Staveley Miners Welfare

Staveley Miners Welfare FC come from the former mining town of that name a few miles east of Chesterfield in Derbyshire. 'The Welfare' were formed in 1962 as a Sunday side as Nags Head FC. 

The team played local Sunday League football until 1989 when they moved to the Inkersall Road ground and made the switch to Saturday football. Staveley joined the Central Midlands League in 1993.

After making the necessary ground improvements the club progressed into the Northern Counties East League in 1997. The club won the Wilkinson Sword League Cup in 1997-98 as well as winning promotion to the Premier Division. 

The side was relegated at the end of the 2000-01 campaign, remaining in Division One, with Nigel Ransom at the helm in 2007. A fourth-place finish in 2008-09 which was matched the following season under manager Billy Fox saw marked improvement in playing performance.

Success came with a league title and promotion in 2010-11 as the owner and major league and club sponsor Terry Danns spent significant money on both the ground and the playing side transforming the Inkersall Road venue.

The investment paid off as the side reached the semi-final stage of the FA Vase in 2011-12, before going down to eventual winners Dunston UTS over two legs. Fifth place was also achieved as the side were in the hunt for promotion until the final couple of months of the campaign with Ryan Damms rattling in the goals.

Neil Cluxton took over as manager in 2013, with a monumental task after most of the players followed his predecessor Fox out of the door. The team about retained its topflight place in the NCEFL prior to the appointment of Brett Marshall in the summer of 2015.

He remained in place as the club restructured and built further facilities. The team was top of the Premier Division and looking set for promotion when the Covid-19 pandemic ended the 2019-20 season early.

In May 2022 Pat Lindley was appointed as new team boss of the Trojans following a spell as joint manager with Jon Froggatt, after the club took voluntary relegation to Division One, so that they could rebuild, which saw them end in fifth position.

Staveley Miners Welfare will compete in the Northern Counties East League Division One for the 2023-24 season.

My visits

Staveley Miners Welfare 0 Scarborough Athletic 3 (Saturday 1st December 2007) Northern Counties East League Division One (att: 292)

I started out at a Kings Cross internet café to print off one of our newly elected boards members written contribution for the Boro book to peruse on the journey, followed by a look around the beautifully recrafted St Pancras station. The train journey was top draw and cost £25 return. 

I took a taxi with Mr Dingle and Smallboy to the Staveley Miners Welfare where we were greeted with a warm welcome. I thought this had changed when I won their football card. One bloke had a bit of a go, in jest I think, saying it was unfair I’d won as he’d never seen me in there before! 

His mate soon put him right. There was a good atmosphere in the club helped by the usual thirsty Seadog hordes which boosted trade. Many small-town pubs would benefit from the large Scarborough support over the next few years.

In an excellent gesture, Staveley said that all ticket sales would be split equally between a charity nominated by both clubs. I believe that St. Catherine's Hospice in Scarborough were the beneficiaries of this kindness.

The ground was decent although the pitch was sticky which at times slowed our fluent play. The catering also offered excellent value for money. Sadly, owing to this a few Seadogs, myself included missed the opening goal as we queued for sustenance. 

Boro dominated play in general although the home side also put in a few efforts. Full credit must be given to their very youthful side for not subsiding after going two down so early. The highlight off the pitch was my drinking companion falling through the gent's toilet steps. He reckons it was because they were weak, although I had my own angle on it.

Before the second half Mr Tubbs offered one of the lino’s a pair of binoculars. He and the goalie thought it was funny. The second half followed a similar pattern with Brammers making some excellent saves from counter attacks while Boro dominated possession. 

Ryan Blott rounded off proceedings with a goal that would grace any level of the game. The boy could become a club legend over the next few years, even more so if he’d release the ball a little more often.

We returned to the club until 6.15. The Staveley officials and supporters were superb hosts. They were delighted at the attendance figure. If was that if we played there again that we could increase on that gate. I’d certainly recommend it as a ground and club to visit.

On my train home I realised once again just how much I hate some of our former chairmen and directors. On board were quite a few Colchester fans, celebrating their league win at Hillsborough. 

I didn’t wish to sound disrespectful to the U’s, but for most of our time in the football league Scarborough had a superior playing record. We certainly had a better ground and not too different crowds some seasons. 

It really was a lesson to what can be done with a club of that size. I knew with Scarborough Athletic that it was going to take us quite a few year's but it just shows what can be done.

Staveley Miners Welfare 0 Scarborough Athletic 4 (Saturday 13th September 2008) Northern Counties East League Division One (att: 165)

Boro had started the season reasonably but still hadn't hit top form. I was on night shift at work, but worked out the trains would give me enough rest time to attend the match. Even better, I found some cheap tickets!

It was a beautiful late summers day as I arrived around 12.30pm into Chesterfield. I decided I would go by bus to Staveley as I had plenty of time to kill and I didn't particularly want lots to drink. Even so, I was one of the first to arrive. I had a quick wander about and bought my lunch at the takeaway on the town square.

Slowly the rest of the Seadogs started to arrive, and I enjoyed a couple of pints of mild, a luxury not afforded to drinkers in the south before wandering across to the ground to relax and chat while enjoying the weather.

Boro played well in the first half, but the teams went in level. Unbelievebly some of the visiting fans were moaning. In the second half the team continued in the same vein but found their shooting boots to win with goals from Scott Phillips, Ryan Blott, and a couple from Craig Hogg.

I retired to the welfare club to see the rest of the scores come in as my train home wasn't until after 7pm. I took the bus back into Chesterfield and had time for a walk around the scenic town, including a walk up to Saltergate. Unfortunately, it was all locked up. 

I had wanted to take some photos as it was likely to be my final opportunity as Chesterfield were to move within eighteen months to a new stadium. The walk did me good as I managed to sleep all the way back to St Pancras, so I arrived for work fresh and ready to go to work.

Staveley Miners Welfare 0 Scarborough Athletic 3 (Wednesday 3rd May 2012) Northern Counties East League Premier Division (att: 158)

I was up in Scarborough visiting my dad and having fun attending the Yorkshire v Leicestershire County Championship fixture despite the chilly weather. I had contacted my good friend Colin Whelan, who was going in the car to the football on his own. 

He kindly offered me a ride. The weather at the cricket saw several players taking the field in woolly hats, in fact it was so bad that the following day Karl and I went in gloves. Colin picked me up at 4.30pm at North Marine Road for the drive down to Derbyshire.

The journey was uneventful as we discussed the game in general and looked forward to that Friday's Anniversary Dinner organised by Mitch Cook, which would see the Conference champions Boro side and Neil Warnock attend. A car whizzed by near Leeds who were later worked out to be Halifax fans on the way to their play off at Gainsborough.

We parked up outside the ground and were immediately impressed with the work that had been done on the ground since our previous visit. The double tiered portacabins had gone to be replaced by a full-length clubhouse and cafe. 

Once inside the ground we found a new covered terrace next to the clubhouse, with the players tunnel entering through it. The previous flat standing by the Main Stand had been neatly terraced at either side, as had the far end with the cover in the centre. 

A hospitality marquee and tower with a bar and camera position had been built on the fourth side. It all looked very neat and tidy and a nice football ground. The clubhouse didn't let us down either. It had plentiful memorabilia adorning the walls, including signed shirts from the England World Cup winners. 

The TVs were showing Sky Sports, and each table had the club crest emblazoned on it. Although there was no real ale on tap, bottles were for sale. I selected a bottle of Brakspears for £2.50 to wash down my excellent pie, chips and gravy which cost only £2.

Boro had to win the game to guarantee a third-place finish in the league against a home side still in the hunt and who had reached the FA Vase semi-final earlier that season. A good turnout of Seadogs nearing close to a hundred had turned out to cheer the lads on.

The pitch wasn't the easiest as it was bobbly, but Boro made light of it. They put in a superb performance in large spells. Staveley had one or two opportunities but couldn't breach thevisitor'ss rearguard. 

Boro took the lead when a fine ball from Jimmy Ghaichem found top scorer Ryan Blott who put away a fine finish from a tight angle. The lead was extended five minutes before the interval when the home keeper made a terrible mess trying to clear the ball. 

Curtis Bernard rounded him before rolling the ball square for Blott to tap into an empty net and at the same time draw level as the divisions' top scorer. After the break Staveley tried to get back into it, but Boro battled superbly. 

All the team put in good performances, but the tackling of Matt Draper, Denny Ingram and Gary Hepples would have stopped far better sides. They were immense. Tony Hackworth rounded off the scoring after sixty-five minutes when he sprung the offside trap and went on to fire home from the edge of the box. 

The rest of the game became a little scrappy. Ryan Blott did his best to complete his hat trick while one or two niggly fouls led to confrontation not helped by a whistle happy referee. Ingram was taken out by a disgraceful challenge a couple of minutes from time. 

The team received a great reception as they came off. It was quite evident that they were determined to put right the defeat to Staveley earlier in the season. It had been as good as I'd seen them play all season.

We had a good journey home, and I was in bed before midnight for some shut eye before a big day at the cricket and in the pubs afterwards!