[Pete Whitehead and John Ward are pleased to announce that Handsworth JFC and Parramore FC will apply to merge. During the coming year, both clubs will work and run in parallel and will take advice from the NCEL, S&HCFA and the FA so that a merger which may possibly take up to a year, can be achieved to best effect for all parties concerned.

The youth section for boys and girls up to under 18s would be totally unaffected. During next season, Parramore will continue to play their games at Sandy Lane, Worksop and the senior Handsworth team will carry on in the County Senior League as they are and will remain at Oliver’s Mount.

Pete Whitehead has long admired and respected the progress made by Handsworth Junior Sporting Club over the last 20 years from humble beginnings until now and in his opinion regards them as the most progressive junior football club in South Yorkshire. John Ward states that Parramore FC are a club that he has for a long time had a huge affinity with, as the two have the passion to deliver the same vision making the proposed merger the right way forward for all concerned.
It is the joint intention to help further develop the club at senior level and to provide a promising future to the kids of our community.

The proposed merger would re-enforce our joint ambition to become Sheffield’s 3rd club, behind the 2 professional clubs. A true community club that has been built on and will continue to build on the amazing community ethos we hold…..the Amber Army is the envy of many and something that we as a club are proud of.

In the coming weeks we will be fine tuning our plans and will be consulting with the governing football bodies and the fantastic staff both clubs have as we plan our journey together.

The dream is a simple one; to become the club of choice for every aspiring young player, and to continue to reward our community with great football ……in their back yard ……at their club with the best possible facilities. Today’s announcement will make that dream a reality.

John Ward and his team are in advanced stages of taking the youth development even further and will soon be announcing plans to open an Academy which will be able to take in scholars from August/September this year. Once finalised this ground breaking project will be disclosed fully.

It is expected that a new facility to grade “C” standard will be ready for the 2014/2015 season at Oliver’s Mount where the current NCEL team will play their home games. This is equal to the standard of the existing facility at Sandy Lane allowing the club to progress as far as the Conference North. Although this may seem a long way off these are the ambitions of both Parramore and Handsworth. Both Pete and John are excited about the proposed merger and can’t wait for next season to start our journey together.

The founders of Handsworth JSC, Bob Hill, Mick Waldron and the late Mick Wragg, had the foresight and the tenacity to make the Club, the blueprint for how a club should be run, with the club growing year on year both on the field and off the field, now respected across the country for its youth development programme.

A mention must go out to Pete Hodkin a stalwart of Parramore for over 50 years who put the club into Pete Whitehead’s hands 6 years ago and who is delighted with the developments.

John and Pete urge the whole community to get behind their club, and for them to get on board with them on their journey. The club will sit at the heart of the community - a community that is proud and passionate - a community that understands the club’s values and the fact that they will produce REAL FOOTBALL…..MADE IN SHEFFIELD.

John Ward – Chairman Handsworth Junior Sporting Club
Pete Whitehead – Chairman Parramore F.C.