CMFL Supreme Division : Rainworth Miners Welfare

This season sees Rainworth Miners Welfare making their debut in the Supreme Division of the Central Midlands Football League, having earned promotion from the Premier Division at the first time of asking last season.

Promotion was finally achieved at the end of a roller coaster first year in the league at Premier Division level, when Rainworth finished third behind the two other clubs who had joined from the Notts Alliance that season, Radcliffe Olympic and Southwell City - co-incidentially the three clubs ended in the same 1-2-3 order in the Reserve Division One and were also promoted to the Reserve Premier.

The decision to join the CMFL in 2003 marked the dawn of a new era for the club. The time was right for the club to make the move, for the sad death of club supreme, Alan Wright in November 2002, brought to an end an era during which Rainworth had become the highest profile club in the Notts Alliance and had risen to national prominence through their FA Vase exploits of the 1980’s. Until his death, Alan had been chairman of the Notts Alliance and was also the driving force behind proposals to form a Nottinghamshire Senior League, into which it had been his intention to take the club. But when it became clear that this league would not be launched in 2003, that two more of the leading alliance clubs were moving to the Central Midlands League and of course, that the Alliance would no longer have the benefit of Alan’s guiding hand – the unanimous decision was taken to join the CML and step onto the ladder of the National Leagues System (otherwise known as the Pyramid of Football).

Medium to long term ambitions see Rainworth in the Northern Counties East League, and it must be admitted that many outside the club still wonder at the fact that they did not begin their climb on the back of their most successful era in the 1980’s.

Rufford Colliery Football Club, as they were styled until the 1970’s were founded in 1922, but it was in 1976 that they really began to take off, with the arrival of former Middlesbrough defender, Brian Phillips as manager. Phillips led his side to runners-up spot in his first season, followed by a record six successive league titles up to 1983. They also enjoyed constant success in the League Cup and Notts Senior Cup during that era.

The icing on the cake came in 1981/2 when, as well as retaining the league championship and the Notts Senior Cup and regaining the League Cup, they embarked on an historic FA Vase run which took them all the way to the Wembley final. Sadly, they lost 3-0 in the final to Forest Green Rovers – now in the Conference and the only side to play both in the FA Vase and Trophy finals – before a 12,500 crowd, (it was estimated that almost 10,000 of the Wembley crowd had travelled down from Nottinghamshire), but they had the honour of being the first ever miners welfare team to grace the famous turf and were also only the second “true” amateur side (paying subs to play) to reach the Vase final after Almondsbury Greenway.

Rainworth’s home semi final tie against Barton Rovers was, in its own way, as memorable as the final itself. A 2-1 victory, following a goalless draw in the first leg in Bedfordshire, was achieved in front of a crowd of 5,071 – still a competition record outside of the final. Television cameras were there to record the semi final with the rookie, Nick Owen there to do the commentary and the post-match interviews.

Towards the end of that season, Rainworth were regularly pulling in crowds of 300 and more for humble Notts Alliance matches and even more on their travels, when supporters turned up out of the woodwork at other clubs to se the side that had exceeded all expectations by reaching Wembley. Even the League Cup final, normally watched by around 200, drew a crowd of 2,000 to the John Player Ground in Nottingham.

Rainworth again won the league and league cup double the following season, but they were unluckily pipped in extra time in the Notts Senior Cup final by Eastwood Town, then of the Northern Premier League. Since those heady days the club has undergone a quieter, though still not entirely unsuccessful spell, but for the supporters bred on such success, second place was no longer good enough.

The remainder of the 1980s saw Welfare reach the last 16 of the FA Vase on three more occasions, plus further appearances in the Notts Senior Cup final. But it was not until 1991 that silverware again graced the trophy cupboard in the form of the league title.

When Brian Phillips eventually ended his reign as manager, though he still remained involved with the club behind the scenes, Neil Whatmore, formerly of Bolton, Birmingham City, Oxford United, Burnley and Mansfield, took charge for a couple of seasons, but had already resigned due to work commitments when the League Cup was next won in 1995, with Phillips again in temporary charge helped by Mick Gould and John Whitehead.

John Slater who had played for Rainworth during their glory days including at Wembley, was appointed boss for 1995/6 after leading neighbours Clipstone to three successive championships. He made it a personal nap hand by taking Rainworth to the next two titles – a remarkable achievement before stepping down in the close season.

Clint Guy, who had been involved with Rainworth as a player and popular striker since 1983, was installed to replace him. Well respected in the local game, Clint is a Rainworth lad who had spells with both Mansfield and Southampton without ever breaking into the senior side. He did however, play at the highest level of non-league football with Kettering Town, before joining his home village club from Corby Town. His first appointment was to bring in Gary Saxby as co-manager. Gary figured with Mansfield for several years, as well as Northampton Town and had managerial experience with Alfreton Town, Ashfield United and Sneinton. Guy eventually left Saxby in control of the managerial reins while he continued on playing, but the best that Saxby managed in his two seasons in charge was fifth, before he resigned.

The arrival of former Mansfield Town long serving right back, crowd favourite and captain, Sandy Pate as manager heralded the dawn of the 21st Century and although his first season’s league position of 10th was the lowest for at least 20 years, the up side of the story was the number of promising youngsters brought into the side to replace the aging old guard.

With a year’s experience at Alliance Senior Division level, the following season those young players, bolstered by the addition of a little more experience, looked to have come of age, mounting a serious title challenge before eventually finishing second. Last season they had to settle for fifth, but reached the semi-final of the League Senior Cup before being beaten in extra time by runaway champions, Radcliffe Olympic.

Until three seasons ago Rainworth had no covered accommodation at their Kirklington Road ground. This was rectified in line with FA Vase requirements for the season before last. Massive banking and wooden terracing on one side and behind one goal had boosted the ground capacity to around 6,000, which enabled them to cater for that huge semi final crowd in 1982. But the siting of the new 200 capacity stand at the bottom of the side banking has now greatly reduced this. The ground has been fully enclosed and further improvements are in the pipeline, including the extension of the stand, upgrading the pitch barrier and in the longer term, a new pavilion and dressing accommodation.

Floodlights were put up in 1991, making Rainworth the first club in the Alliance with this facility (it was not until 10 years later that Southwell City became the second). The ground also hosts cricket and beyond the cricket square is a second floodlit training pitch which is used by various youth and Sunday clubs.

Rufford Colliery closed in 1993 and with it went a traditional source of help and support. That was a devastating blow to the community, but the Miner’s Welfare continues to thrive and provide invaluable help and backing to the club.