Brodsworth Welfare A.F.C.


Brodsworth Main Football Club is a football club based in Woodlands, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. They are currently members of the Central Midlands Alliance Premier Division North

History

Brodsworth Main FC were founded in 1910 by Brodsworth Main Colliery Sports and Pastimes Club which existed 1909-1923. Entering the Sheffield Association League for their inaugural campaign in 1910–11. They joined the Yorkshire League in 1921 and won the title in 1924–25, but left the league in 1935.
After the Second World War the club returned to the league for a third spell. In 1950–51 they were relegated to Division Two after finishing second from bottom of Division One. They withdrew from the league at the end of the 1956–57 season, but returned in 1961. Two years later they were renamed Brodsworth Miners Welfare.
In their first season under the new name the club finished fourth in Division Two and were promoted to Division One, but were relegated back again after just a single season. After finishing bottom of Division Two in 1972 the club was relegated to Division Three, where they remained until withdrawing in 1976.
Brodsworth Miners Welfare played in the Doncaster Senior League throughout the 1980s and won the league title in 1985. In 1988 they joined the Northern Counties East League, entering Division Two. They were promoted to Division One when the league restructured in 1991 and floundered at the foot of the NCEL for several years, until winning promotion to the Premier Division in 1999.
In 2006 they were renamed Brodsworth Welfare AFC, and despite finishing bottom again in 2006–07 they again avoided being demoted. They were finally relegated at the end of the 2009–10 season after again finishing bottom, and they resigned from the NCEL in the summer of 2011 after finishing bottom of Division One.
In 2010, the club fielded its first women’s team in the Sheffield and Hallamshire county women’s league, unfortunately the team folded a few season later.
Since 2011, the club has had four spells back in the Doncaster Senior League and two spells in the Central Midlands League. The club was dissolved at the end of the 2019-20 season. The club has once again been resurrected for the 2022/23 season, entering teams to play in the Doncaster Rovers Saturday and Sunday league. The 2023/24 season seen a merger between a local junior side and the club, creating a player pathway from junior football to adult football.
The 2024/25 Season saw the addition of a ladies team to the club for the second time in its history. Its hoped this team, with the help of the successfully junior team’s coming through can help life the team to the clubs ambition of Level 5 football.
The 2025/26 season saw the club play in the Doncaster senior League after gaining promotion from Division 1.
However in a turn of events the club merged with Hatfield Town FC to form a new club, Brodsworth Main FC, returning to the original name from 1910. The move is fitting as Hatfield’s origins are that of Sutton Rovers, a team that played at the Welfare Ground for a number of years so they come with lots of familiar faces and good memories. This means the club once again has a team playing in the central Midlands Premier Division, a move which sees the club one step closer to meeting its ambition of returning to the NCEL Premier Division.

Notable former players

Players that have played in the Football League either before or after playing for Brodsworth Welfare –

Notable managers

Alan RadfordJoe YorkeColin Bishop – Managed the club in a Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup final at Hillsborough against Stocksbridge

Key Milestones and Legacy

Over the course of its long timeline, Brodsworth Welfare AFC has accumulated many milestones:1910 – Founding year: Brodsworth Main plays its first recorded matches in the Sheffield League.1924–25 – First major honor: Yorkshire League Champions.1927 – Historic cup run: Reaches the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.1935 – Hiatus: Withdraws from Yorkshire League; focuses on local competition until after WWII.1947 – Post-war revival: Re-enters Yorkshire League for a third spell.1963 – Name change: Becomes Brodsworth Miners Welfare to reflect the Miners Welfare support.1976 – Yorkshire League exit: Leaves the Yorkshire League, ending an era in that competition.1985 – Local triumph: Wins the Doncaster Senior League Premier Division.1988 – Joins NCEL: Steps up to Northern Counties East League, marking a return to higher-tier football.1999 – Promotion: Finishes 2nd in NCEL Division One and earns promotion to the NCEL Premier Division.2006 – Name update: Changes name to Brodsworth Welfare AFC, dropping “Miners”.2006 – Record attendance: 1,251 fans attend an FA Vase match vs FC United of Manchester at the Welfare Ground.2008–09 – Cup final: Reaches the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup final.2010 – Relegation: Relegated from NCEL Premier Division after years of near-misses.2011 – Resignation: Club resigns from NCEL and folds due to financial difficulties and lack of wins.2012 – Reformation: Adwick Park Rangers assumes the Brodsworth Welfare name; club joins Central Midlands League to restart climb.2015 – Facility upgrade: refurbished Changingrooms opened at Welfare Ground, funded by grants.2016 – Eviction: Club loses access to Welfare Ground; merges with Bentley Colliery’s setup and is renamed AFC Bentley.2017 – Cup victory: Brodsworth wins Doncaster League Division One Cup, keeping the name alive.2018 – Return of “Main”: Club is re-launched as Brodsworth Main FC, hinting at a fresh start yet rooted in tradition.2020 – COVID setback: Brodsworth Main’s season abandoned; club dissolves again amidst the pandemic disruptions.2022 – Resurrection: Brodsworth Welfare AFC is reborn, returning to its home ground and community focus.2023 – Youth merger: Integration of Adwick Warriors junior teams, massively expanding the club’s youth section.2024 – Women’s team: Launch of Brodsworth Welfare Ladies, marking the club’s second venture into women’s football.
  • 2025 - Brodsworth Welfare AFC Merge with Hatfield Town FC to form Brodsworth Main FC - returnign to the clubs original Name

Ground

Brodsworth Welfare plays at the Welfare Ground in Woodlands, Doncaster. The ground includes a main stand, floodlights installed in 1998, and a covered disabled viewing area added around 2006. The current clubhouse was built following a fire around 2011, and the facilities are regularly used for both football and wider community events.

Honours

League

Cup

Records