Sands United: Doncaster side for men affected by child loss records first win
- Published
The Doncaster team are made up of men who have all experienced child loss.
A Sunday league football team set up 18 months ago for men who have suffered child loss have finally secured their first league win.
Every player of amateur side Sands United Doncaster has experienced the death of a baby, either as a father or a family member.
On Sunday they beat Hyde Park 7-0, bringing an end to an 18-month winless league run.
The side dedicated their win to "all our angels".
Sands United Doncaster is part of stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands, with similar amateur teams established around the country.
The club aims to help its members cope with grief, but also raise awareness of parental loss and provide a support network.
Sands United Doncaster formed in February 2019, with 13 new players joining during lockdown
The win lifts them from the bottom spot of the Doncaster Sunday Alliance League Division One table for the first time in more than a year.
The side, which was formed in February 2019 and has grown to more than 40 players, drew one league match last season but were defeated in all other fixtures.
John Drury, club founder and centre forward, said: "It was an unbelievable feeling, it was so refreshing to see.
"We were losing 16-0 some days and I was seeing the effect it had on players' mental health, so it was a feeling of ultimate pride yesterday."
Sands United: The football team for fathers who have lost a baby
Baby Loss Awareness Week 2020, which aims to raise awareness about pregnancy and baby death in the UK, begins on Friday.
Mr Drury's son died when he was six hours old in February 2018, with his son's twin miscarried.
"I found out my first born was going to be a boy, my first thought was looking forward to taking him to Doncaster Rovers and his football training," Mr Drury said.
"Obviously I didn't get to do that, but this is my way of playing football with my son for 90 minutes, whether I'm playing or watching on the sideline."
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