Caersws FC History

Until fairly recently it was generally believed that the Club was formed in the mid 1880s, no official records still existing. Recent research, however, has revealed that in 1879 Caersws played fixtures against, amongst others, Newtown, Druids and Llanidloes. There are also records of matches between Caersws Red Rose and Newtown Blue Stars on 24th December 1877, and on Boxing Day Caersws British played Newtown Blue Stars second Xl. However it was not until the 1950s that the exploits of the Bluebirds began to match and indeed surpass those of their Mid Wales neighbours.

 

Since then the Club has reached the final of 8 all-Wales cup competitions, including winning the Welsh Amateur Cup against Buckley Wanderers in 1961 and the Welsh Intermediate Cup against Aberystwyth in 1989. The honours list also includes 9 Welsh National League (Mid Wales Section) championship titles, 8 runners up and 6 League Cup wins. The Montgomeryshire Challenge Cup has been won 24 times. In the two seasons prior to the formation of the League of Wales the Club played in the Cymru Alliance, being runners-up in 1991 and Champs in 1992.

 

In the inaugural season of the League of Wales the Club reached the final of the League Cup and finished in 1lth position. Subsequent positions have been l7th, 14th, 9th, 14th, 11th, 10th, 12th, 5th, 4th, 8th, 5th and 10th. The Bluebirds were the losers in the first League Cup Final, but won it in 2001/02 and 2002/03, and have now won it for a third time this season, beating Rhyl 3 - 1 on penalties, after drawing 1 – 1 after extra time in the final at Aberystwyth.

 

Having finished fourth in the League in 2001/2002, Caersws were entered into the UEFA InterToto Cup and were drawn against PFC Marek of Dupnitsa, Bulgaria in the first round. The Bulgarian full timers won the away leg 2 – 0, but Caersws managed a creditable 1 - 1 draw in the home leg, played at Aberystwyth. 

 

Success on the field has been matched by equally impressive improvements at the Recreation Ground. Over £250,000 was spent on spacious modern dressing rooms, covered standing, floodlights and tarmacadamed parking area and access road. More recently the stand has been extended, new purpose built refreshment facilities have been added and the floodlights upgraded, and they are now the best in the League. An outstanding achievement for a small village club.

 

The Club can boast several Welsh internationals, including the present Manager, Mickey Evans (Wrexham) and his assistant Barry Harding. The most famous Bluebird of all was Phil Woosnam (West Ham United, Aston Villa and USA). Older supporters will remember two amateur caps - Gareth Davies and Melvin Jones. More recently Kevin Lloyd (Hereford United and Cardiff City) gained a non-league cap, and now Graham Evans (Aston Villa) and Chris Venables have played for their country.

 

During 2006 the club’s long standing Chairman Garth Williams stood down and concerns grew about the club’s future. The club although remained towards the wrong half of the table managed to come through apparent troubles and lift the League Cup for the third time in seven seasons.

 

The Cup Final win over Rhyl would become long serving Manager Mickey Evans’ last match in charge after 24 highly successive years. The club then appointed Mike Barton as his replacement in June 2007.