Merthyr Town F.C.

This article is about the original football club from Merthyr Tydfil established in 1909 and re-established in 2010. For the club which existed between 1945-2010, see Merthyr Tydfil F.C.

Merthyr Town

Full name

Merthyr Town Football Club

Nickname(s)

The Martyrs, The Romans, Red & Greens

Founded

1909 (as Merthyr Town A.F.C.)
Reformed 2010

Dissolved

1934–2010

Ground

Penydarren Park, Merthyr Tydfil

Capacity

10,000 (1,500 seated)

Chairman

Meurig Price

Manager

Gavin Williams

League

Southern League Premier Division

2015–16

Southern League Premier Division, 10th

Home colours

Away colours

Merthyr Town Football Club (Welsh: Clwb Pêl-droed Tref Merthyr) is a Welsh semi-professional football club based in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. The club will play in the Southern Football League Premier Division.

Merthyr Town were founded in 1909 and played in the Football League during the 1920s, but the club folded in 1934 and were replaced by new formed Merthyr Tydfil F.C. in 1945. In 2010, the club reformed again after Merthyr Tydfil FC was liquidated.

History

Early years

The Merthyr Town team of 1909

In 1909, Merthyr Town joined the second division of the Southern League, which despite being primarily an English league, contained several other Welsh clubs, notably Cardiff City, Newport County and Swansea Town. After finishing third in 1911–12 the club were promoted to the first division, though they were relegated back to the second division in 1913–14. The Southern League did not operate during the First World War, and when it resumed for the 1919–20 season Merthyr were placed back in the top division.

In the summer of 1920 the Football League expanded with the creation of a new Third Division, which was made up entirely of the First Division of the Southern League from the previous season. Despite having finished second bottom in season before, usually a relegation place, Merthyr became a new member of the Football League.

In their first season in the Football League, the club had a much better season and finished 8th. This, however, proved to be their most successful league season, and it was followed by a gradual decline: 11th in 1921–2 and 17th in 1922–3. The 1923–4 season saw a slight improvement in league form as they finished 13th, but the major news was their appearance in the final of the Welsh Cup, though they lost 1–0 to Wrexham in a replay after a 2–2 draw.

From then on the club declined further, and finished bottom of the Third Division in 1924–5. Although they finished 14th in 1925–6, in the following seasons the club finished 17th, 21st, 20th and then bottom again, and were eventually voted out of the Football League in 1930.^[1] They were replaced by the ill-fated Thames. During their penultimate season in the Football League the club had their best season in the FA Cup, getting past the first round for the only time, before losing to Watford in the second round.

The club dropped back into the Southern League, but lasted only four seasons, before ceasing to play in 1934.

Penydarren Park, home of Merthyr Town Football Club.

The new club

In 2010, Merthyr Tydfil F.C. of the Southern Football League Premier Division were liquidated despite finishing the 2009–10 season 17th of 22 clubs. The club was reformed under the name of Merthyr Town and consequently were required to drop three divisions to begin the 2010–11 season in the Western Football League Division One. The club was also forced to switch grounds, and left Penydarren Park to take Rhiw Dda’r, the home of Taff's Well A.F.C. as their new home ground. In their first season they won Division One and were promoted to the Western League Premier Division.^[2]

The newly promoted club once again called Penydarren Park home. Their first match back at their spiritual ground was a 1–9 defeat to Welsh Premier League side Llanelli in a pre-season friendly in July 2011.^[3] However Merthyr went on to secure a second consecutive championship and with it promotion to the Southern League.

On 6 April 2015, Merthyr Town were promoted back to the Southern League Premier Division only five years after being expelled, following a 9–0 home win against Bishops Cleeve.^[4]

The club is fully owned by the supporters' trust.^[5]

Current squad

As of 14 October 2016

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.		Position	Player
		GK	Cameron Clarke
		GK	Glyn Garner
		DF	Rhys Baggridge
		DF	Scott Barrow
		DF	James Bloom
		DF	Gethin Jones
		DF	Curtis McDonald
		DF	Shane Parry
		DF	Scott Tancock
		DF	Jarrad Wright
		MF	Jaye Bowen

No.		Position	Player
		MF	Jon Brown
		MF	Ashley Evans (captain)
		MF	Corey Jenkins
		MF	Kyle Patten
		MF	Elliot Scotcher
		MF	Ben Watkins
		MF	Gavin Williams
		FW	Kayne McLaggon
		FW	Ryan Prosser
		FW	Keyon Reffell
		FW	Ian Traylor

Management

Position	Name
Director Of Football	Les Barlow
Manager	Gavin Williams
Assistant Manager	Dean Clarke
First Team Coach	Ashley Thomas
Physiotherapist	Andrew Needs
Kit Manager	Barrie Thomas
Academy Manager	Philip Llewellyn

Honours

League

Welsh Football League
Winners (2): 1930–31, 1948–49
Southern Football League Division Two
Winners (1): 1912
Southern Football League Division One South & West
Winners (1): 2014-15
Western Football League Premier Division
Winners (1): 2011–12
Western Football League Division One
Winners (1): 2010–11
Glamorgan League
Winners (1): 1910–11

Cups

Southern League Cup
Winners (1): 2015-16
Welsh Cup
Runners-up: (1) 1924
Welsh Football League Cup
Winners (1): 1926
South Wales Cup
Winners (1): 1931

References

External links

Official site

Southern League

Premier Division	Banbury United Basingstoke Town Biggleswade Town Cambridge City Chesham United Chippenham Town Cinderford Town Cirencester Town Dorchester Town Dunstable Town Frome Town Hayes and Yeading United Hitchin Town Kettering Town King's Langley King's Lynn Town Leamington Merthyr Town Redditch United Slough Town St Ives Town St Neots Town Stratford Town Weymouth

Division One Central	AFC Dunstable Arlesey Town Ashford Town Aylesbury Aylesbury United Barton Rovers Beaconsfield SYCOB Bedford Town Chalfont St Peter Egham Town Farnborough Fleet Town Hanwell Town Histon Kempston Rovers Kidlington Marlow Northwood Petersfield Town Potters Bar Town Royston Town Uxbridge

Division One South & West	AFC Totton Barnstaple Town Bideford Bishop's Cleeve Bridgwater Town Didcot Town Evesham United Hereford Larkhall Athletic Mangotsfield United North Leigh Paulton Rovers Salisbury Shortwood United Slimbridge Swindon Supermarine Taunton Town Tiverton Town Wantage Town Wimborne Town Winchester City Yate Town

Seasons	1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17

Football League members from Wales

Current and former members of the Football League

Premier League	Swansea City

Football League	Cardiff City Newport County

National League	Wrexham

Southern Football League	Merthyr Town

Northern Premier League	Colwyn Bay

Defunct	Aberdare Athletic

Former Football League clubs

First tier (League 1888–1992)

Accrington (1888–93)

Second tier (1892–present)

Bootle (1892–93)
Burton Swifts (1892–1901)
Burton United (1901–07)
Burton Wanderers (1894–97)
Darwen (1891–99)
Gainsborough Trinity (1896–1912)
Glossop North End (1898–1915)
Leeds City (1905–19)
Loughborough (1895–1900)
Middlesbrough Ironopolis (1893–94)
New Brighton Tower (1898–1901)
Northwich Victoria (1892–94)
Rotherham Town (1893–96)
Wimbledon (1977–92, 2000–04)

Third tier (1920–present)
North/South (1921–1958)

Aberdare Athletic (1921–27)
Ashington (1921–29)
Durham City (1921–28)
Merthyr Town (1920–30)
Nelson (1921–31)
New Brighton (1923–51)
Rotherham County (1919–25)
South Shields (1919–30)
Stalybridge Celtic (1921–23)
Thames (1930–32)
Wigan Borough (1921–31)

Fourth tier (by election, 1958–1987)

Accrington Stanley (1921–62)
Barrow (1921–72)
Bradford Park Avenue (1908–70)
Gateshead (1930–60)
Southport (1921–78)
Workington (1951–77)

Fourth tier (relegated since 1987)

Aldershot (1932–92)
Aldershot Town (2008–13)
Boston United (2002–07)
Chester City (1931–2000, 2004–09)
Dagenham & Redbridge (2007–16)
Darlington (1921–89, 1990–2010)
Halifax Town (1921–93, 1998–2002)
Hereford United (1972–97, 2006–12)
Kidderminster Harriers (2000–05)
Lincoln City (1892–1908, 1909–11, 1912–20, 1921–87, 1988–2011)
Macclesfield Town (1997–2012)
Maidstone United (1989–92)
Rushden & Diamonds (2001–06)
Scarborough (1987–99)
Stockport County (1900–04, 1905–2011)
Tranmere Rovers (1921–2015)
Torquay United (1927–2007, 2009–14)
Wrexham (1921–2008)
York City (1929–2004, 2012–16)

Listed according to division last performed in. Defunct clubs in italics

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