Martyrs launch Away Supporters Guide

The away supporters guide to Merthyr Town FC has been re-launched via the following link;

http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1tg3m/MerthyrTownFCVisitin/resources/index.htm

Merthyr in seventh heaven

Merthyr Town completed their return to Penydarren Park on Saturday with a 7-1 win over visitors Odd Down in front of 513 jubilant fans. Penydarren Park was looking excellent for the return of semi-professional football to the town, the Trust's army of volunteers had worked tirelessly through the summer to make sure that the old ground was back to its best.

The Martyrs hit the cup trail on Saturday with the visit of Bitton to Merthyr for an Extra Preliminary Qualifying FA Cup tie.

In other news Merthyr Town will return to the Welsh Cup with a home draw against Caerau.

The final stage of the MTFC revolution nears

At 3pm on Saturday 13th August Merthyr Town will play Odd Down in Western League Premier Division at their Penydarren Park stadium and bring the Supporters' Trust reformation of Merthyr Town FC to its conclusion.

It's nearly seven years since concerned supporters of the South Wales club decided to form a Trust in order to seek an influence in the way their Football Club was run whilst raising funds to support it's development.

Martyrs to the Cause has remained committed to preserving semi-professional football in the South Wales Valleys area and needed to act decisively in the spring of 2009 when the owner of Merthyr Tydfil FC refused to invest any further money to his ailing club.

The Trust acted to take the Club into administration to protect it from its creditors and proceeded to work with the appointed Administrator to run the club on license for the 2009/10 season. A season that culminated in an emotional day at Swindon Supermarine when the Martyrs gained the point required to avoid relegation from the Southern League Premier Division in front of 250 of their travelling fans.

It was obvious that saving the Club was beyond the means of the Trust and in May 2010Merthyr Tydfil FC was liquidated.

Martyrs to the Cause immediately set about reforming the Club as Merthyr Town FC and with the valued support of Supporters Direct they were able to meet the strict requirements of the Football Association to remain in their pyramid structure.

However the lease of their famous old stadium at Penydarren Park remained as an asset for the official Liquidator and therefore the Martyrs needed to find an alternative venue for the start of the 2010/11 season.

Two volunteers spent a day dashing around South Wales looking at options and were rewarded when the wonderful people at Taffs Well FC stepped up to host our flegling club in its first season.

Merthyr Town FC now registered as a Community Sports Mutual, the only one in Wales, set about upgrading the Rhiw Dda'r ground to match the Western League criteria. Following a site visit Merthyr Town FC were placed in Division One, a drop of three leagues from the Southern League Premier Division.

Merthyr Town FC had a great season under the management of Gary Shephard and his assistant Danny Carter and the title and promotion was won. The Martyrs were on their way back.

The great work continues to this day with the Trust-run Club committed to serving its communities and bring a sense of pride back to watching the Martyrs.

On Saturday we return home to our ground and complete a remarkable chapter in the story of our Club.

We own our football club!

The Boys are Back In Town

Merthyr Town FC has on the eve of the new season launched its Boys Are Back In Town campaign to remind our community that we are back at Penydarren Park.

The stadium has been transformed by the club's ever-willing army of volunteers and with a newly refurbished Candac Suite we are ready for the start of the new season on 13th August when Odd Down become the first club to take on the supporter-owned Martyrs in a Western League match at Penydarren.

10,000 fixture cards will be distributed throughout the South Wales Valleys to show that Merthyr Town FC is back at the centre of our community!

Merthyr rocks in the park again

Penydarren Park hosted the annual Rock In The Park music festival on Saturday and once again the local community responded with over 600 persons enjoying the event.

Limehouse Lizzy headlined the event but were supported by local bands to once again showcase the talent available in South Wales.

The event raised much needed funds for the Martyrs and provided an opportunity for the Trust run club to present its stadium as a venue for the whole community.

Merthyr supporters show their support for Godre'r Coed fields

Merthyr Town FC expressed its support for the campaign to save the school field at Cefn Coed today with the first appearance of its supporters cricket team to take on the Cefn Social club team who are organising matches on the threatened community facility to widen its use and also show the benefits of exercise.

The school field site has been earmarked as a possible venue for the new Ysgol Y Graig school however locals are concerned that one of the few green field sites in the villages would be lost whilst other venues for the new building are available.

Further information could be seen via the following newslink - http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/south-wales-news/merthyr/2011/04/14/cefn-coed-residents-protest-at-plans-to-build-primary-school-on-popular-playing-fields-91466-28514702/

The 20/20 cricket was a low scoring affair with the Football club team struggling to 31 all out despite a great performance with the bat by Lee Normanton.

The Cefn Social team also struggled with the lively wicket but managed to knock off the runs to win by 3 wickets.

It is hoped that the Merthyr Town FC cricket section will play a few more matches during the summer.

(Captain Jason Scanlon is pictured above inspecting the wicket before today's match).

Martyrs back at Penydarren Park

It's been a long road for the Supporters Trust at Merthyr Town FC but finally the end of the struggle to resurrect our famous club is near.

This weekend saw the first friendly match of the pre-season with Llanelli the visitors to Penydarren Park for the club's return to its home.

A season in exile twenty miles away in Taffs Well did not deter the club from gaining promotion from the Western League Division One and now the faithful supporters can return to their normal pre-match routines as the Martyrs return home.

The first match was a tough return for Merthyr Town who faced a Llanelli team preparing for their Europa Cup tie with Dynamo Tbilisi (a creditable 2-1 win last week for the Reds!), it was the West Wales team who took the spoils with a handsome 9-1 win.

No one seemed to mind at the game as we were home.

Tuesday evening saw the return of Dean Clarke to Penydarren Park as the Martyrs took on local rivals Newport County in a benefit match for the combative midfield who has played over 370 matches for us over 10 years. A great servant to the club and it was great to see 500 supporters fill the stands to pay credit to his career.

The pre-season will continue but all eyes in the town are now fixed on 13th August when Dawlish Town provide the opponents for the first competitive match for the reformed club at its spiritual home.

Up the Town!

Merthyr Town FC supports local Homeless project

Merthyr Town FC has placed its support behind the Bling Cafe project being undertaken at the old Flooks store on Pontmorlais Circus.

The project being undertaken by the Llamau charity won a £60,000 people's lottery grant last week with many of our supporters taking part in the telephone vote.

For more information on the project please visit the following link;

http://www.llamau.org.uk/

It is hoped that the Flooks project will be the start of the renovation of the Pontmorlais area of the town whic of course includes Penydarren Park.

We will be working with our colleagues on the Town & Park Communities First Partnership to support future projects that help to revitalise our community.

Merthyr Town FC Supporters' Six-a-side success

Merthyr Town FC supporters returned to the prestigious Queens Park Sixes tournament this weekend after an absence of well over a decade, the youthful squad surprised everyone (including themselves) by going unbeaten in their qualifying group matches with wins over supporters teams from Worthing, Oxford United, Queen's Park, Tottenham Hotspur (Scotland) and Jalgpallihaigla (Estonia).

A quarter-final win over a young Leyton Orient team raised hopes of winning the tournament but our supporters were beaten 4-1 by eventual winners from Troon at the semi-final stage.

The Queen's Park event is more than a football tournament. With over 40 teams present it was an opportunity for supporters to share experiences and relive memories of previous events.

It was great to tell the story of our unique community club to friends from Orient, Peterborough, Tranmere, St Johnstone, Edinburgh City and Motherwell amongst many others.

We're hopeful of welcoming many of those clubs' supporters to Penydarren Park for the 2011/12 season as we return to our famous home stadium.

Heritage Day at Merthyr Town a complete success

Yesterday's heritage day at Merthyr Town FC was a great success with the Club's new Mobile Museum Panels being welcomed by everyone who visited the Candac Suite.

Supporters were able to view exhibits from the club's origins right through to the present day.

The mobile museum project had been funded with a grant from the Communities First Trust Fund and has taken over 12 months of research to piece together the ten panels that take the viewer through the story of football at Penydarren Park from 1908 to the present day.

The Trust-run Club believe that the mobile exhibition will help to promote itself within the community. The mobile museum is now on the road for the summer with visits planned to local schools and clubs.


The Heritage Day was enhanced by Philip Sweet who made a great presentation on the Managers who were in charge of Merthyr Town from 1908 to 1934 which uncovered a few unknown facts about those who have sat in the hot-seat at Penydarren Park.

Many thanks to everyone who donated items on the day and who expressed an interest in the forthcoming digital archive project.

The mobile exhibition has already attracted attention and will be on display from 1st-12th September at Rhydycar Leisure Centre and from 13th September to the 3rd October at Dowlais Library. Look out for the panels at a venue near you.

Merthyr Town FC - New Sponsor for season

Merthyr Town Football Club was full of the joys of spring this week as the club’s board finalised a new lucrative shirt sponsor deal with Trade Centre Wales for next season. The Neath based company has sponsored the club in the past, but this announcement is linked to the recent opening of the new Trade Centre Part Exchange Outlet on June 1st at the former Kwiksave store adjacent to the A465 in Pant, Merthyr Tydfil.

Trade Centre have worked closely with Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council in establishing the new venture, which should see the introduction of up to 30 jobs in the area, and are keen to develop working partnerships with the business community and the community of Merthyr as a whole, by doing some good in the area. The first step on this road is the sponsorship of Merthyr Town Football Club.

Martyrs management team Garry Shephard and Danny Carter were at a recent sponsors evening with the club’s new kit for next season, with the new Trade Centre Wales logo. The agreement was reached following an approach to the club by Trade Centre, following a phone in on Real Radio, with Garry Shephard, Merthyr stalwart Anthony Hughes and former Cardiff City star Jason Perry, father of Merthyr goalie Joe Perry.

Merthyr Town club captain Steve Williams expressed his joy at hearing about the new deal. Steve was pleased that the sponsorship from Trade Centre Wales has supported the club for the return to Penydarren Park next season.

Trade Centre Wales have a long history of supporting sport in south Wales, and currently sponsors 20 sports clubs in the region, so the first port of call in supporting the local community is the Martyrs.

Merthyr Town FC - Rock at the Park 2011 - The Boys are back in town

Penydarren Park will host the third Rock At The Park event on Saturday 23rd July to raise funds for Merthyr Town FC.

The Club has continued its policy of looking for the best of local talent coupled with a top headline act;

Weekend Legacy - This year's young show opener
Flaming Ferrets - Up and coming Rock band
Celtic Pride - Merthyr's Metal Masters
Minnie's Chuff - Rock/Pop Maestros
Four Wheel Drive - featuring Graham Williams

Limehouse Lizzy - Britain's premier Thin Lizzy tribute act will headline and bring the show to a close.

Gates open at 12 noon and the event runs through until 8.00pm.

Bar & Food stalls available.

The day is sure to attract another large crowd for one of the events of the Merthyr music calendar so make sure you get your ticket in advance, only £12.00.

Please contact the following persons for details and ticket sales;

Wayne - 07852769467
Phil - 07882066625

Merthyr Town FC Heritage Day - 18th June 2011

Merthyr Town FC will host its first annual Heritage Day in the Candac Suite at Penydarren Park from 2pm on Saturday 18th June 2011.

The event will also launch the Club's mobile museum project which has been funded with a grant from the Communities First Trust Fund, the mobile exhibition is comprised of ten individual panels outlining the history of football at our famous ground from 1908 up until the present day.

The panels will provide a backdrop for the story of football in our borough to be told via presentations and memorabilia.

Supporters are invited to bring any artefacts from the Clubs' histories to the event to be copied or scanned for inclusion in a proposed digital archive.

Merthyr Town unsuccessful in FAW Futsal Finals Day

The Finals day of the inaugural FAW Futsal Cup on Sunday proved to be a huge challenge to the young Merthyr Town team as they suffered three defeats in their group matches in Cardiff.

Merthyr Town Futsal were placed in a group with CSKA Talybont, Connah's Quay and The New Saints which was a tough group which was proven by both North Wales teams from the group facing each other in the Final which was won by TNS who will now play in the UEFA Futsal Cup in August.

Jon Henderson, the team coach, can be justifiably proud of his young team who performed admirably in this new format of the game and surely the event will prepare them for another assault on European glory next season.

Young Merthyr team through to Wales Futsal Finals

Merthyr Town continued it's successful season as our youngsters triumphed in Sunday's FAW Futsal Cup qualifying round.

http://www.faw.org.uk/news/2187

The Martyrs only had to play one match due to withdrawals from the inaugural Futsal tournament but they comfortably overcame Rhayader Town 7-4 to book their place in the Finals tournament in Cardiff on 5th June.

Dan Richards was accredited with scoring the goal of the event displaying some great technique to outwit the Rhayader keeper for one of the Martyrs' goals.

Good luck to the lads as they seek to emulate the team of '87 and qualify for Europe.

Merthyr Town unveil new kits for next season

Gary Shephard and Danny Carter unveil the new playing strip for Merthyr Town's promotion push from the Western League Premier Division next season.

The club is run by its members and at this season's AGM it was decided that the club would return to playing in black & white after a debate amongst the supporter and a subsequent vote.

The new replica shirts are available to purchase by supporters via Mark Jones in the Club Shop on emmawathan@talktalk.net

Merthyr Town Futsal

Merthyr Town were drawn today in Group 1 of the Southern Conference for the inaugural FAW Futsal Cup to be played in Cardiff on Sunday 22nd May.

The Trust-run Club will need to top the group including AFC Llwydcoed, Port Talbot Town and Rhayader Town to progress to the National Finals to be played next month.

Jon Henderson, the Merthyr Futsal team manager, has welcomed the draw and is continuing the squad's preparation for the tournament.

The winners of the National Finals will represent Wales in the UEFA Futsal Cup 2011/12.

Merthyr v Cardiff but Fred Keenor Appeal is the winner

The Supporters' Trust from both Merthyr Town and Cardiff City clashed on Thursday evening in a skittles challenge to raise funds for the Fred Keenor Statue Appeal that is close to the hearts of both Cardiff City and Welsh football fans.

The match was played at the Taffs Well Ex-Servicemens Club which has hosted Merthyr Town supporters during their season in exile.

The match was a close affair with the Merthyr team eventually prevailing with a 322-301 result.

It was a fun night to share stories of the season so far and to raise £156.00 for the appeal.

Merthyr Town FC wishes the Cardiff City Supporters Trust every success with the Appeal.

Merthyr Town back in Welsh Cup?

Merthyr Town FC is delighted to hear that the FAW is to invite them to re-enter the Welsh Cup for the 2011/12 season. The club would obviously love the opportunity to bring the famous old trophy back to Penydarren Park for a fourth time. The Club is looking forward to receiving more information from its governing body on the competition rules and will advise its loyal supporters accordingly.

Fred Keenor Appeal Skittles Night

Merthyr Town supporters have laid down a challenge to the Cardiff City Supporters Trust for a skittles match at Taffs Well Ex-Servicemens Club on Thursday 28th April from 7.30pm.

The match will be held as a fundraiser for the Fred Keenor Statue Appeal currently being raised by the Cardiff City Supporters Trust to recognise the player who represented both his Club and Country so proudly and culminating in him lifting the FA Cup for the Bluebirds in 1927 (the picture above shows Fred Keenor bringing the FA Cup to Penydarren Park five days after the Final; Merthyr won 1-0 that day).

Supporters of both clubs are welcome to attend the match to help raise funds for this worthwhile cause which is close to our hearts at Merthyr Town FC.

Our thanks go to Taffs Well Ex-Servicemens Club for hosting the event and also for providing excellent hospitality to Merthyr supporters during our current season in exile at Rhiw Dda'r.