Saturday 18 January 2014

Afan Lido FC

Saturday 18th January 2014 Kick off 15:00 hours                                                                                                
Afan Lido F.C.Welsh Premier League
Afan Lido 1 v Barry Town 6
Marston's Stadium
The Princess Margaret Way
Sandfields,
Port Talbot
SA12 7PE

Admission : £5
Tea : 80p
Attendance : 153
Weather : Wet, Cold and Windy - Not nice to be fair.
Game Number : 98 Ground Number : 71
FootballFans.eu


Club History


Following their inception in 1967, Afan Lido Football Club have earned a place in the Port Talbot and District League during the 1967/68 season. Initial success saw the team promoted to the Welsh Football League by the 1971/72 season. During the 1973/74 football season, Afan Lido was promoted to what is now the Second Division. The team moved up the League again in the 1975/76 season when they were promoted to what is now the First Division of the Welsh Football League. After this initial success, the team fell on harder times for a few years and were relegated. 

More restructuring occurred over the next few years resulting in the formation of the League of Wales in 1992. The Afan Lido Football Club became one of the founding members of the League in 1992 and succeeded in winning the League Cup in both the 1992/93 and 1993/94 seasons. In the 1994/95 season, the team placed second in the League of Wales earning them a place in the UEFA Cup. However, the team failed to capitalise on this success and lost their qualifying game to RAF Riga of Latvia. After a long period of consolidation in the Welsh Premier League, the club now find themselves in League Division One of Wales.  


What you looking at Pigs head?




The plan was to "tick off" Newport County, but as we departed London the scout in our advance party informed us of bad weather ahead in the valleys. As sure as eggs are eggs, and Nicky Butt is a ground hopping Jonah our game was postponed. Thus we contined our journey to Port Talbot, where we joined the legendary Pieman for a game at Afan Lido in the Welsh Premier League. Given the pictures below it was a relief this game went ahead.








The Afan Lido leisure centre was opened by the Queen in 1965. The facility formerly included a 50m competition swimming pool, which was later converted into a 25m leisure pool called the "Aquadome" with water slides when the complex was re-fitted during the mid-1990s. The Lido also has a spa, gym, and concert hall where famous bands have played, including in recent years McFly, All Saints, Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers and Lostprophets. The Lido was the site of a major fire on 16 December 2009 which broke out in the Aquadome part of the complex. Residents in surrounding streets were evacuated due to fears of the safety of chemicals in the fire that broke through the centre's roof. The centre has since been demolished, and all that remains is reflected in these "sad" pictures.


Afan's attempt at "Urban Re-generation".




Which is spoilt some what, by the smoke from the steel works nearby at Port Talbot





                                                             They wear funny hats in Wales !


Meet Dai, Glywn and Cliff, who between themselves have been watching Welsh football for more than 197.5 years. Dai is a connoisseur of the Welsh Lamb Gourmet Hot Dog. 







Who remembers Aberfan ? The slag heap to the left looks awfully dangerous.

On the way back from Afan Dildos, we passed Port Talbot Footballs ground, and it was a pleasure to take some pictures of it's beauty for you readers.  





Picinic area for those nice summer days.


Port Talbot's very own Coronation Street


Sunset over Port Talbot Steel Works - a modern day classic   



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