What a good start for Merthyr.

[J R Hartley]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

No wonder our attendances have their struggles :hehe:

The might improve if you left your bedsit every now again and actually attended a game.

[TheBirchgrovePub]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

The might improve if you left your bedsit every now again and actually attended a game.

IÂ’ve been to more games in the last 40 years than youÂ’ve been in total for your combined teams IÂ’d imagine. Why so angry?

[Grievous Angel]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

No. Not at all. Other way around if anything. There’s some local Cardiff fans who hate Merthyr for some reason.

Some of the more staunch Merthyr Bluebirds won’t have anything to do with Merthyr because Merthyr academy had a link with Swansea academy a few years ago (not even sure that still the case I think they’ve gone on their own again) and call them Jacks. A childish and pathetic viewpoint imo.

There’s many fans of both Cardiff and Swansea from Merthyr and the surrounding Valleys who also go to watch Merthyr regularly if they are not watching their league clubs. Its helped grow the fanbase 4 fold since Covid.

There's a bit more to it than that. One of the first sports' "facts" that I learned growing up in Merthyr in the '60s was that Merthyr's application to join the Football League in the late 1940s was somehow blocked by Cardiff City. The supposed tactics used by CCFC to achieve this varied, according to who you asked, from simple canvassing to outright bribery. Even in the late 70s and early 80s, regulars at my local in Dowlais would have a go at me about it. It caused a lot of Methyr based City fans from my era to dislike the club. By thw way, I'm now in my 70s and speak as someone whose cousin was Frank "the tank" Collins. The links with the Jacks came much later, largely due to an old friend of mine!

[J R Hartley]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

There's a bit more to it than that. One of the first sports' "facts" that I learned growing up in Merthyr in the '60s was that Merthyr's application to join the Football League in the late 1940s was somehow blocked by Cardiff City. The supposed tactics used by CCFC to achieve this varied, according to who you asked, from simple canvassing to outright bribery. Even in the late 70s and early 80s, regulars at my local in Dowlais would have a go at me about it. It caused a lot of Methyr based City fans from my era to dislike the club. By thw way, I'm now in my 70s and speak as someone whose cousin was Frank "the tank" Collins. The links with the Jacks came much later, largely due to an old friend of mine!

I respect your opinion but I doubt there’s many people alive who attend games at either club these days and still have an axe to grind over something that happened in the 1940s.

Knew Big Frankie well, his grandson, Lee, is a friend of mine.

[J R Hartley]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

IÂ’ve been to more games in the last 40 years than youÂ’ve been in total for your combined teams IÂ’d imagine. Why so angry?

I highly doubt it.

No anger here. You’re the one who seems to have the problem. :hehe:

[Grievous Angel]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

I was trying to give a bit of background info on what caused me and other City fans of my era to turn away from Merthyr Town, not to judge the current fanbase. Ironically, Frank was something of a hero to me when I was a youngster. He supplied me with my first pair of football boots when I was unexpectedly picked for the school under 11s! :hehe:

[Hilts]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

I remember attending Hereford v Merthyr away in the FA Cup.

There were hundreds of Cardiff fans there.

[TheBirchgrovePub]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

There's a bit more to it than that. One of the first sports' "facts" that I learned growing up in Merthyr in the '60s was that Merthyr's application to join the Football League in the late 1940s was somehow blocked by Cardiff City. The supposed tactics used by CCFC to achieve this varied, according to who you asked, from simple canvassing to outright bribery. Even in the late 70s and early 80s, regulars at my local in Dowlais would have a go at me about it. It caused a lot of Methyr based City fans from my era to dislike the club. By thw way, I'm now in my 70s and speak as someone whose cousin was Frank "the tank" Collins. The links with the Jacks came much later, largely due to an old friend of mine!

I donÂ’t know the history but may explain why plenty of them have had comments to make down the years at Wales games home and away.

Maybe the younger generation like JR and his mates are oblivious to it and just like the option of going to whichever team is doing best in the moment.

[J R Hartley]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

I was trying to give a bit of background info on what caused me and other City fans of my era to turn away from Merthyr Town, not to judge the current fanbase. Ironically, Frank was something of a hero to me when I was a youngster. He supplied me with my first pair of football boots when I was unexpectedly picked for the school under 11s! :hehe:

:hehe:

From what I hear he was a bit of a hero to many in the town, my father included. He was well respected in the town, especially in the football and boxing communities and an absolute gentleman.

[J R Hartley]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

I donÂ’t know the history but may explain why plenty of them have had comments to make down the years at Wales games home and away.

Maybe the younger generation like JR and his mates are oblivious to it and just like the option of going to whichever team is doing best in the moment.

Younger generation :hehe:

If you’ve only been watching football 40 years then I’ve been watching it longer.

[J R Hartley]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

I remember attending Hereford v Merthyr away in the FA Cup.

There were hundreds of Cardiff fans there.

Merthyr was very much Blue in those days.
More 50-50 now after the Jacks spent 7 years in the PL.

[Grievous Angel]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

:hehe:

From what I hear he was a bit of a hero to many in the town, my father included. He was well respected in the town, especially in the football and boxing communities and an absolute gentleman.

Well, with 2 sons who were boxing pros and a father (also Frank) who was a good amateur at flyweight he was always going to be involved in the boxing community. He was a great bloke.

[TheBirchgrovePub]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

Younger generation :hehe:

If you’ve only been watching football 40 years then I’ve been watching it longer.

My apologies I had you down as a youngster from your posts

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

Merthyr was very much Blue in those days.
More 50-50 now after the Jacks spent 7 years in the PL.

50/50 with the Jacks - isn't that some cause for concern for any City fan?
I mean, I have never been one to fly the City flag, but by the same token, I'm not the kind to hide my true allegiance in any casual conversation either.
Despite being in China for almost 19 years, I haven't lost my strong Cardiff accent. I could forsee potential of trouble.

[J R Hartley]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

50/50 with the Jacks - isn't that some cause for concern for any City fan?
I mean, I have never been one to fly the City flag, but by the same token, I'm not the kind to hide my true allegiance in any casual conversation either.
Despite being in China for almost 19 years, I haven't lost my strong Cardiff accent. I could forsee potential of trouble.

You’ve lost me, sorry. I’m not saying people support both Cardiff and Swansea 50-50 I’m saying Merthyr as a town is not so predominantly Cardiff supporters like it used to be.

Im saying back in the 80s/90s there was a lot more Merthyr based Cardiff fans compared to tMerthyr based Swansea fans. Certainly in public. At a time when hooliganism was rife, and Merthyr had more than its fair share of nutters involved down the City, it wasn’t wise to be a Jack in public in Merthyr.
However, after 7 seasons in the prem there was a lot more Swansea shirts popping up around the town in the twenty teenies, mainly children who would now be in their twenties.