ANDY Gudgeon and Charles Briggs, captain and vice-captain of Haworth Road Meths, who are unable to continue as a club, have paid tribute to a crop of individuals who have put so much into the Baildon Bottom-based organisation, who ended the season just finished in fifth place in Timothy Taylor’s Craven League Division One.

Chief among the dazzling dozen have been Mansha Khan, Mohammed Ibrahim and Mohammed Sajjid, with the joint statement pointing out that the club did not fold due to a lack of volunteers.

The statement reads: “As captain and vice-captain of Haworth Road for some years, we would like to make it absolutely clear that the club did not fold due to lack of volunteers or assistance from our players - as stated previously. We have always been a family-based club and we have basically run our race!

“Our guys have been excellent over the last few years - where do we start?

“Well first and foremost Mansha Khan, who has been unbelievable for the club for over 15 years. Despite sometimes struggling to walk (he had difficulty running ones) he has remained one of the best players in the league.

“He has never let us down and so many times has resolved player availability on Friday night or early Saturday. Only people involved in these issues at their clubs will understand!

“Then there is Ibby (Mohammed Ibrahim), always so friendly and helpful. His son has been our scorer for the last two years, and when he has been unavailable Ibby always sorts a replacement. Some clubs, even in Division One, have regularly turned up without a scorer - maybe they need volunteers!

"Shahid Saleem and Asad Rashid returned to the club this year and, along with Naseeb Ali, Fahim Khan, Goher Ayoub and Deepal Dissanayake, who played most of the season with a bad back, helped form a really good team spirit.

“In Will Burgess we had a player who has approaching 30 years’ service, Ian Robson was nearing retirement but was always willing to play, and not forgetting our youth policy - Tom Kaznowski.

“Special mention has to be made of Mohammed Sajjid, one of the nicest guys you would ever meet, who was, in our humble opinion, banned for a somewhat excessive 10 weeks by the league disciplinary committee.

“In conclusion, we can only say what a pleasure it was to play with such a good set of lads and we, and all at HRMCC, wish them all success in their future careers.”