Brighouse Town left back Sam Reed’s move to Sheffield Wednesday finally went through last Thursday when he signed his maiden professional contract with the Championship club.

Reed, 20, son of Town’s assistant manager Stacy Reed, will initially bed in at Hillsborough in the club’s Under-21 squad. He was brought to the Yorkshire Payments Stadium three seasons ago by his father who was also coaching the U-18s at Stocksbridge in South Yorkshire. Over those seasons he has grown in stature, confidence and heaps of skill and was being noticed earlier this past season by Derby County, Sheffield United and Wednesday. The Owls opted to invite him to train full time with them from January onwards while he was still playing with Town and saw enough, aided by some games for the U-21s, to see he would be an asset to them.

“Sam came to us through his dad, but his success has been down to him and the hard work he has put in,” said manager Vill Powell, who began his own playing career at Wednesday.

“He came to us never having played men’s football before, he listened and showed the right attitude.

“He wasn’t too precious when we dipped him and out the team and from there he has built up. We have had him for three years and he’s developed into a fantastic young man and person as well as a fantastic player.

“To get a contract with Sheffield Wednesday is a massive achievement and we are really proud of him.”

His dad said the whole family were still pinching themselves that Sam had earned himself the chance to become a fulltime professional and with Sheffield Wednesday and would be right behind him all the way in the weeks and months ahead.

In the meantime Town played a pre-season friendly at Campion in the Manningham district of Bradford last Friday night and lost to a second half goal by their prolific scorer Marcus Day.

Town had their own chances to score but failed to find the net and picked up a couple of injuries, and with holiday calls they had to call off this past Tuesday evening’s away friendly at Worksop Town.

The squad enjoyed their Footgolf on Saturday lunchtime at Bradley Park Golf Club, followed by lunch at Rastrick Cricket Club and then went over to Leeds for a bonding session in the evening.

At this moment in time before their first Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division league game at Ashington on Saturday, August 12, they now just have Guiseley at home on Saturday week to prepare in match conditions.

In the meantime co-chairman Chris Lister has completed a sponsorship deal for the club’s away kit with National Build Ltd.

The club is mourning the death last week of their former long serving secretary Malcolm Taylor at the age of 84. He gave over 11 seasons to the club until 2016 and prior to that was working with the West Riding County Amatuers, the NCEL and was also a great worker in the girls and women’s football as it grew season upon season.

His funeral will be held on Tuesday, August 15 at Park Wood Crematorium, Elland, at 11.15, followed by a celebration of his life back at the Town clubhouse.

There will be an obituary next week on this tremendous work for the club and grassroots football as a whole.

We can officially announce that Sam Reed has joined Sky Bet Championship side Sheffield
Wednesday on a permanent basis.

Sam has been at the club since he was 16 years old and over the past 3 seasons has developed and
paved his way into the first team and become the club’s most consistent performer. Throughout his
time at the club, Sam has had plenty of competition for the left back position from experienced non-
league footballers but his desire and mental belief as well as his undeniable ability has seen him lock
down the left back position over the last 2 seasons and game by game, Sam improved his
performances and is fully deserving of this change of environment.

This move shows that the pathway from non-league to full-time football can be achieved with the
right attitude and mentality. The move also highlights the development that Brighouse Town has on
its players to help them achieve their individual goals through the environment created at the club
by the management team and the board.

Manager Vill Powell commented “Sam has been a joy to work with over the last 3 years and fully
deserves the opportunity to play professionally. He’s got all the attributes and the mentality to go
far in the game and becomes our 7th player to move onto a higher level or professionally after
making their debut at step 4 with us. We wish Sam all the best of success with Sheffield
Wednesday.”

Assistant Manager and Dad to Sam, Stacy Reed couldn’t be happier for his lad as he achieves his
dream of playing in a full-time dressing room. “I’m delighted that Sam has been able to take the step
up to full time football and I’m sure he’ll kick on from here and have a successful career, but none of
it would have been possible without the help of Brighouse Town and giving him the chance to play
and improve. I took Sam with me when he was 16 to train with the first team when I first joined as
Assistant Manager and the difference and improvement, he has made has been exceptional. I’d like
to thank firstly Vill Powell for believing in Sam and giving him the guidance and game time to help
him improve, Secondly the Club and committee for making the place a great environment for young
players to develop and finally the fans for the support of Sam as I know from speaking to them week
in week, they have taken to him as one of their own. I know he will miss everyone there and I’m sure
he’ll return to watch a few games in the near future.”

We’d like to thank Sheffield Wednesday for their cooperation in the transfer.

Brighouse Town wishes Sam Reed all the best for the future. We couldn’t be prouder of Sam and
what he has achieved so far, and we are looking forward to seeing Sam’s development over the
coming years.

Please accept this notice as an invitation to all members of the Club to attend our AGM on Thursday 27th July in the Clubhouse.

Ossett United have signed another two players from Brighouse Town this week to join experienced midfielder Corey Gregory and wing-back Mohammed Ibrahim who both moved to Ingfield last month.

The biggest shock for Town fans sees former Cowdenbeath and Boston United forward Zephaniah Thomas joining United as player-coach. The 34-year-old who was appointed player-coach at Town towards the end of last season and was all due to take a coaching role this time around before leaving for Doncaster club Rossington Main, but has altered course once more and moved 13 miles down the road to Ossett. The fourth player is striker Reon Benjamin-Potts who has played for Sheffield United, Scunthorpe United and York City and will be joining Ossett for a second spell.

Town have also lost their goalkeeper Jamie Hassall who is returning to Knaresborough Town owing to work issues and the distance he travels down from North Yorkshire to Brighouse. Hassall showed a lot of promise last season and ousted experienced contracted custodian Brett Souter from the No1 jersey. It very much looked as though manager Vill Powell was going to go with Hassall for the 2023-24 season ahead.

Tomorrow night (Friday) Town travel the short distance to Manningham, Bradford to take on Lee Ashforth’s side who were promoted last term into the Northern Counties East Premier Division (7.30).

On Tuesday next they are away to Pitching-In NPL East Division champions for last season, Worksop Town (7.30).

On Saturday the players and team management are at Bradley Park Golf Club, Fixby (12.30) for a round of Footgolf, something they haven’t done in pre-season since the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

The fixtures have come out in the past week and Town open their programme on Saturday, August 12 with a mammoth trip to Ashington in the north east where the famous Charlton brothers, Jack and Bobbie, came from ahead of their international careers. Two lates late on the Monday, August 14 they entertain another new club to the East Division in North Ferriby from Humberside.

For their August Bank Holiday game Town are away to relegated Liversedge and at the Christmas and New Year games they travel on Boxing Day to Winterton Rangers, another new club in the division, and then on New Year’s Day entertain Liversedge. The Easter fixtures are Dunston away on Saturday, March 30 and then home to Winterton Rangers on the Monday, April 1.

Last season’s contracted goalkeeper Brett Souter has signed for his local club in South Yorkshire, Worsborough Bridge.
Manager Vill Powell has also brought coach Leon Wainman back into the fold to replace Thomas.
Wainman, a Sheffield-based grammar school teacher, has been over the past two seasons tied up with work and also ensuring his son followed his promising football career.
Town lost Tuesday evening’s away friendly at Penistone Church, 3-0.
Assistant manager Stacy Reed was pleased with the performance despite the score line
“We had a side with several trialists in and more towards the the last quarter of the game
It was 0-0 at half time and we had a very promising keeper in goal and will be signing him.
“We made quite a few changes for that last quarter and another keeper in goal and shipped in three goals.
From our good endeavours we just couldn’t find the back of the net.
“The players also felt legless somewhat as we had the previous evening held a tough fitness session at MP Fitness

Brighouse Town continued their unbeaten run in their third pre-season friendly last Saturday at home to AFC Emley with a winning goal in the 87th minute.

The Huddersfield side, who have certainly pushed the boat out in the closed season on the recruitment side, looked the more livelier and skilful side in the first 30 minutes and deserved their opening goal through striker Reuben Jerome. The former Town player, who most recently has been playing for Workington and Ramsbottom United, struck home a 32nd minute penalty.

It remained 1-0 at the break and afterwards Town returned as they had done in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Eccleshill United a more competitive side and slowly began to turn the tables on their visitors.

In the 56th minute striker Myron Gibbons, who missed a good part of the second half of last season through injury, found the back of the net to equalise.

Jerome went very near with a thunderous strike on 75 minutes before Gibbons bagged his brace and Town’s winning goal.

Town gave a trial to experienced goalkeeper former Farsley Celtic keeper Kyle Trennery in the second half as Jamie Hassall was retired to the bench.

In the past week Town have registered more signings to bolster the squad after what manager Vill Powell has witnessed in the first three games.

Those on board are defender Jamie Allsop from Nostell Miners Welfare, striker Malachi Bailey from the club’s U-23 side, defender or midfielder Will Crook from Tadcaster Albion, defender Matthew Ingham from Farsley Celtic, defender Alexander Phillipson from Matlock Town who has also played out in Malta and utility player Curtis Peters from Albion Sports.

Town have no pre-season game this Saturday but will resume at Penistone Church next Tuesday (7.45) and another away game has been sorted for Tuesday July 25 at promoted Worksop Town (7.30).

On Saturday morning July 22 the squad and management will play footgolf at Bradley Park GC, Fixby, Huddersfield.

The draws have been made for the Emirates Extra Preliminary round and Preliminary round ties and Town will travel on Saturday, July 19 to the winners of the Glossop North End and Colne tie on August 5.

In the ISUZU FA Trophy First Qualifying Round Town will entertain Hebburn Town from their own East Division of the Northern Premier League on Saturday, September 9 (3.0). Should they win that tie they will entertain on Saturday, September 23 the winners of the Widnes or Clitheroe tie.

The fixtures will be out for the 2023-24 season at 12 noon today (Thursday) and Town officials can then start to sort out their match day sponsorships.. Town lost their Tuesday night home fixture with a Bradford City side going down 3-2.
They trailed at the break 3-0 with goals from Sam Bentley after seven minutes, Mo Sedibeh seven minutes later and then in the 43rd minute through Isaac Robinson.
Town gradually came back into the game in the second half and finally got on the scoreboard on 75 minutes.
Skipper Mo Qasim, who got married last Saturday, was brought down in the box and then took the penalty himself to make it 3-1.
Five minutes later and Jack Cook rose above the City defence and looped a header into the net for 3-2.
A draw would have been a satisfactory outcome but City kept Town at bay in the last 10minutes.