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Aberystwyth Town F.C.

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Aberystwyth Town F.C.
File:Aberystwyth Town FC.PNG
Full nameAberystwyth Town Football Club
Nickname(s)The Seasiders, Black and Greens, Green and Whites, Aber Town, Aber
Founded1884; 140 years ago (1884)
GroundPark Avenue
Aberystwyth
Capacity5,000 (1,002 seated)
ChairmanDonald Kane
ManagerNeville Powell
LeagueWelsh Premier League
2017–18Welsh Premier League, 9th
WebsiteClub website

Aberystwyth Town Football Club (Welsh: Clwb Pêl-Droed Tref Aberystwyth) is a semi-professional 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 club was a founding member of the Welsh Premier League

The club's youth team, Aberystwyth Town Under 19's, currently play in the Welsh Premier Development League – South, whilst the Ladies team play in the Welsh Premier Women's League. The club has an academy, which has produced many players that have played for the first team and some that have gone on to play at higher levels.

The team's first choice strip is green shirts with a white stripes, black shorts and socks. The second choice strip is orange shirts with black trim, black shorts and socks.

History

Foundation and early years

Although Aberystwyth Town FC was formed in 1884, the club probably existed in the 1870s in an earlier incarnation – the re-establishment of a "town" club is recorded in 1876. 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] In 1900 Town beat Druids 3–0 in the Welsh Cup final and became the first team from mid-Wales to take the trophy.

Post-War till the end of the century

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 the following season, both under team boss Meirion Appleton.

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 3rd in the 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. Manager Meirion Appleton was replaced by Barry Powell after a 5–0 home defeat to Caersws. In 1998/9 they qualified to represent Wales in the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Aberystwyth lost 3–4 over two legs against Floriana of Malta. The success of European qualification brought many changes to Park Avenue. A new BBC studio and TV gantry, followed by the new Dias stand which brought the number of seats in the two stands up to nearly 600. The "Dias" stand was named after David "Dias" Williams who holds the club scoring record of 476 goals in only 433 games between 1966 and 1983.

Consequently they were unable to repeat the feat of attaining a European berth although the club gained entry to the FAW Premier Cup competition for the third year running. They managed to progress to the quarter-finals twice. Barry Powell left the club by mutual consent.

21st Century

Powell was replaced at the beginning of the 2001–02 season by Frank Gregan. Gregan was unanimously voted into the job as new manager prior to the start of the season. He was responsible for bringing in several players with extensive experience in the English pyramid. Town lost in the Welsh Cup to Aberaman Athletic in October 2001. This was combined with a poor away record and an exit from the latter stages of the FAW Premier Cup at the hands of Caersws.

Gary Finley took over as player/manager immediately after Gregan departed for Weston-super-Mare. There was an instant improvement in form and minimal additions to the squad despite most of Gregan's signings departing. The club missed out on the FAW Premier Cup ending up in ninth place in the league.

Finley took the club to fourth in 2003/4 and again qualify for Europe, via the UEFA InterToto Cup, but following a policy decision to base the team on more local players, Finley departed and David Burrows took over as player/manager. The change of strategy produced a worsening of results in 2004/05, but the club's management decided to stick with the Ceredigion player policy despite seeing Park Avenue attendances slump by nearly 40%.

The club also received a further set-back in December 2004 when a serious fire destroyed much of the social club's facilities, ruling out the ground for the staging of cup finals until the new John Charles lounge was opened in 2005 by his widow, Glenda.

After several undistinguished seasons, the Seasiders reached the final of the Welsh Cup in 2009 under manager Brian Coyne, only to be beaten 2–0 by Bangor City F.C.. Coyne stepped down early the following season with Alan Morgan appointed as the new boss, and the club finished fourth in the 2009/10 season, missing out on qualification for Europe.

Then under the first season of the Welsh Premier League Super 12, Aberystwyth, although in top 6 for most of the first half of the season, saw themselves in the bottom half of the table at the mid season split, being beaten to the top half again by Port Talbot. The club finished in 7th place, before beating Airbus in the UEFA Europa League playoff quarter final, and eventually losing out to Neath F.C. in the Semi-Final.

In the 2011/2012 season Aberystwyth Town found itself in the bottom six again, and in a relegation battle. After a defeat to Cymru Alliance side Cefn Druids A.F.C. in the Welsh Cup, Alan Morgan stepped aside and Tomi Morgan returned as manager. Under Morgan the team finished in 8th place, and so managed to qualify once again for the end of season Europa League playoffs. After beating Airbus U.K in the quarter finals, Aber faced Llanelli and lost in extra time.

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.

Records

Biggest victories and losses

European record

Season Competition Round Club 1st Leg 2nd Leg Aggregate
1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1st Round Malta Floriana FC 2–2 1–2 3–4
2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1st Round Latvia Dinaburg 0–0 0–4 0–4
2014–15 UEFA Europa League 1Q Republic of Ireland Derry City 0–4 0–5 0–9

Players

Current squad

As of 30 August 2018 [4]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK England ENG Terry McCormick
2 DF England ENG Wes Baynes
3 DF Wales WAL Steff Edwards
4 DF England ENG Alan Goodall
5 DF England ENG Ryan Wollacott
6 MF Wales WAL Jack Rimmer
7 MF England ENG Geoff Kellaway
8 MF Portugal POR Paulo Mendes
9 FW Iran IRN Porya Ahmadi
10 DF Ireland EIR Declan Walker
No. Pos. Nation Player
11 MF Wales WAL Alec Williams
12 GK Wales WAL Leigh Jenkins
14 MF Wales WAL Ryan Edwards
15 DF Wales WAL Lee Jenkins
17 MF Wales WAL Mathew Jones
18 FW Wales WAL Nashawn Blake
20 DF Wales WAL Harri Rowe
24 FW England ENG Ashley Ruane
27 FW England ENG Joe Phillips

Under 19 Squad

As of 17 July 2018

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Wales WAL Oliver Fairbrother
2 DF Wales WAL Tom Evans
5 DF Wales WAL Harry Cottam
8 MF Wales WAL Liam Berner
9 FW Wales WAL Ianto Evans
10 FW Wales WAL Guto Roberts
13 GK Wales WAL Alex Pennock
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 MF Wales WAL Ryan Evans
20 MF Wales WAL Jack Rimmer
22 MF Wales WAL Harri Horwood
- MF Wales WAL Josh Crowl

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.

Staff

Backroom Staff

Manager History

References

  1. ^ "Aberystwyth Town Club Information from Football Association of Wales – Football Association of Wales". Faw.org.uk. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Arthur Hughes". The History of Aberystwyth Town FC. "The Old Black & Green". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Early History". Aberystwyth Town FC. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "First Team Squad". www.atfc.org.uk. Aberystwyth Town F.C. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Tom Bradshaw: Walsall striker's call ends Wales international exile". BBC Sport. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Tom makes his senior Wales debut". cambrian-news.co.uk. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Focus on: Wyn Thomas — Sgorio". S4c.cymru. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  8. ^ "Swansea City striker Alex Samuel joins Morton on loan". BBC Sport. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  9. ^ "Coyne made new Aberystwyth boss". BBC. 9 November 2005. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  10. ^ "Christian Edwards appointed as Aberystwyth Town's new manager". South Wales Echo. WalesOnline. 3 October 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  11. ^ "Morgan appointed Aberystwyth boss". BBC. 4 November 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  12. ^ "Tomi Morgan appointed Aberystwyth Town manager". BBC. 29 February 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  13. ^ "Ian Hughes appointed new Aberystwyth Town manager". BBC. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  14. ^ "Club Statement". Aberystwyth Town. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  15. ^ "Aber delighted to announce Matthew Bishop as new manager". Aberystwyth Town. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  16. ^ "Pens Takes over as First Team Manager, Wolvesey Back in as Assistant". 21 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
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