Rhewl: Football for the villages

Words: Mike Dolan

Images: Mike Dolan

The year is 1927. With unemployment on the rise, a committee meets in the Cocoa Rooms, Llandyrnog, in the heart of rural Denbighshire, to discuss plans for a football tournament to provide an outlet for the frustrations of the men of five villages over the long summer evenings.

It is a safe bet that few on the committee would have predicted that their creation, the Llandyrnog and District Village Clubs Summer Football League would still be flourishing almost a century later having only been interrupted briefly by World War II.

Although never officially recognised by the Welsh FA, the league boasts proudly of having offered an opportunity for thousands of young men to play football over those years – and, for the first time this year, women and girls too.

The league’s unique rule is that the clubs entering its competitions – a league followed by a knockout cup - must draw its players from a prescribed geographical area. Success is not for sale here.

Ten sides from the Vale of Clwydd and two from the Flintshire hills make up this year’s contingent. While facilities vary from one ground to another – beers on sale at some, hot drinks in proper mugs at others - a stunning setting is all but guaranteed.

Here in Rhewl, where clinical finishing saw the visitors Llanfair, in red, begin their march to the final, the twisted spine of the majestic Clwyddian Range provides the spectacular backdrop. A large crowd of all ages was in attendance soaking up the evening sunshine. Younger children arranged kickabouts of their own while teenagers gathered in clusters on the grass. Among those focused more intently on the game was at least one spectator who could no doubt claim to have forgotten more about the game of football than most of us will ever know.

As with all the matches, the post-match destination for the two sides was a local pub. Winning is important – this is football after all – but community matters more, and there can be few leagues that epitomise football as community better than this.

You can find Mike on Twitter: @MikeDol04757266

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