 |
 |
| After the Second World War, the
town team became well established at Haygarth Park, and although
attendances had dwindled a little from the 2000-3000 that almost regularly
watched their matches pre-war, large crowds still flocked to watch them. Gwilym
Roberts was suggested by many for the post of manager during the early 50’s but
the Committee’s insistence on spending money to paying imported players’ wages
at the expense of providing cover for the spectators proved enough for Gwilym
‘Peniel’ to turn down the offer.
The ground was offered to the club for sale at £250 and Gwilym had negotiated the free provision of enough shelter to surround the ground from a dismantled firing range in Harlech, but still the Committee preferred paying players to spectator protection and long-tern planning. Their stance backfired when the Ffestiniog Urban District Council bought the land for the purposes of building the existing factory on the site. A home was found at Y Ddôl in Tanygrisiau which had been the base for that village’s own club in the 30’s, 40’s and 50's As part of the deal set for the vacating of Heygarth Park the FfUDC built a new ground on an old rubbish tip at Congl-y-Wal and they moved to the new ground at Cae Clyd in 1956. Covered accommodation was provided by a disused railway shelter bought from the Ffestiniog Railway. The shelter, from the old LNWR/FR Exchange Station in Glan-y-pwll was installed after an Appeal Committee raised the cash two years after their move to the new ground. Many people are still of the opinion that Heygarth Park would have been a far better location than the present Clyd ground due to its siting closer to the town centre. On the field, the town team continued despite such errors of judgement and persisted with imported players. It was not until the late fifties/early sixties that their next period of success came about. With the highest placing in the League so far being third in 1952-53, they came closest to silverware for the first time since the war at the end of the 1954-55 season. They took on the then mighty Rhyl FC in the North Wales Coast Challenge Cup final at Bangor, but went down 1-3. The following season, 1955-56, they reached the final of the Cookson Cup before losing 1-2 to newly formed Borough United at Llandudno. Much improvement was to follow in 1958-59 when, having again finished third in the League, they won the Coast Challenge Cup 3-2 at Bangor beating a strong Holyhead Town side, and to cap a great season they also took the Cookson Cup for the first time since the war at the same venue beating Llandudno 3-1. Perhaps of all the Cookson Cup finals the 1960-61 final would have given the fans the most satisfaction – a 6-1 hammering of deadly rivals Porthmadog at Bangor. To complete the successes of this period, the Alves Cup was added to the roll in 1962-63 with a narrow 1-0 win over Rhyl in Colwyn Bay. Another Coast FA Cup final defeat was suffered in the intervening season as the Quarrymen succumbed to Pwllheli & District at Bangor by two goals to one. Having been in the Welsh League (North) since its 1935 inception it was to be at the end of this season before they claimed their first title, having finished runners-up the previous season. It was a close run thing with the Town Team pipping Holyhead Town by a single point. This period of success was the result of using players from outside the town and the cost of this was two-pronged. Firstly, a slump set in with a recurrence of the financial problems that had dogged the club in earlier eras. Secondly, the formation of a second club – The Blaenau Colts in 1962. Research is beginning on this club’s history and their contribution to the football history of Blaenau will hopefully soon be unveiled. The Colts remained in existence until 1970 when, having existed throughout in the Vale of Conwy League, they disbanded. |
||
|
|
