Heroes of their day – the Newtown team which won the Welsh Cup

The match was the first played in Montgomeryshire with Welshpool’s new Maesydre ground playing stage to the clash between Newtown and Wrexham.

The crowd of 5,000 was also the largest gate for a Welsh Cup final to that point.

It was described in the Montgomeryshire County Times as ‘the most exciting final played for years.

The report in the Montgomery County Times in 1895.

The report continued: ‘There was determination written on every countenance of the Newtown team, and the men, thanks to the generosity of their popular and respected captain, and the fatherly care of friend William Stokes, who did more than act as trainer, looked fit to fight for a kingdom.’

‘The day was perfection and the ground was in tip top condition. The Wrexham men came on first and were very well received but the reception accorded to Newtown was much more cordial and enthusiastic.

‘Newtown pressed grandly, and had all the play for some time, till William Parry gave a foul, and from the free kick Wrexham scored from a scrimmage.

‘Grand play by A W Pryce-Jones ended in his brother netting a beauty.

‘Wrexham again scored by the clever play of WC Harrison, with James Harper putting the ball through his own goal.

‘A sad thing now happened, Robert Goodwin was charged by one of the players and by retaliating in some way not quite clear to the spectators was sent off the field by the referee.

Alfred Townsend took the goal till half-time, and Newtown with 10 men started with a will, nothing daunted, and for some time pressed.

‘A. W. Pryce-Jones centred in grand style, and from his fine playing a corner resulted. Parry put this in so well that a grand goal was rushed through amidst thundering cheers.

‘Newtown scored another beauty from Pryce-Jones, and the cheers were as deafening as they were deserved.

‘This was about 20 minutes off time. Wrexham played up like demons and tried the long kicking business, and Townsend was all there.

‘Wrexham, in their eagerness to win, were continually getting offside, and Newtown kicked like Britons to keep them out.

‘Finer play than that seen by Newtown just now could not be seen anywhere.

‘The excitement was now at its height when the referee’s whistle blew, and a roar which could be heard all over the Welshpool Valley of the Severn proclaimed the popular Newtown team winners of the Welsh Cup and champions of Wales for the year.

‘One cannot single out any of the winners for special praise, but their dogged perseverance and pluck pulled them through, when nine out of 10 teams would have lost all courage.’

Newtown's Welsh Cup winners. Picture by Ian Garland.

Newtown: R Goodwin, A Townsend, J Harper, H Tucker, T Chapman, T Worthington, W E Pryce-Jones, E Morgan, H F Mytton, H Parry, A W Pryce-Jones

While many of the Newtown side were already or would end up being capped for Wales, several of their cup winning team-mates were also among the stars of their day though would retire uncapped.

HF Mytton was regarded as ‘the best centre forward’ in Wales at the time and, along with team-mate Henry Tucker had been tipped for national stardom.

Robert Goodwin only became a goalkeeper at the start of the cup winning season while right back James Harper and forward Eddie Morgan completing the line-up.

Newtown's Welsh internationals.

ALFRED WILLIAM TOWNSEND

Born Birmingham 1864; died Newtown 1936

Two caps: (Newtown) v Ireland 1887; v Ireland 1893

Career: Newtown 1884-96

The athletically-built Townsend started at half back but spent most of his career at full back or as a goalkeeper.

When he was called up to replace Smart Arridge in 1893 against Ireland, he partnered Oliver Taylor -the first time Wales had fielded a pair of full backs from the same club - Newtown.

This ‘model defender’’ had to don the goalkeeper’s jersey in the 1895 Welsh Cup final when Goodwin was sent off.

Townsend turned to refereeing after his playing days were over and went into the licensed trade and kept the New Inn at Newtown until his death in 1936.

THOMAS WORTHINGTON

Born Newtown 1864; died Massachusetts, United States 1920s

One cap: (Newtown) v Scotland 1894

Career: Newtown 1884-96

Tom Worthington began playing soccer as a left winger and appeared in virtually every position for Newtown before settling on half back.

Full of stamina, he was a formidable opponent who packed a strong shot.

Believed to have later worked as a collier in South Wales at one time and then as a ganger at a water works.

Emigrated to the United States in July 1903 and settled in Massachusetts where Worthington worked as a night watchman in a bed factory until his death in the 1920s.

WILLIAM PARRY

Born Newtown 1873; died Newtown 1923

One cap: (Newtown) v Ireland 1895

Career: Newtown 1891-1904; Newtown RWF; Newtown North End 1904-06; Newtown RWW 1907-08

Selected for Wales after Newtown’s successful Welsh Cup run of 1894-95.

Made one appearance for West Bromwich Albion against Preston in February 1895

As with many of the Newtown players, Parry was a member of the Dandy Fifth - a South Wales Borderers volunteer unit founded by the Pryce Jones brothers.

He joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at the outbreak of the First World War but was declared unfit for service and continued to live in Newtown.

Parry worked as a Post Office clerk for 37 years until his early death in 1923.

THOMAS CHAPMAN

Born Newtown 1871; died Hull 1918

Seven caps: (Newtown) v Ireland, England, Scotland 1894; v Ireland, Scotland 1895;(Manchester C) v England 1896; v England 1897, two goals.

Career: Newtown 1886-95; Manchester City 1895-96 26 apps three goals; Grimsby Town 1896-98 51 apps; Chatham 1898-1901; Maidstone 1901- 07

THOMAS Chapman was one of the stars of the age.

Known as War Horse, the half back from Newtown was universally admired, winning seven Welsh caps and scoring twice.

Chapman began his career at Newtown and was part of the Welsh Cup winning side of 1895 which would enter local folklore.

His exploits earned him a move to Manchester City to become the first player ever to leave the mid Wales club for an English Football League club.

However Chapman struggled for goals at Maine Road.

Later he would spend two years at Grimsby Town and a short spell with Chatham Town.

Chapman departed Chatham when the club folded in 1901 and signed for Maidstone United where he ended his career in 1907.

A pen picture said he ‘plays a cool and judicious game, feeds his forwards admirably’.

Meanwhile he also won acclaim from one of the legends of the day when Wales team-mate Billy Meredith called him ‘a capital centre half who never knew when he was beaten, and game as a pebble’.

Chapman worked as a labourer but following the death of his first wife moved to Hull where he was a general labourer until his death in 1918.