Armthorpe Welfare F.C.

Armthorpe Welfare Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Armthorpe, South Yorkshire, England. They are currently members of the Northern Counties East League Division One and play at the Welfare Ground.

Armthorpe Welfare
Full nameArmthorpe Welfare Football Club
Nickname(s)The Wellie
Founded1926 (reformed 1976)
Dissolved1974
GroundWelfare Ground, Armthorpe
Capacity2,500 (250 seated)[1]
ChairmanSteve Baskerville
ManagerLee Morris
LeagueNorthern Counties East League Division One
2019–20Northern Counties East League Division One (season abandoned)

History

The club was established in 1926,[2] and initially competed only in local leagues, including the Doncaster Red Triangle League. In 1935 they turned semi-professional and joined the Sheffield Association League. They first entered the FA Cup in the following season, and competed in the FA Amateur Cup for a few years after World War II.[3] They left the Sheffield League in 1950 to join Division Two of the Doncaster & District Senior League. Their first season in the new league saw them promoted to Division One.

Although they were relegated two seasons later, Armthorpe won Division Two at the first attempt to earn promotion back to Division One. In just their second season in Division One they won the league title, and they would go on to win the title on a further four occasions in the next five years. They added further title wins in 1960–61, 1961–62 and 1964–65. However the club was relegated from the renamed Premier Division at the end of the 1966–67 season. They were relegated again in 1969–70, and sunk into Division Three after another relegation in 1972–73. In 1974 the club folded.[2]

Two years later the club reformed and rejoined the Doncaster & District Senior League. They began in Division Three, which they won in 1978–79. The following season they won Division Two and the League Cup in 1979–80, and went on to retain the League Cup for the following two seasons. In 1981–82 they won the League Cup for a fourth consecutive season, as well as the West Riding Challenge Cup and the Division One title, earning promotion to the Premier Division.[2] The following season saw them win four competitions; the Premier Division, the League Cup, the West Riding Challenge Cup and the Goole & Thorne FA Challenge Cup.[2]

Following their Premier Division title, the club moved up Division Two North of the Northern Counties East League (NCEL).[4] They finished as runners-up in their first season, earning promotion to Division One Central. They went on to win the division at the first attempt and were promoted to the Premier Division, where they have remained since, becoming the division's longest serving club.[4] In 1987–88 the club finished as runners-up, losing the title to Emley on goal difference.[4] In 2000–01 they finished in the relegation zone, but were reprieved from relegation after Ossett Albion were promoted to the Northern Premier League and no club was relegated in their place. Having remained in the Premier Division for a record 32 seasons, the club were relegated to Division One at the end of the 2016–17 season after finishing second-from-bottom of the table.

Season-by-season record

Ground

The club plays at the Welfare Ground on Church Street. It has a capacity of 2,500, of which 250 is seated and 400 covered.[1]

  • The Philip Mitchell Stand.
  • Park Close covered terracing (capacity 200)
  • Southfield Road side and dugouts.
  • Park End.

Honours
  • Northern Counties East League
    • Division One Central champions 1984–85
  • Doncaster & District Senior League
    • Champions 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1964–65, 1982–83
    • Division One champions 1981–82
    • Division Two champions 1978–79
    • Division Three champions 1977–78
    • League Cup winners 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83
  • West Riding Challenge Cup
    • Winners 1981–82, 1982–83
  • Goole & Thorne FA Challenge Cup
    • Winners 1982–83

Records
  • Highest league position: 2nd in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, 1987–88
  • Best FA Cup performance: Third qualifying round, 1986–87[4]
  • Best FA Amateur Cup performance: Fourth qualifying round, 1957–58
  • Best FA Vase performance: Fourth round, 2009–10[4]
  • Record attendance: 2,000 vs Doncaster Rovers, pre-season friendly, 1985–86[1]

See also
  • Armthorpe Welfare F.C. players
  • Armthorpe Welfare F.C. managers

References
  1. Armthorpe Welfare Northern Counties East League
  2. Club history Armthorpe Welfare F.C.
  3. Hawthorn, Fred (2009). The FA Amateur Cup : Complete Results. Soccerdata.
  4. Armthorpe Welfare at the Football Club History Database

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