Cardiff Draconians

Ground - Llanidloes Road

Founded - 1963

Nickname - Dracs

by Richard Taylor

THE surprise addition to the Ardal Leagues SW Division this season are Cardiff Draconians who earned a shock last minute invite following the resignation of STM Sports and the failure of Aberdare Town to be granted a reprieve.

Cardiff Draconians finished the 2019/20 season as runners-up in the South Wales Alliance Premier Division and were chasing promotion to the Ardal Leagues before the global lockdown curtailed proceedings.

Led by former Wales under-21 international and Cardiff City player Layton Maxwell, ably assisted by ex Taffs Well player-coach Darren Buttle, the club has worked tirelessly over the past few seasons in pursuit of promotion to the top four divisions.

The transformation at Llanidloes Road has also been remarkable with the construction of a stand and the laying of perimeter hard standing among the many impressive additions to the Gabalfa-based club.

Indeed, the club was known as Gabalfa Draconians for a lengthy period between 1984 and 2000, competing in the Cardiff Combinations Leagues for many a season and winning the Premier League on four separate occasions during the 1990s.

Promotion to the South Wales Amateur Leagues followed, with a steady rise up the divisions culminating in this season's elevation to the Ardal Leagues and a chance to represent the capital city on the national stage.