Hamworthy United have had to face many challenges this season, voluntarily resigned their first team from the Southern League, down to the Dorset Premier League, due to financial issues.
This has left the Hammers in a spot of bother and has forced them to put their faith in a youthful reserve team who are now regarded as Hamworthy United’s first team.
Chairman Steve Mitchener said: “Once withdrawing from the Southern League, many first team players who were under contract at the club, took the decision to leave. In effect the higher level and better-quality team we had, has all gone.”
Mitchener spoke about the gap in quality between the first team and the reserves, saying: “We are a very young naïve side with some of our lads still playing youth football on a Sunday.”
Seven of Hamworthy’s first team players have moved up the footballing lader to the Southern Premier League, leaving the new-look side “with a lack of experience in many key areas of the pitch”.
Despite this major setback, Mitchener remained optimistic about the season, saying: “There is a new sense of unity amongst the club, we’re all in it together and Hamworthy United will be back.”
Manager Luke Phillips has taken the good out of a bad situation mentioning how the spotlight for this young side, has filled him with encouragement for the future of Hamworthy United. “Our players are hungry and eager to impress. As a manager that’s all I can ask for and it fills me with hope of what we’re aiming to build here.”
Phillips however did mention “the players are still learning and need things explained to them in black and white terms”, which has been the biggest contrast from the experienced first team that he was used to.
Season ticket holder Gavin Anderson said: “I’ve watched this club for many years, seeing us fall narrowly short from a FA Vase final, to now seeing some lads who are the same age as my grandkids play for us. Credit to them though, it’s a tough ask and in my eyes they’ve risen to the occasion and continue to do so.”
The finances behind sport in Dorset