Cwmbrân Town A.F.C.

Cwmbrân Town
Full name Cwmbrân Town Association
Football Club
Nickname(s) The Crows
Founded 1951
Ground Cwmbran Stadium
Cwmbrân
(Capacity: 10,500 (2,200 seated))
Chairman Gareth Griffiths
Manager Mark Parfitt
Coach Jamie Jenkins
League Gwent County League
2010-11 Welsh Football League Division Three, 15th (of 18)
Home colours
Away colours

Cwmbrân Town is a football team based in Cwmbrân, Wales and play in the Gwent County League Division 1, the fifth tier of Welsh Football.

Contents

History

Cwmbrân's place in history is assured as the first ever champions of the League of Wales. Formed in 1951, Cwmbrân began in the Monmouthshire Senior League, playing their matches at Cwmbrân Park. In 1960 the club joined the Welsh Football League and they moved to their present home at the Cwmbran Stadium in 1975. Cwmbrân lost their place in the top division of the Welsh Football League in 1978 and it took them three years to return to the top level. Although they finished only eighth in the 1981-82 season, they were invited to join the National Division of the restructured League. Cwmbrân finished third in 1986-87 and almost won the title in 1989-90. In 1992 they were invited to become founder members of the League of Wales. Unprecedented success followed when they took the title by five points from rivals and near-neighbours Inter Cardiff, conceding only 22 goals all season and losing only three games (all 1-0).

That inaugural Konica League championship brought European reward in the form of a Champions Cup tie against Cork City from the Republic of Ireland. In the Preliminary Round, Cwmbrân won the home leg by 3-2, after being 3-0 in front but despite going a goal ahead early in the second match they lost 1-2 and went out on away goals. Cwmbrân had another taste of European football in 1997 in the European Cup Winners Cup, having lost 1-2 to newly crowned champions Barry Town in the Welsh Cup final.

Qualifying for Europe again in 1998 and 1999, Cwmbrân met FC Naţional Bucureşti of Romania, and Celtic respectively. In the 2003-04 UEFA Cup they lost 6-0 on aggregate to Maccabi Haifa of Israel, playing the away leg in İzmir, Turkey.

The Welsh Cup final defeat to Barry Town mentioned above has since been equalled on two occasions, in 1999-00 when they lost to Bangor City, and in 2002-03 when again Barry Town proved too strong, in a penalty shoot-out.

Cwmbran's ground has a capacity of 8,200 and 2,000 seats under cover, however the average league attendance in 2005-06 was 163.

At the end of the 2005-06 season, the Crows were close to dropping out of the Welsh top flight for the first time since the League's formation. The Crows finished in the second relegation position but were saved from relegation due to a lack of teams in the feeder leagues wishing to be promoted. They were not so fortunate in the 2006-07 season, when they again finished in 17th place and were relegated following a 5-1 defeat by Llanelli on 20 April.

Financial problems - 2006/07

The season's respectable on-field performances were overshadowed by off-field financial problems. Towards the end of November 2006, reports surfaced that players were not being paid. The club initially denied this but on the 30th November, the club announced officially that it was unable to pay its players. A few of key players left, including top scorer Jody Jenkins, who joined Haverfordwest County.

Cwmbrân Town received some help from Newport County, who offered a friendly with all proceeds going to the Cwmbrân Town.

Honours

Notable former players

Biggest victories and losses

Current squad

As of July, 2010.

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

No. Position Player
GK Ben James
DF Gerwyn Jones
DF Lloyd Stenner
DF Samir Misbah
DF Nyran Bird
MF Aaron Thomas
MF Ricky Amos
MF Chris Griffiths
MF Steve Hughes
FW Grant Thompson
FW Chris Wilson
FW Kristian Powell
FW Craig Thomas

References

External links