Our HISTORY
CLUB THORNE
Club Thorne has been a part of the Doncaster footballing community for almost 100 years.
The club has stood the test of time and has ambitious plans for the future.
Early History
Little is known of the formation of the club, but Thorne Colliery first came to the limelight in 1927, when they reached the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup in their debut campaign in the competition. Five years later they joined the Yorkshire League, finishing as high as 4th in the pre-World War 2 years.
Success and Failure
They re-joined the Yorkshire League after the war and finished as runners-up in 1946. A year later they went one better, being crowned as league champions. They were relegated to Division Two in 1950 but won promotion back to the top flight four years later. Their stay in Division One would only last another year before being relegated again, but their yo-yo status continued when they were promoted back again in 1956. Following another relegation in 1958, Thorne wouldn’t get back to Division One again until 1966.
Tougher Times
After another relegation in 1970, the club embarked on a decade of tough times which saw them relegated again to Division Three in 1974, remaining in the basement division for five years. Between 1978 and 1982 they went through a remarkable period where they won back-to-back promotions to reach Division One, before then going through back-to-back relegations to find themselves back in Division Three.
Their last relegation came at the wrong time, as the Yorkshire League merged with the Midland League to form the Northern Counties East League (NCEL), with Thorne being placed in Division Two North of the new competition. They only remained in the NCEL for five years before resigning and joining the Doncaster & District Senior League.
Success and Stability
They won the Doncaster & District Senior League for five consecutive seasons between 1988-89 and 1992-93, before joining the Central Midlands League (CMFL) in 1993.
They won promotion to the top flight of the CMFL in 1995 but spent only three seasons in the Supreme Division before being relegated back to the Premier Division, remaining at that level until 2011, when they were placed into the North Division of the newly restructured CMFL.
A New Era
The club is moving forward at an impressive rate. In 2021-22 the club missed out on promotion by losing on the final day of the season to Retford United knowing that three points would have secured the CMFL title and promotion to the NCEL. The following season they again finished third but won silverware by securing their first trophy since 1993 by beating Staveley Miners Welfare Reserves in the Central Midlands Floodlit Cup. The decision was made to switch to the Humber Premier League for the 2023-24 season and it paid off
greatly as the Championship was secured by an 8-point margin with only 4 league defeats all season. We now look forward to returning to the NCEL after a 38-year hiatus.
Back in the NCEL
Our first season back in the NCEL was one of resilience, character, and community spirit. We began the campaign making use of what remained of our changing rooms following the fire that destroyed the facility shortly after our promotion celebrations. For the opening months, we made the best of difficult circumstances and continued to compete while the club worked through the fallout of the damage.
However, in October, the council deemed the facilities unusable, and we were forced to play away from the Chesterfield Poultry Ground for two months. It was a challenging period for everyone connected with the club. The players travelled, the staff adjusted, and our supporters continued to back us wherever we went.
When we finally returned home in December, it was a moment of pride for the club and its community. Our first match back – a determined 0-0 draw against local rivals Armthorpe Welfare – felt like the start of rebuilding not just the facilities, but our season.
Despite the turbulence, we finished the campaign in a strong 11th place, just 8 points shy of the play-offs. The team showed real character to end the season with maximum points from the final five games, taking 15 from 15 and closing the year on a wave of momentum.
At the conclusion of the season, James O’Neill stepped down after five outstanding years as First Team Manager- a spell that delivered both a league title and a cup victory. His contribution will always be a significant chapter in the story of Club Thorne Colliery.
The club embarked on the search for new leadership and found it close to home – welcoming Thorne-born James Baxendale as the new First Team Manager, supported by Matthew Flanagan and Andy Steptoe. With a refreshed squad and a handful of core players retained, the 2025/26 season marks the beginning of a new era – one built on belief, community pride, and the shared ambition to push the club forward once again.
