It’s been revealed that a former Sheffield Wednesday player and manager is among businessmen who are forming a new club in a city with a population of 100,000.
Chris Turner, who also managed Leyton Orient, Hartlepool United and Stockport County as well as played for Lincoln City, Sunderland, Manchester United and Leeds.
The new club called Wakefield AFC will be playing in the Central Midlands League for the 2019-20 season and are to play home games at Pontefract Collieries’ Harratt Nissan Stadium before eventually moving to the new Belle Vue stadium.
“Launching a new football team is a major undertaking which has not been done lightly by any of the team"
Former #swfc & #safc goalkeeper Chris Turner is behind a new football team in #Wakefield @WakefieldAFC https://t.co/TuLKaqAZHB
— YEP Sport (@YEPSportsdesk) March 21, 2019
Mike Hegarty, one of the businessmen behind the formation of the club, said as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post: “This is the culmination of a nine-year dream. Wakefield is the UK’s largest city without its own football team something that football fans and proud citizens have complained of for decades.
Chris Turner added: “Launching a new football team is a major undertaking which has not been done lightly by any of the team. The foundations are in place, we have a name, venue for fixtures and are assembling a team to kick off the new 2019-20 season.”
Wakefield AFC launched today
Great project in front of me
New Stadium as well
All good— Chris Turner (@secondflight2) March 20, 2019
It’s claimed many clubs have tried to set up and take off but with the city so attached to Rugby league or support other football clubs, it’s been a struggled.
Wakefield FC, who had many name changes and began in Emley, dissolved in June 2014 after around 110 in existence.
They rose up through the leagues, starting at Huddersfield District League and finished as high as runners up of the Northern Premier League.
They reached the Third Round: of the FA Cup in 1997–98 before losing 2–1 to West Ham United. Wakefield were FA Trophy quarter-finalists in 1990–91 and 1998–99 and also FA Vase runners-up in 1987–88.
Wakefield resigned from the Northern Premier League at the end of the 2013–14 season and planned to play matches in the Northern Counties East Football League the following season in Emley, where they were to share with AFC Emley but ended up getting wound up.
Following the news coming out that Wakefield AFC was to be formed, fans took to social media to give their reaction, some greatly in support, others thought that it might not work – check out what they had to say on the next page.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login