Season 2016/17 started where Blidworth left off the season before with Ian Cotton and Ian Birtley in charge of the first team. Scott Ward returned to the club as secretary and Dave Voller rejoined as chairman to guide the club forward. The campaign started slowly but began to gain momentum with key players returning from injury and suspension along with the return of ex manager Michael Wain as coach. Again Blidworth fared well in the FA Vase beating higher league opponents Teversal, Shirebrook Town and Heanor Town before losing to a late goal from AFC Mansfield in the second round of the competition in front of an impressive 146 spectators at the Welfare Ground. Cotton, Wain and Birtley all left the club in February 2017 to save Cotton’s home town club Clipstone from folding so Goalkeeper Steve Smith stepped up and took over the manager’s role guiding the club to a 12 place finish.