Chairmans Update: New Website
Welcome to the new Ball Haye Green FC website. It’s fair to say it’s been a long time coming, and we’re extremely grateful to Ryan Dakin of DAK Digital for his knowledge, dedication, and hard work in bringing this project to life.
2025 marked a significant milestone for the club as we celebrated our 145th anniversary, made even more memorable by our First Team being crowned Premier Division champions in the Staffs County Senior League. It was a fantastic achievement for everyone involved and a fitting reward for what has been a remarkable period of progress for the club.
It has now been eight years since we lost our home ground of more than 80 years, a decision that left us with little more than the club’s name and history. The journey since then has been long and, at times, incredibly challenging, but throughout it all we have remained focused on preserving the legacy built by those who came before us. I’m immensely proud of the commitment and resilience shown by our committee during this period, ensuring the club stayed on course.
When faced with adversity, we made a promise to take every opportunity to move forward, and we have stayed true to that commitment. None of this progress would have been possible without the support of many people across the football community. While it’s impossible to name everyone individually, please know that every contribution has been valued and will never be forgotten.
Looking ahead, our ambitions remain as strong as ever. We currently field three open-age teams, all competing in the top half of their respective leagues, alongside three youth teams with a clear and structured pathway in place. These foundations are vital for the club’s long-term future.
The Manchester League era of the 1950s will always hold a special place in the club’s history, with iconic moments such as Duncan Edwards turning out for Manchester United ‘A’ in Leek. While we will always respect and celebrate those great days, our focus must remain firmly on the future, with promotion aspirations for all our adult sides.
Above all else, Ball Haye Green FC is a community club, proud to represent Leek North. Our Community Coach, Will Grindey, alongside his wife Amy, continues to do outstanding work delivering free football sessions for primary school children in the Haregate area on Sunday mornings. This initiative was inspired by the late Barry Birch, and we remain committed to honouring his memory through this work. Find out more about our community sessions.
We have also never lost sight of our aim to one day return to our home area in ST13 6BH. Barry was a passionate advocate for this cause, and thanks to his efforts it remains firmly on the agenda. We are confident that the Leek North team will deliver this project as a lasting tribute to a great man.
In the short term, we will continue to focus on what we can control. To achieve our long-term ambitions, we will need the continued backing of our local community, and I encourage everyone to join us on this journey.
Let’s make the future Green.
Pro Ludis (For the game)
Nipper Knight