Newly-formed Glapwell FC keen to grow a club as football returns to village

Glapwell will play in the North Division of the Central Midlands Football league at Hall Corner next season.

It brings football back to the village for the first time since the previous club folded in June 2016.

Chairman Jamie Wajs said they had learned lessons from the past and signalled his desire to get the local community behind the new club.

“We want to form a club now and grow it, with adding a second team and building down into the junior section,” he said.

“I don’t think the structure was really there before, it was top heavy and first team orientated, but we want to build a club and not just a team.

“It will be a case of reviewing things after next season when it has settled down and clubs and leagues know which way they are going again.

“The old team got good support from the local area. Glapwell is bang in between Mansfield and Chesterfield and hopefully we can get some of their floating fans.

“For us it is keeping the focus really and the community involvement will drive it for us, you need their support to grow things.

“It is good to be back, it has been a fair few years and it is exciting for Glapwell and all involved.

“We have always had an interest in the local area.

“We have also had plenty of messages from other local clubs, it has been really well supported.

“We have been working hard with the Parish Council to get this off the ground, they have been really supportive and want to see football back in the centre of the village.

“It’s been interesting getting it off the ground, it has been hard work. Some of the people from before are still around so it is a bit of a case of the old meeting the new.

“We have learned lessons from the past and are just eager to crack on with it now.”

The first team will be managed by former Chesterfield Town manager Dave Turner.

And he is likely to have plenty of players to choose from following plenty of interest from potential new players.

But, although progress has been good on the field, it has slowed off the field in some areas as a result of the COVID-19 fall-out.

“With what we are going through with pandemic, it has slowed down the support we have had behind us,” said Mr Wajs.

“Finances do dictate and there will be a lot of clubs who will have an interesting time of it.

“Finances from sponsorship and FA money won’t be as forthcoming this season. It is going to be interesting, but we have got a core there which will hopefully get the ball rolling and give us something to build on.”

Anyone interested in offering sponsorship can contact Jamie on 07970 411501 or the club direct via twitter @Glapwell_FC_89

The previous Glapwell side enjoyed a meteoric rise up the football ladder before the bubble finally caved in on them.

They lifted the Derbyshire Senior Cup in the 1997/98 season after beating Matlock Town on penalties and were promoted to the NCEL Premier in 1999/2000 to secure step five football for the first time.

It got even better when the club won promotion to the NPL Division One South in the 2007/08 season.

Their first season ended in disappointment after they missed out on the play-offs by just a single goal on the final day of the season.

Glapwell were just inches away from promotion after an agonising 1-0 defeat at Chasetown F.C. in the play-off final in front of 1300 people the following season.

But the bubble bagan to burst when the club were forced to resign from the Northern Premier League at the end of the 2010/11 season due to ground licensing issues after a dispute with the local parish council.

Glapwell returned to the Central Midlands Football League for the 2011/12 season before folding four years later.

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