A GROUP of dads who set up a football team as “a bit of fun after the kids have gone to bed” have secured a shock win in their six-a-side league.

Spartan Warriors FC, sponsored by Wales Fast Growth 50 firm Rawson Digital, based in Wrexham, beat off competition from teams nearly half their age and some containing semi-professional players to be crowned champions of their FA affiliated Soccer Sixes league.

Player manager and dad-of-two Ben Bradley joked their unexpected title victory was a ‘fairytale’ on par with Leicester City’s famous Premier League triumph in 2016, which shocked the footballing world.

Their title win was so unexpected that the FA presented the league trophy four weeks early to an opposing side who at the time were six points clear and on course for glory.

Ben, 39, an engineer at Rawson Digital, set up Spartan Warriors two years ago as a way of getting fit and socialising with his friends.

The keen Leeds United FC supporter from Rhosllanerchrugog said: “It started two years ago when I was out with some of the lads who I’d played football growing up with since I was 10.

“I’d heard of the Soccer Sixes and said why don’t we give it a go?

“They all started laughing but I was serious.

“I spoke to my boss Vaughn Rawson who is managing director at Rawson Digital and said ‘would you be able to sponsor us and pay for a kit and balls to train with’.

“He thought it was a cracking idea and it went from there really. He’s always asking how we’re getting on so we give him weekly updates.

“We couldn’t have done it without his support and he’s even said he wants to organise a big celebration for us winning the league.”

The father-of-two added: “In the first season we finished 10th out of 15 teams so we decided to get fitter and have a proper go.

“Some of the lads we were up against were semi pro – there were lots from Cefn Druids who played a Europa League qualifier a few years ago and also some from TNS.

“We’re just a group of dads who put our kids to bed and then go and have some fun and fitness.

“At 39 it’s great to feel as fit as I was at 25 and it’s the same for the other lads. Sometimes our kids come to watch us and cheer us on which is great.

“We’ve got a squad of 10 players but some lads work shifts so we tend to have seven or eight for each game.

“Sometimes we don’t have a sub because we don’t have the numbers and there was one game when we had five versus six but ended up winning.

“We’ve done really well. We’ve shocked a few people I think. It’s been a bit of a fairytale story – we’re a bit like Leicester City!”

Vaughn Rawson, founder of Rawson Digital, which supplies and maintains photocopiers and printers for companies across North Wales and the North West, said he was ‘delighted’ by his team’s unexpected win.

He said: “When Ben approached me with his idea about forming Spartan Warriors FC I was more than happy to sponsor them and help provide the funds they needed to purchase kit and equipment.

“It’s a fantastic achievement and one the lads should be very proud of. Hopefully this is just the start of their success on the pitch.”

Ben, who is dad to Kieran, 13, and Alisha, eight, joked: “I think everyone is scared of us because of our name!

“I came up with it literally because I’d watched the film 300 the week before setting up the team.

“I think it’s down to that and the fact we’ve got a defender who we nickname ‘The Wardrobe’. He’s six foot two and 14 stone – no one goes near him!

“To be fair, we’ve done really well given the age we are – I guess you can’t beat knowledge! You can only go so far fitness wise when you’re in your late 30s.

“It was all about parking the bus, defending well and hitting them on the counter attack!”

Ben added: “The weird thing is the FA who run Soccer Sixes came out and handed out the winners’ trophies four weeks before the end of the season.

“The team that was top were six points ahead at that point and they obviously thought it was done and dusted.”

Spartan play in a Soccer Sixes league at Cefn Druids FC every Monday night.

Having won the title they’ve now moved up the to a six-team Premier League.