Aberdare Athletic F.C.

Infobox Football club
clubname = Aberdare Athletic F.C.


fullname = Aberdare Athletic Football Club
nickname =
shortname = Aberdare Ath
founded = 1892
dissolved = 1928
ground = Aberdare Athletic Ground
capacity = ?
chairman = ?

Aberdare Athletic Football Club were a Welsh football team founded in 1892 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.

History

Founded in 1892, 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. [ [http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/ABERDARA.HTM Football Club History Database - Aberdare Athletic ] ]

Aberdare spent six seasons in the League, with their best season being 1921-22, when they finished 9th. 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. [ [http://www.thepyramid.info/stats/updownyear.htm The Pyramid.info: Promotion to/Relegation from the Football League by year ] ] 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 are currently known as ENTO Aberaman Athletic.

The club had several different team colours during their existence. [ [http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Aberdare_Athletic/Aberdare_Athletic.htm Aberdare Athletic - Historical Football Kits ] ] Their membership of the Football League coincided with that of a team from another small Welsh settlement Merthyr Town F.C..

Notable players

*Billy Henderson

Managers

The following were managers around the time the team was Football League side:
*William Lot, June 1920 - March 1922
*Frank Bradshaw, May 1923 - April 1924
*Sydney Beaumont, 1924 - 1927
*Harry Hadley, November 1927 - April 1928

References

*cite book| author=Twydell, Dave| title=Rejected F.C.: Comprehensive histories of the ex-Football League clubs, Volume 1 | publisher=D. Twydell | year=1988 |id=ISBN 0951332104

External links

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