Hope the club get out to the Valleys in pre season

The support from the Valleys has been superb for years , but we are still only scratching the surface.

There's twice as many people in the valleys as there is in Cardiff and most have a straight train journey into the City.

2-3 pre season friendlies in say Ponty/ Rhondda/ Caerphilly/ Merthyr/ Bridgend or Maesteg/Aberdare areas would go down a storm even if the sides were mainly fringe players with a few stars .

Do different areas in different seasons maybe

The fans up there deserve some recognition, but there's also massive potential support in these areas.

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Originally Posted by Lawnmower

There's twice as many people in the valleys as there is in Cardiff and most have a shite train journey into the City.

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Minor correction needed here! :hehe:

Might as well do a mini tour of the Valleys every pre season, strengthens the bond between the club and surrounding areas

A couple of evenings with Warnock and a player and one friendly every year should be enough I'd say. Committing to 3 friendlies every pre season is quite a lot, especially as I'd imagine there would be an expectation of a decent team being sent up.

The Taffs Well game should be repeated every season in a different part of the valleys, that worked well

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lawnmower

The support from the Valleys has been superb for years , but we are still only scratching the surface.

There's twice as many people in the valleys as there is in Cardiff and most have a straight train journey into the City.

2-3 pre season friendlies in say Ponty/ Rhondda/ Caerphilly/ Merthyr/ Bridgend or Maesteg/Aberdare areas would go down a storm even if the sides were mainly fringe players with a few stars .

Do different areas in different seasons maybe

The fans up there deserve some recognition, but there's also massive potential support in these areas.

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Sod the areas that were slowly moving towards the Jacks though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lawnmower

The support from the Valleys has been superb for years , but we are still only scratching the surface.

There's twice as many people in the valleys as there is in Cardiff and most have a straight train journey into the City.

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There are lots of people in the Valleys but they are very spread out and there’s a lot more money and wealth in Cardiff itself so let’s not go overboard.

However the club should do all it can to shore up Valleys support.

Do Ebbw Vale FC still play at that ground with the big bank (not the money type), on one side?

Remember going there for a Welsh Cup tie in the 90's, game descended into a pitch battle because of some really bad tackles by the Ebbw vale's players.

I think even the two bench's ended up throwing punches :hehe:

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

Miner correction needed here! :hehe:

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Edited for you

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BLUETIT

Do Ebbw Vale FC still play at that ground with the big bank (not the money type), on one side?

Remember going there for a Welsh Cup tie in the 90's, game descended into a pitch battle because of some really bad tackles by the Ebbw vale's players.

I think even the two bench's ended up throwing punches :hehe:

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No, Ebbw Vale FC have been in rapid decline since the WPL days. Think they have reformed a few times and, just checking, looks like they are being closed down again.

I remember Inter Cardiff going there and getting a few kickings.
It's always been primarily a rugby ground but I think RTB Ebbw Vale play there now in the Gwent Count League.

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Originally Posted by Temujin

Sod the areas that were slowly moving towards the Jacks though.

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I'd say that's a reason to go and play there.

We should definitely play Merthyr every season (like we used to). Would rather help local clubs than Forest Green or Cheltenham.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lawnmower

The support from the Valleys has been superb for years , but we are still only scratching the surface.

There's twice as many people in the valleys as there is in Cardiff and most have a straight train journey into the City.

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Hey Tim, as a Cardiff lad who has been exiled in Aberdare there last few years, let me tell you it is indeed a straight train journey into Cardiff but thanks to Ariva trains it's a bloody mare on match days!

I am lucky enough to get on at the end/beginning of the line in Aberdare. However, the lack of trains and carriages cause major issues especially on Sundays where they only run every 2 hours, the first departing at 10 am. The 3 carriage train that departed Aberdare for our last league game v Reading was a mare with the 10 am train being the only train able to get you to the game in time for kick off. It was rammed silly before it left by the time we reached Ponty it was like we were in Calcutta, doors opened to let people on, but fans were falling out onto the platform at the same time it was ridiculous.

With the potential of more of our games being switched to Sunday next season and our increased following this situation really needs looking into. More trains or more carriages at the very least are going to be required. The route has at least a dozen stops with all the satellite stations and by halfway it is crammed silly. Fans will no doubt miss kick off if the service isn't vastly improved in time for next season.

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Originally Posted by emjayblue

Hey Tim, as a Cardiff lad who has been exiled in Aberdare there last few years, let me tell you it is indeed a straight train journey into Cardiff but thanks to Ariva trains it's a bloody mare on match days!

I am lucky enough to get on at the end/beginning of the line in Aberdare. However, the lack of trains and carriages cause major issues especially on Sundays where they only run every 2 hours, the first departing at 10 am. The 3 carriage train that departed Aberdare for our last league game v Reading was a mare with the 10 am train being the only train able to get you to the game in time for kick off. It was rammed silly before it left by the time we reached Ponty it was like we were in Calcutta, doors opened to let people on, but fans were falling out onto the platform at the same time it was ridiculous.

With the potential of more of our games being switched to Sunday next season and our increased following this situation really needs looking into. More trains or more carriages at the very least are going to be required. The route has at least a dozen stops with all the satellite stations and by halfway it is crammed silly. Fans will no doubt miss kick off if the service isn't vastly improved in time for next season.

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The two hourly service on the valley lines on a Sunday is absolutely pathetic, as is no service at all on the city line. They want us to get out of our cars and use public transport, which many of us are willing and happy to do, yet they provide the sort of service you’d expect in some rural backwater.

Maybe a reserve team or mixture for a match. Otherwise I'd rather them just focus on the best preparation possible and that which mainly the management team is happy with. If that's down in Cornwall again then so be it.

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Originally Posted by Barry Shitpeas

The two hourly service on the valley lines on a Sunday is absolutely pathetic, as is no service at all on the city line. They want us to get out of our cars and use public transport, which many of us are willing and happy to do, yet they provide the sort of service you’d expect in some rural backwater.

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I live in the North, and it's just the same. If you're in London, then you can forget about using public transport for anything other than a necessity.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lawnmower

The support from the Valleys has been superb for years , but we are still only scratching the surface.

There's twice as many people in the valleys as there is in Cardiff and most have a straight train journey into the City.

2-3 pre season friendlies in say Ponty/ Rhondda/ Caerphilly/ Merthyr/ Bridgend or Maesteg/Aberdare areas would go down a storm even if the sides were mainly fringe players with a few stars .

Do different areas in different seasons maybe

The fans up there deserve some recognition, but there's also massive potential support in these areas.

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Totally agree! that Taffs Well game last season was really good to go and help a good cause. Hopefully a few local games would be ideal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Temujin

Sod the areas that were slowly moving towards the Jacks though.

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I think you’ve completely missed the point.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Temujin

Sod the areas that were slowly moving towards the Jacks though.

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What areas are these?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cyncoed Slumdog

I remember Inter Cardiff going there and getting a few kickings.
It's always been primarily a rugby ground but I think RTB Ebbw Vale play there now in the Gwent Count League.

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They used to be nicknamed ‘Elbow Vale’

I’m sure there was an ex- Citymanager there at some point. John Lewis maybe,

Non league footy in Siuth Wales was badly damaged by the financial implications of the Welsh National League.

Ebbw Vale, Cwmbran, Inter Cardiff, Barry Town all victims.

I’m not sure if Bridgend Town , Abergavenny Thursdays and Ton Pentre all had financial issues due to it as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lawnmower

They used to be nicknamed ‘Elbow Vale’

I’m sure there was an ex- Citymanager there at some point. John Lewis maybe,

Non league footy in Siuth Wales was badly damaged by the financial implications of the Welsh National League.

Ebbw Vale, Cwmbran, Inter Cardiff, Barry Town all victims.

I’m not sure if Bridgend Town , Abergavenny Thursdays and Ton Pentre all had financial issues due to it as well.

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Yeah John Lewis was in charge for a bit.

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Originally Posted by valleys caveman

Yeah John Lewis was in charge for a bit.

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👍

agree would be good to play the likes of cambrian , taffs well and even pontypridd town who have recently been promoted to welsh league division 1 maybe not full strength sides but strong sides

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lawnmower

They used to be nicknamed ‘Elbow Vale’

I’m sure there was an ex- Citymanager there at some point. John Lewis maybe,

Non league footy in Siuth Wales was badly damaged by the financial implications of the Welsh National League.

Ebbw Vale, Cwmbran, Inter Cardiff, Barry Town all victims.

I’m not sure if Bridgend Town , Abergavenny Thursdays and Ton Pentre all had financial issues due to it as well.

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I'm not sure that Ebbw Vale, Cwmbran and even Inter Cardiff would have been financially better off without the National League. Barry Town - you could argue maybe they would have been - plying their trade in the 7th tier of the English pyramid, I think - maybe they would have got to Conference standard at the time they started dominating the Welsh Premier.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Badly Ironed Shirt

I'm not sure that Ebbw Vale, Cwmbran and even Inter Cardiff would have been financially better off without the National League. Barry Town - you could argue maybe they would have been - plying their trade in the 7th tier of the English pyramid, I think - maybe they would have got to Conference standard at the time they started dominating the Welsh Premier.

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They all went bust within a few seasons of joining the league. All 3 of them citing the costs of running a team in the league as the reasons.

All had run for decades happily without it, so YES, the National league definitely was a major factor in th 3 clubs going bust. They all would have been better off without it.


Barry were a different issue- they just went mad with ideas they could never sustain.

In hindsight a league with a North and South conference with end of season play offs would probably had been a better idea at least for the first few seasons

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lawnmower

They all went bust within a few seasons of joining the league. All 3 of them citing the costs of running a team in the league as the reasons.

All had run for decades happily without it, so YES, the National league definitely was a major factor in th 3 clubs going bust. They all would have been better off without it.


Barry were a different issue- they just went mad with ideas they could never sustain.

In hindsight a league with a North and South conference with end of season play offs would probably had been a better idea at least for the first few seasons

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I would argue that the Welsh League was never going to succeed without the big four (all playing at Division 3 or lower at the time). In the early years, it used to cost teams like Ebbw Vale a small fortune to play European ties - the prize money was pitiful. I watched one of their games at Eugene Cross Park, and it didn't capture the local's imagination at all (unlike the Welsh Cup tie a few years earlier). I also watched Inter Cardiff play some Polish club at Penydarren Park (Georgie Wood was in goal). It was more likely the cost of European football that was the killer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lawnmower

The support from the Valleys has been superb for years , but we are still only scratching the surface.

There's twice as many people in the valleys as there is in Cardiff and most have a straight train journey into the City.

2-3 pre season friendlies in say Ponty/ Rhondda/ Caerphilly/ Merthyr/ Bridgend or Maesteg/Aberdare areas would go down a storm even if the sides were mainly fringe players with a few stars .

Do different areas in different seasons maybe

The fans up there deserve some recognition, but there's also massive potential support in these areas.

---

Aside from fostering a bond with Merthyr there is, as you suggest, so much more that could be done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by emjayblue

Hey Tim, as a Cardiff lad who has been exiled in Aberdare there last few years, let me tell you it is indeed a straight train journey into Cardiff but thanks to Ariva trains it's a bloody mare on match days!

I am lucky enough to get on at the end/beginning of the line in Aberdare. However, the lack of trains and carriages cause major issues especially on Sundays where they only run every 2 hours, the first departing at 10 am. The 3 carriage train that departed Aberdare for our last league game v Reading was a mare with the 10 am train being the only train able to get you to the game in time for kick off. It was rammed silly before it left by the time we reached Ponty it was like we were in Calcutta, doors opened to let people on, but fans were falling out onto the platform at the same time it was ridiculous.

With the potential of more of our games being switched to Sunday next season and our increased following this situation really needs looking into. More trains or more carriages at the very least are going to be required. The route has at least a dozen stops with all the satellite stations and by halfway it is crammed silly. Fans will no doubt miss kick off if the service isn't vastly improved in time for next season.

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I was on that train for the Reading game. It was only a 2 car unit. My closest station is Fernhill and I chose to get on the train on the way up and come back down, expecting ATW to not consider that it might be rammed. It was the right decision to make. My young son and I had seats. By the time it left Aberdare, I doubt there were 2 seats together.

Funnily enough, I got the 1541 back up from central and it was very quiet.

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Originally Posted by Liege'93

I think you’ve completely missed the point.

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No I haven't, **** em. They were so desperate to follow a premier league team they can wallow, or knowing the type they'll just switch back anyway.

Seems to be popular in the Cynon Valley, Maesteg and up Merthyr way.

Stick to the Rhondda, at least they remain loyal.

Wrong continent!

Sounds like we'll be hitting Cornwall (obviously) and also America (possibly NYC). Was still very much still at planning stage a few weeks back so could fall through.

Be nice if they could hurry up and announce things to even give me half a chance of going though!

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

I was on that train for the Reading game. It was only a 2 car unit. My closest station is Fernhill and I chose to get on the train on the way up and come back down, expecting ATW to not consider that it might be rammed. It was the right decision to make. My young son and I had seats. By the time it left Aberdare, I doubt there were 2 seats together.

Funnily enough, I got the 1541 back up from central and it was very quiet.

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Likewise, my stop is Cwmbach, but I guessed it would be manic so opted to catch it from Aberdare. It was crazy, had to laugh when the conductor attempted to do his job, he took one look, laughed, and promptly disappeared!

I returned on the last train which btw at 19.40 is a joke, and that was packed and eventful! I am all for these no car initiatives in city centres, however, it does put you off opting for public transport when the service and conditions are so poor.

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

agree would be good to play the likes of cambrian , taffs well and even pontypridd town who have recently been promoted to welsh league division 1 maybe not full strength sides but strong sides

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Won't have far to go to play Ponty Town - We've moved to Leckwith!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by emjayblue

Likewise, my stop is Cwmbach, but I guessed it would be manic so opted to catch it from Aberdare. It was crazy, had to laugh when the conductor attempted to do his job, he took one look, laughed, and promptly disappeared!

I returned on the last train which btw at 19.40 is a joke, and that was packed and eventful! I am all for these no car initiatives in city centres, however, it does put you off opting for public transport when the service and conditions are so poor.

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Sunday services are set to improve, with an earlier service to Cardiff and hourly down in the morning. Still nowt back after that 1941 as you say, though. It's a pity there isn't a later train in the week, as well. 2241 hardly leaves much time if you're in town for an event.

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Originally Posted by binman

Won't have far to go to play Ponty Town - We've moved to Leckwith!

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wow can#t see too may locals coming down to cardiff to watch ponty next season . is that to do with your ground not up to scratch or most of the players from the cardiff area anyway or just more cost effective tho i don't think that would be the case ?

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Originally Posted by City123

Might as well do a mini tour of the Valleys every pre season, strengthens the bond between the club and surrounding areas

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Totally agree, even if it's the young'uns.

I'd also like to see them playing teams west of Bridgend; two or three games at the most.

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

wow can#t see too may locals coming down to cardiff to watch ponty next season . is that to do with your ground not up to scratch or most of the players from the cardiff area anyway or just more cost effective tho i don't think that would be the case ?

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They need Tier 2 level ground to get promotion, University Fields Treforest not up to standard (Ponty Park nowhere near standard) so moving to Leckwith whilst Treforest is done up

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Originally Posted by binman

They need Tier 2 level ground to get promotion, University Fields Treforest not up to standard (Ponty Park nowhere near standard) so moving to Leckwith whilst Treforest is done up

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Are you living in egger heartland? I am up here in Cymmer (Neath-Port Talbot) there are a fair load of Bluebirds though.