Welcome to the latest installment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this chapter, we headed back to Wales for some pre season friendly action as Abertillery Bluebirds took on Rogerstone at the Cwm Nant Y Groes.
It’s All In The Name
The name of the village translates as "the mouth of the River Tyleri," which flows into the town. Tyleri is most likely a derivative of a personal name.
Some Notable People From Abertillery:
Harold Jones- Murderer
Justin Davies- Actor
Roger Cecil- Painter
Wyndham Edwards- Gymnast
Jack Marshman- Mixed Martial Artist
A History Lesson From The Gloucester Groundhopper
The club was founded in 1989 and plays in Cwmnantygroes, Six Bells Abertillery. Its origins may be traced back to the expansion of the coal industry, with Arael Gryphon Colliery starting in 1898. The team began in the North Gwent League, managed by Freddie Roan, and had its first victory in 1992-93, when it won Division One Champions. In 1994-95, the team came near to completing the double, finishing second in the Premier Division but compensating with a Tom Perkins Cup win.
In 1996-97, Martin Price took over as manager, and the Bluebirds finished second for two seasons in a row before winning the Tom Perkins Cup again in 1998-99. In 1999-2000, the team completed the double by winning the North Gwent Premier Division title and the Tom Perkins Cup for the third time. The club had earned promotion to the Gwent County League.
Adrian Howells and Steve Edwards took over management and the club after Martin Price stepped down as manager to become club Secretary. In their first season in Gwent County Division 3, the club won 16 and drew 4 of its 26 league games, finishing second to Pentwynmawr Athletic.The team spent the next five seasons in Division 2, finishing mostly in mid-table positions, until 2006-07, when it won the championship with 20 victories and 6 draws out of 28 league games, scoring a club record 96 goals.
The Bluebirds finished third in their debut season in Gwent County Division 1, but in 2008-09, they won the championship on goal difference, with 26 wins and a tie from 30 league games, equaling the club record of 96 goals and just 22 goals conceded to reach the Welsh League. From 2005 to 2009, the club won the Amateur Cup three times.
Success came quickly, as the Bluebirds were promoted as Division 3 runners-up, trailing Aberbargoed Buds by just one point in the end. But after just one season, the team was demoted; on the final day of play, Treharris Athletic Western was able to avoid relegation by a single point.
The following two seasons resulted in mid-table finishes in Division 3, but in 2013-14, the club was relegated on the final day of the season, this time on goal difference to Treharris Athletic Western, who finished with an identical record to the Bluebirds, 9 wins, 10 draws, and 17 defeats, but a better goal difference of 6. Back in Gwent County, the club rebuilt for three seasons before nearly losing out to Albion Rovers for promotion back to the Welsh League. The following season, 2018-19, the Bluebirds won the Gwent County Division 1 with 21 wins, 1 tie, and only one defeat, achieving promotion with an Owen Goodenough goal against Cwmbran Town, under the guidance of Allan Stokes.
With the Bluebirds back in the Welsh League, Lee Thomas took over, and the team finished sixth in 2019-20 on a points per game average owing to the pandemic.Abertillery Bluebirds were relegated from the Cymru South in 2023-24, and as a result, they will compete in the Ardal Southern South East Division.
Honours
🏆 Ardal South East Division (Champions: 2022–23)
🏆 Gwent County League Division One (Champions: 2008–09; 2018–19)
🏆 Gwent County League Division Two (Champions: 2006–07)
🏆 Gwent County FA Amateur Cup (Winners: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09)
🏆 Gwent County Motors Cup (Winners: 2017–18)
🏆 Gwent Senior Cup (Winners: 2017–18)
Matchday: Abertillery Bluebirds 2-0 Rogerstone
We headed to Wales on a rainy Saturday morning to kick off the 2024-25 season in style. Despite the early start time of 12:30, we got to Abertillery in good time. We arrived at the ground after navigating difficult hilly roads and wet weather. There was plenty of free parking on the grounds, which we took advantage of.
We then completed our usual circuit of the ground. Many Groundhoppers told us that Abertillery was one of the most picturesque football stadiums in the UK, and it did not disappoint. The views from the ground are breathtaking, and football lovers should not miss them.
The ground itself is really basic. Down one side of the pitch, there are two stands that can accommodate several hundred people.The stand has a decent club bar that shows the early kick-off, which today was: wait what? Rugby? Yuck. They also sold pin badges for £3 each. The food and beverages at this pub are excellent value for money, and I really appreciated the Pot Noodles on offer- lol.
After the match, we went to the pub and watched England's match against Switzerland. The people in the bar were fantastic fun and really friendly (no, we are not from Plymouth). They seemed to enjoy my discomfort during the penalty shootout... lol. We were also swamped with free pin badges. In all honesty, the staff at Abertillery cannot be faulted; they made us feel so comfortable that I believe we've been invited to most of their weddings, therefore it will receive a perfect grade.
Match Report
The game itself was not of great quality. For some of the players, it was the archetypal 'first preseason game'. The weather had a significant impact, with its unpredictable nature (combined with a massive deluge) rubbing off on the players. The first goal occurred after thirty minutes, when the striker was sent in on goal and slotted into the lower left corner.
Soon afterwards, the score was 2-0. A brilliant set piece from a corner meant that the left back received the ball on the edge of the box, with no one within twenty yards.Calls of'shoot' broke out as the player blasted into the upper left corner. That essentially concluded the match. The second half was uneventful as the game shifted to prioritising fitness levels, and it concluded 2-0.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 2/10
Food and Drink: 5/10
Stadium: 5/10
Welcome: 10/10
Overall Experience: 6/10
GG
A full album is available at the Gloucester Groundhopper Facebook Page, available here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078510199252
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