Aberystwyth Town F.C.
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| Full name | Aberystwyth Town Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Seasiders | ||
| Founded | 1884 | ||
| Ground | Park Avenue Aberystwyth |
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| Capacity | 5,000 (1,002 seated) | ||
| Chairman | Tony Bates | ||
| Manager | Ian Hughes | ||
| League | Welsh Premier League | ||
| 2014–15 | Welsh Premier League, 4th | ||
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| Manager | Emyr Jones |
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| Manager | Ray Hughes |
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| League | Women's Welsh Premier League |
| 2012–13 | 6th |
Aberystwyth Town Football Club (Welsh: Clwb Pêl Droed Aberystwyth) is a football team, playing in the Welsh Premier League.
The club was founded in 1884,[1] and plays at Park Avenue, Aberystwyth, where their ground accommodates 5,000 spectators with 1,002 of that capacity seated.
The team's first choice strip is green shirts with a white trim, black shorts and socks. The second choice strip is white shirts with black trim, black shorts and socks.
Contents
History
The club was founded by Arthur Hughes, son of a local solicitor, and his brothers Jack and Hugh. Although football had been played in the town since at least the early 1870s, it was in October 1884 that Arthur Hughes placed an advertisement in the local press:
Aberystwyth Football Club
Gentlemen wishing to join the above club are requested to attend a meeting to be held at the Belle Vue Hotel on Saturday, the 4th inst., at 4pm. Members' subscriptions to be paid in advance, 2s. 6d.[2]
The club's early days were limited to friendly matches, as the club did not join a league until 1896. It joined the Welsh League for a year, before reverting to playing friendlies again.[3] They were members of the Montgomeryshire and District League in 1904, winning several championships. With the creation of the Welsh National League in 1921, Aberystwyth Town joined the Central Section, where they won the title six times in the 1920s, and the Mid-Wales League title in 1933 and 1950. Aberystwyth won the Welsh Amateur Cup in 1931 and 1933, and were losing finalists in 1935 and 1972.
The club joined the Welsh League (South) in 1951, although they continued to also field a team in the Mid-Wales League, and for a while in the Cambrian Coast League. Aberystwyth returned to the Mid-Wales competition in 1963 but did not win the league championship until 1984, after having finished as runners-up six times. They retained the title in 1985. Aberystwyth were firmly established as one of premier clubs in Mid-Wales and in 1987 they returned to the Welsh League (South). They were three times runners-up before they became founder members of the League of Wales in 1992. Aberystwyth achieved their best Welsh Premier League position – 3rd – in their first season. Aberystwyth Town are one of only three teams that have taken part in each season of the Welsh Premier League, the other teams being Bangor City and Newtown.
The reserve team currently plays in the Cambrian Tyres League and the Welsh Premier League Under 19's, whilst the Ladies team, managed by Ray Hughes, play in the Welsh Women's Premier League, making Aberystwyth Town the only team to have a side in the Welsh Premier League and the Women's Welsh Premier League.
Rivalries
The club has traditionally held friendly rivalries with Bangor City and fellow town-dwellers Aberystwyth University. However, the club's biggest rivalries are with Newtown and Carmarthen Town.
Biggest victories and losses
- Biggest win: 21–1 v. Machynlleth in 1934.
- Biggest defeat: 1–20 v. Caersws in 1962.
- Biggest League of Wales win: 6–0 v. Briton Ferry Athletic and Llanidloes Town, both in 1993. Also by a margin of six, Afan Lido 0 Aberystwyth Town 6 on Tuesday 18 February 2014 and Aberystwyth Town 7 Afan Lido 1 on Friday 28 March 2014.
- Biggest League of Wales defeat: 1–8 v. Barry Town in 1997.
European record
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | 1st Round |  Floriana FC |
2–2 | 1–2 | 3–4 |
| 2004 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | 1st Round |  Dinaburg |
0–0 | 0–4 | 0–4 |
| 2014–15 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  Derry City |
0–4 | 0–5 | 0–9 |
Current squad
- As of 12 January 2016 [4]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Notable former players
1. Players that have played/managed in the football league or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.
3. Players that hold a club record or have captained the club.
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Andy Parkinson, played for numerous Football League clubs, including for Tranmere Rovers in the Football League Cup.
Conall Murtagh, played for Wrexham when they were in League 2.
Tom Bradshaw, who currently plays for Walsall in Football League One. Called up to the Wales national team in 2015. [5]- Christian Edwards, played for 6 Football League clubs, including Nottingham Forest, Swansea City and Bristol Rovers.
- Gwion Edwards, who currently plays for Crawley Town in Football League One.
- Jack Edwards, capped by Wales.
- John Hughes, capped twice by Wales, played for Aberystwyth 1873–79.
- Marc Lloyd-Williams, the Welsh Premier League's all-time top scorer, with over 300 career goals.
- Dr. Robert Mills-Roberts, Welsh international goalkeeper in the 1880–90s.
- Grenville Morris, capped by Wales whilst at the club, moved to play for Swindon Town and Nottingham Forest.
- Charlie Parry, capped 13 times by Wales prior to joining the club in 1899, won Welsh Cup with Aberystwyth in 1900.
- Ernest Peake, Welsh international who subsequently played for Liverpool.
- Leigh Richmond Roose, the noted goalkeeper, was selected to represent Wales while playing for Aberystwyth in 1900.
- Wyn Thomas, all time Welsh Premier League appearance record holder[6] with over 500 appearances, currently player/assistant manager at Aberystwyth.
Managers
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Angus McLean (Player/Manager) (1951–??)- Meirion Appleton (1980's)
- Tomi Morgan (1992–94)
- Meirion Appleton (1994–99)
- Barry Powell (1999–01)
- Frank Gregan (2001)
- Gary Finley (2001–04)
- David Burrows (2004–05)
- Brian Coyne[7] (2005–09)
- Christian Edwards (interim)[8] (2009)
- Alan Morgan[9] (2009–12)
- Tomi Morgan[10] (Feb 29, 2012–May 9, 2013)
- Ian Hughes[11] (May 21, 2013–Present)
References
- ↑ http://www.faw.org.uk/ClubInfo.ink?TeamNameShort=Aberystwyth
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- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34726671
- ↑ http://www.s4c.cymru/sgorio/e_/2015/pwy-di-pwy-wyn-thomas/
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External links
- Use British English from April 2013
- Use dmy dates from April 2014
- Articles containing Welsh-language text
- Incomplete lists from December 2013
- Incomplete lists from July 2013
- Official website not in Wikidata
- Aberystwyth Town F.C.
- Welsh Premier League clubs
- Mid Wales Football League clubs
- Sport in Aberystwyth
- 1884 establishments in Wales
