Welfare Ground

The Welfare Ground is defined by its three-sided layout, a byproduct of sharing the pitch with Emley Clarence Cricket Club. The Warburton End, the Main Stand, and the Richard Hirst Stand (also known as The Shed) encircle the pitch. The ground holds a capacity of 2,000, with the Main Stand offering 330 seats and the remaining space filled by a terrace.

The venue sits at the heart of a community shaped by mining; Emley Moor Colliery opened in 1948 and closed in 1985, though the club’s origins stretch back to 1903. The ground has witnessed significant moments, including a highest attendance of 5,134 for an FA Amateur Cup third-round match against Barking on 1 February 1969. More recently, the club’s survival followed a move to Wakefield in the late 1990s, leading to the formation of AFC Emley in 2005.

The playing surface is natural grass, and the infrastructure has seen gradual updates. The main stand and dugouts were upgraded in the summer of 2023, with seats sourced from the Kirklees Stadium. New LED floodlights were installed the following summer. The venue is known as the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground following a sponsorship deal struck in March 2016. It remains off Upper Lane, Emley, within the Kirklees district of West Yorkshire.