Village pride after Kiveton Park FC end 47-year wait for a league title

TOP OF THE PILE: Kiveton Park are celebrating their first league title since 1978

A FOOTBALL club is celebrating its first league championship in nearly 50 years.

KIveton Park’s success in topping Division One of the County Senior League broke a drought dating back to winning the old Yorkshire League Second Division in 1978.

What makes the new achievement extra special is that it has been done with a strong core of players from the club’s thriving junior set-up.

"We used the least number of players (29) out of anybody in our league, " said manager Dan Stewart. “And out of those 29, 15 lads have all progressed from our junior teams.

GOAL: Alex Thompson scores his second of the game in a handsome final-day victory

"The others aren’t just lads we have just pulled in from anywhere. They are either people who have moved to the village or lads who we have got to know and have seen what we are about and wanted to get involved.

"It’s a really good squad of really good people.”

Park’s route to the title hasn’t been straight forward.

They had to scrap and fight their way to top spot before sealing it by beating Athersley Rec 8-2 last week.

HOME GROWN: Kiveton Park lads Ben Crew, Eddie Payne, Ben Law and Harry Ward have all came through the age groups together to help the club to success

Ishmael Lammy scored four of them and further strikes from Alex Thompson (2), Ben Bertram and Ben Crew set the celebrations in motion.

With 21 goals, “Ish” will win the league's golden boot and, together with Jason Slew and Bertram, the trio have 48 goals between them this term.

”We had a wobble in January but we were there when it mattered,” said Dan, himself a former Kiveton junior.

"In the last six games, we have won four by the odd goal. It shows when the chips are down the players fight for each other. We’ve not walked the title. We’ve had to fight ever step of the way and that shows character.”

Jason Slew, Ishmael Lammy and Ben Bertram, who have 48 goals between them this term

Kiveton Park FC is believed to be the oldest football club in Rotherham and will now move up to the Premier Division, Step 7 on the league pyramid, for the first time in 12 years.

"Would we like to go higher? “ If we ever got a chance it is something we could look to,” added Dan. "First and foremost we are a village club run by volunteers. It is about having a team and a club that the village can be proud of. Since I took over we’ve tried to get back to having lads that are good people and good footballers ultimately.

“I’m a Kiveton lad, born and raised here. The club means a hell of a lot to me so to be able to do this is a massive thing.”