Northern Lights: The most Northerly team in Wales.

Words: Sam Eaden

Images: Sam Eaden

When you think of North Wales you think of the beautiful Snowdonia mountain range, the majestic castles in Caernarfon or Conwy, the golden beaches of the Llyn Peninsula or the wide open lakes that sit at the foot of the mountains.

Unfortunately, you don't really think of football. With the nearest professional football team being Wrexham AFC, professional football passes by North West Wales.

However, despite this, Football is still a stronghold in most villages and towns with near enough everywhere fielding a side. Anglesey is no different. With a population of around 70,000 it still manages to boast 18 teams in Saturday football, with five reserve teams and three women's teams. Not bad for an island that is only 276 square miles.

But one team holds a geographical trophy high above its head.

Founded in 1897, Amlwch Town FC is the most Northern football team in Wales. Neighbours Cemaes Bay push them close but the team from Lon Bach edge it by no more than a few hundred metres. Amlwch itself could be seen as the end of the world. It's now disused Port looking out to the Irish Sea towards Cumbria. You can't go East or you'll end up in the sea and if you go North you'll find a similar fate.

Between 2002 and 2004 The Town reached tier two of the Welsh pyramid, plying their trade in the Welsh Alliance (Cymru North in todays world) battling against Welsh giants such as CPD Porthmadog, Llandudno FC and a host of other now established tier two teams.

©Sam Eaden/ Terrace Edition. Amlwch Town FC.

However, those three seasons would be the peak for Amlwch, finishing bottom in 2004 with just two wins to their name. Ever since, tier three has been the ceiling with more recent times seeing stagnation in tier four.

In the summer just gone a request to be relegated to tier five was refused by the NWCFA and the FAW, meaning Amlwch would stay in tier four. A Welsh cup victory over Llanrug United presented the Town with some confidence heading into the league season.

However, after conceding 11 goals in their next two games, the hope was that they could build confidence with a win over CPD Gwalchmai at Lon Bach. A tightly contested first half followed through to the second until former Wrexham Youth Geraint Jones came off the bench and scored a pair of screamers, the second of which being a 35 yard free kick, which sealed the points for Gwalch.

With a team of local lads, the hope for Amlwch is they can hopefully build on their disappointing season last year and begin to rebuild the reputation the top side of the island previously held with 31 trophies being amassed by Amlwch throughout their history post WW2.

This only being amplified by rivals Cemaes Bay being promoted to tier four with the first of their derbies being played at the end of September at Lon Bach with a hope Amlwch can sure up at the back and start firing up front, to push them back up the ladder and show that the top side of the island is still as strong as it used to be.

You can find Sam on Twitter: @sameaden and Instagram: @eadophoto

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