Aberdare Athletic F.C.

Aberdare Athletic
Full name Aberdare Athletic Football Club
Founded 1893
Dissolved 1928
Ground Aberdare Athletic Ground

Aberdare Athletic Football Club were a Welsh football club founded in 1893 and based in Aberdare. They joined the Football League in 1921 but were replaced by Torquay United after failing to be re-elected in 1927.

Contents

History

Founded in 1893, Aberdare were twice Welsh Cup runners-up, in 1903–04 and 1904–05. In 1920–21 they joined the Welsh Section of the Southern League and duly finished runners-up in their first season. That gained them entry to the Football League Third Division South in time for 1921–22.[1]

Aberdare spent six seasons in the League, with their best season being 1921–22, when they finished 8th. That same year, 1926, Aberdare merged with nearby Aberaman Athletic; the first team continued to compete in the Football League under the name Aberdare Athletic, while the reserve team played in the Welsh League under the name Aberdare & Aberaman Athletic.

However, in the next season, 1926–27 Aberdare Athletic finished bottom of the Third Division South and failed to gain re-election to the league; Torquay United took their place.[2] The merged club fully renamed themselves as Aberdare & Aberaman Athletic, and rejoined the Southern League.

However, the merged club only survived for another year, and in 1928 the Aberaman faction split away from the club to re-form Aberaman Athletic, while the Aberdare half folded. After World War II, in 1945 a reformed Aberdare & Aberaman Athletic was formed, but this side also split into two, in 1947; the Aberaman Athletic club continue to this day and play in the Welsh Football League.

The club had several different team colours during their existence.[3] Their membership of the Football League coincided with that of a team from another Welsh town Merthyr Town.

Notable players

Managers

The following were managers around the time the team was Football League side:

League and Cup history

Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Domestic Cup Notes
1921–22 3rd 8 42 17 10 15 57 24 44 -
1922–23 3rd 21 42 9 11 22 42 70 29 1st Round
1923–24 3rd 12 42 12 14 16 45 58 38 1st Round
1924–25 3rd 18 42 14 9 19 54 67 37 -
1925–26 3rd 9 42 17 9 17 74 66 42 3rd Round
1926–27 3rd 22 42 9 7 26 62 101 25 1st Round Failed Re-election
All-time League results: 252 78 60 115 334 386 215

References

  1. ^ Football Club History Database – Aberdare Athletic
  2. ^ The Pyramid.info: Promotion to/Relegation from the Football League by year
  3. ^ Aberdare Athletic – Historical Football Kits

External links

Former Football League clubs
Aberdare Athletic (1921–27) · Accrington (1888–93) · Accrington Stanley (1921–62) · Aldershot (1932–92) · Ashington (1921–29) · Barrow (1921–72) · Bootle (1892–93) · Boston United (2002–07) · Bradford Park Avenue (1908–70) · Burton Swifts (1892–1901) · Burton United (1901–07) · Burton Wanderers (1894–97) · Cambridge United (1970–2005) · Chester City (1931–2000, 2004–2009) · Darlington (1921–89, 1990–2010) · Darwen (1891–99) · Durham City (1921–28) · Gainsborough Trinity (1896–1912) · Gateshead (1930–60) · Glossop North End (1898–1915) · Grimsby Town (1892–1910, 1911–2010) · Halifax Town (1921–1993, 1998–2002) · Kidderminster Harriers (2000–05) · Leeds City (1905–19) · Lincoln City (1892–1908, 1909–1911, 1912–1920, 1921–1987, 1988–2011) · Loughborough (1895–1900) · Luton Town (1897–1900, 1920–2009) · Maidstone United (1989–92) · Mansfield Town (1931–2008) · Merthyr Town (1920–30) · Middlesbrough Ironopolis (1893–94) · Nelson (1921–31) · New Brighton (1923–51) · New Brighton Tower (1898–1901) · Newport County (1920–31, 1932–88) · Northwich Victoria (1892–94) · Rotherham County (1919–25) · Rotherham Town (1893–96) · Rushden & Diamonds (2001–06) · Scarborough (1987–99) · South Shields (1919–30) · Southport (1921–78) · Stalybridge Celtic (1921–23) · Stockport County (1900–2011) · Thames (1930–32) · Wigan Borough (1921–31) · Wimbledon (1977–2004) · Workington (1951–77) · Wrexham (1921–2008) · York City (1929–2004)