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Sport
The New Lodge man who played a role in ‘ping pong diplomacy’
ALAN Hydes is looking forward to returning as a guest to Barnsley FC where he would train regularly throughout a remarkable table tennis career which took him from New Lodge to the People’s Republic of China.
Hydes, now 75, learned the sport at Barnsley Boys Club before going on to play more than 100 times for England and win four Commonwealth gold medals, before coaching around the world.
Alan, who is due to return to...
Barnsley RUFC sink back to bottom
BARNSLEY RUFC sank back to the bottom of Yorkshire Division Three after a 48-10 loss at title contenders Halifax.
The defeat in their first game of 2025 left the Shaw Laners with ten points from 14 games, a point behind Thirsk who overtook them but have played a game more.
Barnsley – who have eight games left – now visit third-bottom Thornesians who are six points above them.
Barnsley Ladies’ game at home to leaders Cheltenham...
Callum wins first fight since tragedy
IT wasn’t quite Barnsley but it wasn’t bad.
Callum Simpson defended his British and Commonwealth titles with a second round TKO victory at the Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield last Saturday night.
Opponent Steed Woodall had been put down by a bombardment of punches in the second round and was stopped with just shy of five minutes gone in the contest.
The weigh-in and press conference ahead of the fight had been held in the...
All sport called off over snowy weekend
The sporting schedule in Barnsley over the weekend was wiped out due to the freezing weather.
All scheduled football and rugby matches were cancelled as were the ParkRun races on Saturday and Sunday.
With temperatures rising, it remains to be seen whether some local football will go ahead on Tuesday.
Dearne and District are due to host Wakefield with Wombwell Town due to visit Appleby Frodingham.
Simpson knows only a win will help bring more special nights to town
CALLUM Simpson is continuing his mantra of saying ‘every fight is must win’ ahead of the first defence of his British and Commonwealth titles.
It has certainly served him well so far as he has won all 15 of his pro fights to date. But the stakes are getting bigger and bigger.
The unbeaten super-middleweight put on a dazzling display at Oakwell back in August as he defeated former champion Zak Chelli unanimously on a...
Wath suffer defeat on the road
THREE tries were not enough for Wath to claim any points from their trip to Yorkshire One rivals Beverley.
Joe Bartlett, Oscar Bramhall and Anthony Davies went over but Wath were on the end of a 33-19 defeat.
Fly-half Jack Whitlam kicked two conversions but Wath suffered a third straight loss and now sit sixth in the table.
None of the other local rugby union teams were in action last weekend but...
2025 PREVIEW: Imogen set for first full year as professional
IMOGEN Wolff is hoping for a solid first year as a professional cyclist in 2025.
After winning world medals at junior level, the 18-year-old from Silkstone Common has just started her professional career.
She has recently been competing in cyclocross, the winter sport which sees participants race around often muddy terrain and carry their bikes up hills.
It is expected to be announced as a Winter Olympic sport from 2030 which, if it happens, will...
Elite come back to win
Elite AFC were the only Barnsley side to end the year with a win on Saturday as they triumphed 2-1 at home to SJR Worksop.
They trailed at the break but Archie Micklethwaite and Jacob Tupling secured three points in the Central Midlands League.
The Cudworth club are now third in the table with 34 points from 17 games.
In NCEL Division One, Worsbrough Bridge extended their unbeaten run to 14 games but their play-off...
Barnsley’s fast girls want to reach top
Interviews with four young runners from the town who are among the best in country for their age.
Eleanor Baker
The 20-year-old from Barugh Green is working towards the marathon at the next Olympics and hopes to burst onto the international scene next year.
She is in her final year as a history and politics student at the University of Sheffield while working part-time in a scaffolding yard.
She said: “The main goal is...
Barnsley teams into quarter-finals
SEVERAL Barnsley teams reached the quarter-finals of the Sheffield FA Sunday competitions.
Athersley Rec won 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at AFC Trades. Brad Kerr and Kyle Warden scored.
Worsbrough Bridge won 5-2 against Ardsley Oaks.
Shaw Inn were 3-0 winners at Brinsworth Whitehill.
West Bretton gained a 4-3 success at Hickleton Harriers.
The Cottage beat Scawthorpe Herons 6-3. The scorers were Lewis Batty, Max Phillis, Lyam Shelley, Callum Walton, Sam Whitlam and...
Promotion-chasers Wombwell and Dearne to meet in big derby
WOMBWELL Town and Dearne and District are separated by five miles on the map and three points in the NCEL Division One promotion race as they prepare for a vital derby tomorrow from 3pm.
Goldthorpe club Dearne, in their first season at this level, are second and three points clear of third-placed Town who have two games in hand.
Both sides are more than ten points behind runaway leaders Horbury Town who are in the...
Bridge out of cup after fielding cup-tied player
WORSBROUGH Bridge have been removed from the NCEL League Cup for fielding a cup-tied player in the previous round.
They had reached the last eight with a win over Golcar United last week.
Chairman Mark Booth posted on social media: “Ultimately, this error falls on me as chairman of this club and I am big enough to hold my hands up and apologise to the players, management and fans.
“Many clubs have made the same...
Two Rockingham players selected for Yorkshire u18s
TWO PLAYERS from Rockingham Cricket Club have been selected for Yorkshire under 18s girls’ squad.
Izzy Fidler and Maiya Charlesworth, both 15, were the top two run–scorers for Yorkshire CCC in the girls’ age groups last season while Izzy was the leading wicket-keeper.
They also open the batting for Rockingham’s junior and women’s teams while their record stand together is 242 for Rock against Sessay in the ECB National under 15 Twenty20 Cup.
Women’s
Barnsley’s basement battle after 10th straight loss
BARNSLEY RUFC visit fellow bottom two side Thirsk on Saturday after suffering a tenth successive defeat.
The Shaw Laners went down 80-0 at leaders Old Otliensians in Yorkshire League Three.
They are second-bottom with six points from 11 games which is the halfway point of the season.
Barnsley are six points behind the teams above them and four clear of bottom club Thirsk who are the only side they have beaten so far this campaign....
Bridge could overtake Rec after being 18 points behind
WORSBROUGH Bridge were 18 points behind local rivals Athersley Rec in the table last month but could overtake them tonight when they host a Barnsley derby from 7.45pm.
The teams also met on the first day of the season and drew 0-0, but Worsbrough took just four points from their first nine games – with no wins – so were 18 points behind Rec at the start of October.
But, while Athersley have followed an...
Almost all sport called off in Barnsley
The sporting schedule in Barnsley on Saturday was decimated by the heavy rain and low temperatures.
All the football games involving Barnsley teams at NCEL level – including the local derby between Athersley Rec and Wombwell Town – were called off, while only three went ahead in the County Senior League.
Barnsley Hockey Club’s home game with fellow strugglers Chesterfield was also called off due to a frozen pitch at Darton College.
Wath rugby union...
Dearne delighted to be top but not getting carried away
DEARNE Valley RUFC are top of Yorkshire Division Four but know there is plenty of work to do to stay there.
After a 32-3 win over Stocksbridge, Dearne are a point clear with 33 from eight games in their first season at that level.
Director of rugby Callum Emery said: “We are really pleased with the start we have made to the season, but we are fully aware that there is still a long way to go....
Bridge continue fine form
Worsbrough Bridge won 4-0 at home to second-bottom Appleby Frodingham on Saturday in NCEL Division One.
They are unbeaten in nine with seven wins and two draws, having not won any of their first nine league games.
They are now 12th with 30 points from 19 games.
All the goals came before half-time, with the first three in the opening 18 minutes.
Lloyd Smith scored two with Keelan Grist and Connor Glavin also on...
Barnsley lose 7th straight game but believe they can stay up
BARNSLEY RUFC suffered a seventh successive loss this week but remain confident of another great escape from relegation once a ‘freak’ injury crisis clears up.
The Shaw Laners were beaten 29-3 at fellow strugglers at West Park Leeds in Yorkshire Division Three.
They are second-bottom with six points from nine games, leaving them ten points adrift in the bottom two.
Coach Tom Kittrick said: “It’s been a freak season with injuries.
“I have coached rugby.
Wombwell Town win in FA Vase
Wombwell Town won 2-1 at Ashville on Saturday in the second round of the FA Vase.
After Jordan Kershaw’s opener was cancelled out, Jack Dando got the winner on the Wirral.
Town are now in the third round of the competition which has a Wembley final.
The draw is due to be made this week.
