This page is in memory of Keith Harding, Chairman of Newtown Football Club. Photos relate to the club and are selected from a wide variety of photos in his collection. Grateful thanks to Mrs May Harding, his daughter Nicky and the family for permitting their use. My thanks to the many people who have assisted with supplying names and other information relating to Newtown F.C..See acknowledgements at foot of page. Owners of the copyright of photos are being sought for their permission. Please re visited the page as items are continuously being added.


A
KEITH HARDING
SELECTION
up to 1959
featuring
A HISTORY OF
NEWTOWN A.F.C.

and Football in Newtown
click here for 1960 onwards

click here for  the Robins Reunion photos

 

Keith Harding
Keith Harding

A selection of Keith's photograph collection 
and other Newtown footballing memorabilia,
recorded here in his memory.

 

AGE CONCERN, MONTGOMERYSHIRE
kindly offered the use of their display window to promote

A KEITH HARDING SELECTION.


From June to mid July 2008, sample photos were on display at
11 - 12 Market Street, Newtown, Powys.




 1940s 1950s 1960s REUNION

Did you play for Newtown A.F.C. during the 1940's,1950s or 1960's? 

If so, you are invited to a
Robins Reunion
at LATHAM PARK CLUBHOUSE
on Saturday 19th July 2008,
between 1pm and 5pm


The invitation is also open to surviving wives of players who have sadly passed away.

For more information
please contact
Nicky Morris on 07811 385 253
or e-mail Ken Davies at
mail@penmon.orghe reunion is being arranged as part of
A KEITH HARDING SELECTION


Keith Harding

Can you help please?
If you have any old photos or programmes which can be scanned and returned to you, or interesting facts on Newtown F.C.
to add to the collection, 
please contact Ken Davies on mail@penmon.org

Newtown White Stars

The name 'White Stars' is historic dating back to the 1870's - a report in the Montgomeryshire Express in July 1879, talks of how the team won the North Wales Challenge Cup. The team was set up by an Edward Gittins - a blacksmith from Coedyffridd and the name seems to derive from the fact that the team was made up of mostly working class men who simply couldn't afford a football strip. They needed to differentiate themselves from Newtown FC so got their mums to sew material in the shape of a white star on their different colour jerseys and the Newtown White Stars were born!! It appears that they didn't have a home ground...reports from the time state they played most of their matches away but their HQ was unsurprisingly a pub - the Greyhound Inn on the site of the Iceland store.

 

WELSH CUP FINAL
1878/79
Newtown White Star 1v0 Wrexham 
(E.Rees)
29th March 1879, Oswestry

Newtown White Stars: G Mumford, J Davies, T Jones, E H Morgan, T Pryce, W Andrew, G Woosnam,
E Gittins (capt), G Thomas, S Davies, E Rees.
Wrexham: J Davies, C Murless, T W Davies, F Owen, C Edwards, E A Cross, T Boden, J W Lloyd, J Price,
E Evans, H Loxham

Welsh Football Data Archive;
Newtown White Stars, Welsh Cup Winners 1878/79
Click here to see all the Welsh Cup results that year.

 


THE WELSH CUP

WELSH CUP FINAL
1880/81

Druids 2 v 0 Newtown White Star
(Vaughan, Cross)
26 March 1881

Druids: B Roberts, J Powell, A Powell, W Williams,
E Bowen, D Heywood, J W Lloyd, C F Ketley, K Cross,
J Jones, J Vaughan
White Stars: H Hibbott, T Jones, D Owen, A Andrew,
E H Morgan, W Andrew, E Gittins (capt.), D Williams,
E Rees, Williams, Woosnam
 

Welsh Football Data Archive;
Newtown White Stars, Welsh Cup Finalists 1880/81
Click here to see all the Welsh Cup results that year

When several parents approached Keith Harding about setting up a team, he was writing the history of soccer in the area and decided to revive this traditional name. We intend to honour his memory and that of the original White Stars by ensuring successful teams at different age levels...although hopefully we won't have to resort to sewing material stars on our shirts!

Newtown Whitestars became the junior section of Newtown Football Club in Sept 2005. Come on the White Stars!

Steve Jones...with thanks to David Pugh, local historian, and in memory of Keith Harding.


Keith Harding

DID YOU KNOW?

The first recorded football match to be played officially in Newtown was on the 9th February 1875. Members of the newly formed Newtown Club took part in a final on the 'Cunnings' field (where the Bowling Club & Town Car Park are located today). There is some evidence of a Newtown F.C. team playing games in 1874.

Keith Harding

DID YOU KNOW?

Newtown took part in the first ever Welsh Cup tie on Saturday 13th October 1877, against Druids of Ruabon.

SPONSORSHIP

If you are interested in sponsoring this
KEITH HARDING SELECTION
webpage
please contact
Ken Davies at
mail@penmon.org  
All monies will go directly to help support
NEWTOWN WHITESTARS Junior Football Teams

Keith Harding

DID YOU KNOW?

H. Hibbott of Newtown Excelsior earned two International Caps, when he played in goal for Wales in 1880. Wales lost 3v2 at Wrexham, to England, and lost 5v1 against Scotland in Glasgow on the 27th March 1880. The following season, he played for Newtown White Stars.

Keith Harding

DID YOU KNOW?

R. Hibbott of Newtown, played for Wales against Scotland in 1885, wearing the number 7 shirt. Wales lost 8v1 at Wrexham.

W. E. Pryce Jones of Newtown,
also played for Cambridge University.
He was capped 5 times for Wales.
1887 v Scotland lost 0-2 at Wrexham
1888 v Scotland lost 1-5 at Edinburgh
          v England lost  1-5 at Crewe
          v Northern Ireland won 11-0 at Wrexham and scored one goal
1890 v Northern Ireland won 5-2 at Shrewsbury and scored two goals
E. Pryce Jones

Wales 11v0 Ireland 1888.
R. Humphreys, Jos Davies, A.O. Davies, R.H. Mills-Roberts, John Powell, D. Jones
W.E. Pryce Jones, Newtown, Job Wilding, John Doughty, Roger Doughty, E. Gwynne-Howell


NEWTOWN F. C.
SHROPSHIRE LEAGUE
1892/93 - 1895/96

SEASON      P    W    D    L    F    A    Pts    POS
1892-93       16    8     6    2   72   24   22      1/9
1893-94       18   12    1    5   68   28   25      2/10
1894-95       17    8     2    7   42   35   18      5/10
1895-96       18   10    2    6   48   29   22      4/10

WELSH SENIOR LEAGUE
1896-97

SEASON    P    W     D   L    F     A    Pts    POS
1896-97     14   10    1    3   50   10   21      2/8

SHROPSHIRE LEAGUE
1897/98- 1898/99

SEASON     P     W     D  L     F    A   Pts      POS
1897-98       18   13    1    4   64   21   27      2/10
1898-99       11    5     2    4   26   16   12      4/7

COMBINATION
1999/00

SEASON      P     W   D   L     F    A   Pts      POS
1899-00        16    6    1    9   34   56   13      6/9
FINAL TABLE THE COMBINATION 1899-1900
=====================================

1. Chirk AAA                   16-24  (36-12)  10  4  2     
2. Wrexham                    16-23  (58-25)  11  1  4         
3. Druids Ruabon             16-21  (38-28)   9  3  4 
4. Bangor FC                   16-17  (37-36)   8  1  7         
5. Birkenhead                  16-13  (27-37)   4  5  7         
6. Newtown AFC              16-13  (34-56)   6  1  9   
7. Aberystwyth FC           16-12  (23-36)   4  4  8  
8. Oswestry United(-2)      16-10  (30-28)   5  2  9         
9. Rhyl                            16- 9   (36-47)   2  5  9
(C) Copyright Dinant Abbink and RSSSF 2006
Info copyright of Football Club History Database
wwww.fchd.info

Wales 1895, before their International against England in London.
Included in the Welsh team, is Albert W. Pryce-Jones, Newtown. 

  WELSH CUP FINAL
1894/95
Newtown 3v2 Wrexham
(W Pryce-Jones 2, unknown v Harrison, Lewis)
14th April 1895 (Welshpool)

Newtown: R Goodwin, A Townsend, J Harper, H Tucker, T Chapman,
T Worthington, W E Pryce-Jones (capt), E Morgan, H F Mytton,
H Parry, A W Pryce-Jones
Wrexham: W Ball, A E Ellis, E Samuels, H Beeston, A Lea, A Hayes,
B Lewis, T Owen, H Trainer, R Davies, W C Harrison

Welsh Football Data Archive;
Newtown, Welsh Cup Winners 1894/1895
Click here to see all the Welsh Cup Results that year

Keith Harding

DID YOU KNOW?

On the 31st December 1895, Newtown travelled to Manchester to meet Manchester City. The then Welsh Cup holders shocked the City team by winning 3-2. Chapman, an ex-Newtown player and the famous Billy Meredith were prominent for City. W. Parry scored a hat-trick for Newtown that day.

Can you please help identify the following team?

Keith Harding

DID YOU KNOW?

The Montgomeryshire and District League started in 1904, with Aberystwyth, Welshpool, Llandinam, UCW, Royal Welsh Warehouse (Newtown) and Newtown being founder members. This was the fore runner of the Spar Mid Wales League. Newtown have an unbroken membership of the League since 1904 to the present day.


MONTGOMERYSHIRE LEAGUE -the early years



1904-05 Montgomeryshire & District League              

Aberystwyth Town 10 7 2 1 29 12 16

Newtown North End 10 7 1 2 26 10 15

UCW Aberystwyth 10 4 2 4 26 23 10

Welshpool 10 3 2 5 17 22 8

Royal Welsh Warehouse Newtown 10 3 2 5 17 29 8

Llandinam 10 1 1 8 9 27 3
1905-06                

Newtown North End 8 6 0 2 16 6 12

UCW Aberystwyth 8 5 1 2 17 14 11

Aberystwyth Town 8 4 1 3 27 22 9

Royal Welsh Warehouse 8 2 1 5 11 20 5

Welshpool 8 1 1 6 5 14 3
1906-07                

Aberystwyth Town 12 9 3 0 52 7 21

UCW Aberystwyth 12 8 2 2 28 17 18

Welshpool 12 7 3 2 28 15 15*

Newtown North End 12 5 0 7 32 35 10

Llanidloes 12 3 2 7 18 38 8

Royal Welsh Warehouse Newtown 12 3 1 8 16 29 7

Montgomery 12 1 1 10 10 43 3

* 2pts deducted              
1907-08                

Aberystwyth Town 14 14 0 0 73 13 28

UCW Aberystwyth 14 4 8 2 30 25 16

Llanidloes United 14 5 5 4 23 29 15

Towyn Rovers 13 4 5 4 24 26 13

Newtown North End 14 3 7 4 21 28 13

Royal Welsh Warehouse Newtown 14 3 5 6 16 29 11

Montgomery 14 2 5 7 15 37 9

Oswestry Works AO 13 0 5 8 14 37 5

One match not played              
1908-09                

Llanidloes 14 9 2 3 39 15 20

Towyn Rovers 14 7 4 3 27 15 18

Royal Welsh Warehouse Newtown 14 6 5 3 36 25 17

UCW Aberystwyth 14 4 6 4 30 26 14

Llanfyllin Town 14 4 5 5 25 32 13

Momtgomery 13 2 6 5 17 29 10

Aberystwyth Town 13 3 4 6 17 27 10

Newtown North End 14 2 4 8 18 37 8

One match not played






1909-10                

Llanidloes 16 14 0 2 64 12 28

Llanfyllin Town 16 10 2 4 41 16 22

Towyn 16 9 3 4 30 18 21

Aberystwyth Town 16 8 1 7 42 40 17

Royal Welsh Warehouse Newtown 16 6 4 6 34 47 16

Welshpool 16 7 1 8 28 34 15

UCW Aberystwyth 16 5 3 8 21 31 13

Caersws 16 4 1 11 20 40 9

Montgomery 16 1 1 14 17 54 3
1910-11                

  PL W D L F A PTS

RWF 11 7 2 2 37 15 16

Llanfyllin 11 7 2 2 39 21 16

Llanidloes 10 7 2 1 34 12 14

UCW Aberystwyth 12 5 3 4 35 30 13

Barmouth 11 4 1 6 25 40 9

Aberystwyth 10 2 1 7 18 35 5

Newtown Royal Welsh Warehouse 10 2 1 9 27 52 5

 

SPOTLIGHT ON 1907

PLAY UP NEWTOWN!

Craven Cottage

Montgomeryshire Express 12th March 1907
Undoubtedly the best wing half in the International at Wrexham on Monday was George Latham, one of Newtown's sons. He gave a very creditable performance and is fully deserving of the honour conferred upon him of being again elected to represent Wales against England.

Montgomeryshire Express 26 March 1907
ENGLAND V WALES Craven Cottage
A few old Newtonians had a happy time at Craven Cottage on Monday. Several of them met outside the ground to see George Latham when the player drove up in a motor car. We gave him a good old cheer and shook hands all round. 'Play Up Newtown!' was the cry on the ground and we nearly shouted ourselves hoarse. George did play a game too, well worthy of the town. 

 

Wales 3v2 Ireland, Belfast 1907.
Players back row; George Latham, G.O. Williams, J. Roberts, L.R. Roose, Lloyd Davies, Ll. Davies, Linesman Evan Rees, Newtown
Front Row; Mr S. Roberts, trainer, Lot Jones, Arthur Hughes, W. Meredith. R. Morris (formerly Newtown), Gordon Jones.

Keith Harding

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1907, a league was formed in connection with the County School Football Club, and to the winners of that league, a shield was offered. The successful team was West, captained by Jim Phillips, and Headmaster R. Forrester made the formal presentation. 


Reverse of Medal reads;

C. P. CHALLINOR
R.W.W.
WINNERS
MONT CHALLENGE CUP
1906   1907

Mr Mike Lewis is pictured here at Newtown Football Club, with his grandfather, Mr C.P. Challinor's medal.

Mr Challinor played for Royal Welsh Warehouse, Newtown in the Montgomeryshire Cup final, where they beat Welshpool. See Did You Know? below, to read about the semi final. 

Montgomeryshire Cup Final 1906/07
Royal Welsh Warehouse 3v2 Llanidloes (aet)

The first winners of the Trophy were the R.W.W. Newtown team who beat Llanidloes after extra time.
The R.W.W. side were to have played Welshpool in the final, but after a protest from Llanidloes, who Welshpool had beaten in the semi-final, the game was awarded to Llanidloes by the Welsh F.A.. As a result of the protest and the debate it caused, the 1906/07 Final was in fact played in the September of the 1907/08 season.

The final was played on the Grove Meadow ground at Montgomery on September 28th 1907 - 4.30 start. The referee was a well known official, a Mr Baker of Nantwich.
A crowd of over 700 people watched the keenly contested game and after extra time, the R.W.W. team won 3v2. The Cup was presented to the winning captain, Johnny Bellis by Lord and Lady Powys.
Scorers for R.W.W. were W.E. Owen (2 pens) and J. Bellis, while for Llanidloes, G. Smith and G. Evans scored.

The teams were;
R.W.W.; J.E. Powell; E.R. Morris, C.P. Challinor, H. Morgan, R.E. Evans, J. Bellis capt, T.J. Evans, M. Jones, W. Denny, W.E. Owen, E. Garnett 
Llanidloes; J.B. Griffiths, J.E. Morgan, C. Smith, G. Breeze, G. Evans, J. Evans, B. Smith, J. Bradbury, T. Hughes, G. Morris, O. George

Montgomeryshire Cup Final 1907/08
Royal Welsh Warehouse 2v1 Newtown North End

The trophy was retained by the R.W.W. team who played their local rivals, Newtown North End 2v1 in the Final. There were eleven entries, Montgomery, Welshpool, Newtown N.E., Machynlleth, Llanfyllin, R.W.W., Chirbury, Llanidloes Utd, Caersws Utd, Berriew and Newtown Excelsiors.

The Cup Final teams were;
R.W.W.; J.E. Powell, C. Challinor, H. Morgan, E.R. Morgan, R. Evans, J. Bellis, T. Evans, M. Jones, W. Owen, Arnold Owen, E. Garnett.
Newtown N.E.; G. Hibbott, W. Jones, J. Morris, T. Richards, E. Morgan, R.A. Swettenham, J. Jones, J. Thomas, N. Jones, A.N. Powell, F. Williams.

This information on the Cup is taken from notes Keith Harding had prepared as part of his uncompleted History of the Montgomeryshire Cup.


Keith Harding

DID YOU KNOW?

In the 1907 Montgomeryshire Cup semi final, RWW complained that Llanfyllin arrived late and the bad rain had made the  pitch difficult. Teams agreed to postponed the semi final played a friendly instead. Llanfyllin won 1-0.

The Montgomeryshire Express wrote; After settling down, Llanfyllin became the aggressors, but found Challinor in fine form.Of the players, Challinor of the Warehouse takes first place, his kicking and tackling  being very fine. But for him, the loss would certainly have been heavier.

RWW won the semi final 1-0. It was typical cup tie according to the paper. The Myllinites nearly brought the downfall of RWW, but Powell and Challinor were in fine form  

Montgomeryshire Express, 21st May 1907
T. E. Pennington, Newtown's clever goalkeeper would secure a good opportunity for the next season, as last week, Tommy signed on for Reading, a Southern League team.  

Keith Harding

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1907, a friendly encounter was contested by Newtown North End and the Whie Stars. The Stars were a much lighter XI than their opponents but gave almost as good an exhibition. North End won 6v2. Two penalty kicks were awarede to the White Stars, but they were unfruitful. 

Keith Harding

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1907, Newtown held the Welsh Amateur Cup Final between Buckley Engineers and Aberystwyth. The Engineers won 4v0 in a replay, after a 2v2 draw.