Aberystwyth Town F.C.

Aberystwyth Town
Full name Aberystwyth Town Football Club
Nickname(s) The Seasiders
Founded 1884 (1884)
Ground Park Avenue
Aberystwyth
Ground Capacity 5,000 (1,002 seated)
Chairman Tony Bates
Manager Ian Hughes (Resigned 19th April 2016)
League Welsh Premier League
2015–16 Welsh Premier League, 8th
Aberystwyth Town U19
Manager Emyr Jones
Aberystwyth Town Ladies
Manager Ray Hughes
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.

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

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

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.

No. Position Player
1 Wales GK Mike Lewis
2 England DF Antonio Corbisiero
3 Wales DF Cledan Davies
4 Wales MF Ross Stephens
5 Wales DF Stuart Jones
6 Wales DF Lee Surman
7 England MF Geoff Kellaway
8 Wales MF Luke Sherbon
10 Wales MF Chris Venables
11 Wales MF Craig Williams
No. Position Player
12 Wales DF Sion James
14 Wales DF Wyn Thomas
16 Wales DF Jack Rimmer
17 Wales MF Thomas Jones
19 Wales MF Liam Jaques
26 Wales FW Rhys Griffiths

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.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Managers

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

References

  1. "Aberystwyth Town Club Information from Football Association of Wales - Football Association of Wales". Faw.org.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  2. "Arthur Hughes". The History of Aberystwyth Town FC. "The Old Black & Green". Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  3. "Early History". Aberystwyth Town FC. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  4. "First Team Squad". www.atfc.org.uk. Aberystwyth Town F.C. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  5. "Tom Bradshaw: Walsall striker's call ends Wales international exile". BBC Sport. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  6. "Focus on: Wyn Thomas — Sgorio". S4c.cymru. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  7. "Coyne made new Aberystwyth boss". BBC. 9 November 2005. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  8. "Christian Edwards appointed as Aberystwyth Town's new manager". South Wales Echo. WalesOnline. 3 October 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  9. "Morgan appointed Aberystwyth boss". BBC. 4 November 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  10. "Tomi Morgan appointed Aberystwyth Town manager". BBC. 29 February 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  11. "Ian Hughes appointed new Aberystwyth Town manager". BBC. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2012.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, April 25, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.