Aberdare Valley League

Aberdare Valley League
Founded1904, 1924
Country Wales
Number of clubs13
Level on pyramid7
Promotion toSouth Wales Alliance League
Current championsPenywaun
(2023–24)
WebsiteAberdare Valley League

The Aberdare Valley Association Football League is a football league affiliated to the South Wales FA and provides football at the seventh level of the Welsh football league system. The league's boundaries stretch from Rhigos in the north to Carnetown, Abercynon in the South of the Cynon Valley.

History

The Aberdare & District Junior League was founded in 1904. The founder member clubs were: Aberaman Stars, Aberaman Windsors, Aberdare Crescents, Aberdare Excelsiors, Cefnpennar, Cwmbach Lilywhites, Gadlys Rovers, Greenhill Rovers, GWR Rovers and Mardy Albions, and the first champions were Aberdare Crescents.

Also in 1904, the Aberdare Leader Junior Medals competition was founded by the local newspaper, and was won by Aberaman Windsors.[1]

The league renamed to the Aberdare & District (Belle Vue) League in 1907, but folded in 1908. The league briefly returned for the 1909–10 season, but then would not return until 1924, being reformed as the Aberdare Valley Football League.[2]

Since 2015, the league has not had junior divisions (under-12 to under-16), with it now being the responsibility of the newly formed Cynon Rhondda Merthyr Junior Football League.

The league is currently at the seventh tier of the Welsh football league system, and a feeder league to the South Wales Alliance League.

Division One

As of the 2024–25 season, the league consists of 13 clubs:

Member Clubs 2024–25

  • AFC Abercynon
  • AFC Abercynon (reserves)
  • AFC Penrhiwceiber (reserves)
  • Abernant
  • Carnetown
  • Cwmbach Royal Stars (reserves)
  • FC Abercwmboi
  • FC Cwmaman (reserves)
  • Gadlys Rovers
  • Hirwaun
  • Penrhiwceiber Social
  • Penywaun
  • Royal Oak

Promotion and relegation

Promotion from the Premier Division is possible to the South Wales Alliance League, with the champion of the league playing the other tier 7 champions from the South Wales regional leagues via play-off games to determine promotion.

Champions (Top Division)

  • 1904–05: – Aberdare Crescents[2]
  • 1905–06: – Aberdare Crescents
  • 1906–07: – Aberdare Crescents[3]
  • 1907–08: –
  • 1908–09: – No competition
  • 1909–10: –
  • 1930–31: – Hirwaun K.B.R.[4]
  • 1933–34: – Hirwaun K.B.R.
  • 1934–35: – Hirwaun K.B.R.
  • 1936–37: – Hirwaun Welfare
  • 1946–47: – Hirwaun Welfare
  • 1953–54: – Llwydcoed Welfare[5]
  • 1954–55: – Llwydcoed Welfare
  • 1968–69: – Ivy Bush[6]
  • 1978–79: – FC Cwmaman[7]
  • 1979–80: – FC Cwmaman
  • 1980–81: – FC Cwmaman
  • 1991–92: – Baileys Arms
  • 1993–94: – Abercwmboi
  • 1994–95: – Baileys Arms
  • 1997–98: – Cwmbach Royal Stars 'A'
  • 1998–99: – Penywaun
  • 1999–2000: – Osborne Athletic[8]
  • 2001–02: – Hirwaun Welfare
  • 2002–03: – Mountain Ash Town[9]
  • 2003–04: – Park Rovers
  • 2004–05: – Abercynon Athletic[10]
  • 2005–06: – AFC Abercynon[11]
  • 2006–07: – Abernant Rovers '97[12]
  • 2007–08: – Aberaman[13]
  • 2008–09: – Aberaman[14]
  • 2009–10: – Perthcelyn United[15]
  • 2010–11: – Perthcelyn United[16]
  • 2011–12: – AFC Abercynon 'A'[17]
  • 2012–13: – Tynte Rovers[18]
  • 2013–14: – FC Abercwmboi 'A'[19]
  • 2014–15: – Carnetown 'A'[19]
  • 2015–16: – Carnetown 'A'[19]
  • 2016–17: – FC Abercwmboi 'A'[19]
  • 2017–18: – Hirwaun Sports FC [19]
  • 2018–19: – FC Abercwmboi 'A' [19]
  • 2019–20: – AFC Abercynon 'A' [20]
  • 2021–22: – Cwmbach Royal Stars reserves[21]
  • 2022–23: – Cwmbach Royal Stars reserves
  • 2023–24: – Penywaun

References

  1. ^ https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3576486/3576494/92/aberdare%2BOR%2Bleader%2BOR%2Bjunior%2BOR%2Bmedals
  2. ^ a b "Welsh Football Data Archive: Preserving our football heritage". 3 April 2016. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  3. ^ https://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/1095#?xywh=-150%2C-1%2C1046%2C583
  4. ^ "Football – Hirwaun Historical Society". Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  5. ^ "AFC Llwydcoed – Ardal Southern".
  6. ^ "History". FC Cwmaman. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  7. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20000118131921/http://fccwmaman.co.uk/
  8. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20090418222331/http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/penrhiwceiberconathleticfc/history.pl
  9. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20090225090622/http://www.freewebs.com:80/aberdarevalleyfootballleague/honours.htm
  10. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20080516065027/http://www.freewebs.com/abercynonathleticafc/recenthistory.htm
  11. ^ "Abercynon thrilled by double hit". Wales Online. 9 June 2006. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  12. ^ Aberdare Valley Football League Tables 2006–07
  13. ^ Aberdare Valley Football League Tables 2007–08
  14. ^ Aberdare Valley Football League Tables 2008–09
  15. ^ Aberdare Valley Football League Tables 2009–10
  16. ^ Aberdare Valley Football League Tables 2010–11
  17. ^ "2011-12 tables, part 5" (PDF). Football Club History Database. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  18. ^ "2012-13 tables, part 5" (PDF). Football Club History Database. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  19. ^ a b c d e f "leaguewebsite.co.uk has now closed". blog.pitchero.com.
  20. ^ Aberdare Valley League Twitter
  21. ^ "Tweet". Twitter. Cwmbach Royal Stars. Retrieved 5 September 2022.