Town football club is no longer ‘local’

A FOOTBALL team has been forced to move from its hometown to a new ground three miles away in a decision that has split fans.

Pontypridd Town AFC – a successful club in the Welsh League that won Division Three in 2016 – has been playing at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park since it was formed in 1992. But the club was unable to upgrade its ground in the historic park – and had to look for other facilities if they wanted to reach the top flight of Welsh football, leaving some fans devastated.

Officials have been trying to reno- vate the club’s ground at the park in Pontypridd – but had plans rejected by Rhondda Cynon Taf council.

After looking into the possibility of a ground share with Pontypridd RFC at Sardis Road, as well as the chance of playing at Pontypridd High School, the club had to move to a new home more than three miles away – at the USW Sport Park on the Treforest Estate.

The new ground will see the club have its own ground with a 1,200-seater stand, clubhouse and changing facilities – but the move means the club will no longer play in Pontypridd. And for some fans, the news their town football club would no longer be “local” was upsetting – and they took to social media to vent their frustrations.

Howard Thomas wrote on Facebook: “It is a shame it has come to this.”

And fan Mark Jones, 49, said: “In the long term this will benefit the club which aims to gain a place in the Welsh Premier league eventually. However, whether this move benefits Pontypridd as a town is open to debate. We will now have to play outside Pontypridd, a shame for the town and club and fans.”

But Damien Broad, joint manager of the club, said the decision to move was taken only after all other options were exhausted.

He said the USW Sports Park is likely to be their home for the future – with plans for a new 3G stadium.

He said: “It’s meant to be a long-term project. We don’t intend to go back to the park unless those upgrades can be done, but the university want to be part of the community and they want to help community clubs and they feel this is a good way to help by giving us this temporary ground at the moment, but the plans are to develop a new 3G stadium there, and then we would play out of there in the long run.”

Damien added that it shouldn’t be about the location, but the fans.

A spokeswoman for Rhondda Cynon Taf council said: “Over recent years the council has worked with Pontypridd FC to facilitate its development in Ynysangharad War Memorial Park as far as possible but, due to the club’s requirements for growth and the limitations placed on the park – which is run by the council as trustees, it was evident that the club had outgrown the park as its home. The club, with the support of the council, has since relocated a short distance away to access the excellent facilities in Treforest and the council wishes Pontypridd FC every success in its new home.”