Wakefield AFC: Season Review

Austin Ainsworth

Wakefield AFC, newly formed in 2019 and playing in the 11th tier of English football, treated us all to a whirlwind first few months in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League before it was agonisingly cut short by Covid-19. There are more important things in life than football at this harrowing time, but when all of that is over, where are Wakefield AFC left after their first season as a football club?

There were impossible highs and unthinkable lows; players came and players went; the goals flowed, then they didn’t, then they did again. And, for a time at least, it looked as though promotion was a realistic prospect for a side less than 30 games in to their history. But none of it really happened, did it? With this awful virus impacting every aspect of our lives, the league has been declared null and void. That means Wakefield will have the quirky side note – or not if it didn’t happen – that their first season as a football club ended with no result; no promotion or relegation; no mid-table finish; no sense of over or under achievement – just a nagging sense of what-if?

The history books might not, but anyone who has regularly attended games will remember a rollercoaster first season fondly, with a mixture of emotions. The first would have been a mixture of excitement and surprise at just how well a team of youngsters with no real league experience started. A 2-2 draw away at Hepworth in their first game was followed by a home debut to match any other. 3-0 down to a physical and well organised Dodworth side after just 30 minutes looked terminal. But Wakefield gave the first glimpse of what they are about by keeping their heads, dominating possession and ultimately sealing an epic 3-3 come-back draw with a late strike from Marvin Emmanuel.

The side didn’t look back, going on to an impressive win away at high-flying Penistone, followed by thrashings of Frecheville, Ecclesfield, Burngreave and Jubilee. Marred only by a 3-0 loss away to a Swinton team that would go on to demolish all comers in the season that didn’t happen, and a 2-2 draw that should have been a win away at Oughtibridge, Wakefield sat comfortably in third position after 11 games. Their exhilarating run comprised of an impressive seven wins and only one loss out of 11, including an inspiring seven matches unbeaten and five wins in a row. Most eye-catching were the 32 goals scored, meaning Wakefield had averaged almost three a game.

The impressive form meant that Wakefield had a chance to go top of the league on 26/10/2019 when Penistone visited The Dorothy Hyman Stadium – Wakefield’s home away from home in their inaugural season. Having averaged nearly two points per game up until that point, a hard-fought game in which Penistone had their revenge by coming away 3-2 winners, marked the start of a more testing period for the young Wakefield side.

That loss was followed by a muddy, messy and ill-disciplined home exit from the league cup against Wombwell at home, marred by the first of many unnecessary red cards for Wakefield. A shaky home win over Burngreave the following week was as good as it got in a miserable run over Christmas, which saw Wakefield lose nine out of 11 games and go on an unthinkable run of six games without a goal. The team couldn’t catch a break, with things going from bad to worse every week. The unwanted red cards kept coming, as did some unfortunate injuries, and it meant a team constantly changing formation and personnel couldn’t find any way out of the quagmire.

The long wait for a goal did finally end on 25/01/2020 at home, with a three goal first half showing against Houghton Main leaving fans salivating at the apparent return of the exciting, exhilarating, goal-scoring machine from early season. Unfortunately, they were also treated to the other, less-impressive side of Wakefield in a second half collapse that saw the home side somehow go on to lose 4-3. Those green shoots of recovery were there though and, helped by finally achieving some consistency of players and formation, Wakefield finally got their win – and some catharsis – two weeks later against none other than Houghton Main in the reverse fixture.

Things seemed to be on the up, with four goals and a clean-sheet the following week against Burngreave moving Wakefield back up to fourth. Their return to consistency and form was only halted by a Swinton side that had won every game they had played since the sides last faced each other in August, and were top of the league by a country mile. Even in that match – a 7-2 loss that sounds worse than it was on paper – Wakefield scored two good goals and briefly went toe-to-toe with a side that are on a different planet to all others in the league. There was never a chance to see how Wakefield, who had scored 11 goals in their last five games, progressed after that. All fixtures were stopped in March and soon after a decision was made by the FA to declare the season null and void – spare a thought for that unbeaten Swinton side who won’t get the league title!

That left Wakefield, for what it’s worth, in ninth position in the league. With all teams having played differing numbers of games, their average of 1.27 points per game is a more accurate reflection of their success, and would drop them one place to 10th in the league if it were based on average points. For an inexperienced group of players in their first season, that mid-table finish – even if it didn’t happen – is a fine achievement given that poor run that threatened to derail them over Christmas. Winners of 10 out of the 25 games they played in all competitions, Wakefield finished with an average of nearly two goals a game scored and – interestingly, given their frequent defensive issues – were bettered by only three teams in their average goals conceded. Without the goalless run that Wakefield endured, who knows where a side outscored by only four other teams would have ended up. No doubt, with fans treated to over four goals a game on average over the season, it should go without saying Wakefield AFC is the place to go for some football excitement at the dawn of a new, post Coronavirus football season in 2020.

All of the aforementioned stats, games and goals wouldn’t have been possible without a group of players willing to come together to start Wakefield on their new journey. And fans were treated to a brilliant group of exciting young men. The excellent start gave us the flying full backs, with Jack Enkh and Jean Merour marauding down the flanks to set-up goals and excite the spectators in equal measure. Unfortunately, those early season favourites were curtailed by a bold but admirable management decision to send Enkh home and unfortunate injury on Merour’s part.

Further up the field, Wakefield had their very own no. 7 in Deji Alabi capable of blistering wing wizardry, full of pace, guile and goals. His four goals at the start of the season indicated he would no doubt go on to double figures, but a mixture of injury and the team’s mid-season form perhaps affected him more than most. The end of the season saw Mike Owusu finally get a run after a long period of injury. He looked like a ready made no. 9 in partnership with a resurgent five goal Nathan Weekes and Redon Gashi playing just off him. Add to that Noah Hamelberg finding his place in a more central position, and Ifi Ofoegbu joining the side from a professional football background, there was much promise cut short by Covid-19.

Mention has to go to Yemi Ayodele, an almost ever-present in an ever changing and at times makeshift back four, whilst Kyron Richards – imperious in both defence and midfield – would have to be in any serious player of the season discussions. However, it is hard to look past eight goal captain Manny Katundu for player of the season. A leader on and off the pitch; full of class, composure and skill; and the club’s top scorer from midfield including an outstanding run of six goals in four games in September/October. He was rewarded with a transfer up the leagues to Stocksbridge in February, but even that didn’t stop him from topping the goalscoring and appearance charts, whilst also returning for two more games via dual-registration in March.

Every player needs a manager, and that task has been the responsibility of ex Sheffield Wednesday and Manchester United goalkeeper Chris Turner. Sporting director, manager and coach all rolled in to one, he has negotiated the unknown of a new season and the chaos that comes with new, inexperienced players and constant shifting and changing of his squad. Despite that, a clear, expansive and exciting style of possession based football has been visible as a result of his stewardship. No team Wakefield have face have outplayed or outpassed his young men. He has been decisive when changing personnel and formations, not to mention uncompromising when choosing not to mince his words after poor performances.

An impressive compliment to the first team, Wakefield’s reserves, coached by Steve Adams, have also wowed in their first season. Some fine performances, particularly in the cup competitions, were a credit to the manager and players, and also saw many of those players getting games in the first team throughout the season too. Their final league position was an admirable 7th.

The club appear to be in good hands after their debut season, and are complimented by an ever increasing support despite the games being played in the club’s temporary location at Cudworth. The rising attendances and travelling support are often unmatched by the league’s other sides and this can only be a good thing moving in to the future.

That future will hopefully bring hope, with the disappointment of the season’s early curtailment providing opportunity. The decision to null and void means that a re-format of the league pyramid is delayed for a year, and that now gives Wakefield another run at a promotion finish. That run will come in a season which a side with a years extra experience can attack with confidence. There will be greater competition for places and hopefully greater consistency of performance. It will give Wakefield real hope that they can achieve the unlikely goal of promotion in what will be only their ‘first season’ as a club.

Stat Attack

Wakefield AFC Committee Player Of The Season
Manny Katundu

Wakefield AFC Committee Goal Of The Season
Noah Hamelberg, 35 yarder at Houghton Main – 08/02/2020

Wakefield AFC Committee Game Of The Season
Wakefield 3 – 3 Dodworth Miners Welfare FC – 21/08/2019

Final League Table

Points Per Game Table

Goals Scored (All Competitions)

Goals Per Game Table (All Competitions)

Goals Conceded (All Competitions)

*Wakefield AFC Clean Sheets
Total – 4
Quinaceo Hunt – 2
Ryan Eades – 1
Crescenzio Arvanitis – 1
League Ranking for Clean Sheets – 8th

Disciplinary Table

Wakefield AFC Stats

Most Played Formation and 11 (All Competitions)
Formation – 4-3-3

GK  – Quinaceo Hunt
RB  – Jean Merour
CB  – Marvin Emmanuel
CB  – Yemi Ayodele
LB  – Chris Sholu
CDM – Kyron Richards
CM – Manny Katundu
CM – Noah Hamelberg
RW – Deji Alabi
ST – Nathan Weekes
LW – Redon Gashi

Goalscores (All Competitions)
Manny Katundu – 8
Rayjon Moore – 7
Nathan Weekes – 5
Deji Alabi – 4
Thomas Eclapier – 4
Jamie Hardwick – 3
Redon Gashi – 3
Kyron Richards – 3
Noah Hamelberg – 3
Yemi Ayodele – 2
Lewis Owiredu – 2
Marvin Emmanuel – 1
Jack Enkh – 1
Mike Owusu – 1
Lennard Okalo – 1
Arnie Grayson – 1

Appearances Top 5 (All Competitions)
Manny Katundu – 21
Yemi Ayodele – 21
Nathan Weekes – 19
Deji Alabi – 18
Kyron Richards – 18

Cards
Kyron Richards – 5 Yellow
Jamie Hardwick – 4 Yellow
Marvin Emmanuel – 2 Yellow / 1 Red
Sobomate Harry – 1 Yellow / 1 Red
Nathan Weekes – 2 Yellow
Cedric Kouakou – 2 Yellow
Manny Katundu – 2 Yellow
Deji Alabi – 2 Yellow
Ishmed Turay – 1 Red
Noah Hamelberg – 1 Red
Jean Merour – 1 Red
Yemi Ayodele – 1 Yellow
Thomas Eclapier – 1 Yellow
Quinaceo Hunt – 1 Yellow