Yorkshire Masters Preview

Last updated : 26 July 2009 By Tom Collins
City have entered a team in the annual six-a-side competition for the first time since its inception in 2000, and will compete at the Sheffield Arena against ex-players from the two Sheffield clubs, Barnsley, Donny and Leeds to be crowned Yorkshire Masters winners.

The teams will be split into two groups of three, with the winner of each group playing in the final. This heat winner goes on to the national finals in Liverpool against the other regional champions.

The ex-Tigers squad assembled for Saturday's bunfight consists of Steve Wilson, Justin Whittle, Neil Allison, Lee Warren, John Anderson, Johnny Eyre, Garry Parker, Leigh Jenkinson and Duane Darby. As many of the squad members were plying their trade for City in the club's darker days, the competition should provide a good opportunity too for newer city fans to get a sense of the club's recent history, and pay homage to some of the players who scrapped away for the black and amber cause in the lower reaches of the Football League.

The now requisite dancing girls perform in-between games, provided by Sky who will televise the event. More importantly, beer will be on sale, which may come in handy when having to sit through Leo Fortune West's fiftieth shocking first touch of the evening.

There are plenty of former Tigers to be seen in the other squads at the event. Ray Wallace and John Pearson will appear for Leeds, while Gary "he used to be a bouncer" Brabin, recently sacked by Cambridge, will turn out for Doncaster alongside Russ Wilcox and Lee Butler. The former city centre-half and Boston boss Neil Thompson will play for Barnsley.

Tickets priced £15 for adults and £10 concessions are still available for the event and can be purchased from www.mastersfootball.com, where more information on the event can also be found.