Ground: Plough Road

Manager: Eston Chiverton

by Jordan Forster

BASED in the Monmouthshire village of Penperlleni off the A4042 - the main trunk road between Newport and Abergavenny - Goytre AFC was founded in 1902 and probably takes its name from the nearby Goytre Wharf on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.

For most of its history Goytre AFC endured a nomadic existence, firmly rooted in local, recreational football. Starting out at Goytre Hall, the club moved around various local fields rented from farmers and converted to football pitches. Without any permanent facilities, players would often change away from these pitches.

The Monmouthshire club’s modern history originates with the purchase of the land that would become their permanent home at Plough Road in the 1980s.

With the capacity to improve facilities, Goytre earned promotion to Gwent County League for the first time in 1998 and won promotion from division three in their debut campaign in Gwent football.

There was another promotion in 2001/2 and despite missing out on the Gwent County League title in 2002/3, champions Aberbargoed Buds didn’t meet Welsh Football League criteria so as runners-up Goytre took their promotion spot to the national leagues.

Established in Welsh League division three for several years, Goytre’s rise to one of the best clubs in the south began in 2010 with the appointment of former League of Wales winner Sean Wharton as manager and assisted by ex-Wales forward Nathan Blake.

Despite winning the Welsh Football League Cup in 2010/11 (defeating Aberbargoed Buds in the final), Goytre missed out on promotion on goal difference. There was no mistake the following season though when new player-manager Carl Evans led the side to that coveted promotion and ending a nine-year stay in the fourth tier.

The Monmouthshire club followed this up with another promotion in 2012/13, romping to the division two title by a 17 point margin ahead of old rivals Aberbargoed Buds and earning their place in the top flight of the south’s most senior league.

Goytre were regular challengers for the Welsh League title during their six-year stay in tier two.

Their best campaign was 2015/16 when they finished third behind Cardiff Met and Barry Town United, as well as reaching the Welsh Cup fourth round.

The Plough Road club repeated a Welsh Cup third round win the following campaign with a 2-0 win away to Llandudno but were eliminated from the competition for fielding an ineligible player.

A poor campaign in 2018/19 saw Goytre relegated and last season they finished fifth in then tier three Welsh League division one on points per game after the campaign's curtailment because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However in the re-structured tier three, Goytre will almost certainly be among the front-runners in Ardal League South East.