FORMER BRIGG TOWN CRICKETER WILL BE 500 NOT OUT WITH BARNETBY FOOTBALL CLUB THIS WEEKEND

A very well-known football personality in the Brigg area is about to reach a notable and memorable milestone.
Lee Fielden will be managing his 500th game on Saturday October 27 when Barnetby United FC play College Wanderers.
Sadly for the after-match celebrations, it's an away game - in Scunthorpe.
Though we are sure that a few glasses will be raised once the team gets back to Barnetby.
The former Sir John Nelthorpe School, Brigg, pupil and ex-Brigg Town Cricket Club player deserves hearty congratulations for his efforts on behalf of football in Barnetby with the village club nicknamed The Railwaymen.
There would be no local amateur sport as we know it without dedicated volunteers like Lee.
He has taken up the offer to write about his time with Barnetby, which has been a real roller-coaster ride, with many ups and downs.
In the highlights column, Lee, who lives in Barnetby, lists winning the Scunthorpe League Challenge Cup in the 20011/12 season.
Brigg Blog was at the final - played under lights at The Hawthorns - and Lee is pictured above holding the trophy in Zebras' clubhouse after the match.

BY LEE FIELDEN, BARNETBY

At the back end of the 1993 cricket season I made my 2nd XI debut for Brigg Town CC. I met the then secretary of Barnetby United Fc Mick “Frisky” Wescott at BP Chemicals in a game where a thunderous drive from the hefty bat of John Macklin nearly decapitated me at cover!!!
He invited me to Barnetby’s Under 16’s training at the Vale of Ancholme sports hall and on November 6th 1993 I first pulled a kit on for the side.
I’d pushed biked from Searby in the pouring rain to Silver Street. The managers, Steve Lamb (who would be my best man some 15 years later) and Bob Williams (a close friend to this day) put me on the bench which I expected.
We were playing Ashby Institute’s Under 16’s and were 5-0 down within 3 minutes. We eventually lost 25-0 and I was an unused sub as they’d forgotten about me!!!
I pushed biked home in the still pouring rain to return the following week and make my debut at left back. I didn’t miss another minute that season in a side whose league record read and win managers player of the year.
P 18 Won 0 Drew 0 Lost 18 Goals For 18 Goals Against 189 Pts 0!
I then made my Sunday league debut for the Reserves and later that season (94-95) my Saturday league debut.
All the sides I played in struggled in their respective leagues but we had great commitment and enjoyed our successes when they came.
In the summer of 2001 the Saturday side was in big trouble, they’d finish bottom of the entire league and couldn’t find a manager. I’d returned from University in 2000 though regularly came back from Manchester to play when needed when away.
The committee was on the verge of folding the side when I convinced them to let me have a go at running the side. I’d just turned 22 but had been my dads assistant when he ran Junior teams at Hebden Bridge Saints in the Halifax Junior League and felt I couldn’t do any worse.
Myself and joint manager Steve Marshall took over and played our 1st game on August 27th 2001. It was an RB Engineering Cup match at home to Bottesford Town Reserves from division 1.
We won 3-2 in a remarkable game with goals by Chris Dowse 2 and Michael Dunderdale.
We finished 4th that season and went on to win division 4 the following year, along with the Nursing Cup and runners up in the Dean Cave Memorial. We also beat Grimsby league division 1 side Tartan 40’s who had Alan Boxhall playing for them. I was Man of the match at centre half in a 3-2 a.e.t. victory.
Promotion was achieved the following year too from division 3 to division 2 and by 2004 I’d racked up 100 games in charge. Sadly we lost 2-1 in that game at home to Heckitts Multiserve.
The following game though would see us pull off one of the biggest upsets in local football for years. We were drawn away to Afc Brumby, the great side of the time in the Scunthorpe league in the Challenge cup and we beat them 3-1. I played the full game at right back in a game at times that was Rourke's Drift and the Alamo rolled into one!!!
We were runners up that season and were promoted to division 1, the first time for Barnetby since 1986. In 4 seasons I’d taken the side from wooden spoonists to the top flight.
We retained our 1st division status in 2005-06 and reached the Sporting Shield Final but players leaving saw us relegated without a league win the following season.
A rebuilding process took place over the next few years as the club consolidated in division 2.
In 2011 the club held its 75th Anniversary celebrations. I’d done lot of tracing of former players and tried to gain information about the club. The chance meeting with Graham Day, former player was to be a turning point.
Graham has been an outstanding forward for the club in the 60’s and 70’s and asked if he could help with training. This offer was accepted and by the time season 2011-12 kicked off we were joint managers.
My previous joint manager Carl Massingham needs a mention here as he was a great help and he’d gone to help the newly formed Reserves side.
2011-12 saw the side runners up in division 2 and the Nursing Cup but we won the Barton Brotherhood Cup and on a glorious April night won the challenge cup at Brigg to become only the 6th side from outside the top fight to win it.
Back in division 1 and the club achieved its highest ever division 1 finish of 4th and reached the  quarter-finals of the county cup losing 2-1 at Lincs League champions Skegness Town.
Through injury and misfortune the side were relegated again the following year only to rise again as division 2 champions and return to division 1.
Last season saw players leave to various higher local clubs and was a struggle but I played myself and loyal players battled on and somehow we avoided relegation and made a cup final.
I’ve also been Sunday manager, Sunday reserves manager, groundsman, vice-chairman, treasurer and secretary and have recently passed my level 1 coaching, child welfare, safeguarding children and 1st aid courses in order to set up an under 9’s side at Barnetby.

Lee Fielden helping out Brigg Town Cricket Club by rolling the playing square at the Recreation Ground.