The Beginning: 1921-22

The Cardiganshire Football League was formed at a meeting held at Lampeter on August 17th 1921. Present at the meeting were Messers Robert Jones (Padarn F.C), E. Teify Jones (Aberystwyth Battery F.C), Eric Jones (Parish Hall United F.C), W. Sage (Aberayron F.C), W. Davies (Newcastle Emlyn F.C), Joe Williams, J. Caulfield, E.L Jones (Lampeter F.C).

The meeting moved that ‘E Teify Jones takes the Chair for the evening’ whilst ‘after a lengthy discussion it was decided unanimously to form the League into two sections, Northern and Southern respectively’.

It was further decided that the ‘Northern Section would comprise all Clubs to the north of Lampeter, excluding Lampeter’ and that the ‘Southern Section would comprise all clubs to the south of Lampeter, including Lampeter’.

W. Henson (Llandysul) was nominated as ‘Chairman of the League’, E.L Jones (Lampeter) Secretary of the Southern Section and Sergeant C .T Pope Secretary of the Northern Section. Lloyd Williams, L.C and M Bank, Lampeter was nominated as Treasurer.

It was agreed to nominate Major J.C Harford (Lampeter) as President and to invite the following to be Vice Presidents; Captain Evans (Aberayron), W. Llewelyn Williams (Cardiff), Colonel Fitzwilliams, The Earl of Lisburne (Crosswood), D.G Munro Hughes (Lampeter), Jack Garner, W.P Owen, Catain Ernest Evans, Sir Lewes Loveden Pryse, Baron Ystwyth, Major Fossett Roberts O.B.E and Major L.T Mathias C.B.E.

One of the first problems encountered by the League was the fact that all the qualified referees lived in the Aberystwyth area thus involving tremendous expense for the clubs in the south. It was therefore decided that ‘as a solution out of the difficulty, a proposal was made that each club puts up a candidate to qualify under the WFA as a referee’. In the meantime it was agreed that ‘the following referees be invited to officiate in the Cardiganshire League; Messers R.C Vaughan, Jack Garner, T.W Rees, J.C Rea and Alf Evans, all of Aberystwyth’.

Ten teams entered the League during the first season. They were Aberaeron, Aberystwyth Battery, Conservative F.C, College Res, Drefach, Lampeter, Llanybydder, Padarn United and Parish Hall United.

Newcastle Emlyn also entered but withdrew before playing a game.

The first player to be disciplined by the League was ‘Player Wemyss (Padarn United) for 1 month for breaking Rule 12’ – the Senior Player Rule!

He was soon followed by Player Trevor Owen, Lampeter F.C, suspended for 1 month for insulting referee J Bramley after a match’.  

The draw for the first playing of the ‘Cardiganshire Junior Football Challenge Cup’ was made on November 23rd 1921.
First Round
Padarn United v Aberystwyth Battery
College Res v Conservative F.C

Second Round
Parish Hall United v Llandysul
Lampeter v Padarn United or Aberystwyth Battery
Drefach v College Res or Conservative F.C
Llanybydder v Aberaeron

The arrangements for the semi-finals were as follows:

College Res v Aberaeron
Ground: Padarn United
Date: Saturday March 11th 1922 k.o 3.00
Referee: Mr Lewis Pugh, Towyn
Linesmen: Mr Jack Garner and Colonel J Rea (Aberystwyth)

Aberystwyth Battery v Parish Hall United
Ground: Vicarage Field, Aberystwyth
Date: Saturday March 25th 1922 k.o 3.00
Referee: Mr Rodgers, Machynlleth
Linesmen: Mr J.E Jones (Aberystwyth) and Mr Evan Jones (Llanbadarn)

Referee’s Fee 10/-
Linesman’s Fee 2/6

At a League meeting held at Lampeter on February 15th 1922 ‘Conservative ordered to pay deposit by February 28th 1922, in default to be expelled from the League and all fulfilled fixtures to be null and void’.

At the same meeting it was resolved that the ‘Secretary writes to the Secretary Welsh FA for his definition as to ‘What is a Senior Player’.