In two weeks’ time Merthyr Town will be celebrating the greatest night in the club’s history at a gala evening at the Met Coaches Stadium, better known as Penydarren Park.
The Merthyr Town Legends Night on Friday, 20 March, will see former Martyrs Kevin Rogers, Peter Jones, Chris Holvey and Andy Beatie re-living the magical night under the lights when Merthyr took on and beat Atalanta in the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
After winning the Welsh Cup for the third time in the club’s history in 1987, beating Newport County 1-0 in a replay, they took part in the second-tier European club competition in the 1987-88 season.
In the first round they were drawn against Italian glitterati Atalanta and produced a huge giant-killing act at home in the first leg, beating their illustrious opponents 2-1. Sadly the return leg finished 2-0 to Atalanta and it was an early exit for the Martyrs.
But even now, more than 30 years later, the night stands out as one of the greatest moment’s in Welsh football history.
Tickets for the Legends Night are on sale now and are priced at £20, with a two-course carvery also provided. The following day the Martyrs entertain Southern Premier Division South league leaders Truro City, when all former players are invited to attend the game as part of an annual ex-players’ event.
But as magical as Merthyr’s victory against Atalanta was there have been far too few nights like that since the club first came into being in the summer of 1908. Could the key to more be to follow the example of Colwyn Bay and to switch allegiance from the English pyramid to join the Cymru Leagues?
When the Cymru Premier was founded in 1992-93 the Welsh FA campaigned hard to persuade clubs in the English pyramid to join the league, with Merthyr one of those who resisted.
But now almost 30 years later has the Welsh system developed into a more attractive proposition for the Martyrs? This season’s restructuring of the Cymru Leagues saw Colwyn Bay opt to make the transition from the Northern League to the Cymru North, might it now be time for Merthyr to make the move to the Cymru South?
Since the Cymru Premier was formed the Welsh champions have competed at the top level of European football with Barry Town playing Dinamo Kiev and notching up another memorable European win for a Welsh club when they beat Portuguese giants Porto 3-1 in a second-leg encounter at Jenner Park in 2001. Barry lost the tie 9-3 on aggregate but the Welsh way provided a night the club’s supporters will never forget.
TNS have also had some big European adventures: going to Anfield in 2005, Anderlecht in 2010 and Copenhagen at the start of this season.
The second-tier Europa League has also provided some lasting memories for Welsh sides, with Connah’s Quay knocking out Kilmarnock this campaign before going out to Partizan Belgrade.
Llanelli beat Dinamo Tbilisi 2-1 at Stebonheath Park in 2011, although they lost the tie 6-2 on aggregate, while Newtown played against Copenhagen in 2015.
Martyrs’ History
Merthyr played their first competitive match in the South Wales League on 4 September 1908 against Swansea, finishing the season in mid-table.
The following year they were accepted into the Southern League and for the next 36 years they remained members of the English pyramid, with the likes of Portsmouth, Crystal Palace, Cardiff City and Southampton among the visitors to Penydarren Park.
On 29 May 1920 Merthyr were elected to the newly-formed Football League Division 3 (South), with Crystal Palace the first Football League visitors to Penydarren Park on 18 August that year. Watched by 16,937 spectators, Merthyr beat the Londoners 2-1 with the club’s first ever Football League goal coming from Willie Walker.
The Martyrs finished eighth in the league that year but the harsh economic climate in the South Wales valleys during the 1920s had a huge impact on the club and, having already survived two re-election votes to the Football League, they lost their status in 1930. The club continued in the Southern League but in June 1934 debt forced them out of business.
After World War II the club was re-formed as Merthyr Tydfil and in 1945 the Martyrs joined the Welsh League. In their first season they finished as runners-up and once again moved into the Southern League.
The club were immensely successful in their first few seasons, winning the championship in 1947-48, 1949-50, 1950-51, 1951-52 and 1953-54.
They beat Swansea Town 2-0 in the 1949 Welsh Cup final and in 1950-51 Merthyr won the Welsh Cup again beating Cardiff City 3-2 in a replay. That year they also won the Southern League, the Southern League Cup and the Welsh Challenge Cup.
The club also finished runners-up in the Welsh Cup in 1947 and 1952. But despite their league success, they failed to be elected to the Football League and remained in the Southern League until promotion to the Football Conference was secured in 1988 with a 3-1 win over Crawley Town.
Merthyr’s stay in the Conference was brief with their highest finish being fourth in 1992. They were relegated in 1995 and remained in the Southern League until 2010 when financial troubles once again forced the liquidation of the club.
Re-formed under the ownership of a supporters’ trust as Merthyr Town, the Martyrs dropped three divisions to begin the 2010-11 season in Western Football League Division One.
Consecutive promotions as champions of Division One and the Premier Division put the Martyrs back in the Southern League… this time in Division One South & West.
And only five years after being expelled Merthyr returned to the Premier Division in 2015 after a 9-0 home win against Bishops Cleeve.
But the situation hasn’t been great since with the financial constraints of competing in the Southern League putting a huge burden on the club during the 2017-18 season, when they finished in 17th place.
Restructuring of the Southern League for the following season saw Merthyr competing in the Premier Division South, where they currently sit in 12th place.
Off the pitch the club’s financial situation remains a concern and the viability of remaining in the Southern League must be questionable.
The club has a rich history that goes back to 1908 in various guises but other than a number of Southern League titles, three Welsh Cup triumphs, a few big FA Cup matches and one tie against Atalanta… has their time in the English pyramid provided sufficient memories to warrant running the risk of a third winding-up order by staying in the Southern League?
The Martyrs are a side with too rich a history to be lost to Welsh football, has the time come for them to once again march proudly into Europe… perhaps representing Wales in the Champions League?
Check out the Merthyr website for tickets to the Legends Night on 20 March
