Worksop Town

Worksop Town FC is a non-league football club from the Nottinghamshire town of the same name, located fifteen miles southeast of Sheffield, lay claims to have been formed in 1861, making them the world’s fourth oldest football club behind Sheffield, Cray Wanderers and Hallam.

Town began life at a ground in Netherton Road before moving to Central Avenue in 1891, where they shared their ground with Worksop Cricket Club. The following year the club became founder members of the Sheffield League before entering the Midland League in 1896.

The ‘Tigers' left for a three-year period before rejoining again in 1900. In the 1907-08 season Worksop lost 9-1 away to Chelsea in the FA Cup in front of an incredible crowd of 70,184. In the 1920-21 season they performed a major shock by drawing 0-0 in the Cup away against the might of Tottenham Hotspur. 

The former Central Way home of Worksop Town

Worksop club controversially agreed to play the replay at White Hart Lane, which ended in a 9-0 defeat and the boycotting of home games from disgruntled supporters. That setback didn't prevent Town from lifting the Midland League title the following season, but in 1930 they once again left the league.

In 1935 the club became members of the Yorkshire League but then chose to rejoin the Midland League once again in 1949, where they went on to lift the title for a second time in 1965-66.

In 1968 Worksop became founder members of the Northern Premier League, but after the inaugural season they decided once again to return to their previous competition. A third Midland League crown was collected in 1972-73.

By the 1974-75 season Town once again moved across to the Northern Premier League, prior to reaching the first round of the FA Cup in 1978-79 when they went down 5-1 at Oakwell against Barnsley.

Worksop remained in the NPL before being relegated to its newly formed Division One at the conclusion of the 1988-89 campaign. At the same time the club had to depart their home ground and had to share with Gainsborough Trinity, twenty miles away, for three seasons.

During that time a couple of third place finishes under manager Tommy Spencer were achieved. The club returned to a new ground on Sandy Lane, and in 1997-98 they were promoted to the Premier Division thanks to the goals of the consistent Kenny Clarke and management team of Paul Mitchell and Danny Hague. 

The quarterfinals of the FA Trophy were reached in 1998-99, with the side going out to Forest Green Rovers. The team were boosted by the inclusion of former England international Chris Waddle for three seasons.

In 2001 property developer Howard Raymond, the son of London night club owner and publisher Paul Raymond, bought the club. He unveiled plans to upgrade Sandy Lane into a Football League standard stadium.

Mitchell was dismissed in April 2003 to be replaced by Steve Ludlam who was succeeded by Ronnie Glavin in May 2004 as the club became founder members of Conference North, but large debts appeared including owing £60,000 to the local council in 2005. 

September 2006 saw Ian Bowling appointed as manager while Raymond formed a new company called 1861 Leisure Ltd to take over the club and its assets, resulting in the league deducting them ten points.

Relegation followed at the end of the 2006-07 season and a return to the Northern Premier League. Raymond separated the football club from the holding company, making them tenants at Sandy Lane.

Peter Rinkcavage took over as manager shortly after, before in April 2008, without any reason, the club officials were locked out of the ground. Town became tenants of at Hucknall Town for the 2008-09 season and then at Ilkeston Town for the following campaign. 

In the summer of 2010 Jason Clark, the Managing Director of B2Net took over the club and entered preliminary talks with Raymond over a return to Sandy Lane. However, a deal was signed to play at Canon Park the home of Retford United, was signed for two seasons.

Martin McIntosh was appointed as manager midway through the 2010-11 season before Peter Whitehead of Parramore Sports bought the ground from Raymond and moved in his own club and renamed them Worksop Parramore into the venue, while Town were invited back as tenants for the 2011-12 campaign.

In the meantime, Clark was working with Bassetlaw Council to provide a new home stadium for the club. Simon Clark became the latest team boss before he was replaced by Mark Shaw in April 2013. He led the side to the playoffs a month later which ended in semifinal defeat to AFC Fylde. 

At the conclusion of the following season owner Clark revealed that he could no longer fund the club, so they took the decision to take voluntary relegation to the Northern Counties East League, where Worksop were placed in the Premier Division, finishing runners-up in 2014-15.

Shaw lasted as manager until November 2016 before Ryan Hindley was given the job, lasting until January 2018 when he was replaced by Duncan Milligan who was succeeded for the 2018-19 campaign by Craig Denton. The new man took the Tigers to the NCEL title.

Kyle Jordan took over the managers role in October 2019 with the side placed in Division One South East of the Northern Premier League as the coronavirus pandemic affected football for two seasons. 

February 2020 another financial crisis saw stadium owner Pete Whitehead buy the club. Craig Parry was appointed as team manager a few months later, with Town placed in Division One East from the start of 2021-22.

The side won their divisional title twelve months later to return to the Premier Division of the competition, where they reached fifth position in 2023-24 before dreams of promotion were ended in the playoff semifinals away to Macclesfield.

Worksop Town FC will play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

Worksop Town 0 Scarborough 0 (Saturday 12th August 2006) Conference North (att: 610)

The old Scarborough club started what was to be their last season with a ten point deduction owing to financial irregularities as well as relegation. I travelled up on the train to Nottingham, and then on the Robin Hood Line to Worksop.

On arrival I met with Carl Ellis and a Sheffield United supporting mate, before heading to the uninspiring Grafton Hotel for a couple of pints before heading to the ground. There was a good following of over two hundred Seadogs hoping that fortunes would improve on and off the pitch. Carl spotted the owners who had offered hope. He wasn't convinced!

Sandy Lane was a tidy enough venue. The turnstile end had a tiny cover behind the goal as well as a two storey clubhouse. The Main Stand with changing rooms at the rear stood down one side, with open standing opposite. The far goal had a seated stand behind the central section. The rest of the ground consisted of open standing.

The game was played in hot conditions, with not too much happening. Off the pitch it was different. It was apparent that a group of local youths were looking for bother. Unfortunately a few young Seadogs decided to get involved in what was nothing more than handbags, but it soured the atmosphere. We had plenty of problems of our own to deal with without other distractions.

The locals were thrown out and then proceeded to walk round the back of the open terrace where many Boro fans were stood and throw stones over. A few minutes from the end Tony Hackworth missed a guilt edged chance to win the game.

There was no problems getting back to the station where we had a beer in the Mallard, but were told off for using our mobile phones! I made the long and weary journey home with the idea of heading midweek to Stalybridge a couple of games later. Football makes you do the strangest things.

Worksop Parramore 4 Scarborough Athletic 4 (Saturday 8th September 2012) NCEL Premier Division (att: 157)

Click here for the Worksop Parramore page for a description of the upgraded Sandy Lane and an account of an absolutely cracking game.