Wakefield FC was a non league football club before being wound up in the summer of 2014, with a controversial short history.
There was much discussion as to when Wakefield FC were formed depending on whose viewpoint you listened to. For the benefit of this blog I shall go with my own gut feeling.
Click here to read a full history of Emley AFC. This page will concentrate on the era between 2000 and 2014.
Tuesday 16th September 2008
There was much discussion as to when Wakefield FC were formed depending on whose viewpoint you listened to. For the benefit of this blog I shall go with my own gut feeling.
Emley had enjoyed one or two FA Cup runs, the most notable of which was in 1997-98 when they reached the third round before losing to West Ham United in front of the Match of the Day cameras.
After a fine pedigree in the Yorkshire and Northern Counties East League, the club had reached the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League. The tough ground grading stipulations didn't allow for three sided grounds at the time.
This created a problem as the Welfare Ground was shared with Emley Cricket Club. The club decided to decamp the few miles to Wakefield to share the Belle Vue ground with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats RLFC permanently for the 2000-01 season after an acrimonious AGM.
Initially the move went well as Emley just missed out on promotion to the Conference; the vital home defeat to Stalybridge Celtic attracting a crowd of 3,708 to Belle Vue. In 2001-02 the team finished in fifth place before renaming themselves Wakefield & Emley FC.
The change alienated many of the villagers further, especially after manager Ronnie Glavin departed in 2003. The name was subtly adjusted to Wakefield-Emley in 2004 after the team was spared relegation after finishing bottom of the table thanks to the re-organisation of the non-league structure.
The club were now suffering from poor crowds under player-boss Steve Nicholson. The move never really worked after the initial successful season. Players consequently left as money got tight. The team was relegated to Division One North of the NPL in 2005-06.
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| Belle Vue, Wakefield |
After a fine pedigree in the Yorkshire and Northern Counties East League, the club had reached the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League. The tough ground grading stipulations didn't allow for three sided grounds at the time.
This created a problem as the Welfare Ground was shared with Emley Cricket Club. The club decided to decamp the few miles to Wakefield to share the Belle Vue ground with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats RLFC permanently for the 2000-01 season after an acrimonious AGM.
Initially the move went well as Emley just missed out on promotion to the Conference; the vital home defeat to Stalybridge Celtic attracting a crowd of 3,708 to Belle Vue. In 2001-02 the team finished in fifth place before renaming themselves Wakefield & Emley FC.
The change alienated many of the villagers further, especially after manager Ronnie Glavin departed in 2003. The name was subtly adjusted to Wakefield-Emley in 2004 after the team was spared relegation after finishing bottom of the table thanks to the re-organisation of the non-league structure.
The club were now suffering from poor crowds under player-boss Steve Nicholson. The move never really worked after the initial successful season. Players consequently left as money got tight. The team was relegated to Division One North of the NPL in 2005-06.
In 2007 the club was once again renamed, this time as Wakefield FC. They moved across the city to College Grove. The club badge was changed as were the playing colours to blue and yellow. A seventh place finish in 2007-08 was as good as it would get.
At the end of the 2010-11 season, Wakefield were forced into a groundshare at Ossett Town FC after their landlords at College Grove had other plans for the venue as Mark Brier took over as manager of the team before being replaced by Paul Lines within a few weeks.
After just one season at Ossett, a deal was signed to move back to Belle Vue to share with Wakefield Wildcats. In 2011-12 and 2012-13 Wakefield narrowly avoided relegation before
At the end of the 2010-11 season, Wakefield were forced into a groundshare at Ossett Town FC after their landlords at College Grove had other plans for the venue as Mark Brier took over as manager of the team before being replaced by Paul Lines within a few weeks.
After just one season at Ossett, a deal was signed to move back to Belle Vue to share with Wakefield Wildcats. In 2011-12 and 2012-13 Wakefield narrowly avoided relegation before
finishing bottom of the Northern Premier League Division One North at the end of the 2013-14 season.
The club made noises about playing in the Northern Counties East League at the Welfare Ground in Emley, sharing with AFC Emley. Wakefield FC were wound up on June 21st 2014 after informing the FA and the NCEL of their decision.
My visit
The club made noises about playing in the Northern Counties East League at the Welfare Ground in Emley, sharing with AFC Emley. Wakefield FC were wound up on June 21st 2014 after informing the FA and the NCEL of their decision.
Tuesday 16th September 2008
I visited College Grove as part of a brief groundhop while on route to Scarborough Athletic's game at Glasshoughton that evening. I had put down base in the slightly misleadingly titled Quality Inn in Leeds before buying a travelcard for the day and quickly arriving in the city of Wakefield.
I took the long walk through the city centre and eventually to the ground which is located opposite Pindarfield's Hospital. It took about twenty five minutes. College Grove was a very pleasant venue which was also home to a variety of indoor sports and the local hockey club.
The ground was very much in the heart of the towns Asian community. Walking up to the venue reminded me in part of approaching Kenilworth Road, Luton, if a little less grotty. The ground was a welcome sight among it.
A decent sized Main Stand sat on the half way line with open standing at either side. A small cover was at the far end to one side of the goal for standing spectators to take shelter but apart from that the rest of the ground consisted of open standing.
Players emerged from the clubhouse behind the goal and through a gap in the perimeter fence onto the pitch near to the turnstiles.Once I'd taken my snaps I headed by train to Pontefract Collieries FC for further photos before heading to Glasshoughton.
I took the long walk through the city centre and eventually to the ground which is located opposite Pindarfield's Hospital. It took about twenty five minutes. College Grove was a very pleasant venue which was also home to a variety of indoor sports and the local hockey club.
The ground was very much in the heart of the towns Asian community. Walking up to the venue reminded me in part of approaching Kenilworth Road, Luton, if a little less grotty. The ground was a welcome sight among it.
A decent sized Main Stand sat on the half way line with open standing at either side. A small cover was at the far end to one side of the goal for standing spectators to take shelter but apart from that the rest of the ground consisted of open standing.
Players emerged from the clubhouse behind the goal and through a gap in the perimeter fence onto the pitch near to the turnstiles.Once I'd taken my snaps I headed by train to Pontefract Collieries FC for further photos before heading to Glasshoughton.
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