CS Knowledge Base

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 and play at the Welfare Ground.

Brodsworth Main FC (as they were first known) 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 (NCEL), entering Division Two. They were promoted to Division One when the league restructured in 1991 (despite finishing second bottom of Division Two) 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 (2011–12, 2016–17, 2018–19 and 2022/23 to present day) and two spells in the Central Midlands League (2012–13 to 2015–16 and 2017–18). The club was dissolved at the end of the 2019-20 season. The club was once again resurrected for the 2022/23 season, entering teams to play in the Doncaster Rovers Saturday and Sunday league. Ahead of the 2025/26 season, the club merged with Hatfield Town F.C. to form a new club, Brodsworth Main FC.

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 (just one round short of the FA Cup proper).
• 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 (first local league title since pre-war).
• 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 (runners-up).
• 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 (Olympic legacy).
• 2016 – Eviction: Club loses access to Welfare Ground; merges with Bentley Colliery’s setup and is renamed AFC Bentley.
• 2017 – Cup victory: Brodsworth (as a junior-based team) 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

Brodsworth Welfare plays at the Welfare Ground in Woodlands, Doncaster. The ground includes a main stand (in place before the 1990s), 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.

• Best FA Cup performance: 4th qualifying round, 1926–27
• Best FA Amateur Cup performance: 3rd qualifying round, 1957–58
• Best FA Vase performance: 2nd Round, 1997–98, 2008–09
• Record attendance: 1,251 vs. FC United of Manchester, FA Vase, 2006–07^[2]