TREDEGAR TOWN FC V NEWPORT CITY FC

T.T.A.F.C HISTORY
Two notable players have been involved with the club, first Andrew York became player
manager in 2007 after captaining Barry Town to a host of trophies in the early 90s and having
European success. Later Cohen Griffith would join the management team, having played 234
games for Cardiff City.
During this time the club had been mainly mid to lower table, but narrowly failed to gained
promotion in 2014-15, missing out by just two wins to Ammanford.
THE CLUB HAVING GAINED TIER 3 CRITERIA, NOW TAKE THEIR PLACE IN THE ARDAL
SOUTHERN LEAGUE, SOUTH EAST DIVISION UNDER MANAGER GARETH HARBORD.
Tredegar Town was formed over 40 years ago in 1968 by the late Cliff Bethel, to provide a
recreation for those young men who preferred playing association football to Rugby Union. Cliff
had originally been chairman of Troedrhiwgwair from 1961-65 but formed a new team with the
help of his brother Dai. The team was originally known as the Rhyd Boys Club and was known
throughout Wales for sending players to represent Wales at Schoolboy and Boys Club of Wales
level.
The clubs first success came in 1982-83, when they won the Gwent Amateur Cup and won the
Gwent Youth Cup in 1988. By this time the club had changed its name to Tredegar Town and
moved on to senior level plying their trade in the North Gwent League Division 1, rising to a
Premier Division place. With the introduction of the pyramid system, Tredegar gained a place in
the more challenging Gwent County League in 1990-91 and played their games at the Recreation
ground.
The team steadily gained credibility throughout the 90s winning promotion from Division 3
and winning the Division 2 title in 1992-93. Life in Division 1 was short-lived, but after relegation
the club bounced instantly back with the Division 2 title again in 1994-95, while the Gwent County
Motors Cup was won in 1997.
In 1997-98 Tredegar won the Gwent County Division 1 title and were successful in applying for
membership to the Welsh Football League. The club found instant success at this level, finishing
as runners up to Caerleon in its debut season in Welsh League Division 3, winning 24 and draws 4
out of 32 league games with a mammoth 101 goals scored. The club also had its best success in
the Welsh Cup, reaching the last 32 before falling to Llanelli (2-1) after wins over Pontlottyn
Blast Furnace (3-0) and Taffs Well (2-1). The club was managed during this success by Riley
Gray who stepped down in 2002 but would go on to become club Secretary until 2018.
Tredegar would stay in Division 2 for 11 seasons, their best finish being in 2004-05 when they
just missed out on promotion by 3 points to Bryntirion Athletic. This season had seen the club
move from the Recreation Ground where they had played for 36 years to a purpose-built ground
at Tredegar Leisure Centre.
However, in 2009-10 the club suffered relegation to Division 3 along with Maesteg Park and
Porthcawl Town. This is where the club would stay until the end of 2018-19 when pyramid
restructuring saw them play the last ever Welsh League season in Division 2, finishing in 10th
position on a points per game average due to the pandemic. During this time the club had been
mainly mid to lower table, but narrowly failed to gained promotion in 2014-15, missing out to
Ammanford.