Lewbangers - History

Lewbangers have risen from the ashes of Save Chip, the 5-a-side team who strutted their stuff in the Wednesday Night League, at South Leeds Stadium, between the years of 2001 and 2004.

Each of the individuals who were to make up Save Chip attended a weekly, Monday night soccer session called Fitness for Football at South Leeds Stadium. One wet, gloomy Leeds night saw the aging Colin Chapman suggest that a 5-a-side team should be started. The youngsters he asked jumped at the idea. The opportunity to play alongside Chapman was too much to pass away for the other members.

Save Chip formed in the early Spring of 2001. The regular members of the squad were: Colin Chapman, Dominic Stephenson, David Woollin, David Bloomfield, Chris Long, Michael Thompson, Andrew Bragg and Bobby Spiers.

The first night of action for Save Chip saw them battle the elements as they had to play through a torrential downpour of hailstones. They say bad conditions are a leveller. Save Chip lost 20-1. It does not bear thinking about what the score would have been without the adverse weather conditions.

Save Chip played six seasons in total on Wednesday evenings and quite remarkably never finished bottom of the league. Save Chip always finished between mid-table and 2nd bottom.

The Chip did not pull up any trees with their overall results, but there were many highlights of the era.

• David Woollin scored all 7 goals in a 7-6 win over a team with yellow kits on.
• Chris Long had an apology for a bad tackle turned down, so he asked a member of the opposition, "What do you want me to do, suck his dick?"
• Dominic Stephenson, playing as goalkeeper, was left rolling on the floor in agony with a testicles injury, as the unsporting striker for Castlemaine put the ball in the net.
• David Bloomfield managed to defy physics by bending in a goal around the goalkeeper with his left foot.
• Colin Chapman was karate kicked by his adopted son, who was playing for the opposition.
• Andrew Bragg was warned about his conduct by the referee when he lashed out at a persistent ankle-tapper on the opposition side.
• Michael Thompson man-marked the massive Castlemaine striker.

Unfortunately though, all good things have to come to an end, and in the summer of 2004, Save Chip dismantled. Many reasons have been cited. Was it Chapman's refusal to wear the team jersey in favour of his own France shirt? Was a break needed? Did Thompson's off-field antics take their toll on the rest of the squad? The truth is, no-one will ever know.

Anyhow, to the future, and namely Lewbangers. Lewbangers will comprise of Bobby Spiers, Dominic Stephenson, David Woollin, Michael Thompson, Chris Long, David Bloomfield and Andrew Bragg. They will participate in the Outwood Grange, 6-a-side football league, every Wednesday evening.

Read all about their trials and tribulations on this webpage.