The football governance bill and what it means for English Football
The Football Governance Bill will have its second reading in the House of Commons this afternoon after being passed through the House of Lords on 26 March.
The Bill is set to change the way football clubs in England are run, aiming for greater financial stability, accountability, and fan involvement. Here’s what you need to know about this landmark piece of legislation that could transform the future of the sport.
What is the Football Governance Bill?
The Football Governance Bill is a new piece of legislation which was introduced by the government in March 2024 and reintroduced in October 2024. The Bill is focused on improving the governance of football clubs across England. It aims to create a fairer, more sustainable future for the sport by establishing an Independent Football Regulator (IFR).
The Bill marks a historic shift in how football is managed in England. The new legislation will hold clubs accountable to their fans, their communities, and the future of the sport.
The Independent Football Regulator (IFR)
One of the key features of the Bill is the Independent Football Regulator (IFR). The IFR will oversee the operations of all football clubs, ensuring they are financially sound, well-managed, and have the proper leadership in place.
The regulatory board will do this by licensing the clubs in the top five tiers of men’s English football league who participate in competitions. These clubs must meet specific financial and governance standards to gain these licences.
The IFR will also assess the suitability of club owners and directors, conducting background checks and ensuring that those in charge have the right financial stability and integrity.
Fan Engagement
A key change in the latest version of the bill is the greater emphasis on fan involvement. Under the new bill, clubs will be required to consult fans on major decisions, including ticket pricing, team shirt designs and proposed stadium relocations.
This change aims to ensure that fans’ voices are heard and considered when it comes to significant decisions affecting their clubs. Previously, fan consultation was only a recommendation, but now it’s a legal requirement for clubs outside the Premier League.
Financial Fairness
The bill also includes provisions for more fair revenue distribution across the football leagues. The IFR will have the power to regulate how broadcasting revenue is shared between clubs in different divisions.
The bill extends the IFR’s powers to oversee parachute payments and financial assistance given to relegated clubs to ensure these funds are distributed in a way that promotes financial sustainability and fairness across the leagues.
As the bill moves through Parliament, all eyes will be on how it shapes the future of football in England, ensuring that the sport remains both fair and financially viable for years to come.
“Resilient” Sheffield women tell their recovery stories in new book
The addiction recovery journeys of five Sheffield women are told in a new book launching this Thursday.
Women in Recovery: Capital Pathways was edited by University of Derby criminology professor and recovery advocate David Patton and brings together the stories of 14 women, elevating their lived experiences alongside the research.
Helena "H" Lovell, a lived experience volunteer with Sheffield Recovery Community and contributor to the book, said: “For me this book, and the launch, and all the stuff that has built up to it, is really to reach into those women that are still struggling with dependency and to say ‘we get that, and there is another option, and we will support you in getting through.’”
The book was originally launched at a United Nations conference in Vienna on March 10 by Sheffield Women’s Individual Personal Experience Recovery Network founding member Rifhat Aziz.
Thursday’s launch will take place at the Sheffield Cathedral to highlight the five local contributors, with guest speakers including Patton, Aziz and the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Councillor Jayne Dunn.
Ms Lovell moved to Sheffield from the East Riding of Yorkshire in 2016 to receive treatment, and said the gender-based support she received from the local recovery community lead her to stay in the city.
Alison Thornhill, a Hospital Peer Mentor and SMART facilitator with Project 6 also contributed a chapter and described the additional barriers women face in accessing treatment, particularly when they fear their children being taken away.
She said: “It’s far more challenging for women because we’re known as the homemakers, keeping the family together. Then we become known as the home-breakers.”
According to Tracey Ford, Chair of Sheffield Recovery Community, the aim of the book is to raise awareness of the lessons that can be learned from women in recovery, and to reduce the stigma surrounding addiction.
She said: “It’s about raising awareness that people in recovery are pretty tough and have learned a lot, and they’re pretty resilient. There’s a lot to be learned from people at this stage in recovery.
“What we’re trying to do is empower women in recovery, but also empower communities.”
Alongside the book, the Sheffield Recovery Community have launched a pledge that anyone can sign to commit to helping Sheffield become an inclusive recovery city by limiting barriers to treatment, reducing stigma, and promoting understanding for those affected by addiction.
The Sheffield Inclusive Recovery Cities pledge can be signed here: https://sheffieldrecoverydirectory.co.uk/sheffield-inclusive-recovery-cities/
Sheffield school uniform charity flourishes as it helps out families in need
A uniform recycling charity set up by two Sheffield mums has continued to grow as they work towards their goal of opening a city centre shop.
Uni-Recycle was set up in Heeley during lockdown by friends Joanne (pictured right) and Louise, and offers recycled school uniforms at a low cost as well as free clothing to families in need.
The charity has a community shop at ECHO on City Road which is open for a few hours each Monday, and also has plans to move into MaTReC on Prince of Wales Road next month.
But Joanne said the ultimate goal would be to open a shop in the city centre, manned by volunteers every day of the week.
She said: “We’re hoping to just keep growing and growing.”
The charity holds around six sales a year at Heeley Parish Church where local people can donate and buy school uniforms for all ages at a cheap price. The most recent sale was on Saturday.
It then uses the profit it makes during the sales to offer a “discreet service” to families in need and provides them with uniforms free of charge.
According to DfE Data, the average cost of a full school uniform and PE kit currently stands at £442 for a child at secondary school, and £343 for a primary school pupil.
As a result, The Government have this morning announced plans to reduce the number of compulsory branded items in school uniforms.
Since it began in 2020, Uni-Recycle has quickly grown and now has partnerships with nine schools and three churches in the area, as well as companies and organisations such as Tesco and South Yorkshire Community Foundation.
The schools which work with the charity encourage families to drop uniforms off in bins which are in turn donated to Uni-Recycle. They can also refer families who are struggling.
Louise said: “We started with just two bags that someone donated and it’s become massive.”
The initiative began as a side project but last year was registered as a CIC as Joanne left her job as an estate agent and took on a job as church admin in order to focus on the project.
Joanne said: “We set it up as a recycling project, because everyone wants to recycle at the moment. We’ve probably had people today that are struggling unaware to us and have stood side by side with people who aren’t. There’s no shame or embarrassment about it.”
On top of typical uniforms, the charity helps to provide items such as coats and shoes to families in need, and has even helped out university students.
One parent who was helped out by the charity said: “My daughter is transgender and when she transitioned we were on universal credit. It helped us get a whole new girls uniform which would have been hard to afford otherwise. Uni-Recycle is absolutely brilliant.”
As the cost of living has risen, the charity has seen an increase in families who need help with uniforms, including among working parents.
Joanne said: “We are getting enough donations to be able to cope with the rise, but could do with more volunteers.”
There are a number of roles for volunteers, from helping out at the sales to washing and repairing donations.
One volunteer said: “I like volunteering here and getting to know local people. It gives you a bit of a lift when someone tells you how much you’ve helped them.
“And a lot of people come because they like to recycle, so it’s not only those who are struggling.”
The initiative hopes that their work will not only benefit the environment and families in need, but also contribute towards improving children’s education and wellbeing.
Joanne said: “Some children don’t want to go to school because they feel they don’t fit in with their clothes. We hope to help improve children's mental health by making sure they’re not going to school in rags or ripped clothes.
“There is less of a stigma around recycling and second-hand clothing than there used to be.”
The new government policy has brought further attention to the issue of school uniform pricing, and in recent years many similar initiatives have been set up across the country.
Ski village restoration campaign remembers anniversary of fire
On the 13th anniversary of the arson attack, campaigners and professional skiers have called on the council to take action to revive snow sports in Sheffield.
The Ski Village was set ablaze by vandals in 2012 and has never been restored.
No one has been prosecuted by South Yorkshire Police and the village is now a hotspot for fly-tipping and vandalism.
The council secured £19.5m in funding from the Levelling Up Fund, and have contracted a New Zealand private developer, Skyline Luge, in December 2024, but no formal plans have been made public.
Pete Shipston, 51, founded Revive Rewild, a company focused on advocating for the return of the Ski Village to Sheffield and promoting the creation of green spaces across the city.
The company launched their campaign 'Revive Sheffield Ski Village' one month ago, and has gained a large number of supporters, including professionals who used to train on the dry slope.
He said: “Sheffield is the outdoor city. There’s a wealth of talent that could easily be transferred from mountain biking, skating and gymnastics to Snowsports.
“We have some cracking sportspeople in this city, they’re out there and they’re waiting for this.”
The key campaigners have attended Sheffield City Council’s extraordinary, transport, regeneration, climate policy committee meetings and raised official questions.
The campaign currently has over 400 supporters and hopes to gain thousands more as the planning process moves forward to ensure a dry slope is included in the design.
The abandoned village has been repeatedly targeted by arsonists, the most recent incident occurred on 23 April, when South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue responded to multiple reports of a fire.
A spokesperson told the BBC they believed it was started deliberately.
The ski village was a training hub for England’s top skiers and snowboarders, who used its racing and freestyle facilities to train all year-round.
Sheffield-born skier, Paddy Graham, 37, emerged from the city's Ski Village to become Britain's leading freeskier.
Mr Graham was eager to show his competitors where he first learnt to ski, but it burned down just days before their trip.
He said: “Always for me growing up you would look up onto the hill and see the ski slope there. I was gutted.
“If they make a training facility for athletes with an airbag and a jump, that will give the UK scene an advantage again that it doesn’t have anymore.”
At the time, Sheffield's Ski Village was Europe's biggest artificial slope, with state-of-the-art facilities.
Kimberley Kay, 52, is campaigning alongside Revive Rewild to make the sport accessible to people again.
Mrs Kay, a former ski racer, now works to break down barriers for women in snow sports and is the author and illustrator of Ski A to Z.
She believes that children will benefit the most from its reconstruction.
Mrs Kay said: “Every school-age child should have the opportunity to try snow sports and have those doors open to them.”
“People going from Sheffield ski village to having snow sports careers to include the Olympics is phenomenal and I think it’s really sad that that has been lost, so it should be restored.”
The council's regeneration committee are waiting to receive a planning application from Skyline Luge.
Body found near tracks at Woodhouse station
A body was discovered near Woodhouse railway station early this morning with police and paramedics attending the incident.
The individual was pronounced dead at the scene according to the British Transport Police, but an investigation is still ongoing. They have not released any details about the identity of the body.
A spokesperson from the force said: "We were called to Woodhouse station shortly before 6am this morning, following reports of a casualty on the tracks.
"Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to their death."
During the incident all train services from Sheffield to Kiveton Park, Retford and Lincoln were cancelled with rail replacement buses scheduled to convey passengers along the disrupted route.
As of 10:39am all trains between Sheffield and Lincoln were running as normal again.
“We have never had equality”: Trans rights activists rally across the UK following court’s ruling
Hundreds of people gathered in over 20 UK cities, including Sheffield, this weekend, to show solidarity with the transgender community after the Supreme Court ruled the definition of a woman refers to biological sex.
Lexi S, 21, a transwoman, who attended the Bite Back 4 Trans Rights march on Saturday, expressed the trans community has never had equality and even more so now after the court’s judgement on 16 April.
The Supreme Court ruled under the Equality Act 2010 the definition of a woman refers only to biological sex and did not include transgender women, even those who hold a gender recognition certificate.
Lexi believes this ruling is dangerous, particularly for transwomen, who will now have to use bathrooms that do not align with their gender identity.
The ruling also means that trans people will be assigned to hospital wards and prisons that coincide with their biological sex and not their gender identity.
She said: “It means people will make our lives miserable, it means being told we are somehow lesser.”
This morning the leader of the Conservative party, Kemi Badenoch, suggested transgender people should use disabled toilets following the court’s decision.
Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has backed the court’s ruling and even welcomed it despite in 2021 advocating his party was committed to updating the Gender Recognition Act so trans people would be able to self identify.
Organiser of the march and Sheffield student, Carys Mcloughlin,19, stated she was “disgusted” by Starmer’s response to the ruling considering he had championed the trans community prior to the judgement.
She said: “People who have voted have been deceived and it's not right. None of this right.”
CEO of a Sheffield and South Yorkshire LGBTQ+ charity, SAYiT, Nicola Fearnley- Hill, 44, expressed her disappointment for the ruling and uncertainty of the ramifications the judgement holds.
She said: “It is obviously going to massively impact mental health and people’s identity. I fear that hate crimes towards this minority group of people will rise.
“Our main focus is to continue to provide a safe space for our LGBTQ+ community, helping them to protect their mental health and to navigate this volatile and politically charged climate.”
Over 20 protests have taken place this weekend alone, with the BBC reporting activists in Birmingham were met with physical abuse and even being spat on.
Advocators for trans rights were also met with verbal abuse and attacks in Sheffield despite conducting a peaceful protest.
Lexi added: “The amount of protests across the UK means there is anger, it means people want a solution, it means people want to fight for their rights and hopefully it will bring real change.”
Teenage boy accused of killing school pupil pleads guilty to manslaughter
A 15-year-old boy accused of killing Harvey Willgoose with a hunting knife at a Sheffield school has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, Sheffield Crown Court heard today.
The teen, who cannot be named, also pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and not guilty to murder.
Judge Jeremy Richardson KC remanded the defendant, who stood in the dock with an intermediary and three members of security staff, into secure local authority care.
Judge Richardson said: “You have pleaded guilty to manslaughter and the other offence relating to a knife.
“A jury will decide whether you are guilty or not guilty of the more serious allegation of murder. That trial will start on June 30 at this court.”
Harvey, also 15, died after he was stabbed through the heart at All Saints Catholic High School on February 3.
Harvey’s parents, Caroline and Mark Willgoose, watched the proceedings from the public gallery, along with other members of their family.
The parents of the defendant were not seen in the courtroom.
Judge Richardson added a warning to those watching that the defendant is entitled to a fair trial and said: "I don't want him in a state because of what happened outside or in a state where he can't be trialled."
Festival of Debate needed ‘now more than ever’, says organiser
Jeremy Corbyn, Andy Burnham and Shon Faye are headlining the 10th anniversary of the Festival of Debate, running in Sheffield throughout May.
Sam Gregory, one of the organisers of the festival, the largest of its kind in the UK, said non-partisan debate is necessary now more than ever.
He said: “Since we set up the festival 10 years ago, we’ve faced a series of crises in this country and in this city, from austerity and COVID to the cost of living and climate crisis.
“Mainstream politicians are not putting forward serious solutions to these problems, so in that way the festival is more relevant than ever.”
Mr Gregory said that Sheffield felt like the natural home for the festival that was started to bring political debate outside of London and highlight the appetite for change in the North of England.
The festival kicked off on Tuesday with a discussion run by Sheffield City Council, one of the main sponsors of the event.
He said: “Sheffield has got a radical history of experimenting with new ideas and the festival taps into that energy that still runs through the city.”
The volunteer-run events will debate a range of issues: in a sold-out event, Jeremy Corbyn is set to discuss the global arms trade; on 19 May, Andy Burnham and Steve Rotherham will be talking about their experiences as mayors of Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region.
Author and activist Shon Faye will be asking whether love is a societal question in her talk 'Love in Exile' on 8 May.
Many of the festival's events are free to attend, and those that are ticketed have low-income options despite the high profile speakers. Mr Gregory said they wanted to ensure that cost wasn’t a barrier for people participating.
He said: “We want people from across the city and across different communities because that’s the only way we’re going to be able to come together to build a fairer, more prosperous, greener city.”
Ray Foley, 55, took part in a free workshop on Sunday run by Stop Rosebank Sheffield. He had travelled from Derbyshire to take part.
After the event he said: “I feel completely energised. To have a month of debate is just brilliant. It’s the kind of thing we have to cherish.”
Events are running at a number of venues across the city until 30 May 2025.
Australian player achieves dream of playing in World Seniors Snooker Championship 2025
After undergoing a full shoulder reconstruction at the end of last year, Australian snooker player Hassan Kerde was uncertain whether he would ever be able to play snooker again. Three months later, he secured a place at the Crucible for the World Seniors Snooker Championship 2025.
Hassan Kerde, 41, has been playing snooker since he was 19. On February 6, he defeated Matthew Scarborough 4-2 in the final of the 2025 Asia Pacific Seniors Snooker Championship, earning him a place at the renowned Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
"I've watched the Snooker Championships at the Crucible on the TV for 20 years. It's so exciting to be able to play in front of a thousand people and have the opportunity to meet some of the guys I grew up watching."
HASSAN KERDE
Two days after Hassan came runner up in the 2024 Australian Open Snooker Championship, he had arthritis surgery after tearing the right side of his shoulder and ripping a bicep.
The Sydney based player delayed his surgery to October 2024 to coincide with the end of the snooker season. There was a chance that he may never play again, or at least not to the best of his ability after the operation.
At the end of January 2025, Hassan took his sling off and returned to work after spending three months away from the sport. His impressive win at the 2025 Asia Pacific Seniors occurred just a week later.
Hassan said that playing at the Crucible is a big opportunity to get his name out there, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the future of World Snooker Championships at the theatre.
"In Australia the snooker scene is big, but not as big as it is here in England. If you're a serious contender in England, you can be a snooker player full time." He added.
As a father of five, working 60-70 hours a week as a road worker, Hassan had limited time to practice playing.
He set up a fundraising page to help him achieve his dream of playing snooker in Sheffield. He raised around AU$2000 and has had support from his sponsors Worldwide Confectionary and The Snooker Shop.
"It's not easy to come along at 41-years-old and be a professional player like 20-year-olds, but it's all about the experience. To spend time playing the game I love against the people I idolise is the dream."
Hassan Kerde
This year the World Seniors Snooker Championship is being held from 7 to 11 May. Hassan will be playing on Thursday 8 May at 7pm, against Tony Knowles, a former professional English player and three times semi-finalist in the World Championships in the 1980s.
Sheffield youngsters compete in new skateboarding competition
A skateboarding competition was hosted by The House Skatepark, in Kelham Island, for the first time on Saturday, to encourage children to compete in international events.
The Survival of the Sickest event series aims to encourage junior skateboarders to get onto the Pipeline Project talent pathway for youngsters who are striving to compete at national and international events.
The event featured four competitions throughout the day in the street discipline of skateboarding, with under-16s and under-12s categories. The winners were awarded their prizes by Lord Mayor Jayne Dunn.
The Lord Mayor said: “The energy and skill shown by the young people blew the GB skateboard judges away, and this competition helped feed into the main competition where the elite skaters could compete in the Olympics.”
“It was the first time such an event has been held in Sheffield and was absolutely fantastic.”
One skater traveled from Jersey for the competition, with others coming from Liverpool and Cardiff.
The third-place winner in the under-12 event was won by eleven-year-old, Elijah Arulanantham, who started skating when he was eight years old.
He said: “At the start, I was nervous and I did not think I was going to win, and I was annoyed with my first run because I got 27 points, but in my second run, I got a higher score of 55.67, so I was really stoked with that.”
“I signed up because I want to get more experience, I want to maybe win, and meet new people. For me, it wasn’t just about winning coming here; I have met a lot of wonderful people. It’s nice being hyped up and watching everybody have fun.”
The skatepark celebrated its 27th anniversary last year and is one of the most well-known skateboard parks in the UK.
Cllr Rob Bannister, who co-founded the park in 1998, said: “We wanted to skate and there was nowhere to go. We were using derelict buildings, but we got bored of them being knocked down, so we decided to go legit.”
“When I started skateboarding, there was basically no one doing it and you would just get bullied a lot for doing it. Whereas these days we are mainstream, we are an Olympic sport.”
“We’ve gone from being the grubby, funky kids on the corner to being just another sport.”
Sheffield is home to Skateboard GB, which was founded there in 2017.
Sheffield United fans optimistic of promotion via the playoffs despite their dismal record
Sheffield United's hopes are surprisingly high for promotion via the playoffs this time around with Chris Wilder knowing his side's fate with two games to go, after their defeat at Turf Moor against Burnley on Monday night.
The Blades' record in the playoffs doesn't make for pleasant reading. Massing a total of 20 playoff games neither of which has ever secured them promotion via this route, but the fans remain hopeful it will be 9th time lucky as they go to the playoffs starting on 8 May.
- 1996/97: Division 1 Play-off Final lost to Crystal Palace.
- 1997/98: Division 1 Play-off Semi-Final lost to Sunderland.
- 2002/03: Division 1 Play-off Final lost to Wolves.
- 2008/09: Championship Play-off Final lost to Burnley.
- 2011/12: League One Play-off Final lost to Huddersfield Town on penalties.
- 2012/13: League One Semi-final lost to Yeovil Town.
- 2014/15: League One Semi-final lost to Swindon Town.
- 2021/22: Championship Semi-final lost to Nottingham Forest on penalties.
A football analyst said: “United will be hoping to break the curse of the playoffs.”
Chris Wilder’s side recovered from the defeat on Monday to beat Stoke 2-0 on Friday in their penultimate away game of the season, building momentum for their final game of the season as they host Blackburn Rovers at Bramall Lane. The Blades hope to end the season on a high as they head into the unknown that is the playoffs.
A United fan who runs the X account, AllThingsBlades, said: “Obviously, there is a lot of disappointment, but the away end against Stoke was fantastic, and the fans got behind the players, which could be the huge push we need to get over the line in the play-offs.”
Wilder rested midfielder Gus Hamer and forward Ben Brereton Diaz against Stoke on Friday night.
The Blades fan said that Hamer, who was named Sky Bet Champ Player of the Season last night, had the biggest impact this season.
“He can make something happen out of nothing, as he did with Coventry on the 22/23 season when they lost in the final.”
Ahead of the final game of the season against Blackburn Rovers, the superfan said: “We should play our strongest squad as the playoffs are only five days afterwards, so it will be key to have every player fit.”
United have won a competition-high 25 matches this season, and due to finish the season 3rd in the league, despite starting the season with a two-point deduction for defaulting on payments to other clubs during the 2022-23 season.
Chris Wilder has laid down the gauntlet for his players to finish the season with the highest points tally of a team that didn't gain automatic promotion - a record that is currently held by bitter Yorkshire rivals, Leeds United.
AllThingsBlades said: “We should have a good sense of optimism going to the playoffs as we are likely going to end up on 92 points and are currently 23 points ahead of 6th place.”
“Most of the season I thought we would get promoted as we have been in the top two pretty much all season, but the win away at Wednesday (in March) made me really believe that it was our year.”
Burnley and Leeds were automatically promoted to the Premier League after securing enough points to go clear the blades condemning them to another playoff lottery.
It is undetermined who The Blades will face in the playoffs with sixth place still up for grabs, with the likes of Coventry City, Millwall, Blackburn Rovers and Middlesborough still with a mathematical chance of securing the final playoff spot.
The fan said: “Bristol or Millwall would be the toughest games for us in the playoffs as we have struggled to break both of them down but I think over two legs we would have enough to beat them both.”
The analyst said: “It takes unity, quality, desire, and a little bit of luck to win the playoffs.”
They said that even if Sheffield were to be promoted to the Premier League, they are not convinced United will be able to stay there.
“It is very tough to stay in the Premier League, especially now with revenue disparity increasing year on year and this has been reflected in the last two seasons with all three promoted sides being relegated in their first season.”
Hallam FC confident they can secure their second trophy of the season
Hallam FC manager and life-long Sheffield Wednesday fan, Craig Denton is confident that his side can cause a cup upset against Worksop Town.
Denton, 38, led his side to a remarkable season so far, winning promotion to the Northern Premier League – East Division via the playoffs during a nail-biting penalty shootout against Beverley Town at Sandygate Lane.
“It was a relief in anything, to come back from 2-0 down and then to go and win it on penalties. My players gave everything to that game, and they deserved a break, the lads had a week off, but they will be ready to go again when they return to training next week.” Denton explained.
Now Hallam FC turn their attention to the Senior Cup Final which is set to be played at Hillsborough stadium on 8 May, a change that was welcomed by Denton and his players.
“I was delighted when I was told that the game had been moved to Hillsbourgh, its logistically the best decision for both teams and the fans.
“This will be my first time leading a team out at Hillsborough, I had been there for charity matches when I worked there but this time its going to be something special when I lead my players out onto the Wednesday’s hallowed turf.” Said Denton.
The original stadium of choice for this final was supposed to be the New York City Stadium, the home of Rotherham United, but due to unforeseen circumstances the final had to be moved to Hillsborough instead who has hosted this event for the past three seasons.
These two sides have only met twice in their history, resulting in a Worksop 4-2 win and a 2-2 draw. But this time Denton is at the helm, and they go into this final on the back of a 19-game unbeaten run and is confident the experience in his side can over come a very good Worksop Town.
“We have a lot of players that have played at step 2 and 3, they know what to expect and we will be prepared for whatever they can throw at us and we would love it if we went there and win another trophy.” Denton explained.
Ahead of the final the only doubt for Hallam is they may be missing ex-Sheffield Wednesday star Daniel Pudil who went off injured during their playoff final in the first half.
“Daniel is a doubt, as you know he went off injured in the play off final against Beverley, but he has had a week off recovery. We will assess where is his in recovery and monitor him leading up to the game when we return to training next week.” Said Denton.