Graham Brentnall returned to the manager's chair to try and keep the clubs Supreme status with a very young squad of mainly local players. Kevin Jackson and Ben Calpin took charge in 2005 and guided the club to their best ever position of 17th in the Supreme and hopes are high that the club can improve on that in 2005/6. That improvement was achieved with our best ever position of 11th. For the record at the start of the clubs 23rd CMFL season in 06/07 the club had played 730 league games which is more than any other club has achieved. The club opened a Web site in November 2000 & now all our news can be read on the Internet.

Business Plan

Aims and Objectives

Our aims are to create a community based organisation which provides the opportunity and platform for the youth of the area to practise sport and other social activities. We aim to give all members of the community the chance to be involved with our organisation whether it be by participation or by spectator support.

Past, Present and Future

The facilities offered by the Blackwell Miners Welfare over the years has encompassed many fields of sports and activities. Cricket, Football, Rugby, Bowls and Tennis have all been a source of entertainment for the villagers and parishioners of Blackwell. However today the principle pastimes enjoyed are by 5 football teams, one cricket team, a bowls team and an Athletics club. All these teams utilise the present facilities and the football clubs also use other pitches maintained by the Blackwell Parish Council. All groups operate a policy of open participation for all members of the community and to this end they have organised group training sessions for anyone interested. As well as the participation in these sports, the community has the opportunity to watch the games in a safe environment

Problems and Setbacks

The major problem for the participating groups and supporters are the outdated changing and toilet facilities. Whilst the condition of the playing surface, stadium availability and facilities for spectator viewing have improved over recent years, the condition of the changing area which was built in 1908 has deteriorated drastically.

Goals and Objectives

To have New changing facilities on the ground

To increase community participation in all groups

To expand the coaching and training programmes

To extend the choice of activities on the ground

To achieve the highest level of participation for the groups involved on the ground.

Financial Plan

The purchase of the new facilities will be achieved through funding from National sports bodies, commercial funding grants and through a vigorous fund raising activity programme from the participating groups. The maintenance costs of the facilities will continue to be met by the participating groups.

Risks & Rewards

Risks

That the funding requirements cannot be met in time and thus secured funding may be withdrawn

Addressing risk

Make all applications correctly and produce sensible project briefs, feasibility plans and workable project programme and timescales.

Rewards

Project is completed to schedule and in accordance with planned budget

10 FACTS ABOUT BLACKWELL FOOTBALL AND CRICKET CLUBS

The ground was built by the Blackwell Mining Company at the end of the 18th century for use by the closely knit mining community of the day.

The ground is surrounded by a 6 foot high wall constructed from bricks produced from the mining companies own brick yard. At the Primrose Hill end of the ground the playing surface is some 8 feet above the road level and it is believed that tonnes of ash was used to level up the ground, hence the excellent drainage.

The clubs present changing facilities are on the ground in what the locals have always called 'The Rifle Range'. The building was erected in 1908 according to the date stone that stands above the main entrance. It must be assumed that the building would have been used by the local army etc. for rifle practise, hence the name. Since its erection the building has undergone many changes and modifications with changing rooms, showers, tea bar, guest room, toilets & gymnasium being installed.

The main use-age of the ground in the late 1800's and early 1900's was by the Rugby club, who played at a very high standard with fixture cards showing games against for 3 teams and the use of the ground for County fixtures.

The football club used the 'Brigade Hall' for its changing facilities up to the late 1960's. This building stands adjacent to the present entrance gate on Colliery Road and was used by the local 'Home Guard' for their activities, Percy Topliss, the infamous monocled mutineer would have frequented the building. The building became a night club in the 1970's and is now 'The Cottage Inn' restaurant, but still has the old stone bathes that were used by the teams after games.

The field had a cricket pavilion that was erected circa 1900 but was finally demolished in the 1960's. The pavilion was situated in the corner of the ground adjacent to the double gates on the ground.

Primrose Hill was the venue for Derbyshire County cricket matches and between 18th to 21st June 1910 the world record for a ninth wicket stand was set up between Warren and Chapman when they scored 283 in the second innings to force a draw in Derbyshire's game against Warwickshire.

In the days of limited entertainment, the villagers all turned out to watch the team play & one record from a treasurers account showed an entry for one game of £40 gate money, which @ sixpence each, equated to 1600 paying customers.

The football club is probably the oldest registered club in Derbyshire with records showing that they affiliated to the Derbyshire County Football Association in 1890. In 1910-11 Blackwell almost reached the competition proper of the FA Cup, disposing of Ashbourne, Long Eaton, South Normanton and Clay Cross in qualifying rounds. They then travelled to Mansfield in the next round and created a minor sensation by winning 1-0. The run came to an end in the fourth qualifying, as they lost 1-6 to the powerful Darlington side (who went on to beat the mighty Sheffield United in Round One!)

The football club are the longest serving members of the Central Midlands League having joined in 1984 and at the start of their 22nd season they had played 692 games. On joining this league, the ground needed massive ground improvements, with safety barriers, hard standing areas, spectators covered stands, seating, dug outs, public address systems, multi sex toilets and in October 2001, floodlights all being installed to meet the requirements of the leagues ground grading standards.