| Full name | Newtown Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Town Club | |
| Founded | 1875 | |
| Dissolved | 1879 | |
| Ground | Racecourse Ground | |
| Capacity | 2,000 | |
| President | Cornelius Morgan [1] | |
| Secretary | Ben Weall | |
Newtown F.C. was an association football club from Newtown, Powys, active in the 1870s, and (indirectly) a progenitor club of the current Newtown club.
The earliest reference to the club is of its members playing a match between themselves - divided into "Reds" and "Blues" - on the Cunnings in Newtown on 5 February 1875, with a few spectators enjoying the action. [2] Newtown was playing other clubs by the end of the year, [3] occasionally leading to some confusion with fellow Newtown club White Stars, [4] although the local newspaper considered it a "most unimportant subject". [5]
Newtown entered the first Welsh Cup in 1877–78 but lost in the first round to Druids. The club suffered a tragedy at the turn of the year, when one of its players, George Cornish, died on 19 January 1878 of an illness caught when playing for Newtown at Wrexham at the start of the year. [6] The club broke even at the end of the season, with income of £27 1/ and expenditure of £26 8/. [7]
The following season it reached the semi-final, where it was drawn to play the White Stars. The tie was played on neutral ground in Oswestry, and Newtown took the lead in the first half, A. Morgan heading a free-kick through his own goal; the White Stars equalized with a quarter of an hour remaining. [8] Newtown had home advantage for the replay, but the Stars were two up inside half-an-hour; Newtown pulled one back soon after half-time after Jones dropped a Morris shot into his goal, and Morris drove a free-kick through the Stars' goal near the end, but at the time all free-kicks were indirect, so no goal was given. [9]
The Stars went on to win the final and the two clubs met at the end of April in a hastily arrange friendly after Wrexham disappointed the town club; Newtown gained a measure of revenge with Morgan scoring the only goal of the game. [10]
It was however the last match for the club. In August 1879, the White Stars' secretary wrote to the club with a view to fielding a combined club in the Welsh Cup. [11] The next month, a new club - Excelsior - was duly formed, with other clubs invited to pitch in their lot. [12] Most of the Newtown players, including captain Edward Morgan, goalkeeper Hibbott, full-back William Woosnam, half-backs Edmond Oliver and Astley, and forwards D. Williams and George Woosnam, [13] joined the new combine, and, although White Star continued a separate existence, Newtown F.C. came to an end.
The club wore amber and black. [14]
The club's practice matches were played on the Cunnings; by the time it was playing other clubs, it had gained tenure at the Newtown Racecourse Ground. [15] The highest recorded attendance was 2,000 for the Welsh Cup semi-final replay against the White Stars. [16]
Cefn Druids Association Football Club is an inactive association football team based in the village of Cefn Mawr, Wrexham. The club played in the Cymru North after being relegated from the Cymru Premier in 2021–22 but withdrew ahead of the 2023–24 season.
Newtown Association Football Club is a Welsh football club based in Newtown, Powys, which plays in the Cymru Premier. Newtown are one of only two clubs that can claim unbroken membership of the league since its formation in 1992, with the other club being Aberystwyth Town.
Samuel Llewelyn Kenrick was a Welsh solicitor who became the founder of the Football Association of Wales and organised the first Welsh international football match against Scotland in 1876. As such he became the "father of Welsh football".
The 1877–78 Welsh Cup was the first season of the Welsh Cup. The cup was won by Wrexham who defeated Druids 1–0 in the final.
The 1878–79 Welsh Cup was the second season of the Welsh Cup. The cup was won by Newtown White Star who defeated Wrexham 1–0 in the final.
Ruabon Druids F.C. were a football club based in the village of Ruabon near Wrexham, Wales. The club was founded in October 1872 as 'Ruabon Rovers F.C.' by David Thomson and his brother, George, of Ruabon. In 1874 Ruabon Rovers F.C. became Plasmadoc F.C. before changing their name to Druids F.C. in 1876.
Excelsior F.C. - more generally known as Newtown Excelsior - was an association football club from Newtown, Powys, active in the 1879–80 season, and a progenitor club of the current Newtown club.
Coedpoeth United Football Club is a football club based in Coedpoeth, Wrexham County Borough. They currently play in the North East Wales Football League Premier Division, which is at tier four of the Welsh football pyramid.
John Jones was a Welsh amateur footballer who spent most of his football career with Druids, and played for the Wales national football team in their first international match in 1876.
William Henry Davies was a Welsh amateur footballer who made four appearances for the Wales national football team in the 1870s and 1880s, and scored his country's first international goal.
Edwin Alfred Cross was a Welsh amateur footballer who played most of his football career with Wrexham, with whom he won the inaugural Welsh Cup in 1878. Playing at half back, he also made two appearances for Wales in 1876 and 1877.
John Henry Price was a Welsh footballer who played as a centre forward for Wrexham and made 12 appearances for the Wales national football team between 1877 and 1883, scoring four goals, all of which came in one match.
The 1883–84 FAW Welsh Cup was the seventh edition of the annual knockout tournament for competitive football teams in Wales.
Gwersyllt Foresters were a Welsh football team from the village of Gwersyllt, Wrexham.
The 1879 Welsh Cup Final, was the second in the competition. It was contested by Newtown White Star and Wrexham at the Cricket Field, Oswestry.
Llanerchrugog F.C. was a football club based in Rhosllanerchrugog, Wales.
Trinity (Shrewsbury) F.C. was an association football club based in Shrewsbury, England. The club's name was often reported simply as Trinity.
Shrewsbury Engineers F.C. was a football club based in Shrewbury, England.
