AFC Llwydcoed

Ground - The Welfare Ground

Founded - 1931

Nickname - The Welfare

by Richard Taylor

AFC LLWYDCOED are no strangers to the South Wales footballing pantheon, having recently marked their half century in the region's domestic system.

The club was founded in 1931 as Llwydcoed Welfare, formed from the roots of the village's mining community. It quickly became a focal point of the village, providing opportunities for the residents to become involved in all aspects of community life.

Llwydcoed Welfare gradually became one of the success stories of the Aberdare Valley League and won the title three consecutive times between 1953 and 1955.

The Welfare consequently became a staple fixture in the South Wales Amateur League until 1991/92 when the club was accepted into the newly formed South Wales Senior League under its new name AFC Llwydcoed.

Further success followed a few seasons later when Llwydcoed won promotion into the Welsh Football League, joining the third division in 1999/2000.

Following its acceptance into the Welsh League, Llwydcoed won two promotions in its first five seasons, a period which saw the club finish third in Welsh League Division One in 2004/05.

This was to be the club's zenith, however. A bottom-placed finish just a year later resulted in relegation to the third tier of Welsh football.

Following another relegation, the club eventually regained its third tier status in 2012/13, finishing second behind Cardiff Met in division three.

Much work has been undertaken to ensure that the club met the criteria to compete in the newly restructured third tier of Welsh football, not least the construction of the new Dai Runner stand.

Following the departure of popular manager Matthew Driscoll to Cymru South side Afan Lido, Llwydcoed go into the season with a new management duo at the helm having appointed former coach Jonathan Price and ex-Penrhiwceiber star Jordan Coles to the hotseat.