Unsung heroes are in a league of their own

Dougan and Richards, Bull and Mutch, Robertson and Wile, Shaw and Withe have all grabbed the headlines for their deeds in the colours of Wolves, Albion and Villa.

And further down the footballing pyramid, there is a partnership that has helped bring the beautiful game to thousands of Black Country youngsters.

Hodson and Ball may not be household names but they have blazed a successful trail at grassroots level.

Chairman Graham Hodson and vice-chairman Mike Ball are the men who brought the Bilston Youth Partnership League onto the local football landscape and few people can argue it's been a huge success.

But all good things must come to an end and the duo are set to hang their boots up at the end of the current season.

The league will go on, and both are confident it will continue to prosper under fresh new leadership.

Hodson and Ball first mooted the idea of creating a league for Wolverhampton and the surrounding area early in 1997.

A few scrapes with Stourbridge League officials provided the straight-talking Hodson with the motivation to get things moving with Ball a willing partner.

"We used to run Springvale in the Stourbridge League and we had a few run-ins with the league and didn't like some of the things they did," recalls 58-year-old Hodson. "I thought we could do better, so we started our own league.

"It took about 18 months preparation to get it up and running and it was 1998 when we actually kicked off.

"And looking back, I don't think we have done too badly."

Before the Bilston Partnership Youth Football League came into existence, Wolverhampton last boasted a junior league way back in 1980, when the Wolverhampton Youth Service League folded due to a lack of numbers.

Various attempts had been made to create a league but one by one they all fell by the wayside. Hodson and Ball were determined that wouldn't be the case.

"There was a lot of interest or perhaps that should be more curiosity rather than interest," continued Hodson.

"We had a meeting with the county FA and Earl Laird who was at Bilston College at the time – that was where the partnership came in. They were very supportive and once we got the structure we started advertising in the media.

"We called a meeting at the Springvale club and I think we had about 300 teams turn up. Everyone wanted to know how we were going to operate and what we would do differently.

"Out of those 300 teams that came to that meeting we had 67 teams sign up for the first season. But every one of those 67 teams wanted the league to work, which was great for us."

And while the duo felt the other leagues around the area were waiting for the concept to fall flat on its face, the Bilston League started to grow.

"Our bigger focus compared to the Stourbridge and Walsall leagues was about one man clubs, small teams," said 62-year-old former accountant Ball.

"Our focus was about being approachable and running it like a club rather than a league. We still try to do it that way.

"We had to do a business plan and the aim was that in five years we would have three divisions of 10 at each age group. And we near enough got there.

"We probably peaked 8-10 years in. We had around 250 teams then and it actually reached the point where we were saying it's got too big for us now."

One of the league's biggest selling points was the determination to appoint a referee for every single game. And it's an achievement that they are rightly proud off.

"We promised to put a ref on every game and we sill do that, we have maintained that," said Hodson. "That has been one of our biggest successes.

Discipline has always been high on the agenda and the league has endured a fallouts along the way as a result.

"We have always been strong with discipline," added Ball. "We have had a few fallouts because we have taken a stance and done things differently, but we have always done what we think was right."

Another success story is the numerous Charity Cup finals the league stages each season with the focus on giving all players the chance to lift some silverware.

"We have about 60-70 finals a year which sounds a stupid number," admits Hodson.

"But if you went to those finals you would see teams having the time of their life, teams who would never get to a final in another league."

Ball takes up the thread, adding: "We group teams of a similar standard together for the various cups, it makes success accessible to all teams."

Off the pitch, the league can be especially proud of it's fundraising down the years.

"We select nominated charities every year and we have donated about £35,000 in the last 18 years," said Hodson.

"We have refs' charity matches where they play the managers and myself and a local referee, Noel Perry, did a series of bike rides to raise funds.

"The first one was down to Wembley and on another occasion we cycled to the Millennium Stadium.

"We have also been to Norwich, Ipswich and Southampton. The last one took in Wrexham, Liverpool, Everton, Bolton, Wigan, the two Manchester clubs, Stockport, Chester, Stoke and back home.

"It was knackering! I'm glad I won't be doing that again."

But now as Hodson puts the bike clips away, the duo are happy to step down and reflect on a job well done.

"Over the last couple of years we talked about it and it feels like we need someone new with new ideas and a new direction," said Ball. "We are confident the league will continue to prosper and go from strength to strength."

Hodson agrees and is quick to quell rumours surrounding the league's future.

"We are getting older and less tolerant and attitudes have changed," said Hodson.

"I think there is less honesty in the game, even at this level.

"Maybe we are a bit 'dinosaurish' as well.

"We have got a great committee and there are people willing to take on our roles.

"There were rumours that the league was going to fold but that's simply not the case. That won't happen."