Worksop Parramore

Worksop Parramore FC was a non league football club that merged with Handsworth FC in 2014 to form Handsworth Parramore FC. The club was originally formed in 1936 as the works team of  iron founders F Parramore & Sons of Sheffield going under the name of Parramore Sports.

The club played works league football for many decades before being promoted to the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior Football League in 1985. In the late 2000s under the ownership of Peter Whitehead the club, who were by then known as Sheffield Parramore Sports, moved into the Don Valley Stadium and joined the Central Midlands League.

Parramore lifted the championship in the 2010-11 season gaining promotion to the Northern Counties East League. At the same time Whitehead, the chairman of Windsor Food Service bought Sandy Lane in Worksop, with the club becoming Worksop Parramore FC. 

The ground had previously been the home of Worksop Town until they were evicted. Town were invited back as tenants after several seasons in the wilderness to the newly sponsored Windsor Foods Stadium.

Parramore finished in third place in Division One of the NCEL in the 2011-12 season and were duly promoted. In May 2013 it was announced that the club intended to merge with Sheffield outfit Handsworth FC, with the deal taking up to a year to be completed.

The side finished fourth in the Premier Division of the NCEL in 2013-14 prior to the merger, which saw the club remain at Sandy Lane for home games until their Olivers Mount home in the Darnall suburb of north Sheffield met with the required ground grading regulations.

My visit

Worksop Parramore 4 Scarborough Athletic 4 (Saturday 8th September 2012) NCEL Premier Division (att: 157)

I was on night shift at work in London but desperate for another look at the attractive Boro team. I had managed to book a reasonably priced train which required a change at Retford to complete my journey.

My tiredness allowed me to grab some sleep on the journey from Kings Cross, and in what seemed like no time at all I had made my connection, and I was in Worksop. I loved away games, but the continual carping from some looking to continually criticise the club was grinding on me.

I had a chat with a highly respected friend, and I told him I was considering not making the effort for a while and just sending the club a donation instead. I reckon it was most likely through lack of sleep.

Listening to some Scarborough fans whining about how Parramore had bought the ground and then upgraded it for next to nothing while we were homeless made me wonder? Of course, Mr Whitehead had done a fine job, but the figures he'd told those listening didn't include the parts of the ground that had been there from our previous visit.

Still, never let the facts get in the way of things, eh? I also had a discussion with a good loyal fan, even though I didn't agree with all his opinions, but that's football. I'd had a drink earlier at the excellent Mallard pub, but I fancied a wander. I wondered why I'd bothered.

Fortunately, I had a chat with some more reasoned fans in the smart clubhouse before we went outside, with me being confident of a win. I did a lap around the improved ground distributing membership forms along the way trying to raise income for the club.

The ground had been updated slightly since my previous visit to watch the old Scarborough FC take on Worksop Town. As well as the little cover at the entrance end, the seated stand at the far end and the impressive Main Stand, there were now two more small, seated stands opposite. It had a very smart appearance.

The game was also good on the eye. Parramore had been scoring lots of goals, but also had a suspect defence, not unlike Boro. Goals were always likely to come, and it was no surprise when Joel Ramm netted to please over a hundred Seadogs in attendance to emphasise their hold on the game.

However, our joy soon turned to disbelief as somehow Boro shipped three goals before the interval. Former Seadog Lee Whittington was amongst the scorers. I was not the only one in shock. They really were shocking at the back.

I was standing with my old mate Fred Firman who as ever was excellent company. We got on whatever. We grabbed a bottle of Lucozade apiece from the bar and left the grumbling behind to take our place in the Main Stand for the second period.

We were a little melancholy for the first ten minutes, but the signs were there that the game wasn't over. Boro were creating chances, even though they looked extremely rocky when Parramore counter attacked.

There was a good vibe around us. We were with some extremely loyal fans. Gradually the volume increased from the Seadogs fans, and it raised considerably when Tom Adams headed home. Jimmy Ghaichem came on as sub, after playing for his parent club Frickley Athletic the evening before and he was causing problems down the left wing.

Then out of nowhere Daz Winter played a lousy pass back to let in Parramore for number four. We were not happy, but we continued to shout encouragement as did most of the Seadog army.

With eleven minutes remaining Andy Milne powered in a header and then with three minutes to go his centre back partner Matt Plummer put in a bullet header that went over the line off the bar. The home side’s inadequacy in the air was there for all to see.

Substitute Tony Hackworth was winning everything. In the last minute a glancing Ryan Blott header hit both posts without crossing the line and then in stoppage time another chance went begging as the Seadogs came mightily close to winning the game.

At full time both sides received rousing applause, with the Boro team getting a well-deserved ovation. It was a wonderful game of football. Yes, the defences were poor, but it reminded me why I loved the game and my club.

I returned to London in a buoyant mood to complete my last shift before a fortnights holiday. As I believe I posted on the Surfing Seadog forum at the time, "World Shut Your Mouth". It seemed so apt!