In one of our recent quizzes, we asked you to identify those clubs associated with Bangor which had played in the Gwynedd League. These were few in number even when we included the college sides. Compare that with the situation in the quarter century after 1876.

Research in the local newspapers of the time indicate that at least twenty teams, in addition to what was described at the time as the Bangor town team, were engaged in regular competition, initially limited to cup competitions. Whilst the teams are identified, there is little information as to where competitive football was played in Bangor at the time.

An exception was a scant reference, in the North Wales Chronicle, on 1 October 1887 to a match “BLUE ROVERS V. CELTIC ROVERS. This match was played last Saturday on the Bangor Mountain. Both clubs did well.”. There are no details of the score, nor the identity of the teams, and whether they represented districts of the City. What is interesting is the location of what is a historic football location on the Mountain. There were a couple of teams with montane connections such as Bangor Mountaineers mentioned by the North Wales Express in January 1879 “…A football match was played on Saturday last between the Mountaineers and the Caxton Clubs, on the ground of the former, who won two goals (one disputed) to none…” and Bangor Mountain Rangers in October of that year. Did they both play on the Mountain or is this the same club with different names? Who were Caxton – was there a link to Caxton House – built in 1828 – now the Clio Lounge?
As a teenager (many moons ago!) I remember some goal-posts on the Mountain, I wonder if these marked this pitch?

One team with a clear link to a district of the city was Upper Bangor Rovers, mentioned in 1880. That club survived the end of that century, with a note in the NW Express of 18 January 1901 of a Junior Cup match “…At Llanberis, the Upper Bangor Rovers made their exit from the North Wales Junior Cup Competition for this season, the local team defeating -them by two goals to nil. Though the Rovers admit that the result is a fair reflex of the game, which was very exciting, they complain that the balls provided were very unsatisfactory, several renewals having to take place …”.

Interestingly there is reference in the Express in September 1899 to a match between another team from that part of the city Upper Bangor United and Hirael United. The Express in April 1900 reports “…UPPER BANGOR UNITED v. HIRAEL UNITED. On the ground of the former. Result: Upper Bangor United, nil; Hirael United, nil…” Again no detail as to where the Upper Bangor ground was located but, of course, there were large swathes of open fields in that locality at the time. As to Hirael, some of us will remember a more recent version of Hirael United playing and, possibly, a game in 2011 when it was reported that match “...between Babcock Sunday League rivals Hirael United and RAF Valley was stopped short last Sunday after 53 minutes, with Hirael 2-1 up....had to be abandoned after eight footballs were kicked into the Menai Strait...” (Wales Online). Most of us are familiar with Beach Road but what about Hirael Swifts with Gwalia, a Welsh language weekly, reporting in December 1900 “..Cymerodd ymdrechfa dda Ie dydd Sadwrn yn Llanfair cydrhwng yr Hirael Swifts (Bangor) a'r Llanfair Rovers. Cafodd Llanfair bedair goal, ond ni scoriodd Hirael yr un...” Rather old-fashioned Welsh describing a 4-0 for the Bangorians so the Sibols had two teams to root for – I wonder where they played?

Those of a certain age will remember early closing of shops or half-day as it was known. In the case of Bangor, it was on a Wednesday afternoon whilst in Holyhead it was a Tuesday and Caernarfon on Thursday. We are all familiar with Sheffield Wednesday but what about Bangor Wednesday? There are numerous references in the newspapers at the turn of the century to their exploits. “…BANGOR WEDNESDAY v. BANGOR WEDNESDAY DRUIDS. On the ground of the former, who succeeded in making their first win this season …”. Wait a minute, who are the Bangor Wednesday Druids and, come to that, Bangor Butchers? “..The Butchers' team journeyed to Llanfairfechan on Wednesday, where they encountered the local mid-week team. There was prolific scoring, the Butchers actually registering fifteen goals to their opponents' single point..” In November 1901 the Express noted “… Bangor Wednesday v. Bangor Butchers. Played on the ground of the former on Wednesday. The Butchers were quite equal to their opponents, who included several reserves and also a first team player, but both sets of forwards lacked accuracy in shooting. The result, a. draw, each team scoring two goals, is a fair reflex of the game…”. These clubs are reminiscent of a by-gone era when the High Street was a far different place – imagine trying to form a butchers’ team today!

When I was a pupil at the old Friars’ School, those choosing to play football were consigned to a pitch which made Farrar Road look level. Rugby was given priority and even the school’s home matches were played, ironically, at Nantporth or the Penrhosgarnedd pitch at Treborth. If you hark back to the late 1800s, imagine this as reported in the Express of 29 November 1878 “..On Wednesday afternoon a football match was played between the Wrexham Club and the Friars' School Club, on the grounds of the latter. The game excited unusual interest, in as much as good playing was prevalent on both sides, and the Wrexham team won by three goals to one…”. Two years later, the Express reported that Friars had been drawn away to Flint in the North Wales Senior Cup. The school was still regarded as a senior club at the turn of the century, the Caernarfon Herald (27 October 1899) reporting that they had beaten Bangor Amateurs 7-1.

Bangor Amateurs was, as far as can be seen, a team created just before the turn of the century and I wonder if they eventually became Bangor Swifts and Amateurs which are noted in papers from 1904? Not much is known of the club, but it is interesting to note the draw for first round of the Welsh Challenge Cup reported in the Caernarfon Herald in early October 1890 which, in addition to the main Bangor club (and other “big” clubs of the time) contained another city club, Bangor Athletics “….THE WELSH CHALLENGE CUP. THE draw for the first round was made at Wrexham on Wednesday night, as follows:- First Division: Mold v. Holywell. Carnarvon A. Rhyl, Bangor v. Colwyn Bay, St. Asaph v. Bangor Athletics….”

Mentioned fleetingly in these weeklies are Bangor Rangers and Bangor Celts – perhaps you know what happened to them and where they played – get in touch! It would also be interesting to know what happened to Vaynol Park, applicants for the Caernarfon and District League in 1900. The following year, we had three local teams apply for membership of the North Wales Coast FA Bangor Upper, Bangor Rovers and United Bangor Colleges. The history of the Colleges is a rich one and one to which we shall return. As to the other clubs, if you’ve any information or stories, please get in touch with the Club.

Photo credit: A Coast of Soccer Memories 1894-1994, Author and Publisher Gareth Davies

Read previous articles by Dafydd Hughes about the history of football in Bangor:
Back the the future: football in Bangor since 1876
Football in Bangor: the first quarter century