Askern 'reset' in bid to restore club's former glories

The new club – Askern Miners FC – will field two teams in the Doncaster Rovers Saturday League next season.

Their Wikipedia page reads: “2020 will see Askern have a complete youth set-up and a first and second team for the first time in their history.

“Askern Miners believe this is a complete overhaul of the club starting from the bottom to work back up to their former glory.”

Askern were bottom of the CML North Division having lost 17 out of 20 games when the 2019/20 campaign ended prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

They joined the CML in 1992 and, under the guidance of Brian Johnston, were crowned Supreme Division champions in 2008 and gained promotion to the Northern Counties East League.

The club changed its name to Askern Villa and almost won promotion to the NCEL Premier Division at the first attempt but a gradual decline saw them relegated back to the CML in 2013.

Now they find themselves back where they started – having been formed as Askern Welfare in 1924 and playing in the Doncaster Red Triangle League before World War Two and then the Doncaster Senior League.

Club officials and volunteers have been sprucing up the Welfare Ground during lockdown and a number of signings have been announced on social media.

A statement on Facebook said: “The set-up will be ran by the current Askern Miners committee with the addition of Tony Carrington and Jim Szmidt as committee members.

“Tony and Jimmy offer loads of experience and passion for the long term future of football in our village. They have both put their heart and soul into keeping the team going when there was not much help about.

“Senior football has a bright future ahead of itself in our community because over the next few years we will start to see the products of our amazing junior system we have in place and this also secures a future for them within senior football.

“We have some amazing talent in our junior sides. We have already secured some fantastic signings for the senior teams fetching in loads of local young lads.“We have some amazing managers and coaches with Matt Elder, Simon Squire, Tony Carrington, Richard Groom, Jimmy Szmidt and Chris Hancock.

“One team will compete in the Premier Division and the other will compete in Division One. This gives us the perfect opportunity to develop the younger members.

“We now have an age range from under 7s all the way up to senior football.

“We will continue to support Askern Miners Welfare Club in every way possible and we will give them football teams to be proud of once again.

“We will not be charging an entrance fee to any of our games next season so get yourselves down and get behind the two teams.”