llanelli AFC

The game of Association Football was introduced to the townspeople of Llanelli when workers from Staffordshire migrated to the town to work in the 'newest' of the town industries – the Pottery works – from 1892 to 1920. As they were unfamiliar with rugby union, workers founded a team to play friendlies against other teams from the various pottery works which had been set up in Swansea and Neath. However, by 1896 interest had waned due in the main to those initial workers returning home, having successfully instructed their local co-workers in the intricacies of the pottery world. The first playing area had been at 'Cae Blake' in the Furnace area of the town, but when the new Peoples Park in the middle of the town was opened as a recreation area the team had transferred to this new ground. By 1904, with more and more clubs being formed in South Wales, soccer fans decided to resurrect the club under the managership of Bert Andrews, from Ironbridge, Shropshire, who had remained in the town working in an administrative post at the Llanelli Pottery. The club entered the Swansea and District League, and played their home matches first at Tunnel Road and then at Penyfan Fields.

The pre-war era

In season 1911–12, after seven years of consolidation, Llanelli AFC became League champions and were also losing finalists in the League Cup. This was the spur that was needed to progress even further and led by another immigrant to the town, W T Morris who hailed from Llanidloes and was a leading entrepreneur in the commercial world of Llanelli, the club decided to become fully professional and applied for membership in both the Southern League and the Welsh League. A further move was necessary to entertain the professional game and Halfway Park some two miles from the town centre was chosen as the new venue. This former cycle stadium was the ideal velodrome for Association Football boasting a grand stand and natural banking, and this was the catalyst, which both league structures sought when sanctioning the club's inclusion in the two participating Leagues. Their first season 1912–13 was an immediate success finishing in 6th position of the Southern League and joint 3rd with Swansea Town in the Welsh League. They were also invited to participate in the FA Cup for the first time, reaching the 3rd Qualifying Round before being beaten by Cardiff City at home. The following season they entered also into the Welsh Senior Cup competition and reached the final at the first time of asking, before losing to Wrexham, the eventual winners in the replay at Oswestry after a 0–0 draw at Pontypridd. It was also during this season that the club achieved its best win to date beating Treharris 17–0 at home in a League game.

The interwar period

In the 1919–20 season the reformed club's formats of pre-war years The 1st team squad played in both leagues, and the club's reserve team participated in the Swansea Senior League. By 1922 it was obvious that a new stadium near the town centre would be needed to join the Football League. A piece of ground in the Stebonheath area of the town was purchased, and plans were made to move the entire club there from Halfway. This was achieved just in time for the 1922–23 season, and Bridgend Town were the first visitors. Later in the season the new ground was formally opened, despite the club's financial problems. After the formal opening, Tottenham Hotspur (the previous season's FA Cup winners) were invited to play, and were even defeated by the home side by 2–1. Later, Burnley and Charlton Athletic were also invited play at Stebonheath Park. They won their matches.

At the end of the successful playing season, the club made its first application, together with Pontypridd Town, to join the Football League, Third Division (South). However, both their applications failedjust failed, and instead both the member clubs up for re-election, Southend United and Exeter City, were re-elected. Over the next three years. Llanelli AFC built up a reputation as one of the leading non-league clubs in Wales.

In 1925 they were the only club to contest every round in the FA Cup from Preliminary to Qualifying and to progress the equivalent of what is now the third round proper: they met Fulham at Craven Cottage and lost by the odd goal. However, by the end of the season the club had built up a large debt, and could not meet their financial obligations to their players The two respective management committees of both teams were forced to resign, and the club's activities temporarily ceased.

By 1928, after three years in the wilderness, the town's football fans decided to resurrect the club. They were supported by the groundsman/caretaker of Stebonheath Park, Jack Goldsborough, who had joined the club in 1922 as a player/trainer. They succeeded in taking over the fixtures of Aberdare Athletic in the Welsh League. Aberdare had also been in financial difficulties and had had to resign from the Welsh League.

Their first season was naturally one of consolidation. They succeeded in gaining a place in the Southern League for the following season. For the next five seasons the club were once again on a high, winning trophies once more and just failing on three other occasions to gain a place in the Football League.

However, attendances were falling and costs were rising, including spending on imported players. They were forced to withdraw from the Southern League for the 1934–35 season. They continued to play in the Welsh League 1st Division, where they remained until the outbreak of World War II. However, they were thrashed many times, including their record defeat by 0–12 by the now defunct Lovells Athletic on Boxing Day 1934.