Afan Lido F.C.

Afan Lido
Full name Afan Lido Football Club
Founded 1967
Ground Marston Stadium[1]
Aberavon
Ground Capacity 4,200 (701 seated)
Chairman Sean McCreesh
Manager Mark Robinson
League Welsh League Division One
2015–16 Welsh League Division One, 8th

Afan Lido Football Club is a football team based in Port Talbot playing in Welsh League Division One.

History

The club was founded in 1967. They play at the Marston Stadium, Port Talbot. Afan Lido F.C. were founded in 1967 shortly after the opening of the Afan Lido Sports Centre in Aberavon. A football team was set up in order to give the Centre's users a proper organisation. Phil Robinson and Ken Williams were the prime movers behind the club then and Phil remains as the current day as Club Secretary and Junior Coach.

Lido gained admission to the Port Talbot and District League for the 1967/68 season. In 1971/72 the club was accepted into the Welsh Football League, and two years later was promoted into the First Division (now the Second Division), and another two years later they were promoted again into the Premier Division (now the First Division). After a barren spell they were relegated but were promoted in 1984/85; by this time the League had been reorganised and a higher National Division had been formed, to which Afan Lido were promoted in 1989/90 after finishing 3rd (they had actually won the Premier Division the two previous seasons, but not been promoted because of the ground criteria set by the League).

Afan Lido became founder members of the League of Wales in 1992, and won the League Cup in 1992/93 and 1993/94. The next year the porous defence was addressed, and the team finished in second place in the League, winning a UEFA Cup place, but they were defeated by RAF Yelgava of Latvia on the away-goals rule. This was a taste of things to come, and Afan Lido were relegated from the League of Wales before winning their place back after an absence of two years.

Lido's young team that emerged during the spell out of the League of Wales grew together and the club enjoyed several encouraging seasons after settling again in the top flight. Lido's policy of choosing players from within the club's huge junior structure (which has 25 teams for all age groups, from under 5s upwards) paid off, when they finished 5th place in 2001/02. If the club had scored a single point more, in fact, Lido would have taken the town into European football for a second time.

Leaner years followed that near miss, and in 2005 the club left the Welsh Premier in controversial circumstances, after being deducted points for fielding an ineligible player in a league game. The points deducted sunk the Lido into the relegation zone below NEWI Cefn Druids, which sealed their fate.

In 2011 Lido secured a return to the Welsh Premier and their first season in the top flight saw the club survive the drop. The club also won the Welsh Premier League Cup, defeating Newtown on penalties at Aberystwyth.

Off-field issues surfaced the following season, however, and Lido had to assemble an all-new squad under the guidance of Paul Reid. The club finished bottom of the Welsh Premier, but survived relegation due to the demise of Llanelli and the inability of Haverfordwest County to finish in a promotion spot in Welsh League Division One.

On July 4 2013, Afan Lido appointed former club captain and fans favourite Paul Evans to the hotseat as they look to cement their position within the top division.

For the 2016–17 season, the club found themselves in the same division as town rivals Port Talbot. The Marsdon Stadium is in need of a lot of repairs, with both stands falling apart, visibly every game.

Current squad

As of 18 January 2016.[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
Wales GK Gareth Couch
Wales GK Chris Curtis
Wales DF Joshua Doyle
Wales DF Craig Davies
Wales DF Leigh De-Vulgt
Wales DF Carl Evans
Wales DF Cai Owens
Wales DF Daniel Thomas
Wales DF Ben Thomas
No. Position Player
Wales DF Jack Hurley
Wales MF Alex Gammond
Wales MF Carlos Indjai
Wales MF Owen Williams
Wales MF Elliot Thomas
Wales MF Joshua Webber
Wales FW Jack Underwood
Wales FW Kieran Cullen
Wales FW Chris Hartland

Staff

Rivalries

Afan Lido's main rivals are Port Talbot Town, who are based less than half a mile away from Afan Lido's ground.

Disability team

In 1998 a multi disabled football team was formed to play at under 12 and under 16 levels. in 2004 Afan Lido played in their first competitive tournament in Northampton and won at both age levels. this led on to bigger things for the new club. In 2007 Afan Lido were accepted into the pan Welsh disability league and play in the second tier. Both age groups moved up a level so the under 12's became the new under 16's and the old under 16's became seniors. Surprisingly the seniors won the league in their first season but had to share the honours with Merthyr Tydfill. The under 16 team struggled in their first season but there are signs of improvement for the next season. Afan Lido Multi Disabed Football has a firm rivalry with Heronsbridge School in Bridgend and also with Swansea Bravehearts.

Honours

Biggest victories and losses

Disabled Team

Managers

References

  1. ↑ "The Marston Stadium". Afan Lido FC. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  2. ↑ "Roster – Afan Lido [Afa]". Afan Lido FC. Retrieved 19 August 2011.

External links

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