The KoolSport NCEL would like to congratulate Rainworth Miners Welfare whose promotion to the Evo-Stik League has been confirmed by the FA today.

The loudest cheer at their annual presentation night in the Welfare on Saturday night was heard when manager Rudy Funk announced that he had been given special dispensation ahead of today's official release to tell the audience that the club had been officially promoted to Step 4 on the National League System.

Wrens players and officials had been sweating on the FA decision on the make-up of the leagues from Step 1 to 4, which had been due last Thursday but was deferred until today, with an embargo placed on the club not to release the information to the media ahead of the FA's own announcement.

The decision makes Rainworth the first ever Miners' Welfare club to reach Step 4, although other clubs at that level and above, including Hucknall Town and Frickley Athletic, are both former Colliery Welfare outfits.

Rainworth had finished second to Bridlington in their first season as a Step 5 club and, when the Seasiders announced that they would not accept promotion it became a case of 'wait and see' whether the Wrens would be allowed to make the expected step up in Bridlington's place.

Now that he knows his club will be competing in Division One South of the Evo-Stik (formerly UniBond) League, manager Funk can at last set his sights on competing at the next level, after leading the ambitious Wrens to their third promotion in four seasons.

"I'm absolutely ecstatic about it and just can't put into words how pleased I am," he said. "I'm delighted for the football club and the whole community that we will be seeing Northern Premier League football at Kirklington Road next season.

"Five years ago when Billy Millar and I arrived at Rainworth we promised to bring UniBond League football to the club, and that has now been achieved, so we must now look to our next target - because this is still not the limit of achievement for this club, and we have now surely surpassed even anything achieved by that great 1982 Wembley team.

"It's like a big fairy tale, that we will now be rubbing shoulders with massive clubs like Leek Town, Witton Albion and others, as well as Glapwell who will be our local derby rivals. This club has grown so big, so strong, that next season every game will be a big game.

"There are so many people, far too many to mention but from Billy Millar to everyone behind the scenes, people who have supported us financially and through the gates, who have all played their part and done so much to bring us to the level which we have now attained, and to make the club what it has become.

"We are not a rich club, but we have a massive heart and that will stand us in good stead for the new challenge.

"People laughed at me when I set our initial target of reaching this level, and they may well laugh again when I mention the word 'Conference', but I genuinely believe that is an achievable target in the years to come."

In the absence of chairman Derek Blow, vice-chairman Brian Reece added: "I'm thrilled that we have been promoted again, and trust that we will do justice to our new status. I also hope that we will attract more Rainworth people to our matches now we are at the higher level."

Promotion means that Rainworth's long standing love affair with the FA Vase is over, for they will be entered into the FA Trophy for next season.