Sal Habib "Wakefield Athletic & Me"
27 Jul 2011

Football addict’s community fixation

From humble beginnings in Uganda to forging a successful career and becoming a key figure in the local football scene; Sal Habib has traveled a long way in the last 30 years.

He is now a Senior Clinical Practitioner in Forensic Psychiatry at the Yorkshire Centre for Forensic Psychiatry at Newton Lodge and runs three Wakefield Athletic teams in the Wakefield and District Sunday Football League.

But this is a far cry from the unsettled start to life in Britain experienced by the self confessed football addict.

"As Asians, we (Sal, his mother, father, sister and grandma) were expelled from Uganda in 1972 as a result of Idi Amin’s regime," he explained.

"And we arrived in a re-settlement camp in Devon where we spent eight months before moving to Lincolnshire and then finally arriving in Wakefield."

Throughout his life though, Sal has always been involved in football, no matter where he went or what conditions he experienced.

"When I was in Uganda, I remember watching the East African Cup and the African Club Championships and I used to write reports of the games for the local schools and pin them up on notice boards.

"I played a lot of foot ball as a youngster and I realised that the sport played a major role in bringing communities together so I set up African, Asian and European sides."

When Sal and his family arrived in Devon he soon set about organising the migrant Asian community into football teams and contacted local colleges to arrange matches.

This proved hugely successful and Sal’s side even played against Exeter University.

His work in the community caught the eye of the local press who saw that the players lacked kit and equipment and so clubs from the area raffled round to provide shirts and boots.

This is something that Sal is very mindful of today and, despite his success, he hasn’t forgot the help he received on the way.

"I try and help football clubs in poorer countries," he explained.

"Recently, I have sent strips and other sports goods - to teams in Romania and Gambia."

From Devon, Sal and his family had the opportunity to move to Canada but they chose to remain in England.

"Canada offered me and my family great opportunities with regard to education and a new life," he said.

"But we decided that England was the place for us to make a new life for ourselves."
The family moved to a bigger house in Lincolnshire where, once again, Sal thought football.

His work in establishing Asian teams to play against local youth clubs was big news and, in recognition, his new side were taken to watch Grimsby FC for whom Sal also had trials.

From Lincolnshire, the Habibs made their final move to Wakefield in August 1973, where Sal has since made a huge impact on the foot ball scene.

He was spotted kicking a ball around a park by Neville Pierce, who played cricket for Altofts at the time, and Neville took him to the Lock Lane football club where Sal enjoyed a run in the reserve team.

But it was as a striker for Spring Grove where Sal made his name and, as his reputation spread, he played for Wakefield HMC where he eventually became manager.

At the time, Sal worked at the Paton and Baldwin factory as a quality controller but careers advisors steered him in the direction of his current profession in which he has proved so successful.

Saturday football wasn’t enough for Sal, and so he played for struggling Sunday League outfit Wakefield Arms.

"They were very disorganised when I joined," he said.

"But I brought several players down and after a while we started a new team based at Bleasbys which has now developed into Wakefield Athletic."

Sal then took on Waterloo’s reserve side (which was on tile verge of disbanding) and, as his squad of young players grew, he eventually took charge of three teams.

Sal was, and still is, keen to encourage youngsters to join his sides and his investment in youth has paid dividends through a thriving and committed group of players.

As well-as manager of Wakefield Athletic, he is currently Vice Chairman and Public Relations Officer for the Wakefield and District Sunday Football League.

"I feel lucky to - be able to help the local game from my position with the Wakefield and District FA and influence local football, hopefully for the better;’ said Sal.
The team may have changed name from Grove Park to Cheers, back to Grove Park, Sporting British Oak and now Wakefield Athletic but Sal’s commitment has remained unstinting.

The name has changed but club’s heart and soul remains the same

The football club now known as Wakefield Athletic was formed in 1983 and currently fields three teams in the Wakefield and District Sunday League, in the Premier Division, Division 2 and Division 3 respectively.

It all started when Uganda born Sal Habib, a Psychiatric Nurse, founded a ‘keep-fit’ club at Stanley Royd Hospital known as the Sporting Activity Club.

The team enjoyed a series of summer friendlies against sides from St James’ Hospital, Meanwood Park Hospital, Highroyds Hospital and also a game with current West Riding County Amateur outfit Ardsley Celtic.

The interest shown in the club sowed the seeds for a more organised and structured setting.

From this, hospital staff who were already playing Sunday League football - decided to set up their own team and created Bleasbys. -

In their first season (1983/84), the side finished a creditable fourth following 11 wins, four draws and seven defeats.

Three years after this promising start and the club now established, it took over struggling Waterloo and formed a reserve side.

Ostensibly, this didn’t prove successful and Bleasbys were forced to introduce youngsters into the side which, although difficult at the time, paved the way for a successful future.

The club cultivated a youth development programme and its continual expansion resulted in the formation of a third team seven years ago.

Bleasby’s played their home games at Stanley Royd Hospital but then under the name of Sporting British Oak, Grove Park and now Wakefield Athletic, the club is currently based at WYCO, Sandal. This provides the club with an excellent base and boasts facilities such as 2 football pitches, a 5-a-side pitch, changing facilities and a clubhouse/bar.

Also, Wakefield Athletic has held talks with a Unibond Premier Division outfit in the hope of introducing a link that would profit both sides in terms of nurturing local talent.

The club has already had notable success in this department and has attracted several local and regionally based scouts to look at gifted Wakefield Athletic players. Rob Bloomfield has been watched by Nottingham Forest scouts.

Iso Budimir spent a year on Leeds United’s books and played for the ‘Whites’ second string against Manchester United but was released following an injury. Pazeer Bhatti and Michael Townend had trials with Chesterfield and Huddersifeld Town respectively.

The club is also keen to attract players from all areas of the community and often fields numerous nationalities.

Over the years, the "league of nations" (as Sal Habib puts it), has registered players from as far a field as France, India, Pakistan, Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Yugoslavia, South Africa, Jamaica, Uganda, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, West Indies and Malaysia.

And this eclectic mix of talent has brought numerous trophies.

All three teams have won League Cup competitions and the first team has also clinched the Landlords trophy on two separate occasions.