Merthyr Tydfil F.C.

This article is about the club which existed between 1945-2010. For its predecessor and successor, see Merthyr Town F.C.

Merthyr Tydfil

Official logo of Merthyr Tydfil Football Club
Full name	Merthyr Tydfil Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Martyrs
Founded	1945
Dissolved	2010
Ground	Penydarren Park, Merthyr Tydfil
Ground Capacity	10,000 (1,500 seated)
2009–10	Southern League Premier Division, 17th
Home colours Away colours

Merthyr Tydfil Football Club was a Welsh football club based at the Penydarren Park ground in Merthyr Tydfil. In 2010 the club was liquidated and reformed under the name Merthyr Town, which was accepted into Division One of the Western League.

History

Merthyr against Ipswich in 1951

The club was formed in 1945, and joined the Welsh League. In their first season, they finished as runners-up, and joined the Southern League. The club were immensely successful in their first few seasons, winning the championship in 1947–48, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52 and 1953–54. In the 1947–48 championship-winning season, Merthyr only dropped one point at home (against Colchester United) and only lost four games all season. However, despite their success, the club failed to be elected to the Football League. The 1950–51 season ended with Merthyr winning the Southern League, the Welsh Cup, the Southern League Cup and the Welsh Challenge Cup.

After bouncing between the various Southern League divisions during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the club finally won their sixth championship in 1988–89, making them joint Southern League title record-holders together with Southampton. This time, winning the championship meant promotion to the Football Conference, the fifth level of English football. The club finished ninth in their first two seasons, and then fourth. However, they then went into decline, and were relegated back to the Southern League in 1995, where they remained until reforming in 2010. They should have been relegated a season earlier, but were reprieved when Northern Premier League champions Marine failed to meet the stadium criteria for the league.

Penydarren Park, former home of Merthyr Tydfil Football Club

The club's best FA Cup performance was reaching the second round, which they managed in 1946–47 (losing 3–1 to Reading), 1954–55 (losing 7–1 to Bradford City), 1973–74 (losing 3–0 to Hendon), 1979–80 (losing 3–1 in a replay with Chesham United) and 1990–91 (losing 5–1 to Woking). The only time the club managed to defeat a Football League club in the FA Cup was in the first round of the 1946–47 cup, when they beat Bristol Rovers 3–1.

The club were considerably more successful in the Welsh Cup, which they won on three occasions: 1949 (beating Swansea Town 2–0), 1951 (beating Cardiff City 3–2 in a replay) and 1987 (beating Newport County 1–0 in a replay). In addition, the club finished as runners-up in 1947 and 1952.

After winning the final in 1987, the club were allowed to enter the European Cup Winners' Cup. In the first round, they were drawn against the Italian club Atalanta. The club managed a win in the first leg at home, beating the Italians 2–1. However, the return leg was lost 2–0, and the club were out.

Historically, the club's biggest rivals are Gloucester City. The two clubs played over 120 times in their history, making it one of the most played Anglo-Welsh derby in football. In the late 1990s and early 2000s Newport County were local rivals but the teams have not met in the same league for many years.

Final squad

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

No. Position Player GK Andrew Delve DF Dale Griffiths DF Lee Hartshorn DF Andrew Thomas DF Jamie Rewbury DF Matthew Driscoll DF Simon Gregory MF Dean Clarke MF Craig Jones MF Kris Leek FW Scott Armitage FW Marcus Griffiths FW Garry Shephard

Honours

League

• Southern League/Southern Football League Premier Division
  • Champions: 1947–48, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1988–89
  • Runners-up: 1952–53, 1997–98
• Southern League Division One
  • Runners-up: 1970–71
• Southern League Division One North
  • Runners-up: 1978–79
• Southern League Division One Midland
  • Champions: 1987–88
• Southern League Western Division
  • Champions: 2002–03
  • Chapions 2014–15 Southern Football League Division 1 South & West
• Welsh Football League Division One
  • Runners-up: 1945–46

Cup

• Welsh Cup
  • Winners: 1949, 1951, 1987
  • Finalists: 1947, 1952
• Welsh Football League Cup
  • Winners: 1951, 1962, 1981
  • Finalists: 1983

Club records

• Record Attendance: 21,000 vs. Reading, FA Cup second round, 1946
• Highest league position: 4th in Football Conference, 1991–92
• Most goals scored in a league season: 187 in the Welsh League, 1945–46
• Fewest goals conceded in a league season: 32 in the Southern League Western Division, 2002–03

Notable former players and managers

• John Charles CBE (player-manager during the 1970s, formerly with Leeds United and Juventus and a member of the Welsh national team)
• Bob Latchford (player, previously with Birmingham City, Everton and was also capped by the England national team)
• Tommy Hutchison (player in the early 90's, previously with Burnley, Swansea City and many other teams)
• John Pearson (footballer born 1963), former Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic and Leeds United player, amongst others.
• Colin Addison (manager from 1996–98, previously managed Notts County, West Bromwich Albion, Derby County, Newport County, Celta Vigo and Atlético Madrid amongst others)
• Nathan Jones (player during the mid-1990s, now playing with Yeovil Town)
• Idris Hopkins (player during the 1927–1928 season)
• Tom Ramasut (player during the 1998–1999 season)
• Leroy Rosenior (manager, previously managed Gloucester City)
• John Relish (manager during 2004/05 season)
• Tim Harris (manager during 2005–2006, previously managed Forest Green Rovers, Cinderford Town and Newport County)

External links

• Club website
• Merthyr Tydfil at the Football Club History Database
• Old Merthyr Tydfil: Penydarren Park