End of era as Mr Steels stands down

A retired credit manager who took the helm at Bracken Moor Lane in 1986, 77-year-old 'Mr Steels' announced his retirement on Wednesday, citing health issues for standing down a year earlier than planned.

In a club statement expressing "sadness" at the news, vice-chairman Graham Furness was unveiled as Bethel's summer successor at the Look Local Stadium. Currently a member of the reserves' management team, the 58-year-old is also the club's development officer.

Bethel, pictured, told fans he will always look back on his time turning Steels into one of the most stable and highly respected clubs in south Yorkshire, both on and off the field, with "immense pride".

Unsurprisingly, Bethel also singled out helping to launch the career of World Cup-bound England striker Jamie Vardy as one of his greatest achievements alongside building a club boasting one of the best pitches and training facilities in the area, 13 squads from a thriving junior section upwards and a proud and widely acknowledged reputation for paying its players and creditors on time.

Bethel said: “It’s seeing players develop and go on to make a career in full-time football. We sold Lee Mills to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1991-92 and Simon Marples who went on to have a successful career with Doncaster Rovers. But it was the arrival of a skinny lad called Jamie Vardy following his release from Sheffield Wednesday that I shall always look back upon with immense pride, and of course the rest is history."

Looking back to the club's founding, he added: “It all started in 1982 when I had about six local kids and formed Stocksbridge Juniors. It was then I met Michael Grimmer [Stocksbridge’s current secretary] and things developed from there. 1986 saw the merger of Stocksbridge Works and Oxley Park to form what is now Stocksbridge Park Steels.”

Furness is now looking forward to successfully building on Bethel's legacy when the 2018-19 season kicks off as manager Chris Hilton prepares for the return of the Steels squad for preseason training on Saturday 23 June.

Furness said: “Although the club is very stable, it’s important that we try and bring in more revenue. We would also like to see match attendances improve. Under our manager Chris Hilton the team play attractive flowing football so I feel we need to become more proactive in the media and community to try and get people through the turnstiles to see what’s on offer at a very reasonable price, particularly with prices going through the roof to watch EFL Football.”

Images courtesy of stocksbridgeps.co.uk

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