Pontefract Collieries

Pontefract Collieries FC is a non-league club formed in 1958 who are based in the West Yorkshire market and mining town of Pontefract. The club competed in local football until joining Division Three of the Yorkshire League for the 1979-80 season.

In 1981-82 ‘The Colls’ were crowned as Division Three champions before becoming founder members of the Northern Counties East League the following season, where they won the Division Two North title at the first time of asking.

Pontefract became Division One champions in 1983-84 to reach the Premier Division from where they relegated twelve months later. Not to be deterred the team bounced back and won promotion again in 1985-86.

Colls dropped back down to Division One at the conclusion of the 1998-99 campaign where they remained until a runner-up finish in 2014-15 saw their Premier Division status restored at Skinner Lane.

Nick Handley moved on as manager in December 2015 to be replaced by former club keeper Craig Parry. The new boss couldn’t save the team from relegation a few months later, before regrouping to return to the Premier Division in 2016-17.

The momentum continued as Pontefract became champions of the Northern Counties East League in 2017-18. Michael Dunn, Vaughan Redford, Kane Reece, Aaron Moxam and full back Jack Greenhough provided the goals to send Colls up.

Pontefract were promoted to Division One East of the Northern Premier League for the 2018-19 season where a fine season saw them finish as runners-up before being denied promotion with Eli Hey top scoring.

Ossett United were defeated 3-1 after extra time in front of 486 fans at the renamed sponsored Harratt Nissan Stadium before Brighouse proved too strong going away with a 3-0 win in the final which attracted a gate of 836.

The competition was re-organised for 2019-20 as Colls were placed in Division One North-West where they were in fourth place when the COVID-19 pandemic ended the season. Parry and his management team departed for Worksop Town after the decision was made.

Pontefract Collieries FC will play in the Northern Premier League Division One North-West in the 2020-21 season.

My visit

Tuesday 16th September 2008

My visit to Skinners Lane as the ground was called at the time came on my way to watch Scarborough Athletic play at nearby Glasshoughton Welfare. I was staying over in Leeds, so I took a train to see where Wakefield FC played before taking the train to Pontefract Tanshelf.

From there it was a ten minute stroll to the entrance of the ground where a gent was pottering about doing a few jobs. He was fine with me taking a few photos and had a chat about where I was heading for my evening’s entertainment.

The ground was no thing of beauty but had all the requirements with a seated stand and a small cover behind a goal. Once done I headed to the Park Lane bus stop where the 410 service took me past Pontefract Racecourse, under the M62 and past Xscape to Glasshoughton in time for fish and chips and pre match libations.