Rainworth MW begin plans on how to mark 100 years

They have already installed new floodlighting and chairman Les Lee said: “We are still chucking ideas around but, obviously, we'd like Mansfield Town to send a team down here to play against us, and maybe somebody else too.

“I know the kids' section are planning to do quite a bit for the Centenary. We have U18s and U16s with kids teams going down to U8s.

“We have just put some new floodlights up.

BRAVE DECISIONS ENSURED WRENS LASTED 100 YEARS

40th ANNIVERSARY OF FAMOUS WEMBLEY FINAL FOR RAINWORTH LOOMING

“We were going to be put them up nearer the centenary season but the old lights were not reliable. I was going across to put them on never knowing if they were going to come on or not.

“So we got a grant from the FA and raised quite a bit here and now everyone is really pleased with the new lights. They really light the ground up and you can tell the difference.

“We will still do an official switch-on later in the year.”

The club spent the greater part of their existence in the Notts Alliance, winning that league 10 times, including a record six in succession.

They also recorded league cup and county cup success in that spell, and had lengthy runs in the FA Vase, including reaching the final in 1981/82 – the club's greatest season – as well as reaching the last 16 on three further occasions

The club won two more Alliance titles in the mid-1990s, and then began to build for a rise up the football pyramid.

Promotions followed into the Central Midlands League in 2003, the Northern Counties East League Division One in 2007 and the Premier Division two years later, then the NPL Division One South in 2010/11 season before voluntary relegations saw them slide back down again.

Past Rainworth players have included Nigel Jemson, Adam Murray, Mick Laverick, and Danny Bacon while Sandy Pate, Neil Whatmore, and Brian Phillips have been managers who have graced the higher echelons of the game.