Presteigne bid to mark 125th anniversary by climbing the pyramid

Presteigne St Andrews is one such club as the border outfit prepares to celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2022.

Presteigne St Andrews spent the majority of the first-half of the 20th century in Herefordshire football before transferring across Offa's Dyke in the early 1950s.

The border outfit enjoyed some success during the 1970s and 1980s before returning to grassroots football for a brief period.

The Llanandras Park men re-joined senior football in 1992, where they were finally crowned Mid Wales League champions in 2006/07, but the past decade has been much tougher on the pitch.

Action from Radnor Valley's win at Presteigne. Picture by Stuart Townsend.

Reported to be formed in 1897, Presteigne St Andrews is one of the most established clubs in mid Wales, with their history embracing both sides of Offa’s Dyke.

The border outfit was established by Rev Kewley, Curate of St Andrews Parish Church, hence the name of the club.

There is evidence to suggest that there were other clubs playing in the town prior to this date, with Presteigne FC established in 1879, whilst Presteigne Town (who eventually ran into financial difficulties) and Presteigne Rovers plied their trade briefly during the 1890s.

Presteigne St Andrews' early history, like many other clubs around this time is somewhat hazy, but it is known the East Radnor outfit were playing in the North Herefordshire League during the early stages of the 20th century and were crowned champions of this cross-border competition at the conclusion of the 1911/12 season.

Presteigne St Andrews withdrew from the league during the following term but then re-appeared for the 1913/14 campaign.

Action from Radnor Valley's win at Presteigne. Picture by Stuart Townsend.

After appearing to take a break from league football, the border club spent a brief spell in the Herefordshire League during the early 1920s, before returning to the North Herefordshire League in 1924/25.

The Radnorshire outfit finished runners-up at the end of that season and again in 1926/27, 1929/30 and 1938/39.

Following the conclusion of the Second World War, Presteigne St Andrews joined the Herefordshire League, like a number of clubs located to the west of the Offa's Dyke, and recorded a third-placed finish on their debut in the English competition.

The east Radnor club moved to the Mid Wales League at the beginning of the 1952/53 campaign but experienced a relatively unsuccessful tenure in their new surroundings.

Action from Borth United's clash with Presteigne. Picture by Beverley Hemmings

The border men finished bottom of the table in 1958/59 before stepping down to the Mid Wales League (South) in readiness for the following term.

There were a few campaigns during the 1960s where the club did not appear in a league either side of Offa's Dyke, one of which was the 1965/66 season, when the town's primary school was built on the club's then home.

The east Radnor men retuned to the Mid Wales League (South) at the beginning of the following campaign but generally found themselves in the lower-half of the table over the course of the next few seasons.

Action from Churchstoke's clash against Presteigne. Picture by Ian Francis.

However, Presteigne St Andrews were finally crowned Mid Wales League (South) champions for the first time at the conclusion of the 1973/74 campaign.

Senior football returned to Llanandras Park for the 1975/76 campaign prior to the East Radnor men lifting the Central Wales Challenge Cup three seasons later after defeating Caersws in the final.

The border outfit negotiated their way to three League Cup finals during the 1975/76, 1976/77 and 1978/79 seasons, losing on each occasion, as well as being defeated by Llanidloes Town in the 1980/81 final.

Action from Borth United's clash with Presteigne. Picture by Beverley Hemmings.

One of the biggest matches in the club's history took place on 17th November 1979 as Presteigne St Andrews travelled to face Bangor City of the Alliance Premier League for a Welsh Cup third round tie.

The Mid Wales Leaguers pushed their illustrious host all the way before conceding twice in the last five minutes to bow out by a 3-0 scoreline.

Aberystwyth Town were defeated in the Central Wales Challenge Cup final 12 months later before the club left the Mid Wales League following the 1988/89 campaign after finding themselves in the lower echelons for several seasons.

Action from Churchstoke's clash against Presteigne. Picture by Ian Francis.

The east Radnor outfit re-established themselves in the Mid Wales League (South) and finished runners-up to Vale of Arrow in 1990/91 before a third-placed 12 months later.

The club committee decided to return to senior football for the 1992/93 campaign but endured a relatively fallow period during the remainder of the decade before a revival in fortunes began in 1999.

The Mid Wales League championship trophy finally found its way to the Llanandras Park trophy cabinet in 2006/07 but officials decided not to apply for promotion and the club slipped back into mid-table over coming years, ending bottom in 2011 and relegated to the second division.

The club had been due to compete in Mid Wales League East this season but resigned and dropped into the Mid Wales League South on the eve of the new season with the club now being rebuilt by manager John Haycox.

There is some optimism amongst supporters that the duo will bring some of the glory days back to Llanandras Park as a significant milestone approaches on the horizon in this corner of the Welsh borderlands.