What should be done to save the Sunday League? Tell Us in the Comment box below: The best of your views will also appear in the print edition of The Bolton News
SUNDAY League football is ingrained in the nation's consciousness.
It would seem inconceivable to generations of men for them not to turn up on the morning of the Sabbath for a kickabout with their mates in the local leagues.
Amateur footballers past and present would hate the thought of not running off the previous night's excesses on a mudbath of a pitch.
But that could become a distinct possibility, as amateur football looks to have an uncertain future.
At the turn of the century, amateur football seemed to be thriving in the town. There were four leagues supported by hundreds of local players.
However, the Bolton Combination, the Horwich Sunday League and the Bolton Pioneer League have all folded for different reasons. It leaves the Bolton and District Sunday League as the town's only surviving open age amateur football league.
advertisement
And, with the number of teams playing in the league today just half of that of 25 years ago, league chiefs are taking steps to safeguard its future.
There are many reasons why the league is suffering. Not as many people play football nowadays, the cost of playing is rising and the reputation afforded to amateur football - especially Sunday League football - is often a difficult tag to shake off.
Bolton Sunday L:eague officials chairman Dave Farnworth, left, and president Bob Shuttleworth
The outdated stereotype of tough, uncompromising football played by aggressive, foul-mouthed players has always proved difficult for Sunday League football to shake off.
However, Bolton Sunday League officials are ready do what they can to alleviate the problems by showing the red card to unsporting behaviour in a bid to clean up the league.
Two teams have already dropped out this season, meaning there are now just 32 teams in the LFA affiliated league structure.
"We have kicked out the bad teams before, and we are ready to do it again," said league secretary Bob Shuttleworth.
"We want to get rid of the unsavoury characters and get the good teams back into the league.
"The only way we can get 16 games on at a weekend now is for referees to double up. The reason we don't have enough refs is because of the abuse they take."
Mr Shuttleworth added: "When I started with the league 25 years ago we had 64 teams in five divisions and we could always guarantee a referee.
"It would be nice to think we wouldn't lose any more teams. However, we will probably lose two or three.
"There are a couple of other reasons why there are less teams in the league. One is the simple fact that there are not as many lads playing football now.
"There is also too much football on TV. If there is a good game on the telly, I don't blame some people not wanting to go out in the wind and rain.
"We try to accommodate teams, though. On occasions we have let teams change their kick-off times so they can go and watch Wanderers etc.
"The cost of football is expensive too. The parks are expensive to play on, but Bolton Metro set the prices.
"We charge £110 from each club for league and cup fees, and £3 for every player they register.
"All of that - about £2,500 on average - goes on medals and trophies at the end of the season. The lads deserve that after playing ankle-deep in mud all season."
Being ankle-deep in mud' evokes images of low-quality kick-and-rush football, but it pains Shuttleworth when his league gets tagged with such stereotypes.
"It really gets to me when people call us a kicking league," said Mr Shuttleworth. "Any amateur league has people who kick, but we try and root it out.
"Sunday football often loses out. Saturday leagues are generally a better standard than Sunday leagues, but that doesn't mean we are a kicking league."
The different mix of players in the Sunday League makes it a real community affair. With an age range of between 16 to 70, and individuals from all walks of life, it is easy to see why the Sunday League plays such an important role in the community.
Asian side FC Moses Gate are enjoying their inaugural season, while Astley Bridge are in their third season with the league after progressing from the Bolton Boys Federation as 18-year-olds.
"It's good to see people from so many different walks of life playing in the league," said Mr Shuttleworth, who says he is still on a six-month trial' in the job as secretary after being put in charge a quarter of a decade ago.
"FC Moses Gate have come into the league, and they are a well run club with some excellent facilities. We warned all teams that they would be kicked out of the league if there were any reports of racism, but that hasn't happened.
"We have the young lads at Astley Bridge and it is good to see them playing against 30-year-olds and running past them.
"We have solicitors, barristers and bankers playing in the league - even comedians. Paddy McGuinness plays for the Three Pigeons, and he visited my house himself to register the team.
"Most teams get about 15 spectators watching them, while the better ones - like Sporting Westhoughton - can get up to 80 people watching them."
The league is not short of characters, and one in particular stands out in Shuttleworth's mind.
"We used to have a referee called Billy Ashworth," said Mr Shuttleworth, who has a long-service award for his commitment to the league. "Billy was blind in one eye, and he was reffing a cup game one day that was going into extra time.
"Billy gave a dodgy penalty in the last minute. I said to him that it was never a penalty, but Billy just turned around and said it had happened on his blind side, and he had somewhere to get to after the game.
"Billy used to carry a packet of mints in his top pocket, and if anyone gave him abuse he would just give the player a mint and tell him to put that in his mouth and shut up."
Being in charge of the league is a demanding and, sometimes, thankless task for Mr Shuttleworth. And the 71-year-old admits he worries about the future of the league once he decides to call it a day.
"I do it for the love of the game. But, there is nobody coming through willing to do the job.
"If we said that we would pay £50, we would get a flood of people but they should be doing it for the love of the game.
"When I go on holiday, I text home and find out the results. It is in my blood.
"If I ever win the lottery, I would pay every team's fees for a season and build a league headquarters where cup finals etc could be played. That's my dream, and that's what it means to me."
Mr Shuttleworth would like to acknowledge the help of the following people in running the Bolton Sunday League: Mick Morledge, Alan Johnson, Fred Morris, Hilda Shuttleworth and Eileen Farnworth
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
Print
Email this
Comment
