View source for Garforth Town A.F.C.

{{short description|Association football club in England}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Garforth Town
| fullname = Garforth Town Association Football Club
| nickname = The Miners
| image = GarforthTown.png
| alt = Club crest
| founded = 1964
| chairman = Craig Bannister, Andy Hey
| manager = Paul Marshall
| ground = Wheatley Park, [[Garforth]]
| capacity = 3,000 (278 seated)<ref name=NLCD2017>Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2016) ''Non-League Club Directory 2017'', Tony Williams Publications, p469 {{ISBN|978-1869833695}}</ref>
| league = {{English football updater|GarfortT}}
| season = {{English football updater|GarfortT2}}
| position = {{English football updater|GarfortT3}}
| pattern_b1 = _bluesleevelinesandsides
| body1 = 0040FF
| rightarm1 = 0040FF
| leftarm1 = 0040FF
| shorts1 = 0040FF
| socks1 = 0040FF
| pattern_b2 =
| leftarm2 = FFF000
| body2 = FFF000
| rightarm2 = FFF000
| shorts2 = FFF000
| socks2 = FFF000
| website = [https://www.garforth.town garforth.town]
}}

'''Garforth Town Association Football Club''' is a [[association football|football]] club based in [[Garforth]], [[West Yorkshire]], [[England]]. They are members of the {{English football updater|GarfortT}} and play at Wheatley Park.

==History==
The club was established in 1964 as '''Miners Arms''', a [[Sunday league football|Sunday league]] team based at the [[public house|pub]] from which they took their name.<ref name=H>[http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/garforthtown/a/history-9703.html History] Garforth Town F.C.</ref> They joined the Elmet Sunday League, where they played until joining the Leeds Sunday Combination in 1972.<ref name=NCEL>[http://www.ncefl.org.uk/teams/garforthtown/ Garforth Town] Northern Counties East League</ref> In 1976 the club switched to Saturday football, joining the [[West Yorkshire Association Football League|West Yorkshire League]].<ref name=NCEL/> They applied to join the [[Yorkshire Football League|Yorkshire League]] for the following season, and after being advised that pub teams were not allowed in the league, adopted the name '''Garforth Miners'''.

In 1978 Garforth were elected to Division Three of the Yorkshire League.<ref name=FCHD1>{{fchd|id=GARFORTM|name=Garforth Miners}}</ref> They finished second-from-bottom of the table in their first season, but were Division Three runners-up in 1979–80, earning promotion to Division Two. When the league merged with the [[Midland Football League (1889)|Midland League]] in 1982 to form the Northern Counties East League, the club were placed in Division One North.<ref name=FCHD1/> In 1985 they were renamed again, becoming Garforth Town.<ref name=FCHD1/> League reorganisation saw them placed in Division Two in 1985 and they went on to [[1985–86 Northern Counties East Football League|finish as runners-up]], earning promotion to Division One.<ref name=FCHD>{{fchd|id=GARFORTT|name=Garforth Town}}</ref> Although they were Division One runners-up in [[1996–97 Northern Counties East League|1996–97]], also winning the League Trophy,<ref name=NCEL/> the club were not promoted to the Premier Division. However, they were Division One champions the [[1997–98 Northern Counties East Football League|following season]], and were promoted.<ref name=FCHD/> They also won the [[West Riding County Cup]] for the first time with a 1–0 win over [[Liversedge F.C.|Liversedge]] in the final.<ref name=H/> In [[1999–2000 Northern Counties East Football League|1999–2000]] they both won the League Cup (beating [[Glapwell F.C.|Glapwell]] 3–1 in the final) and the West Riding County Cup (winning 2–0 against [[Eccleshill United F.C.|Eccleshill United]] in the final).<ref name=H/>

Garforth finished bottom of the Premier Division in [[2001–02 Northern Counties East Football League|2001–02]], but avoided relegation after [[Denaby United F.C.|Denaby United]] folded. However, the [[2002–03 Northern Counties East Football League|following season]] saw them finish bottom again, and they were relegated to Division One. In 2003 the club were taken over by [[Simon Clifford]], who stated that his ambition was to take the club into the [[English Football League|Football League]].<ref>[http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/non-league-football/it-will-be-freeview-for-everyone-at-garforth-1-2106866 It will be freeview for everyone at Garforth] Yorkshire Evening Post, 21 June 2007</ref> He took over as manager early in the [[2004–05 Northern Counties East Football League|2004–05 season]] and made several high-profile signings, including Brazilian [[Sócrates]] (who made one appearance as a substitute)<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/dec/05/socrates-garforth-town-politics-courage Garforth Town owner hails impact of Brazil's Socrates] The Guardian, 5 December 2011</ref> and [[Lee Sharpe]]. They finished as Division One runners-up, earning promotion back to the Premier Division.<ref name=FCHD/> Another Brazilian, [[Careca]], played for the club in a friendly that summer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Careca drives fans nuts |url=http://www.ncefl.org.uk/news/ncelpremierdivision/2005/16-carecadrivesfansnuts/ |website=[[Northern Counties East Football League]] |access-date=12 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921071659/http://www.ncefl.org.uk/news/ncelpremierdivision/2005/16-carecadrivesfansnuts/ |archive-date=21 September 2020 |date=31 July 2005}}</ref> In [[2006–07 Northern Counties East Football League|2006–07]] a fourth-place finish was enough to earn promotion to Division One North of the [[Northern Premier League]].

In 2008–09 Garforth won the West Riding County Cup for a third time, beating [[Bradford Park Avenue F.C.|Bradford Park Avenue]] in the final. They retained the cup the following season, defeating [[Barnoldswick Town F.C.|Barnoldswick Town]] in the final. In [[2011–12 Northern Premier League|2011–12]] they finished fifth, qualifying for the promotion play-offs, but lost 4–1 on penalties to [[Curzon Ashton F.C.|Curzon Ashton]] in the semi-finals after a 2–2 draw.<ref>[https://www.fchd.info/lghist/npl2012.htm 2011–12 Northern Premier League] Football Club History Database</ref> They were bought by former [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] chairman [[Rupert Lowe]] in December 2012,<ref>[http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/10111599.Rupert_Lowe_makes_football_return/ Rupert Lowe makes football return] Daily Echo, 17 December 2012</ref> but the [[2012–13 Northern Premier League|2012–13 season]] saw the club finish bottom of Division One North, resulting in relegation back to the Northern Counties East League.<ref name=FCHD/> Lowe left the club in 2015.<ref>[http://www.ncefl.org.uk/news/ncelpremierdivision/2014/3508-changeofownershipatgarforth/ Change of ownership at Garforth] Northern Counties East League, 20 January 2015</ref>

In [[2023–24 Northern Counties East Football League|2023–24]] Garforth finished third in the Premier Division. In the subsequent play-offs they defeated [[Rossington Main F.C.|Rossington Main]] on penalties in the semi-final and then beat [[Albion Sports F.C.|Albion Sports]] on penalties in the final, earning promotion to Division One East of the Northern Premier League.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Premier Division |url=https://www.garforthtown.net/teams/28959/league-table |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=www.garforthtown.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=We've done it! |url=https://www.garforthtown.net/news/weve-done-it-2849358.html |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=Garforth Town AFC|language=en}}</ref>

==Ground==
[[Image:GarforthTownground.jpg|thumb|right|Wheatley Park]]
The club initially played on a council pitch in nearby [[Swillington]] as there were no facilities available in Garforth. When they joined the West Yorkshire League in 1976 they bought land at Brierlands Lane, a former council rubbish dump, to build a new ground.<ref name=H/> A clubhouse was built in 1991 and floodlights erected in 1995.<ref name=H/>

In 1998 they moved to Wheatley Park.<ref name=H/> The ground has a capacity of 3,000, of which 278 is seated and 200 covered.<ref name=NLCD2017/> The record attendance of 2,428 was set for a Northern Premier League Division One North match against [[Chester F.C.|Chester]] on 29 April 2011.<ref name=NLCD2017/>

==Honours==
*'''Northern Counties East League'''
**Division One champions 1997–98
**League Cup winners 1999–2000
**League Trophy winners 1996–97
*'''West Riding County Cup'''
**Winners 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2008–09, 2009–10<ref name=NCEL/>

==Records==
*Best [[FA Cup]] performance: Second qualifying round, [[1991–92 FA Cup qualifying rounds|1991–92]], [[1997–98 FA Cup qualifying rounds|1997–98]], [[2008–09 FA Cup qualifying rounds|2008–09]]<ref name=FCHD/>
*Best [[FA Trophy]] performance: First qualifying round, [[2008–09 FA Trophy|2008–09]], [[2009–10 FA Trophy|2009–10]], [[2010–11 FA Trophy|2010–11]], [[2011–12 FA Trophy|2011–12]], [[2025–26 FA Trophy|2025–26]]<ref name=FCHD/>
*Best [[FA Vase]] performance: Quarter-finals, [[1985–86 FA Vase|1985–86]]<ref name=FCHD/>
*Record attendance: 2,428 vs [[Chester F.C.|Chester]], Northern Premier League Division One North, 29 April 2011<ref name=NLCD2017/>
*Most appearances: Philip Matthews, 1982–1993<ref name=NLCD>Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) ''Non-League Club Directory 2013'', p398 {{ISBN|978-1-869833-77-0}}</ref>
*Most goals: Mark Simpson<ref>[http://www.nonleagueyorkshire.com/2019/06/25/garforth-retain-key-quartet-including-simpson/ Garforth retain key quartet, including Simpson] Non-League Yorkshire, 25 June 2019</ref>

==See also==
*{{c|Garforth Town A.F.C. players}}
*{{c|Garforth Town A.F.C. managers}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.garforth.town Official website]

{{Northern Premier League}}
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[[Category:Garforth Town A.F.C.| ]]
[[Category:Football clubs in England]]
[[Category:Football clubs in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:1964 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1964]]
[[Category:Sport in the City of Leeds]]
[[Category:Garforth]]
[[Category:Mining football clubs in England]]
[[Category:West Yorkshire Association Football League]]
[[Category:Yorkshire Football League]]
[[Category:Northern Premier League clubs]]
[[Category:Northern Counties East Football League]]