Sport and leisure

We manage a number of football pitches around Barnsley. You can find all the information you need about hiring a football pitch below.

Recommended pitch sizes

Below is the recommended pitch sizes for different age groups.

Age group Suggested pitch size Length Width Football post size
Mini soccer under 7/8 (5 v 5) 50m x 30m Max - 50m

Min - 30m
Max - 30m

Min - 20m
6ft x 12ft
Mini soccer under 9/10 (7 v 7) 60m x 40m Max - 60m

Min - 50m
Max - 40m

Min - 30m
6ft x 12ft
Youth soccer under 11/12 (9 v 9) 80m x 50m Max -90m

Min - 75m
Max - 55m

Min - 45m
7ft x 16ft
Youth soccer under 13/14 (11 v 11) 90m x 55m Max - 100m

Min - 80m
Max - 60m

Min - 50m
7ft x 21ft
Youth soccer under 15/16 (11 v 11) 100m x 60m Max - 130m

Min - 90m
Max - 70m

Min - 50m
8ft x 24ft
Youth soccer under 17/18 (11 v 11) 110m x 70m Max - 130m

Min - 100m
Max - 100m

Min - 50m
8ft x 24ft

Open access football pitches

Please see below list of locations of free to use pitches in each ward throughout the borough.

Brierley, Great Houghton and Grimethorpe

  • Shafton recreation ground

Darton

  • Ibberson Park, Mapplewell recreation ground

Dearne

  • Dearne Backings, Bolton-on-Dearne (kick about area)

Dodworth and Kingstone

  • Broadway recreation ground
  • Stainborough Road, Dodworth (kick about area)

Hoyland Milton and Rockingham

  • Birdwell community park
  • Cloughfields (kick about area)
  • Rockingham sports ground

Monk Bretton, Royston and St Helen's

  • Carlton recreation ground
  • Smithies recreation ground (kick about area)
  • Winter Avenue, Royston

Old Town

  • Harry Road playing field
  • Sugdens recreation ground, Pogmoor

Penistone

  • Cubley, Littleton Crescent (kick about area)
  • Park Avenue showground
  • Silkstone recreation ground

Stairfoot, Wombwell and Worsbrough

  • Ardsley recreation ground
  • Summer Lane, Wombwell
  • Wombwell Main sports ground

Football pitches available to hire 

Please see below list of locations and number of pitches in each ward throughout the borough.

Cudworth ward 

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Cudworth Park 1 x junior None

Darfield ward 

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Mitchell and Darfield 2 x adult None

​Darton East ward

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Mapplewell Park 2 x junior Changing facilities 

Darton West ward

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Barugh Green Recreation Ground  1 x adult  Changing facilities available through the community group
Darton Longfields  1 x junior
2 x mini 
Changing facilities 
Darton Park  1 x adult  Changing facilities  
Gilroyd Recreation Ground  1 x mini None
Harry Road playing field  1 x adult 
1 x mini 
Changing facilities at Woodview 
Kexbrough Recreation Ground  1 x junior  None
Woodview, Gawber 1 x adult Changing facilities 

​Dearne North ward

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Hickleton Sports Ground  1 x adult  None 

Dearne South ward 

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Brickyard Ponds 1 x adult
1 x mini
None
Carrfield Lane, Goldthorpe  2 x adult  None 

Dodworth ward 

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
South Road 1 x junior  None 

Hoyland Milton ward 

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Blackerhill Recreation Ground 2 x adult 
1 x mini 
None 
Jump Welfare Park  1 x adult  None 
Milton Forge, Hoyland  1 x adult
1 x junior 
None 
Platts Common (behind ambulance station)  1 x mini None 
Platts Common (behind bowling green) 1 x mini  None 

Monk Bretton ward 

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Carlton Park 2 x adult 
1 x junior 
2 x mini 
Changing facilities through the community group 
Littleworth Lane Recreation Ground  2 x adult  None
Monk Bretton Social  1 x adult
1 x junior
1 x mini 
None
Rotherham Road playing field 2 x adult 
1 x junior 
None

Old Town ward

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Pogmoor Recreation Ground 1 x adult
1 x junior 
2 x mini
None

Penistone East ward

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Silkstone Common Recreation Ground 1 x adult None
Tankersley Welfare Park 1 x adult None

​Penistone West ward

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Lidgett Lane 1 x junior None
Park Avenue, Penistone 1 x junior None

Rockingham ward 

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Birdwell Recreation Ground 1 x adult
1 x junior
Changing facilities 
Tinker Lane, Hoyland Common 1 x adult None

Royston ward

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Oakwood playing field 1 x adult
2 x junior
1 x mini
None
Oldroyds playing field 1 x adult None
Royston Park 2 x junior
1 x mini
Changing facilities
The Green, Royston 1 x adult  

Stairfoot ward

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Ardsley Park 1 x adult Changing facilities
Elmhirst 2 x adult
2 x junior 
2 x mini
None
Kendray Farm Road 1 x adult
1 x junior
1 x mini
None

St Helens ward

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Athersley Memorial Recreation Ground 4 x adult
2 x junior
2 x mini
None

Wombwell ward 

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available 
Bradberry Balk Lane 1 x adult None
Lundhill playing field 2 x junior 
2 x mini
None
Mary Lane playing field 2 x adult None
New Scarborough Corner 1 x adult None

Worsbrough ward

Location Pitch types Additional facilities available
Cromwell Mount 1 x adult None
New England 1 x adult None
Ward Green Recreation Ground 1 x adult
1 x junior
None
Worsbrough Dale Park 1 x adult
1 x junior 
2 x mini
None

Charges and fees

All charges and fees are subject to annual increase.

Category  Description Adult price Junior price
A Pitch, changing facilities with showers and toilet £572 £294
B Pitch, changing facilities with showers or toilet £520 £273
C Pitch and changing facilities £469 £242
D Pitch only £407 £211
Mini soccer - N/A £140

Apply to hire a football pitch

If you'd like to hire one of our football pitches please download and read the terms and conditions and fill in an application form:

If your organisation has more than one team who want to hire a pitch, please make sure that you submit an application form for each team.  

Paying to hire a football pitch

Once your application is approved and you've received written confirmation of your pitch, we'll send you an invoice. You can pay your invoice by debit or credit card.

Renewals

We send out renewal notices to current users in April, prior to the start of the new season. You must return your renewal form by 15 May; many pitches are reserved for clubs until that date.

We'll confirm your renewal by 30 June and inform the club of the pitch hired, the balance of payment and who they'll be sharing the facilities with.

After confirmation we'll send you an invoice requesting payment in three instalments - the first being by 31 August and the final payment by 31 October.

Sports ground safety

The safety of spectators who visit sports grounds to watch sport or events is controlled by specific legislation - the Safety at Sports Grounds Act 1975 as amended by the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987.

You can find out more about this and safety certificate applications on our sports ground safety page.