The Rhondda & District League (currently the Carol Hosking Rhondda & District League for sponsorship reasons) is a football league covering the Rhondda and surrounding areas in South Wales. The leagues are at the seventh and eighth levels of the Welsh football league system.
| Founded | 1907 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Wales |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 7–8 |
| Promotion to | South Wales Alliance League |
| Current champions | Ferndale BGC (2022–23) |
| Website | Rhondda & District League |
History edit
The Rhondda & District Football League was formed on 7 June 1907.[1] The league was originally called The Rhondda Junior League.
The original clubs elected to the league were:[2]
- First Division: Ton-Pentre Thistles, Maindy Crescents, Pentre Blue and Whites, Mill Vue, Porth United and (Tre)Hafod Juniors
- Second Division: Ton-Pentre Juniors, Cwmparc Crescents, Ynyshir Albion, Tylorstown Crescents, Porth Reserves and Cymmer United.
In 1927 the league was called The Rhondda Valley (Amateur) Football League. At the time some clubs in the league were made up entirely of unemployed men. This resulted in the North Rhondda League being created because clubs were unable to afford travelling expenses. In 1929 the North Rhondda League was affiliated and in 1933 it was renamed The Upper Rhondda League. The leagues remained separated until the 1962–63 season when they reformed back into one league.
In 1931 a third League was formed called the Rhondda Fach League, but this dissolved after the 1937–38 season.
Throughout the Second World War The Rhondda League was one of the very few leagues to continue playing football; because of the thousands of miners working in the collieries in the Rhondda.
Divisions edit
The league is composed of two divisions.
Member clubs 2023–24 edit
Premier League edit
- Cwm Rhondda
- Ferndale BGC
- Porth Harlequins
- Stanleytown
- The Baglan
- Tonypandy Albion
- Treorchy BGC
- Ynyscynon
Championship edit
- Banog
- Ely Valley
- Ferndale Athletic
- Llwynypia BGC
- Penygraig BGC
- The New Inn United
- Tonyrefail BGC
- Tonyrefail Welfare
Promotion and relegation edit
Promotion from the Premier Division is possible to the South Wales Alliance League, with the champion of the league playing the other tier seven champions from the South Wales regional leagues via play-off games to determine promotion.
Champions of the Top division edit
Information for champions of the top division from 1954–55 to 2006–07 is sourced from a booklet to commemorate 100 Years of Football in the Rhondda League.[3]
1900s edit
- 1907–08: – Trehafod
1930s edit
- 1936–37: – Rhondda Transport[4]
1950s edit
- 1950–51: –
- 1951–52: –
- 1952–53: –
- 1953–54: –
- 1954–55: – Dinas Corries
- 1955–56: – Ystrad Athletic
- 1956–57: – Trebanog
- 1957–58: – Pentre BC
- 1958-59: – Pentre BC
- 1959–60: – Pentre BC
1960s edit
- 1960–61: – Blaencwm
- 1961–62: – Beatus
- 1962–63: – Llwynypia BC
- 1963–64: – Beatus
- 1964–65: – Dare Inglis
- 1965–66: – Dare Inglis
- 1966–67: – Dare Inglis
- 1967–68: – Rest Assured
- 1968-69: – Ton & Gelli BC
- 1969–70: – Cambrian United
1970s edit
- 1970–71: – Cambrian United
- 1971–72: – Cambrian United
- 1972–73: – Wattstown United
- 1973–74: – Gilfach United
- 1974–75: – Cambrian United
- 1975–76: – Gilfach United
- 1976–77: – Ferndale 'A'
- 1977–78: – Gilfach United
- 1978-79: – Ystrad BC
- 1979–80: – Penrhiwfer
1980s edit
- 1980–81: – Ystrad BC
- 1981–82: – Ystrad BC
- 1982–83: – Blaencwm
- 1983–84: – Treorchy BC
- 1984–85: – Ferndale BC
- 1985–86: – Kensington
- 1986–87: – Ferndale BC
- 1987–88: – Ferndale BC
- 1988-89: – Kensington
- 1989–90: – Blaencwm
1990s edit
- 1990–91: – Ynyshir/ Wattstown BGC
- 1991–92: – Stanleytown
- 1992–93: – Naval
- 1993–94: – Trebanog Workingmens
- 1994–95: – Penrhiwfer
- 1995–96: – Llwynypia WMC
- 1996–97: – Ynyshir Albions
- 1997–98: – Penrhys Athletic
- 1998-99: – Penrhys United
- 1999–2000: – Tonypandy Albion
2000s edit
- 2000–01: – Tonyrefail BC
- 2001–02: – Penrhys United
- 2002–03: – Ferndale BC
- 2003–04: – Trebanog Rangers
- 2004–05: – Turberville Arms
- 2005–06: – Cambrian/ Clydach BGC
- 2006–07: – Tonypandy Albion
- 2007–08: – Wyndham
- 2008-09: – Ynyshir/ Wattstown BGC
- 2009–10: – Llwynypia BGC
2010s edit
- 2010–11: – Max United
- 2011–12: – Sporting Marvels
- 2012–13: – Sporting Marvels[5]
- 2013–14: – Penygraig United[6]
- 2014–15: – Gelli Hibs[7]
- 2015–16: – Trebanog[8]
- 2016–17: – Blaenrhondda[9]
- 2017–18: – AFC Wattstown[10]
- 2018–19: – Penygraig United
- 2019–20: – Treherbert BGC
2020s edit
- 2020–21: – Competition cancelled due to Coronavirus pandemic
- 2021–22: – Penygraig United (promoted to SWAL via playoffs)[11]
- 2022–23: – Ferndale BGC
References edit
- ^ "Leaguewebsite.co.uk has now closed".
- ^ "The Rhondda Leader". The National Library of Wales. 15 June 1907. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "100 Years of Football 1907-2007". Rhondda & District League. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "RHONDDA AMATEUR LEAGUE TABLES 1936-37". Welsh Football Data Archive. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "2012-13 tables, part 5" (PDF). Football Club History Database. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ "Leaguewebsite.co.uk has now closed".
- ^ "Leaguewebsite.co.uk has now closed".
- ^ "Leaguewebsite.co.uk has now closed".
- ^ "Leaguewebsite.co.uk has now closed".
- ^ "Leaguewebsite.co.uk has now closed".
- ^ "Margam Youth Centre 0-2 Penygraig United: Hathaway and Daye send Graig up". Y Clwb Pel-Droed. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.