523:, and as players were paid to play, this pointed at problems with the payment of salaries. Unlike other clubs, Merthyr never set themselves up as a limited company, and there was confusion as to who employed the players. Further evidence of the general managerial confusion behind the club was revealed when Messrs Ellison & Co. took legal action against the club about an unpaid bill for hiring of turnstiles. At the hearing at Merthyr County Court in December 1910, the judge asked the club secretary who was running the club; the secretary replied that he did not know.
187:, the governing body of rugby union in Wales. At the AGM a proposal was made for Merthyr Alexandria to adopt professionalism and join the Northern Union, but this was overwhelmingly rejected by the committee. Even though Merthyr Alexandria remained true to the amateur sport, within a week of the AGM it was reported that fixtures had been arranged, players signed and guarantors found for a new professional rugby club in Merthyr.
199:
363:
in
November 1908. Merthyr had a good Northern League season through their victories over their fellow Welsh clubs, winning nine matches out of eleven encounters. In comparison, they only won twice and drew once out of seven matches against the Northern clubs. These results left Merthyr eighth out of
358:
The season was of mixed fortunes for
Merthyr: it was the club's most successful in the Northern Rugby League, but they were average at best in the matches in the Welsh League. Merthyr still struggled away from home, though they achieved their first away victory over English opposition when they beat
163:
was the sport of choice for most villages and towns in Wales. The sport was strictly amateur, and players were not expected to receive any monies for taking part in the sport. If players were discovered taking payments, they and their club could be permanently suspended. The problem facing Welsh
303:
A more worrying matter for the club than their league position was the gate receipts. The season opener against Oldham attracted between 2000 and 3000 spectators, a disappointing number, though the weather was poor and the admission price a bit high. The more established
Northern teams such as
292:. All the wins came at home, and their away form was poor. They finished the season with only eight wins and one draw out of thirty games, coming 23rd out of 27 clubs; but the League run was still seen as a success for a first season. Merthyr also managed to progress to the third round of the
347:, an ex-New Zealand dual-code rugby international. Unfortunately for Merthyr, he injured his ankle in his début match, and was an infrequent member of the first team. The club was then forced to recruit local amateurs to fill their ranks, though they did gain the services of
390:
Crowds for the season were between 3000 and 4000 for most matches; even the touring
Australian team mustered a gate of 4000. The best crowd of the season was when Ebbw Vale visited in December for their Northern League encounter, when 5000 people watched the match.
530:
that the club had been initially backed by two bonds totalling £760, but by the end of the second season the club was in debt for £473. It was then decided to float the club as a company, but although directors were appointed, no flotation took place.
518:
Although
Merthyr Tydfil was facing a bleak future due to competition from Merthyr Town AFC, its demise was hastened by poor administration. In December 1909 it was reported that 'as usual several selected players failed to turn up' for a match against
497:. It was reported that the team 'cut a ridiculous figure' during the match, and the club officials 'realised that if they were to retain public support the tide of defeats would have to be stemmed'. Merthyr rose to the challenge briefly, beating
445:
On the pitch, the team failed to build on the previous season's success, and struggled to win matches. In the Welsh League they finished second from three, and in the
Northern League they managed only two wins, both at home, over Treherbert and
304:
Broughton attracted a crowd of 4000, while the clash between
Merthyr and the New Zealand national team brought in between 8000 and 12,000 people. Crowd control was sometimes an issue, and the College ground was suspended for two weeks after the
141:
and
Northern Union. Based at College Field, Merthyr Tydfil were one of the first professional Welsh teams, and folded in 1911 after the failure of the Welsh League. Merthyr Tydfil produced five players who would go on to represent the
505:
in the next two games, but their form slipped again and these results were followed by four more losses. By the end of
December Merthyr had played 18 games, with five wins and 13 losses. On 31 December 1910, the team faced
364:
31, the best result achieved by any Welsh club in the early 20th century. The results in the Welsh League were not as impressive, winning five and losing five. The most telling results were the home and away losses to both
407:. Further problems emerged when Merthyr began losing some of their best talent to the Northern clubs. J. Cowmeadow, a prolific winger who scored the winning try for the Welsh League XIII against Australia, was signed to
434:. Matters were made worse when Merthyr Tydfil switched grounds from College Park to the Rhydycar Ground on the outskirts of the town. Despite a change of venue, the crowds were still boisterous, and after a defeat to
231:
340:. This allowed the formation of the Welsh League, but that in turn meant fewer games against the Northern opposition, as the ten fixtures of the Welsh League replaced ten matches against English teams.
1053:
510:
in the
Challenge Cup, and lost 18-3. This was the club's last game: in January, with finances spiralling out of control and the season only half played, the club ceased to exist.
632:
reintroduced rugby league in the area. Playing at the Grove Field, the Wildcats grew from junior sides in the 2008 season to include adult sides for the first time in 2010.
442:, cutting his head. The Rhydycar Ground was suspended for four weeks, and the club treasurer was also suspended when he claimed the club had no money to pay the referee.
387:
team came to College Park. Merthyr beat the tourists 15-13, and also supplied eight players to a Welsh League XIII who defeated the Australian team on 16 January 1909.
111:
214:
which Merthyr lost 25-6. Merthyr continued to struggle against the more established northern teams, losing ten games in succession, though they had close matches with
489:
were the only remaining Welsh clubs, so the Welsh League was abandoned. The season began with four straight losses in September, followed by an away defeat to
1043:
168:
and formed their own league where players were paid to play. Many rugby union clubs found their star players poached from them by the new Northern League.
849:
757:
355:
for £60 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £21,100 in 2013), an amount the club treasurer claimed he paid himself.
317:
1048:
1033:
179:, alleged that Merthyr was involved in professionalism. He stated that not only had the secretary of Merthyr Alexandria, W.T. Jones, demanded £7 5
732:
164:
rugby was the rise of the professional Northern Union (later rugby league) in the North of England, where several clubs had split away from the
430:
The season also saw a marked decline in attendance figures, with many supporters switching their allegiance to local association football team
262:
146:, and in the 1908-09 season finished eighth in the Northern League, the best result achieved by any of the first six professional Welsh teams.
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670:
457:
Wales played in two international games during this season, both against England. In the first game on 4 December 1909, Wales travelled to
384:
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235:
454:. They ended the Northern League with two wins, a draw and 18 losses, finishing 27th out of 28 clubs, one place ahead of Treherbert.
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689:
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to bring his team to play Aberdare, but also Merthyr paid players per match. These allegations prompted an investigation by the
399:
With the collapse of half of the Welsh teams before the start of the season, the Welsh League now consisted of just Merthyr,
629:
375:
Wales played just one international match during the season, away to England. Merthyr provided two players to the game
917:
557:
416:
380:
266:
465:, Merthyr saw David "Dai" Davies collect his fourth consecutive cap. The second encounter was played at Ebbw Vale's
450:. Their away record was awful, losing all encounters, some very heavily, including 0-56 to Warrington and 0-67 to
171:
At the start of the 20th century the most successful rugby team in Merthyr was Merthyr Alexandria. At the club's
165:
324:
The 1908-09 season saw the first real attempt to bring rugby league to Wales: four new Welsh teams were formed,
250:
420:
172:
190:
In July 1907 a Merthyr Tydfil rugby league team joined the Northern Union and the Northern Rugby League.
458:
238:
at home. By the end of 1907 they had picked up more points in the Northern Rugby League, with wins over
104:
806:
736:
494:
276:
As the season continued, Merthyr's performances on the pitch improved, with wins over Huddersfield,
273:, a former rugby union international, who scored the winning try to give Wales their first victory.
567:
526:
In January 1911, after the club's final game, the former club secretary J.B. Evans reported to the
297:
289:
270:
243:
348:
343:
Merthyr started the season with one of their biggest signings when they acquired the services of
316:
383:. Merthyr also faced their second international opposition during the season, when the touring
226:(6-8). During their ten match losing run, they lost their first ever all-Welsh encounter, when
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685:
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490:
466:
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412:
408:
372:, the teams that ended first and second respectively, leaving Merthyr third out of six teams.
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219:
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Merthyr Tydfil played their first Northern Union match on 7 September 1907, a home game to
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On 1 January 1908, the first true international rugby league match took place. Played on
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game, after the referee reported he had been 'molested' by the spectators.
254:
234:. Merthyr's first victory came on 16 November 1907, when they beat
315:
197:
134:
539:
Players earning international caps while at Merthyr Tydfil RLFC
701:
Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union
265:. Merthyr supplied two of its players to the first Wales team:
230:
beat them 2-0, and on 2 November they were beaten by the
411:. He was followed later in the season by forward player
16:
Defunct Welsh rugby league club, based in Merthyr Tydfil
810:
682:
Tries in the Valley: A History of Rugby League in Wales
110:
96:
82:
77:
59:
41:
31:
26:
574:in 1908 against New Zealand, and won two caps for
493:. On 8 October, Merthyr were humiliated 13-70 by
485:folding during the mid-season break, Merthyr and
175:in July 1907, E.M. Rees, the former secretary of
624:Reintroduction of rugby league in Merthyr Tydfil
894:"Measuring Worth - Relative Value of UK Pounds"
628:Almost a century after the club collapsed, the
1054:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1911
8:
21:
932:
930:
619:former New Zealand Dual-code international
20:
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123:Merthyr Tydfil Rugby League Football Club
36:Merthyr Tydfil Rugby League Football Club
879:
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869:
867:
850:"R League: Jones did the double over NZ"
774:
772:
770:
768:
766:
724:
699:Smith, David; Williams, Gareth (1980).
469:; three Merthyr players were selected:
438:the supporters pelted the referee with
703:. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
684:. London: London League Publications.
665:. Brighouse: League Publications Ltd.
159:At the beginning of the 20th century,
7:
758:R League: The day Wales made history
735:. Welsh Rugby League. Archived from
473:, David "Dai" Davies and Dan Lewis.
1044:Defunct rugby league teams in Wales
896:. Measuring Worth. 31 December 2014
232:very first touring New Zealand side
680:Lush, Peter; Farrar, Dave (1998).
14:
939:Merthyr Express, 15 January 2009
423:Palmer Griffiths were signed by
144:Wales national rugby league team
1049:1911 disestablishments in Wales
1034:Rugby clubs established in 1907
848:Phil Blanche (1 January 2008).
242:and Ebbw Vale, and a draw with
760:Wales Online, 23 December 2007
1:
296:after wins over Beverley and
1029:1907 establishments in Wales
630:Tydfil Wildcats Rugby League
612:Other international players
257:, the game was contested by
65:; 113 years ago
578:in 1908 against New Zealand
1070:
550:who beat Australia 14-13
166:International Rugby Board
915:Kangaroo Tour: 1908-1909
733:"History of Welsh Clubs"
646:. Ripponden: R.E. Gate.
1039:Sport in Merthyr Tydfil
663:All Blacks to All Golds
47:; 117 years ago
22:Merthyr Tydfil R.L.F.C.
950:"Late Football Gossip"
924:Sean Fagan, rl1908.com
321:
207:
661:Haynes, John (2007).
642:Gate, Robert (1986).
608:between 1908 and 1910
564:between 1908 and 1910
319:
201:
996:Lush (1998), pg. 258
838:Gate (1986), pg. 141
796:Lush (1998), pg. 257
644:Gone North: Volume 1
592:Thomas John Paddison
495:Hull Kingston Rovers
1012:Lush (1998), pg. 22
987:Lush (1998), pg. 21
954:The Merthyr Express
883:Lush (1998), pg. 20
778:Lush (1998), pg. 19
125:was a professional
23:
920:2008-05-23 at the
813:on 10 October 2017
560:won four caps for
558:David "Dai" Davies
554:on 19 January 1909
417:David "Dai" Davies
322:
288:and a high-flying
267:David "Dai" Davies
208:
672:978-1-901347-17-3
604:won two caps for
548:Welsh League XIII
503:Bradford Northern
409:York City Knights
286:Wakefield Trinity
224:Bradford Northern
220:Broughton Rangers
185:Welsh Rugby Union
120:
119:
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809:. Archived from
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739:on 1 August 2010
729:
714:
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594:won one cap for
584:won one cap for
570:won one cap for
568:Dai "Tarw" Jones
467:Bridge End Field
306:Rochdale Hornets
271:Dai "Tarw" Jones
206:" ("Bull") Jones
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27:Club information
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617:Duncan McGregor
552:Penydarren Park
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535:Players of note
528:Merthyr Express
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479:
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377:Thomas Paddison
345:Duncan McGregor
320:Duncan McGregor
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137:playing in the
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956:. 3 April 1909
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312:1908-09 season
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194:1907-08 season
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131:Merthyr Tydfil
129:club based in
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78:Former details
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89:College Field
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958:. Retrieved
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898:. Retrieved
888:
854:. Retrieved
843:
815:. Retrieved
811:the original
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753:
741:. Retrieved
737:the original
727:
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681:
662:
643:
636:Bibliography
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544:J. Cowmeadow
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527:
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432:Merthyr Town
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398:
389:
381:David Davies
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302:
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248:
244:Huddersfield
222:(10-14) and
209:
203:
189:
177:Aberdare RFC
170:
158:
150:Club history
139:Welsh League
127:rugby league
122:
121:
101:Welsh League
52:15 July 1907
45:15 July 1907
18:
807:"All Golds"
514:Club demise
370:Mid-Rhondda
334:Mid-Rhondda
263:New Zealand
161:rugby union
97:Competition
1023:Categories
521:Treherbert
491:Warrington
483:Treherbert
448:Warrington
405:Treherbert
385:Australian
349:Tom Thomas
338:Treherbert
298:Whitehaven
251:Ynys Field
900:1 January
602:Rhys Rees
582:Dan Lewis
487:Ebbw Vale
477:1910-1911
471:Rhys Rees
463:Wakefield
459:Belle Vue
415:, before
413:Dan Lewis
401:Ebbw Vale
366:Ebbw Vale
228:Ebbw Vale
155:Formation
83:Ground(s)
32:Full name
960:12 April
918:Archived
856:2 August
508:Coventry
436:Dewsbury
421:Fullback
326:Aberdare
255:Aberdare
817:1 April
743:29 July
598:in 1908
588:in 1910
440:clinker
425:Swinton
290:Hunslet
236:Runcorn
218:(4-5),
112:1910–11
68: (
50: (
42:Founded
707:
688:
669:
650:
499:Barrow
361:Barrow
269:, and
240:Widnes
216:Batley
212:Oldham
60:Exited
719:Notes
606:Wales
596:Wales
586:Wales
572:Wales
562:Wales
481:With
452:Wigan
353:Wigan
351:from
330:Barry
282:Leigh
259:Wales
202:Dai "
135:Wales
962:2019
902:2015
858:2010
819:2020
745:2010
705:ISBN
686:ISBN
667:ISBN
648:ISBN
501:and
419:and
403:and
379:and
368:and
336:and
278:York
261:and
204:Tarw
116:26th
70:1911
63:1911
253:in
173:AGM
1025::
1001:^
970:^
952:.
929:^
866:^
827:^
783:^
765:^
461:,
427:.
332:,
328:,
300:.
284:,
280:,
246:.
181:s.
133:,
964:.
904:.
860:.
821:.
747:.
713:.
694:.
675:.
656:.
72:)
54:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
