Hapton FC new

Next up is globe away. Hopefully the lads can get some points on the board this weekend. Get over and show your support ⚽️⚫️🔴BU(EL)🔴⚫️⚽️

Burnley United EL — Match Report
Yesterday didn’t quite go to plan, but there are plenty of positives to take from the performance.
We knew going into the game that Prairie are a very good passing side, so we had to be on top of our game from the first whistle. We changed to a back three with the aim of pressing them high and putting them under as much pressure as possible — and, after the first 10–15 minutes of settling into the game, the plan worked.
It was non-stop, end-to-end football. Burnley United got the first goal with a lovely piece of play from the young lads and Jack Slattery nicely passing it passed the keeper 👌, but Prairie equalised almost straight away with a cracker of their own. We continued to put them on the back foot and caused them plenty of problems.
Then, with around five minutes to go before half-time, Burnley United found another goal with an absolute screamer 🚀 from Patrick Targett to make it 2–1 at the break.
Unfortunately, the second half was a different story. Prairie got the equaliser 2 minutes into the second half and i think that took a lot out of the lads, we stopped pressing and allowed Prairie the time and space to play the passing football we knew they were capable of. They started to control the game and, at times, we simply couldn’t get to grips with it.
A lot of that will come down to team experience and the fact we haven’t had a proper pre-season together or had much time training as a group. That will come with time.
The final scoreline probably doesn’t reflect the performance, especially what we produced in that first half. There were also a couple of goals that was offside, but we’re not going to make excuses.
Prairie deserved the win, and there are no complaints about the result — but we feel the scoreline probably flattered them.
Overall, it was a very good game and there is a lot for us to take from it, especially that first-half performance. The lads showed what they can do when we press, work hard and play with confidence.
Now we keep grafting, keep learning and keep building as a team.
The win will come. 💪⚽️⚫️🔴BU(EL)🔴⚫️⚽️

Saturdays game is away/home to a very good prairie side. This will be another tough test for our young lads. Get down and show your support ⚽️⚫️🔴BU(EL)🔴⚫️⚽️

BURNLEY UNITED EL – MATCH REPORT ⚽️⚫️🔴⚽

Yesterday’s result wasn’t the one we were after, but there are a lot of positives to take from the performance.

With six lads under the age of 18, most of them starting, the team more than held their own against a very good Feniscowles & Pleasington Res side who will no doubt be challenging towards the top of the league.

The biggest thing to remember is that these lads have only been together for two or three weeks and had just one training session together. We’ve also had two pre-season games where different players have played, so realistically, we haven’t had a proper pre-season together.

The first half showed that the lads were still getting used to each other, but they battled hard and stayed in the game. We went into half-time just 1–0 down, unfortunately through an own goal. Absolute bullet of a header, just in the wrong goal.

The second half was a completely different story. 🔥

For the first 15–20 minutes, the lads came flying out. It was non-stop battles, some really good football and, more importantly, we started to see the players understanding each other and getting used to playing together.

Against a strong and organised Feniscowles & Pleasington side, they eventually got their second goal to kill the game off. And to be fair, it was an absolute worldie of a goal! 👏

Overall, every single player put in a real shift. The effort, attitude and determination were there from start to finish.

Considering how little time this group has actually had together, the future is looking very positive.

Give these lads another month or so to properly gel, get more training sessions under their belts and build that understanding, and we genuinely believe there are some exciting times ahead.

The results will come. The foundations are being built.

A massive well done to everyone who put in the effort yesterday. Keep working, keep believing and keep pushing. ⚽️⚫️🔴BU(EL)🔴⚫️⚽️

New leaders for the 2026/27 season. BU(EL)🔴⚫️

So Saturdays game is the start of the new chapter at home against pleasington and Feniscowles res. With a new look team and more or less new young sqaud we are looking forward to get stuck in. We've not had much time together so might take time to get things up and running but what we've seen so far the lads are more than capable of holding their own. ⚽️⚫️🔴BU(EL)🔴⚫️⚽️

A New Chapter ❤️💛🖤

We’ve got a couple of announcements to make — one very difficult and one with a lot of positives for the future.

Sadly, after five years of doing everything I possibly could to keep Hapton going, we’ve had to make the incredibly difficult decision to fold Hapton FC as it was.

Every year has become more of a struggle, both to bring enough players in and to keep the club financially sustainable. Realistically, we could have carried on for another few months, but we were probably going to end up in the same position.

Then an opportunity came from Burnley United for us to become their second team, Burnley United EL.

As hard as it was, I had to go with my head and not my heart. I’ve put absolutely everything into Hapton over the last five years, so I’m genuinely gutted to see the name go. But the most important thing is keeping the lads playing football, and I truly believe this is the right decision.

Going forward, Hapton will no longer play under the Hapton name. This season, we will be competing as Burnley United EL.

There are some massive positives to this move. We now have a pathway for U16 and U18 players to progress into our team and, eventually, towards the Burnley United first team. That gives young players an opportunity to keep playing, develop and hopefully progress through the club.

To everyone who has supported Hapton over the years — players, managers, coaches, sponsors, supporters, friends and everyone who has helped us along the way — thank you from the bottom of my heart. ❤️💛🖤

I really hope you can understand why this decision had to be made and, most importantly, that you’ll continue to support us on this new journey.

It’s the end of one chapter, but the start of something that could be very positive for everyone involved.

Hapton may be gone as a name, but the lads, the memories and the football continue.

Here’s to the next chapter. ⚽❤️🖤

Burnley United EL — let’s see where this journey takes us. More details to come and if anyone has any questions please feel free to message