16
9th July 2020
Issue 1121
www.looklocal.org.uk
Call 0114 283 1100
Local Sport
STOCKSBRIDGE RUGBY LEGEND RETIRES STOCKSBRIDGE rugby legend and stalwart Mick ‘Selwyn Froggat’ Taylor is finally retiring after around 40 years of loyal service as player, captain, groundsman and latterly bar steward.
His development as a tough, no-nonsense prop forward was the cornerstone of many a Stocksbridge victory and the much-vaunted Stocksbridge pack became feared and respected, far and wide.
Having proudly becoming a grandparent recently, with daughter Donna providing twins Freddie and Charlie on February 21, he has plenty to keep him busy.
Mick played an integral part in converting the Old Methodist Church on Manchester Road into the rugby club’s HQ in 1985, whilst also proving a popular and successful first team skipper during the 1987-89 season, and again from 1992-94.
His love affair with the Piggies began at age 19, when life long buddy Jim Lambert persuaded the bulky teenager that rugby might be a good thing for him and Jim was right, Mick took to the sport like a duck to water and he was hooked.
Even after retiring from playing, his love for the club never diminished and he took on the role of head curator, which he did until very recently.
His life and soul attitude has seen many successful rugby tours from Whitby to international venues like Llanwern in Wales and Benidorm in Spain. The global pandemic has put a hold, albeit temporary, on the plans for a celebration of his time at the club but chairman Andy Bell has declared the ‘party of parties’ when the clubhouse is able to reopen. From all his team mates, committee colleagues and rugby club members who have had the joy to socialise with him, ‘thanks for the ride Selwyn’, enjoy your deserved and happy retirement.
STEELS SIGN NEW SPONSORSHIP DEAL AFTER months of uncertainty and concern, Stocksbridge Park Steels have agreed a sponsorship package. When the playing season abruptly came to an end and long term sponsorship agreements finished, the club’s fortunes looked bleak. But due to the amount of publicity the club have generated via social media and the press, several people had shown an interest in supporting the club, and they are pleased to announce they have reached an agreement with a very progressive South Yorkshire business. Talks have been taking place over several weeks and a deal has now been confirmed. Eco-Power Environmental Ltd will be the Steels’ main sponsor for the next two seasons. Discussions were completed when Louis Calders, commercial director of the business and club chairman Gra-
ham Furness signed the papers this week. Feeling relieved to have finally managed to secure funding for the club, Roger Gissing, the club’s commercial manager stated: “We now have a solid platform to build on and ensure we have a club and teams representing Stocksbridge to be proud of, and ambitions to have the club playing football at the highest level possible, and we look forward to working in partnership with EcoPower Environmental Ltd.” Louis Calders said: “I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of Eco-Power Environmental to say how proud we are to become the main sponsor of Stockbridge Park Steels FC. “Eco-Power is an environmental and alternative fuels business with sites across the country, but the head office and foundations of the business are here in South Yorkshire.
“As a collective we have a passion for both Football and community and see this partnership as prosperous for both Eco-Power and SPS FC. “Our ambition for the club is quite simple, we want to get the club on a positive footing both on and off the pitch. “We can see the great work that Graham the chairman, and Roger the commercial manager are doing, it’s clear they’ve got a real passion for the club and are great custodians, but operating in very difficult conditions, particularly of late. “We want to support them, and Chris the manager to keep the club sustainable and hopefully realise the club’s and supporter’s aspirations. If we can achieve that, then the club will be heading in the right direction of where we all want it to be, successful and at the heart of the local community.”
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