Going from strength to strength

Scissett Football club, a club always looking forward….

As the 2025/26 season has now kicked off, we sat down with Luke Dawson to find out where SFC are at and what the future looks like. After a few years of change, both within SFC and Nortonthorpe Sports Club, this summer has seen a calmness throughout both clubs, with everyone knowing their roles and getting on with doing a great job. That’s not to say all teams are not ready, certainly the senior’s pre-season has been tough with difficult games pushing the players in the hope to capitalise on the successes of last season.

Clear vision and team effort

Now as SFC chairman, Luke ‘Daws’ Dawson is certainly up for the challenge ahead, striving for the very best at every level of the club. He can reflect on the massive progress made in the last few years but knows the job’s not done yet and there is more to come.

“I started playing senior football in 1999 after coming through juniors, and being involved to some degree ever since. I have seen many eras at Scissett FC, but I do think the current one is the strongest”. ‘Daws’ has always held a clear vision of what he wants SFC to be. The current players understand the history, and Luke can see this not just on the pitch, but how the lads handle themselves off it.

As he says “All the players get what Scissett FC is all about, what we stand for, what we want to be, and we are all proud to be part of SFC. I’m humbled by the efforts and commitments of many on and off the pitch”.

“You can’t always control on-the-pitch results, but we can control the culture and atmosphere. Ensuring everyone’s experience of SFC is positive is very important.”

Everyone is engaged and bought in!

It’s clear to see the experienced players now having an impact on some of the younger players, and we are starting to see the fruits of Luke’s labour coming to fruition as everyone is playing their part. As Luke shared “I see experienced players now stepping up and taking control themselves of collecting subs, dropping kits off, tidying up, and ensuring new players are introduced into the club properly and understand the club and how SFC players conduct themselves. These things might be small but it’s the players setting and raising standards for all to follow and it makes the life of managers much easier.”

Coaches and officials who are ingrained within the club

Luke, however, can only do so much, therefore he must delegate and make sure each team has a manager to run the teams and others who support in key roles to make the club function. I asked Luke to give me the run down on each of the managers and club officials, what he had to say should fill us with so much confidence going into the season.

“Rich Humphrey, now in an unprecedented 6th season managing the 1st team. He’s doing a fantastic job as manager and has pushed the 1st to new heights in the Yorkshire Amateur League. He is as committed to SFC as he was when he first broke into the 1st team in 2004! What more can you say about ‘Humphs’, the term club legend is thrown around, but he is an actual club legend and hugely respected by everyone within the club, past and present.”

“Tom Jones is doing a fantastic job as reserves manager. Tom has been involved with the club a long time and has been so unfortunate with injuries. We all could see he would make a great manager, he never stops talking about tactics! It was just a case of waiting ‘til he was ready and I’m delighted to have him within the management team.”

From a junior’s perspective we have a U11s team who only returned to the club last year and are still finding their feet. With Aidy Harris at the helm and support from Katrina Garcia, Luke will ensure they continue to be supported and we hope to see them flourish this season.

Luke is excited to speak about the U16s. “Andy Rudge and Steve Spivey have had this team for a number of years now and are doing a great job and have a great team that got promoted to division 1 last season. There are some really talented players which we hope to develop into the senior section over time”.

Luke continued “obviously, ‘Rudgey’ is associated with Scissett from his own playing days and his dad playing for Scissett too back in the day. ‘Rudgey’ is also the Treasurer and Club Welfare Officer so he deserves his flowers and a shout out for all he does.”

“At this point I must mention Ryan Trafford. ‘Traff’, is the SFC secretary and deals with all manner of administration duties from fines, registering teams and players to confirming fixtures, as well as taking a rather strong and possible unhealthy interest ensuring the pitches remain in top condition!! Another without whom the club would not function as well as it does”.

Facility development open up different opportunities.

Scissett’s home is here at Nortonthorpe Sports Club and what a facility it has turned into recently. Luke commented “we are fully committed to working with and supporting NSC as they continue to develop the facility. The diversification of NSC to offer its facilities to other football clubs is presenting opportunities for SFC I would like to explore more over the next few seasons”.

Luke refers to the Huddersfield FA schools U14s and U15s playing at NSC on Saturday mornings. “as these talented players approach open age, I’m keen to explore opportunities around them joining SFC open age if the situation works”. Equally with Kirkburton junior teams playing at NSC, who have a huge junior set up, Luke sees opportunities for NSC and subsequently SFC seniors, to develop that relationship in the future too. The partnership with Emley also opens up opportunities for connections to be made too, as the recent Scissett FC 1st team friendly against Emley U18s demonstrated.

2026/27 - Additional senior team

Luke then dropped how he feels next season the timing is right to try to introduce an additional team to the seniors, giving us 3 teams. ‘We already have great lads who are not getting the game time they deserve and, although we will need to recruit further players, we feel that’s achievable”.

With the current SFC U16s finishing and hopefully moving into open age, the links with other clubs, and the club’s commitment to attracting & developing young players coupled with the robust positive atmosphere and success particularly of the 1st team, it’s hard to argue against that idea. Luke further confirmed “we are continuing to work with KMC and the County FA to secure funds for works to improve the Sunnymead pitch to be used next season”.

The future

So, in the future, Luke’s vision would be for Scissett FC to be known as a great club where any young ambitious footballers can come, knowing they will be great coaching, facilities and whole environment is fantastic across juniors and seniors. There’s lots of hard work ahead, but SFC will reap the rewards when these ideas come to fruition.