Merthyr Town 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
Ground	Penydarren Park, Merthyr Tydfil
Capacity	10,000 (1,500 seated)
Manager	Gavin Williams
League	Southern League Premier Division South
2017–18	Southern League Premier Division, 17th of 24
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, currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division South, in the seventh tier of the English football league system.

Merthyr Town were founded in 1909 and played in the Football League from 1920 to 1930, 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 F.C. was liquidated. Both versions of the club played at Penydarren Park.

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. 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 18 August 2017

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

No.		Position	Player
		GK	Ed Hewiston
		DF	Adam Davies
		DF	Scott Tancock
		DF	Jarrad Wright
		DF	Miles John
		MF	Ashley Evans
		MF	Matthew Harris

No.		Position	Player
		MF	Craig Reddy
		MF	Jaye Bowen
		FW	Ryan Prosser
		FW	Ian Traylor
		FW	Kerry Morgan
		FW	Corey Jenkins

Management

Position	Name
Director of Football	Les Barlow
Manager	Gavin Williams
Assistant Manager	Dean Clarke
First Team Coach	Ashley Thomas
Physiotherapist	Jane Price
Kit Manager	Barrie Thomas
Academy Manager	Philip Llewellyn

Honours

League

Welsh Football League
Winners (1): 1930–31
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

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] Merthyr Town

[2] Merthyr Town promoted

[3] Match Report: Merthyr Town 1 – 9 Llanelli

[4] Merthyr Town beat Bishops Cleeve 9–0 for promotion

[5] Official website: History of Merthyr Town

2018–19 Southern League
Premier Central	AFC Rushden & Diamonds Alvechurch Banbury United Barwell Bedworth United Biggleswade Town Coalville Town Halesowen Town Hitchin Town Kettering Town King's Lynn Town Leiston Lowestoft Town Needham Market Redditch United Royston Town Rushall Olympic St Ives Town St Neots Town Stourbridge Stratford Town Tamworth
Premier South	Basingstoke Town Beaconsfield Town Chesham United Dorchester Town Farnborough Frome Town Gosport Borough Harrow Borough Hartley Wintney Hendon King's Langley Merthyr Town Metropolitan Police Poole Town Salisbury Staines Town Swindon Supermarine Taunton Town Tiverton Town Walton Casuals Weymouth Wimborne Town
Central	AFC Dunstable Aylesbury Aylesbury United Barton Rovers Bedford Town Berkhamsted Bromsgrove Sporting Cambridge City Coleshill Town Corby Town Didcot Town Dunstable Town Kempston Rovers Kidlington North Leigh Peterborough Sports Sutton Coldfield Town Thame United Welwyn Garden City Yaxley
South	AFC Totton Barnstaple Town Bideford Blackfield & Langley Bristol Manor Farm Cinderford Town Cirencester Town Evesham United Fleet Town Highworth Town Larkhall Athletic Mangotsfield United Melksham Town Moneyfields Paulton Rovers Slimbridge Street Thatcham 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 2017–18 2018–19

Former English Football League clubs
English Football League
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) Chesterfield, first (1899–1909) 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)
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) Barnet (1991–2001, 2005–13, 2015–18) Boston United (2002–07) Chester City (1931–2000, 2004–09) Chesterfield, second (1921–2018) Dagenham & Redbridge (2007–16) Darlington (1921–89, 1990–2010) Halifax Town (1921–93, 1998–2002) Hartlepool United (1921–2017) Hereford United (1972–97, 2006–12) Kidderminster Harriers (2000–05) Leyton Orient (1905–2017) Maidstone United (1989–92) Rushden & Diamonds (2001–06) Scarborough (1987–99) Stockport County (1900–04, 1905–2011) 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

Football League members from Wales
Current and former members of the Football League
Premier League	Cardiff City
Football League	Swansea City Newport County
National League	Wrexham
Southern Football League	Merthyr Town
Defunct	Aberdare Athletic