What a good start for Merthyr.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

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.

[William Treseder]

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!

Think that’s a myth. There is no evidence of Cardiff City trying to scupper MT’s move to the English leagues.

[ToTaL ITK]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

Why do we have a Merthyr thread on here?

Most of their fans hate us but there still seems to be some sort of infatuation with them amongst Cardiff fans

Was gonna say. God forbid they get taken over by a bunch of celebs then we can really start hating them yeah ?

In other words don't come here with your " i care about welsh grassroots football" garbage.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

Was gonna say. God forbid they get taken over by a bunch of celebs then we can really start hating them yeah ?

In other words don't come here with your " i care about welsh grassroots football" garbage.

I reckon that most fans of most clubs are not so immature as to hate the fans of other clubs.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

Can’t find the thread where I said Merthyr’s 1-0 win in their first game after selling Ricardo Rees would be typical of the sort of score line that will be the norm for them from now on, but what do I know - they won 5-3 at Worksop from 2-0 down on Saturday with Cawley Cox scoring a hat trick!

[RichardM]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

They've got Peterborough Sports, who are near the bottom of the table, at home on Saturday. I'll be going with my son, so hoping for more goals.

[Tuerto]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

They've got Peterborough Sports, who are near the bottom of the table, at home on Saturday. I'll be going with my son, so hoping for more goals.

Managed by Phil Brown.

[The Lone Gunman]

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.

Do you know what season this was supposed to be? I'm asking because I've been up in the attic this evening doing some research about a former City player for a friend. While I was up there I brought down a brilliant book about the Football League election struggles from 1889 to 1986.

The book contains all the facts and figures about every re-election campaign in the history of the league and at first glance it looks like this 'fact' is an urban myth.

[William Treseder]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

Grevious Angel. You’re *****d now. The Bald football forensic detective is on your case. He’s disputed your “fact” and will brow beat you to within an inch of your life with post after post on this topic, till you drop to your knees with exhaustion, and wave the white flag.

[Jordi Culé]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

Do you know what season this was supposed to be? I'm asking because I've been up in the attic this evening doing some research about a former City player for a friend. While I was up there I brought down a brilliant book about the Football League election struggles from 1889 to 1986.

The book contains all the facts and figures about every re-election campaign in the history of the league and at first glance it looks like this 'fact' is an urban myth.

1929/30 was the season Merthyr sought re-election.

It’s a myth, I’ve always assumed.

[Grievous Angel]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

Do you know what season this was supposed to be? I'm asking because I've been up in the attic this evening doing some research about a former City player for a friend. While I was up there I brought down a brilliant book about the Football League election struggles from 1889 to 1986.

The book contains all the facts and figures about every re-election campaign in the history of the league and at first glance it looks like this 'fact' is an urban myth.

I would guess it was 1947/48 - the season that Merthyr won the Southern League. I tried to imply in my post that I did not necessarily consider it to be the real case but perhaps should have qualified the term "application". Never mind.

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

I would guess it was 1947/48 - the season that Merthyr won the Southern League. I tried to imply in my post that I did not necessarily consider it to be the real case but perhaps should have qualified the term "application". Never mind.

I'll check it out tomorrow and try post the details for you tomorrow evening. It's interesting stuff, I think. Merthyr made loads of post-war applications to join the league but were always knocked back. The thing is, judging by the voting figures I read last night, they were never even remotely close to getting elected, so I'd be surprised if Cardiff City had influence over that, especially as the voting system was so complicated.

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

I tried to imply in my post that I did not necessarily consider it to be the real case but perhaps should have qualified the term "application". Never mind.

I got that, by the way. That's why I put the word 'fact' in inverted commas just as you did. Your post stuck in my mind as I love historical stuff like this, so when I saw the book in the attic I thought I'd bring it down and do some digging.

[Hot Shot Hamish.]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

I got that, by the way. That's why I put the word 'fact' in inverted commas just as you did. Your post stuck in my mind as I love historical stuff like this, so when I saw the book in the attic I thought I'd bring it down and do some digging.

In the book you speak of TLG, is there anything on Mid Rhondda AFC trying to get elected back in the 1920s? My old boss Paul Young wrote a short book about the club. They were managed by a bloke named Jimmy Seed, and I noticed last week that one of the stands at Charlton Athletic is The Jimmy Seed stand ( I did know that previously I should add) Amazing the history that’s out there..

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: What a good start for Merthyr.

In the book you speak of TLG, is there anything on Mid Rhondda AFC trying to get elected back in the 1920s? My old boss Paul Young wrote a short book about the club. They were managed by a bloke named Jimmy Seed, and I noticed last week that one of the stands at Charlton Athletic is The Jimmy Seed stand ( I did know that previously I should add) Amazing the history that’s out there..

There is, quite a bit on them. I’ll copy that over tomorrow too.