came about from a discussion amongst a few of us,” said Tommy.

"Over the winter period it can be tough to get people into the club and keep the bar busy and the lads together so in January we decided to create a football team and enter the Sheffield Fair Play League.

"It is played on Saturday mornings so that still allows the lads the afternoons free to be with their families or go and watch Sheffield Wednesday or United or Rotherham etc.

"We had to play eight grading friendlies to get into the league, so it’s quite a tough process, but we have been accepted for the coming season.”

Upper Haugh FC has a decent pool of players to pick up because the cricket club runs three senior teams containing around 40 players in total.

An appeal for footballers got a good response.

“A lot of them were interested in playing 11-aside football and about 70 per cent of the team is made up of cricketers,” said Tommy.

"Even though a lot of lads hadn’t played for years, we are half decent. We won five out of our eight grading games.”

The footballers go back to the cricket club on Wentworth Road for a drink and a bite to eat after matches.

Added Tommy: “It is all recreational, a bit of fun to keep the lads fit and together over winter, but if this works we would have visions to go into such as the County Senior League in years to come if the chance arose.

“Of course in the long run all this has to be good for Upper Haugh.

"We aretrying to set up a padel club at the cricket club so this will be an extra link to making it into a community hub.”