|
In 1759, the gentry from the nearby Pierrepont Estate paid 1 pound and 5 shillings "for coming over and
viewing Cotgrave Woulds for coal". It took another 190 years before any
was discovered. In 1861 the first association football club in
Nottinghamshire was created. It took another 85 years before Cotgrave
had its own club. You could form the impression that change doesn't tend
to not happen too quickly in Cotgrave, unless its a change in name or an
amalgamation of your football club that you're after.
The first known football club, formed shortly after
the end of the Second World War, was simply entitled Cotgrave Football
Club. They joined the South Notts Realm League in 1946, marking the
beginning of a modern era that would the
village of Cotgrave beyond recognition.
Between 1949 and 1951, exploratory boring for coal
began in earnest. Princess Margaret
visited the site in 1954 to dig the first spade full of earth,
bringing about a rapid increase in the population. By the time Cotgrave
F.C. had moved up to the Notts & District
League, over a thousand Coal Board houses had been erected. The 1960's
saw an upturn in the fortunes of the village-turned-town. It is fair to
say that the capture of both the
Division three & Div Two title in successive years respectively was
a direct result of having fit, young,
sport hungry miners from across the nation seeking work & making Cotgrave their new home.
The continued success prompted a move in 1979/80
to the Notts Amateur League. A year later they achieved a League & Cup
double. Building upon this success saw a move into a higher
league, the Notts Combination. Then the confusing name changes commenced.
1983 saw an amalgamation of Cotgrave F.C. & a
rival colliery side, Cotgrave Colliery Welfare FC. The two clubs
settled
on a name change to Cotgrave United F.C. This was also when the club
moved to its present home on Woodview.
The merger was the beginning of a new era in their history, with
the proudest moment coming in the 1986/87 season, which saw United sweep the board in winning all
the Combination's major trophies, the Premier League, K.O. Cup,
& the Senior Cup. Their success prompted a move up to the Notts
Alliance, and whilst there was some cup joy,
the closure of the pit in 1993 was to lead to the first real decline in
the Club's fortunes.
In 1998 the Club decided to revert back to
the previously used
name of Cotgrave Colliery Welfare, with the aim to re-enforce the
Clubs historic link with the mining industry. Just to confuse matters, a separate club was established soon after,
assuming the name of Cotgrave United. Cotgrave Colliery Welfare continued to
struggle both on and off the pitch, eventually leading to a merge with
the new Cotgrave United. The name? The not so catchy "Cotgrave Colliery Welfare United FC".
Whilst the name didn't quite
role off the tongue, its aims were admirable. The newly merge teams brought in fresh faces,
the
committees were amalgamated and a whole new direction on and off the field
were mapped out. On the field the Club moved to the Notts Senior League
and settled on a simpler name by 2006,
Cotgrave Welfare Football Club. Success was immediate, capturing the NSL
Championship in their first season.
Off the pitch, the Club can also be
very proud of its achievements indeed. The idyllically named Woodview,
referring to the woods on the hillsides to the south of the town, has
undergone quite a transformation in recent years. The pitch drainage has
been substantially improved with the Club which now housing one of the
finest pitches in local non-league football.
Woodview has a very open feel to
it. A symmetrical pitch borders the main pitch to the west, and a
mini-pitch to its east. Additionally, Woodview feels very exposed due to
the lack of seating facilities for supporters to enjoy. All Welfare
presently has in the form of spectator facilities is a makeshift canopy
attached to the side of the Welfare Social
Club. Set back from pitchside and held aloft by five wooden posts, this
does provide some much needed cover. The only
other option is to perch oneself on the pitchside barrier encircling the
whole pitch.
In 2003, the Club delivered on
its promise of installing floodlights. Four modern steel pylons stand
tall
in each corner
of the pitch. The clusters contained within are slightly
different to the norm due to their positioning of two below and two
above their supporting post. The floodlights were officially the turned
on by then Nottingham Forest Manager, Paul Hart.
There are two continental-style
dug outs on the east side of the pitch. These identical perplex
structures can easily house six individuals and are positioned in front
of the the Welfare building that dominates the Woodview side of the
pitch. The Club's changing facilities are encompassed this wonderful Social Club, which can house anything from a corporate
event to a fine pint for the passing customer. I would strongly urge a
visit to this fine establishment during your visit. Besides the entrance
to the ground is a greeting sign referring to the Club's old name,
"Welcome to Cotgrave Colliery Welfare United Football Club". Given the Club's
fondness for a name change, I don't think it'll be coming down just yet.
|
From
North - From the A46 junction with the A52, *
continue on the A46 southbound for 3.3 miles. Turn right onto
Colston Gate (signposted for Cotgrave). Continue for 0.6 miles, then take
the first left into Ringleas. Take the 2nd right into Lingford, then left
at the top of the road into Woodview. Cotgrave Miners Welfare is a short
distance on your left, and has a large car park.
TrentBarton
- Cotgrave Connection (Nottm Friar Lane - Ringleas) passes
Woodview.
Radcliffe-on-Trent
- 4 miles (on the Central Trains Liverpool - Norwich line)