Aberystwyth Town Internationals

 Roose

Welsh Premier League club Aberystwyth Town (founded 1884) has provided Wales with 7 internationals (18 appearances). The club's predecessor, Aberystwyth, also produced 1 cap.
When Wales faced Scotland at Dundee on 21.03.96 there were 3 Aberystwyth Town players in the team.
The legendary goalkeeper Leigh Richmond Roose was said to have worn an Aberystwyth Town jersey as an undershirt throughout his first class career.

1	Jack Hughes	07.04.79	Wales	0	3	Scotland	Wrexham
	Hughes had made 1 previous appearance for Wales whilst he was playing for Cambridge University.
2	Jack Rea	24.02.94	Wales	4	1	Ireland	Swansea
		12.03.94	Wales	1	5	England	Wrexham
		24.03.94	Scotland	5	2	Wales	Kilmarnock
		23.03.95	Wales	2	2	Scotland	Wrexham
		29.02.96	Wales	6	1	Ireland	Wrexham
		21.03.96	Scotland	4	0	Wales	Dundee
		06.03.97	Ireland	4	3	Wales	Belfast
		20.03.97	Wales	2	2	Scotland	Wrexham
		19.02.98	Wales	0	1	Ireland	Llandudno
	Aberystwyth born inside left who founded London Welsh AFC and was briefly at West Bromwich Albion (see here).
3	Grenville Morris	29.02.96	Wales	6	1	Ireland	Wrexham
		16.03.96	Wales	1	9	England	Cardiff
		21.03.96	Scotland	4	0	Wales	Dundee
		29.03.97	England	4	0	Wales	Sheffield
	Aged 18 at the time of his debut, Morris went on to win a total of 21 international caps, playing for Swindon Town and Nottingham Forest. Known as the Prince of Inside lefts he scored 9 international goals.
4	Jack Garner	21.03.96	Scotland	4	0	Wales	Dundee
5	William Roberts Jones	20.03.97	Wales	2	2	Scotland	Wrexham
6	Jack Edwards	19.02.98	Wales	0	1	Ireland	Llandudno
7	Leigh Richmond "Dick" Roose	24.02.00	Wales	2	0	Ireland	Llandudno
	This was Roose’s debut. He moved on to London Welsh, Stoke, Everton and Sunderland (among other clubs) and won a total of 24 caps. His association with Aberystwyth began when he attended University in the town.
8	Ernest Peake	11.04.08	Wales	0	1	Ireland	Aberdare
	A native of Aberystwyth, left back Peake won a further 10 caps whilst playing for Liverpool.

1904 FA Cup Final

The first all Lancashire Final.
Billy Meredith scored in the 23rd minute, beating his countryman Dai Davies with a left footed shot. In the illustration Davies (who had played for Swinton in the 1900 Northern Union Rugby Challenge Cup Final)  looks almost like a disinterested bystander.

Llandrindod Wells

The increasing popularity of Association football was reflected in the development of grass roots clubs throughout the United Kingdom.
Here we see a team from Llandrindod Wells, Radnorshire, from the 1883-84 season.
The jerseys are quite diverse.
The Spamen currently play in the Mid Wales South Football League, the 5th level of the Welsh pyramid.

The Sixty Minute International Match

Played at The Oval, 18.01.79.
England 2 Wales 1

England		Wales
Rupert Anderson	Old Etonians	George Glascodine	Wrexham
Lindsay Bury	Cambridge University	Llewelyn Kenrick	Oswestry
Claud Wilson	Oxford University	G.G Higham	Oswestry
Norman Bailey	Clapham Rovers	William Williams	Druids
W.E Clegg	Sheffield Albion	Thomas Owen	Oswestry
Edward Parry	Old Carthusians	William Henry Davies	Oswestry
Heathcote Sorby	Thursday Wanderers	William Shone	Oswestry
Arthur Cursham	Notts County	Dennis Heywood	Druids
Henry Wace	Wanderers	John Price	Wrexham
Herbert Whitfield	Old Etonians	Digby Owen	Oswestry
Billy Mosforth	Sheffield Albion	William Roberts	Llangollen

After playing Scotland 3 times (3 defeats and 15 unanswered goals), Wales were offered a match against England at The Oval in January 1879.
The weather was appalling but Wales , after so much anticipation, were particularly keen for the game to go ahead, There were no more than 300 spectators present (maybe as few as 85).
A thick layer of snow covered the ground and it was agreed to play a truncated match of 30 minutes each way.

This gave rise to 3 players having England careers that lasted just one hour despite not being injured or substituted. Neither of England's debutant scorers (Whitfield and Sorby) was selected again, and it is worth noting that 19 year old Rupert Anderson was a forward who went in goal when Remnant FC's Rev. W. Blackmore  failed  to turn up (on the only occasion he was selected for England).
Contrary to some speculative sources Thomas Owen of Oswestry was almost certainly not the father of the poet Wilfred Owen. Wilfred Owen's father was born in Nantwich (England) on 31st  May 1862.

Billy Meredith

Can't go for too long without a Billy Meredith post!
Happy Saint David's Day to all our Welsh readers.

The New Craze; Football and Society in North East Wales c.1870-90

Druids, 1880 

North East Wales was a hotbed of football in the late 19th century. A link to a very interesting article here.

Wales' Record Score

Only 2000 people were at The Racecourse on 03.03.88 to witness Wales registering an 11-0 win over Ireland. Wales had lost their opening match against England 5-1 and the following week would go down by the same score against Scotland. Things didn't get much better for Ireland- they lost 10-2 against Scotland, making their 5-1 defeat at the hands of England relatively creditable.
The scorers for Wales were Jack Doughty (4) Roger Doughty (2) Edmund Howell (2) Job Wilding (2) and William Pryce-Jones

The Wales team, pictured above: standing l-r: Reuben Humphreys (Ruabon Druids); Joe Davies (Newton Heath); Dr. Alfred O. Davies (Swifts); Dr. Bob Mills-Roberts (Preston North End); Jack  Powell (Newton Heath); Di Jones (Chirk AAA); seated l-r: William Pryce-Jones (Cambridge University); Job Wilding (Bootle); Jack Doughty (Newton Heath); Roger Doughty (Newton Heath); Edmund Gwynne Howell (Builth).

 Alfred O. Davies, William Pryce-Jones and E. Gwynne Howell left the field early in order to catch a train with Wales 10-0 up.

Ireland's unfortunate goalkeeper was Cliftonville debutant Jack Clugston. He was omitted for the rest of the season but came back the following year. In total he played 14 internationals, shipping 69 goals.

Swansea Town v Arsenal 1926

Joe Sykes and mascot 06.03.26.
http://gottfriedfuchs.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/swansea-town-v-arsenal-1926.html

North Wales v Sheffield

FOOTBALL.

SHEFFIELD V. NORTH WALES

This match was played on the Racecourse, at Wrexham, on Saturday, November 18. The weather was very unfavourable, it being a damp, foggy, miserable day. Owing to the laurels which the Sheffield team have won, great interest was attached to the match, and notwithstanding the inclement weather, upwards of 250 were present on the course. Sheffield won the toss, and chose the goal nearest the grand stand. A little before three o'clock the ball was kicked off by Mr Kendrick, the captain of the North Wales Club. The Sheffield team soon began to press down on their opponents, but were smartly repulsed by Mr Kendrick. They, however, soon recovered their lost ground, and at 2.50 the ball was neatly shot through by Mr Gregory. Another goal was nearly made by the Sheffield men, but the goal was saved by Mr E. Evans, of the other club, putting the ball over the bar with his hands. Some great difficulty was then experienced by the home team in keeping their goal from the invaders. It soon became evident that there was no chance of success against the Sheffield players, the North Wales men stumbling on to the grass, while scarcely one of the opposite team was seen to fall. The Welsh goal required all the assistance that could be rendered, no attempt having been made to secure a goal. Mr J. C. Clegg, twice in succession, shot the ball within a few inches of the post, but failed in securing a goal. A raid was then made by the home team into the Sheffield ground, and Mr Davies, succeeding in neatly passing the ball to Mr Underbill, an excellent shot was made at the goal, and the goal keeper, possessing a long arm, managed to lift the ball over the bar. This infused fresh vigour into the first team. A scrimmage shortly afterwards ensued close to the strangers’ goal, which was ultimately taken by the North Wales at 3.15. The ball was then again kicked off, and some good play was witnessed, Mr Mosforth succeeding in placing the ball near to goal, but his intentions were frustrated by Mr Clegg, who secured a goal for the strangers. The home team, up to half time, made the scoring a difficult matter for the Sheffield men, although. they were often in close proximity to the North Wales goal, but after the game was again resumed, the Sheffield team began to show to advantage, and quickly ran their score up. When the game terminated, after an hour and a half's playing, the goals secured by the Sheffielders were six to the North Wales's one.

The following comprised the teams:

Sheffield; J. C. Clegg (captain), W. E. Clegg, W. H. Carr, W. H. Stacey, W. Mosforth, J. Houseley, J. Hunter, W. Wilkinson, G. Anthony, P. Andrews, and R. Gregory; Mr W. P. Dix, umpire.

North Wales: Ll. Kenrick (captain), H. Evans, senior, (goal), R. S. Richards, J. Jones, E. A. Cross, G. F. Thomson, W. H. Davies, C. Spencer, Thomas Higham, Dr Gray, and J. Underbill; Mr R. Mills, referee.

 In the evening the Sheffield team were invited by their opponents to the Wynnstay Arms Hotel, where Mr J. B. Murless had prepared an excellent dinner. The chairman was Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, and the vice- chair was occupied by Lieutenant Evan Morris.

Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard 24.11.76

A number of present or future internationals on show here as  for  Sheffield  the  Cleggs,W. H. Carr, Billy Mosforth and Jack. Hunter would all represent England . North Wales featured 6 players who would represent the Principality -Kenrick, Dr Gray, Edwin Cross, Jack Jones, George F Thomson  and William H Davies.

Billy Meredith career stats

Season	Club		League			Cup		Internationals*
			apps	goals		apps	goals	apps	goals
1890-91	Chirk AAA
1891-92			Combination 7th
1892-93			Combination 4th
			Welsh 2nd
1893-94	Northwich Victoria		Div .2 15th			Welsh Cup Winner (Chirk AAA)
			11		5
1894-95	Ardwick Manchester City		Div .2 9th					2nd
			18		12			2
1895-96			Div .2 2nd					3rd
			29		12			2	2
1896-97			Div .2 6th			R1		4th
			27		10	1		3	2
1897-98			Div .2 3rd			R2		4th
			30		12	2		2
1898-99			Div .2 Champions			R1		4th
			33		29	1	1	1
1899-00			Div.1 7th			R1		2nd
			33		14	2		2	2
1900-01			Div.1 11th			R1		3rd
			33		7	1		2
1901-02			Div.1 18th			R2		4th
			33		8	4		2
1902-03			Div .2 Champions			R1		4th
			34		22	1		3
1903-04			Div.1 2nd			Winners		4th
			34		11	6	2	1
1904-05			Div.1 3rd			R2		2nd
			33		8	2	1	2	1
1905-06			Suspended by the Football Association
1906-07	Manchester United		Div.1 8th			R1		Winners
			16		5	2		3	1
1907-08			Div.1 Champions			R4		4th
			37		10	4		2
1908-09			Div.1 13th			Winners		2nd
			34			4		3	1
1909-10			Div.1 5th			R1		4th
			31		5	1		3
1910-11			Div.1 Champions			R3		3rd
			35		5	3		3
1911-12			Div.1 13th			R4		4th
			35		3	6		3
1912-13			Div1. 4th			R3		2nd
			22		2	5		3	1
1913-14			Div1. 14th			R1		4th
			34		2	1		3
1914-15			Div1. 18th			R1
			26			1
1919-20			Div1. 12th			R2		Winners
			19		2	2		3
1920-21			Div1. 13th			R1
			14		1
1921-22	Manchester City		Div1. 10th			R3
			25
1922-23			Div1. 8th			R1
			1
1923-24			Div1. 11th			Semi final
			2			4	1
* All of Meredith’s International appearances were in The British Home Championship.

	Apps	Goals
League	680	185
FA Cup	53	5
International	48	10
Others	7	2