Chirk is a village between Wrexham and Oswestry close to the England Wales border. In 1891 the population was 2,272.
Between 1884 and 1907 the village club, Chirk Amateur Athletic Association Football Club, provided 20 Welsh internationals , whilst another 4 natives of Chirk were capped whilst playing for other clubs.
The club also won the Welsh Cup 5 times between 1887 and 1894.
The success of the small mining community as a breeding ground for top class footballers is largely due to the efforts of one man, T.E. Thomas.
T.E. Thomas
Thomas was born in Ystalafera, South Wales in 1853. He was a schoolmaster at Chirk National School.
In 1876 when the locals decided to form a club, Thomas was appointed secretary (he also played for the club, alongside employees of the local coal mines).
Thomas indoctrinated his pupils in the importance of accurate passing, ball control and keeping the ball on the ground. These were very progressive ideas at the time.
In 1890 Thomas became became president of the Football Association of Wales.
Chirk AAA's Cup Winning teams:
1886-87
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1887-88
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1889-90
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1891-92
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1893-94
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E Povey
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J Morgan
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T Wynne
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E Roberts
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G O Postle
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E Powell
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'Di' Jones
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J Mates
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H Owen
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J Jones
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J Rogers
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W P Jones
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J Williams
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J Owen
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Wise
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J Davies
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R C Jones
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G Williams
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J Jones
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E Morris
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H Morgan
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Billy Owen
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P Griffiths
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E James
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T Williams
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J Butler
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W H Meredith
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G Owen
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H Morris
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G Owen
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H Roberts
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G Griffiths
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W Egan
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A Lockley
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Chirk AAA players in the Welsh International XI:
17.03.84
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Wales 0 England 4 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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Charles Conde (1)
Peter Griffiths (2)
Billy Owen (3)
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29.03.84
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Scotland 4 Wales 1 (Cathkin Park, Glasgow)
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Charles Conde
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11.03.85
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Ireland 2 Wales 8 (Ballynafeigh,
Belfast)
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Billy Owen
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26.02.87
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England 4 Wales 0 (The Oval)
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Billy Owen
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12.03.87
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Ireland 4 Wales 1 (Oldpark Avenue, Belfast)
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George Griffiths (4)
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04.02.88
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England 5 Wales 1 (Nantwich Road, Crewe)
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Peter Griffiths
Billy Owen
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03.03.88
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Wales 11 Ireland 0 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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Di Jones (5)
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10.03.88
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Scotland 5 Wales 1 (Easter Road, Edinburgh)
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Di Jones
George Owen (6)
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23.02.89
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England 4 Wales 1 (Victoria Ground, Stoke)
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Billy Owen
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15.04.89
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Wales 0 Scotland 0 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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Billy Owen
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27. 04.89
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Ireland 1 Wales 3 (
Ballynafeigh, Belfast)
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Billy Owen
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08.02.90
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Wales 5 Ireland 2 (Old Racecourse, Shrewsbury)
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Peter Griffiths
Billy Owen
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22.03.90
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Scotland 5 Wales 0 (Underwood Park, Paisley)
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Peter Griffiths
Billy Owen
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07.02.91
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Ireland 7 Wales 2 (Ulsterville,
Belfast)
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Peter Griffiths
Jack Mates (7)
Joe Davies (8)
Billy Owen
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07.03.91
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England 4 Wales 1 (Newcastle Road, Sunderland)
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Billy Owen
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21.03.91
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Wales 3 Scotland 4 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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Billy Owen
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05.03.92
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Wales 0 England 2 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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Billy Owen
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26.03.92
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Scotland 6 Wales 1 (Tynecastle, Edinburgh)
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Billy Owen
William Egan (9)
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13.03.93
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England 6 Wales 0 (Victoria Ground, Stoke)
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Edward Morris (10)
Edwin James (11)
Jack Butler (12)
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18.03.93
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Wales 0 Scotland 8 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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George Williams (13)
Edward Morris
Billy Owen
Jack Butler
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08.04.93
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Ireland 4 Wales 3 (Cliftonville
Ground, Belfast)
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Edward Morris
Billy Owen
Jack Butler
George Owen
Edwin James
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24.02.94
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Wales 4 Ireland 1 (St Helen’s Swansea)
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Edwin James
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12.03.94
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Wales 1 England 5 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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Edwin James
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24.03.94
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Scotland 5 Wales 2 (Rugby Park, Kilmarnock)
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George Williams
Edwin James
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16.03.95
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Ireland 2 Wales 2 (Solitude, Belfast)
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George Williams
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18.03.95
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England 1 Wales 1 (Queen’s Club, London)
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George Williams
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23. 03.95
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Wales 2 Scotland 2 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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George Williams
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20.03.97
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Wales 2 Scotland 2 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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Jack Mates
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29.03.97
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England 4 Wales 0 (Bramall Lane, Sheffield)
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Jack Mates
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19.02.98
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Wales 0 Ireland 1 (The Oval, Llandudno)
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John Morris (14)
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George Williams
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Albert Lockley (15)
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19.03.98
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Scotland 5 Wales 2 (Fir Park, Motherwell)
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Edwin James
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28.03.98
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Wales 0 England 3 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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Edwin James
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04. 03.99
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Ireland 1 Wales 0 (Grosvenor Park, Belfast)
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Edwin James
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03.02.1900
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Scotland 5 Wales 2 (Pittodrie, Aberdeen)
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Charlie Morris (16)
Sam Meredith (17)
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24.02.1900
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Wales 2 Ireland 0 (The Oval, Llandudno)
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Charlie Morris
Robert Morris (18)
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02.03.01
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Wales 1 Scotland 1 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
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Sam Meredith
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18.03.01
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England 6 Wales 0 (St James's Park, Newcastle)
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Sam Meredith
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23.03.01
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Ireland 0 Wales 1 (Solitude, Belfast)
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Sam Meredith
Robert Morris
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15.03.02
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Scotland 5 Wales 1 (Cappielow Park, Greenock)
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Robert Morris
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28. 03.03
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Ireland 2 Wales 0 (Solitude, Belfast)
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William Wynn (19)
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23.02.07
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Ireland 2 Wales 3 (Solitude, Belfast)
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Arthur H Hughes (20)
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The rise of professionalism in the 1880's saw an increased movement of players away from the villages of North East Wales into the North West of England and the Midlands. Examples among the players listed are Joe Davies, who moved on to Everton, and Di Jones, later of Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City.
In addition to the 20 players above, the following Chirk players gained international honours whilst playing for other clubs:
Jack Owen (Newton Heath) brother of Billy Owen, 1 cap (1892).
Hugh Morris (Chirk, Ardwick, Sheff Utd, Manchester City, Grimsby Town) 3 appearances for Wales (1894–97).
Billy Meredith (Chirk, Northwich Victoria, Manchester City, Manchester United) 48 Wales caps (1895–1920).
Lot Jones (Chirk, Druids, Manchester City) 20 Wales caps (1905–20).
