Retro: When Worksop Town reserves played only in midweek

This was situated where the Valley School Campus now sits, and consisted of a floodlit oval running track surrounding a football pitch. At that time it was the only floodlit pitch in Worksop apart from Central Avenue.

The League consisted of 17 local teams, some connected with the Sunday League and some just stand alone midweek outfits. ALL matches were played at the Sports Centre.

Worksop Town had gone three seasons fielding only the first team in the Northern Premier League and the manager Ronnie Reid was keen to look at some local footballers and draw them into the club

With 17 teams it was decided that they would face each other only once and there would be a League Cup to add another game or two.

September 3rd 1979 saw Worksop Town Reserves making their debut against the Bassetlaw District Council XI and winning 4-1.

The second match soon put to bed any thoughts that this season would just be a “stroll” for the Town team as they were beaten 5-3 by the Valley Centre team. A 3-1 loss to the strong Sunday Leaguers Golden Ball served only to emphasise this and September ended with a 1-0 win over Portland Athletic and a 2-0 result against the Marquis of Granby.

Reid also scored in a 3-0 win over Carlton Rovers, while first team defender Paul Webb, who joined Worksop from Dulwich Hamlet in 1976, scored in a 1-0 victory over Carlton Cycles.

When Woodsetts Welfare were beaten 3-0 in early January Paul Froggatt and Graham Vardy were on the score sheet, so it was clear that this team was a “true” Reserve eleven in which first teamers could get “game time” as they saw nowadays, or come back from spell on the side lines.

February 7th was the date for the opening League Cup tie and Taylor scored the only goal of the game against Portland Athletic.

League leaders Marquis of Granby were also knocked out by 1-0, Stansbury the scorer, and to put the icing on the “Cup Cake” as it were, Boundary Wanderers were beaten 2-0 in the final, Turner and Stansbury doing the damage.

The last League results I have (Two missing v Diamonds and King William IV if anyone can help) are a 5-1 win v North Notts College and a 2-2 draw with Manton Welfare.

The Worksop Town team finished in fifth place in the final League table behind Marquis of Granby, Lord Byron, Diamonds and Golden Ball, the three Public Houses involved are all sadly no longer with us. Carlton Rovers were at the bottom.