Fairbank dedicated to community

Fairbank's success has lead to individual honours

Only relaunched in 2006, Fairbank United FC are setting new standards for involvement within their community.

Spurred on by their motto 'in the community for the community' they are more than a football team, they are a community resource.

The club runs a drama school, a weekend activity club and a homework club at the Girlington Centre.

Fairbank has also helped the younger members of their senior side gain work based qualifications.

Future activities include the Manchester United Soccer School coming to the centre to train local youngsters, while a local inter-school small sided competition is in the early stages of planning.

The management committee have worked extremely hard to provide activities for young people in what is a disadvantaged area Sajad Hussain

"The club has been involved in community-based activities for the last 10 years and I have been impressed with the club's work outside of football," said Sajad Hussain of Sathi Foods, Fairbank's main sponsor.

"The management committee have worked extremely hard to provide activities for young people in what is a disadvantaged area, laying on projects such as the homework club, the drama project, along with their sports based activities, and I am proud to help support the club in its noble endeavours."

Fairbank United is a true 'phoenix from the flames' story. Originally formed by a group of local youngsters in 1996 and coached by Mark Rogers, the senior side lasted just one season, while the junior team competed until 2003.

The club was relaunched in 2006 by former junior manager Shazad Bashir and Akif Waseem.

Then the Girlington-based outfit just had an under-17s side, which missed out on the Huddersfield RCD League title. Meanwhile, its five-a-side team reached the Umbro Five final at Wembley.

That was the springboard to reinstate a senior side, which is made up from the under-17s of 2006 and previous members of the junior section before 2003.

Fairbank United Details Address: Thorn Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD9 Chairman/Manager: Shazad Bashir Email: [e-mail] Teams: Seniors; U14's; U9's Other Clubs: Drama, weekend activities, homework, work based qualifications

The senior team appear to have hit the ground running in their first season back. They currently sit second in the T&A League and have reached the semi-finals of the League Cup.

Captain Mohammed Aftab said: "We're taking it one game at a time and have achieved nothing yet. We have worked hard and need to continue putting in the effort for us to be smiling come the end of the season in May."

The club's progress has resulted in individual success. Usman Hussain and Irfan Khan have both been capped by Pakistan at under-19s level, and they are now training with Championship side Scunthorpe United.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Hussain has been unearthed by Fairbank and he is now playing for Bradford City's under-nines.

The club are currently putting together a bid to become a chartered standard club so they can expand and develop under-sevens and under-11s teams.