Which is the biggest city in the UK to have never had a football league club? The answer, Wakefield. Historically a ‘rugby town’, Wakefield has never had much success with the round ball compared to the egg-shaped one.

A newly founded team is looking to change that, however. Step forward, Wakefield United FC.

Formed in December of 2018, Wakefield is a team with a difference compared to your usual football club. The ethos that the club is built around is that it aims to “provide free football to all refugees, asylum seekers and migrants to Wakefield”, with British players also welcomed, the club aims to bring a real sense of community to the area and have integration of people from all walks of life.

The formation of the club has been complicated for founder Matt Thomas, however, a strong social media presence has brought together volunteers from across the country to help in the project.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for the club so far has been to find a suitable venue to train and play, with a lot of hope being placed in the proposed Wakefield Community Stadium. The ground has been a hot topic of debate between Wakefield council and rugby league club Wakefield Trinity for roughly eight years with very little headway being made.

When asked about the topic, the official twitter account for Wakefield United (@WakefieldUnited) had the following to say:

This is regularly covered in the press. What isn’t really covered is that for decades teams have tried and failed to make a home in the city but have no backing from the powers that be and have no home to play in. Build us a community stadium, we will use it. https://t.co/MZacxt38t2 — Wakefield United Football Club (@WakefieldUnited) February 7, 2019

As things stand, applications have been made to different leagues and Wakefield United are set to kick their first ball in the 2019/20 season, with the new club badge, kit and backroom staff all decided, and the hunt for players underway, the only big question looming over the club is where will they be based?

With everything that the army of volunteers have achieved up to this point in Wakefield, hopefully the stars will align for them and the issues that are currently out of their hands will be resolved, wherever they play I’m sure the people of Wakefield will come out to support and represent their proud sporting city.