Blidworth Welfare F.C.

Blidworth Welfare
Full name Blidworth Welfare Football Club
Founded 1926
Ground Welfare Ground
Manager Lewis Saxby
League Central Midlands League South Division
2017–18 Central Midlands League South Division, 7th of 15

Blidworth Welfare Football Club is a football club based in Blidworth, near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England. They are currently members of the Central Midlands League South Division.

History

Blidworth Welfare was initially formed in 1926 as Folk House Old Boys F.C., but changed to Blidworth Welfare F.C. in 1982. Since 2008, the club has played in the Central Midlands League. They first entered the FA Cup in the 1993–94 season.[1]

In the beginning

Folk House Old Boys Football Club was formed in 1926 with the intentions being that it gave local miners and residents a football club in which they could play organised and competitive matches against other local football clubs.

Change to Blidworth Welfare FC

The 1982-83 season was a big one for the club as they changed their name to Blidworth Welfare FC and became founding members of the newly formed Northern Countries East League, a competition founded from the merging of the old Midlands Counties league and the Yorkshire League. Blidworth joined the Division One South of the NCEL when it was recognised starting in the 1984-85 season and then twelve months later the club joined the NCEL Division Three following further re-organisation of the leagues. The 1986-87 season saw the club leave the NCEL to join the Central Midlands League starting in their Premier Division, the move was a successful one as the club were soon promoted to the Supreme Division in 1990.

The 1990s and the FA England National Team Invitation

In 1994 Blidworth were promoted back to the Northern Counties East League for the following 94-95 season where they competed in Division One. It did not last long though as the club were relegated back to the Central Midlands Supreme Division at the end of the 97-98 season as they finished bottom. They lost all 28 league games, conceding 186 goals and scoring only eight in that season, a campaign so bad that The FA invited them to a training session with the England national football team.[2] The club were invited to the FA's Lilleshall Centre of Excellence for a tour of the facilities and then the afternoon of training from England's coaches.

John Slater was in charge for the 1998-1999 season as the club were relegated to the lowest point of the football pyramid, the Central Midlands Premier Division. Slater resigned and the club were close to folding. At the last minute the club was rescued thanks to the efforts of Steve Spencer, who after initially spending time maintaining the ground decided to take over as the new first team manager. His efforts kept the club alive but despite the club boasting facilities capable of being used at a much higher level, the club struggled to attract the players to match it.

2000-10

In 2001, a local influential manager called Rudy Funk was appointed as the new first team manager by incoming chairman Alan Whitworth as the pair set about the task of turning the club around both on and off the field. The following two seasons were a successful re-building operation but Funks departed in 2003 and Blidworth returned to struggling in both league and cup competitions for a number of seasons under a number of different management teams. The club gained silverware in 2007 when under the management of Dave Hughes the club won the Nottinghamshire Intermediate Cup beating Bulwell FC 2-0 at Hucknall Town's Watnall Road Ground in April. In 2007 the Central Midlands league was reshuffled which saw Blidworth move to the Supreme Division and again under the management of Dave Hughes the club reached the final of the Quartet Catering League Cup where they were unfortunate to lose 1-0 in extra time to Dunkirk. This defeat followed an extraordinary cup run where Blidworth beat holders of the cup Heanor Town, league leaders and champions elect Askern Welfare plus Holbrook Miners Welfare in the semi final.

After two successful seasons at the helm, Dave Hughes reluctantly resigned as manager of the first team before the start of the 2008-09 season after his brother Rob was attacked whilst on holiday in Crete. The Manager felt he could not continue whilst his brother was in a serious medical condition in hospital. This resulted in Chairman Alan Whitworth appointing the management duo of Kevin Chappell & Keith Easom, assisted by ex-Blidworth player Simon Ward. The pair had previously worked together at Shirebrook Town looking after the Reserve & A sides. Easom had been a player at Shirebrook Town whilst Chappell had experienced football management at Worksop Town, Matlock Town, Matlock United and had been assistant to Rudy Funk during his days in charge at Blidworth. The club appointed Graeme Rodger & Chris Bullock to manage the reserve side that played in the Supreme Reserves Division of the Central Midlands League.

The first team had to manage without Kev Chappell during the second part of the season as ill health forced him to leave his role at the club so Easom ran the first team virtually on his own till the end of the season and managed to keep Blidworth in the Supreme Division finishing in a very respectable 14th position with the reserves finishing in 10th. The start of season 2009-10 saw Keith Easom promote Chris Bullock to join him as assistant manager with Graeme Rodger left to run the reserves alone. Stan Matthews a qualified Level 2 coach was appointed as the under 19’s manager assisted by Chris Bullock.The season also saw the removal of the old wooden tea bar at the ground that had been in place since the club began, the management team purchased a redundant porta cabin which they developed into a more usable hospitality area.

In January 2010 the club's old wooden changing rooms which had not been used for a number of months for health & safety reasons were demolished and the football club moved into the cricket pavilion until their own facilities were built. Plans & funding applications were well underway for a brand new football changing facility overseen by vice chairlady Helen Wilford which were hoped to be in place for the season after. Blidworth finished in 17th place at the end of season which was a respectable position considering the lack playing staff the manager had at his disposal but after this Keith Easom, Chris Bullock and Stan Matthews resigned from their positions at the club and it was then decided not to run an under 19 side for season 2010-11. Graeme Rodger had resigned from running the reserves in Feb 2010 so players Dave Voller & Jez Wright supported by former referee Darren Wragg stepped up to run the reserve side for the remainder of the season but despite a great effort they finished bottom of the Supreme Reserve Division.

2010-Present Day

Former Southwell City and Kirkby Town Manager Brett Marshall was appointed Blidworth First Team Manager for season 2010-11 assisted by Steve Roebuck. Marshall has had a successful playing career at clubs such as Retford United and can count Blidworth as one of his old teams. Ambitious to progress with a good knowledge of the game with the ability & reputation to attract the right players Blidworth were hoping Marshall’s appointment would see them challenging for promotion at the end of the season. Former player Liam Best assisted by Darren Wragg were appointed by Marshall to run the reserve team. Best left the club after a few months due to work commitments so reserves captain Dave Voller stepped up to help Wragg to the end of the season which was a great success with the reserves finishing a credible 4th in the league whilst Marshall led the first team into runners up spot but only after a final day defeat to eventual champions Sheffield Parramore denied Blidworth the title.

In July 2011 after Marshall’s departure to Retford United and also the sudden departure of Chairman Alan Whitworth after 12 years at the club, Dave Voller a local & loyal servant to the club was promoted to first team manager, working alongside Mick Gould as his assistant the pair worked hard to rebuild the club from scratch bringing in a whole new squad & backroom staff. Despite this the team finished the season in 12th place in the CML South division after the league split to North & South. The reserve team was scrapped for the season due to lack of funds but on a brighter note saw the return of an under 19 squad led by Martin Bower. Bower assisted by Kevin Heathcote brought a fine squad to the club and finished the season in 6th place along with a late quarter final defeat in the under 19`s shield.

On 7 October 2012 the changing facilities at the new look Welfare Ground opened for use after local resident Don French took over the stalling project from Helen Wilford in September 2011 and within 10 months dug the first spade on site, a fantastic achievement for the club after nearly 3 seasons sharing the cricket pavilion. Gary Shelton joined the club as the new chairman with Dave Voller, Mick Gould and Mike Wain left to run the first team. Voller and Gould stepped down from their roles as the season began so Mike Wain brought in Richard Preston and Lee Cook to steady the ship. Wain & Preston left the club in November after a terrible start to the season leaving Cook along with Gareth Briggs & Scott McMillan the tough task of reviving the club's fortunes but unfortunately could not gain enough points to lift the club off the bottom of the table. Martin Bower & Kevin Heathcote ran the reinstated reserve team after impressing at under 19 level and finished the season in 3rd position.

Season 2013/14 saw Martin Bower & Kevin Heathcote promoted to run the first team after Cook, Briggs & McMillan left the club at the end of the season. The pair introduced youth to the team but struggled to compete in a competitive league finishing 3rd from bottom. Paul Holmes, Andy North & Andy Ellis joined the club to run an under 19 squad and the reserve team, both sides produced some great results finishing 2nd behind Mansfield Town in the U19 league and 5th place in the reserve premier division.

The season after saw big changes at the club, Bower & Heathcote moved to Pinxton FC and Holmes left football altogether so Rainworth MW reserve team manager Ady Smith bought his championship winning reserve squad to the Welfare Ground for the new season. Smith bought with him Ian Cotton from Sherwood Colliery to run the reserve team and the pair set about reviving the club's fortunes on the pitch. The first team finished in an improved 7th place in the league after Smith left for Shirebrook Town midway through the season with Rob Camm & Danny Bacon taking over. The real stars though were Cotton’s reserve team which won the reserve premier division title and the reserve league cup but lost in extra time to Thoresby CW reserves in the president’s cup final after extra time to deny them the treble.

The season 2015/16 saw Ian Cotton’s double winning reserve squad make the step up to challenge for honours in the CML south division, Cotton bought in Ian Birtley to assist him and Jason Lilliman in to run the reserve side and Rachael Swinney joined the club as secretary replacing Pete Dean. Cotton’s squad adapted well finishing 6th place in the league and narrowly missing out on the league cup with a late 2-1 defeat to Hucknall Rolls Leisure but the highlight of the season was the fantastic run in the FA vase where Blidworth beat higher league opposition twice before being made to replay St Andrews and losing in extra time. The reserve team finished in11th place with a young squad before disbanding at the end of the season.

On 9 May 2017 it was announced that Lewis Saxby would become the new permanent manager of Blidworth Welfare. The ex-Mansfield Town youth player moved to the position from fellow Central Midlands Football League Black Dragon Division South side Linby Colliery, where he had just managed to reach 9th in his first season in charge. The new manager quickly committed some of his former players to follow him to his new club as he looked to build a competitive squad for the season ahead.

Staff

  • Club Secretary – Rachel Swinney
  • Club Treasurer – Scott Ward
  • Groundsman – Chris Wain
  • Press Officer/Programme Editor – Kieran Booker
  • Club Photographer – Ellena Hutchinson
  • Gate Man – Charlie Bradley
  • Tea Bar - Trish Noble
  • Club Committee - Chris Dakin & Pete Dean
  • First Team Manager – Lewis Saxby[3]
  • First Team Coach - Daniel Machin
  • First Team Coach - Martin Weedop
  • First Team Goalkeeping Coach - Daniel Hatfield
  • First Team Physio - Roger Brentnall

Timeline

  • 1926 Club formed as Folk House Old Boys
  • 1981–82 Changed name to Blidworth Welfare
  • 1982–83 Founder members of Northern Counties East League
  • 1984–85 Joined Division One South on re-organisation
  • 1985–86 Joined Division Three on re-organisation. (Failed to complete fixtures – record expunged)
  • 1986–97 Joined Central Midlands League Premier Division
  • 1990–91 Elevated to Supreme Division
  • 1994–95 Rejoined Northern Counties East League in Division One
  • 1998–99 Rejoined Central Midlands League Supreme Division
  • 1998–99 Demoted to Premier Division
  • 2006–07 Won Nottinghamshire Intermediate Cup
  • 2011–12 Joined Central Midlands League South Division on re-organisation

Records

  • FA Cup
    • First qualifying round 1996-97
  • FA Vase
    • Second round 2018-19

References

  1. ↑ "Blidworth Welfare". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Archived from the original on 5 May 2002. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  2. ↑ BBC News – Mission Impossible
  3. ↑ http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/blidworthwelfarefootballclub/news/interview-new-manager-lewis-saxby-talks-about-his--1805981.html

Coordinates: 53°06′15.68″N 1°07′07.08″W / 53.1043556°N 1.1186333°W / 53.1043556; -1.1186333

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