Retained So Far:

Danny Edwards, Matty Nebard, Derry Robson, Rhys Plater, Romario Dunne, Josh Waldrum, Harvey Scott

We also welcome new signings Nathan Curtis from Emley and Danny Frost as Player/Coach

Brighouse Town and Wythenshawe Town are set to play Step 4 football again in the 2025-2026 season after receiving reprieves in their respective Northern Premier League divisions.

The latter club in Greater Manchester finished in the NPL West division drop zone, but remain in it owing to Farsley Celtic’s woes which has seen them dropped from the National League North to the Northern Counties East Division One.

Brighouse ended their East division campaign fourth from bottom but have been handed their lifeline by the withdrawal of Bemerton Heath Harlequins, who finished just outside the play-off places in Southern Division One South and now drop back in to the Wessex Premier.

Town will play newcomers into the division in the shape of two clubs from the town of Blyth in the north east, Blyth Spartans and Blyth Town, Redcar Athletic, Hallam and Silsden, having said farewell to promoted clubs Cleethorpes Town and Stocksbridge Park Steels.

The lateral and up and down movements are decided by the FA and then put to the respective leagues. Town will now take their place in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup in early August ahead of a 42 match league programme. 

In the meantime manager Grant Black has commenced work in vigorous fashion sorting out pre-season friendlies and also signing up players. At the last count he had seven friendlies registered with opposing managers and he has signed two players from Wakefield and Emley. They are respectively former Town player Callum Charlton, a pacy wide player and front man Nathan Curtis.

He has also snapped up the experienced and well travelled Danny Frost who will also be the club’s new player-coach.

The new captain of the side will be Josh Waldram who has re-signed on along with strikers Danny Edwards and Rhys Plater and forward of midfielder Romario Dunne.

Following the final four Calderdale Schools finals this week, the playing surface will be given its annual dressing and re-seed to prepare for a another busy eleven months.

On Sunday, May 25, the club’s annual funday will take place and officials were just keeping fingers crossed a change in weather did not put a dampener on things.    

132 – no winner

44 Jason Stoney

Brighouse Town AFC are delighted to announce that their status as a Step 4 league club has been retained. Due to resignations by, and licence issues with clubs in other parts of the country our average points per season means that we have gained an FA reprieve. It means we will once again compete in the Northern Premier East league for our eleventh consecutive season at this level. The club finished the season with 47 hard earned points and prior to the harsh 3-point deduction would not have needed to be awarded a reprieve.    

Having retained the services of Grant Black and Daz Young whatever the outcome of the league status the club now feels it is well placed to build on the results of last season. The reprieve means Grant and his team are now able to start planning in earnest for the forthcoming season with the step 4 status confirmed.

Details of pre-season friendlies, player retentions and new additions will be forthcoming as they are confirmed.

Brighouse Town AFC  

It is with great sadness that we hear about the passing of a former Manager of Brighouse Town AFC, Pete Smith.
Pete was in charge during the mid-80’s, and in character with every team Pete coached, discipline and fitness were top requirements of every player. Pete’s love of the game and enthusiasm also made him a great motivator and man-manager.

       Everyone at Brighouse Town send their sincere condolences to Pete’s wife Pat, and the rest of his family and friends. Details of the funeral are shown below, with Pete’s family hoping players from both Saturday and Sundays Leagues who played for, or knew Pete will attend.

Funeral is on Friday 30th May at Park Wood Crematorium, Elland at 10.30am and then afterwards at Thornhill Briggs Club.

A Rhys Plater double ensured Brighouse Town ended their season on a winning note at Sheffield FC
Town came from a goal down after just three minutes to make it 2-1
A Stephen Brogan corner found Luke Aldrich and his header was perfectly placed to beat Town keeper Shea Callister
Play was pretty even over the next twenty minutes before Town’s leading goalscorer Plater hit a right-footed shot past former Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Mike Roxburgh
Town’s game then picked up and they ended the half strongly
They also started the second half well and deserved to go ahead in the 66th minute when Plater capitalised on a mix up in the home defence
The travelling Town supporters were pleased with how the NPL Division One East season had ended on a winning note

In the meantime chairman Chris Lister has informed the club’s board he will be standing down in the closed season but will not be leaving the club he has been associated with for several decades.
On Sunday May 25 there will once more be the popular “Our House” Funday at the ground with live music, funfair rides and stalls
Calderdale Schools will complete their finals and the Halifax & District FA will also be holding their finals this month at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium

Brighouse Town have been relegated from the Northern Premier League’s East Division over the Easter period and lose their step 4 status and look like heading to the step 5 Northern Counties East League from which they were promoted some ten years ago.

Having lost the three points in the week leading up to games with Bishop Auckland and Garforth Town, Brighouse needed to win both games but they lost 3-0 up in Durham and and then drew 2-2 with Garforth back at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium on Easter Monday.

They had only Bridlington Town to target and they also lost 3-0 at home to Stocksbridge PS on the Saturday but they went to Grimsby Borough on Monday beat them 2-0.

Town’s long trips to the north east and the midlands will now disappear and be replaced with away games in West and South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. They will still appear in the FA Cup and over the closed season will have to look to rebuild a side to play at this lower level.

At Bishop Auckland’s tidy stadium, where the previous evening Middlesbrough U-21s had played West Brom U-21s, Town had the better chances to score in the first half but didn’t take them despite having a very strong wind at their backs.

Bishop Auckland introduced former Newcastle United winger Louis Johnson in the second half and he was `troublesome’ from the off and he provided some telling crosses in to the box and Glen Hargrave bagged a hat-trick in 18 minutes. Town did have the ball in the net through substitute Isaac Acquah but he was narrowly ruled offside.

Word came through on the Bridlington defeat and it was status quo for Monday.

Town opened the scoring against Garforth after 18 minutes through a Danny Edwards pile driver that deceived the keeper Harry Flatters. However the visitors replied four minutes later when Rinor Ejupi beat Shea Callister also from distance. 

In the 32nd minute Garforth were 2-1 up but in very controversial circumstances. It was Ejupi once more but the ball came off his thigh and straight onto his hand and he appeared to steer the ball into his path before finding the net with it. Callister was furious along with his defenders and supporters behind the goal. Referee Ian Johnston who had given the goal went to see his assistant Jodie Hunter and after speaking with her he once more pointed to the centre circle and the goal stood.

Town now needed to score two more goals and keep Garforth out. The visitors blew several chances and also hit the crossbar and Town could only manager an equaliser some three minutes into added on time through Acquah.

With two minutes on the clock to play Garforth Town’s captain Jamie Barkway was sent off for tripping Edwards and goalkeeper Flatters was very lucky to stay on after strongly pushing Edwards inside the box

Town’s manager Grant Black ahead of the added on time was sent off, not for the first time this season, and told to leave for the dressing rooms by the referee. 

On Saturday Town travel to Sheffield FC (3pm), who are also relegated, for a dead rubber of a match and a meet up with their former manager Vill Powell.