Garden Village F.C.
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| Garden Village FC | |
 |
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| Full name | Garden Village Football Club |
| Emblem | Club crest for many years - history to appear shortly |
| Colours | White and black |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Sport | Football |
| League | Welsh Football League Division 2 |
| Ground | Stafford Common, Kingsbridge |
| Official website | www.gvafc.co.uk |
Garden Village Football Club are a football football team, based in Swansea, and play in the Second Division of the Welsh Football League. The club affiliated to the Football Association of Wales (FAW), West Wales Football Association (WWFA), Welsh Football League and the Carmarthenshire Association Football League.
[edit] Pre-Season 2006
- Sat Jul 22 vs Tenby (Pembrokeshire League Division 1) @ The Clicketts Ground, Tenby (Won 5-1)
- Sat Jul 29 vs ENTO Aberaman (Welsh League Division 1) @ Stafford Common, Kingsbridge (Lost 1-0)
- Tue Aug 1 vs St. Joseph's (Swansea League Division 1) @ Stafford Common, Kingsbridge (Won 4-0)
- Sun Aug 6 vs Afan Lido (Welsh League Division 1) @ Stafford Common, Kingsbridge (Drew 2-2)
[edit] General Information / Gwybodaeth Cyffredinol
The team's home venue is Stafford Common in Kingsbridge, a small village situated between Gowerton, Loughor and Gorseinon in the west of Swansea, near the Carmarthenshire border. The club's colours are black and white and the away strip is blue. "Village" is the club’s nickname.
Map of Stafford Common, home of Garden Village Football Club
GROUND INFORMATION
- Ground Capacity : 2,000
- Seating Capacity : No Stand, but there are chairs available right around the ground
- Pitch Size : 110 x 70 yards
ADMISSION INFORMATION
- Adult Standing : £2.50 (by programme)
- Child Standing : Free of charge
[edit] Directions to Stafford Common / Cyfarwyddiadau i Gomyn Stafford
- From the Motorway
Exit the M4 at Junction 47 and follow signs for Swansea/Swansea Airport. Take the 2nd exit at the 1st roundabout signposted Llanelli and continue for 1 mile. Take the 2nd exit at the next roundabout, then the 3rd exit at the following roundabout. Follow this road, passing the radio stations on your left, and the ground is situated on the right, adjacent to the car dealers.
- From the west (Llanelli)
At Trostre roundabout take the exit signposted Swansea (A484), carry on over two further roundabouts (first for Wetlands Centre and second for Bynea) and then carry on over Loughor Bridge. After crossing the bridge take the second exit at the mini-roundabout and carry on the A484 until you reach the roundabout on Victoria Road. Take the 1st exit and follow this road, passing the radio stations on your left, and the ground is situated on the right, adjacent to the car dealers.
- Nearest Bus Station (Gorseinon)
Turn right out of the bus station onto the main road (West Street), pass the fire station on your right until reaching a mini-roundabout, go straight on and take the first right onto Victoria Road and then first left for the club. If you are catching the bus from Swansea or Llanelli, get on the 110 or the 111 and it will drop you right outside the club.
- Nearest Railway Station (Gowerton)
If getting off at Gowerton you would need to inform either the train conductor or driver beforehand as it isn't a scheduled stop. Turn right out of the station and take the by-pass until you reach traffic lights, turn right onto Mill Street and follow until you reach the roundabout. Take the second exit onto Victoria Road and follow this road, passing the radio stations on your left, and the ground is situated on the right, adjacent to the car dealers. Bus services are also available in Gowerton; get on either the 400, 404 or 17 heading for Llanelli and it will drop you right outside the car dealerships, adjacent to the ground.
[edit] Club History / Hanes y Clŵb
Garden Village F.C. were founded in 1922 and started playing football at Swansea League level before joining the Carmarthenshire League mid-way through the last century. After a number of league and cup successes over the years, Village gained promotion into the Welsh Football League at the end of the 1998/99 season after finishing second in the Premier Division of the Carmarthenshire League, before successfully beating Neath League outfit Cwmamman United in the Welsh League promotion play-off for west Wales.
In only their first season of Welsh League football they secured promotion by finishing third in Division 3 behind Garw and Ely Rangers - one point ahead of fourth-placed AFC Llwydcoed - and faired well in the Welsh Cup on top of that; a run that saw them dispose of Pontyclun and Ely in the earlier rounds before being knocked out by then League of Wales side Inter Cardiff 5-0 at Leckwith Stadium.
The Second Division proved to be a much tougher test for Village but they managed to finish a respectable eighth in their first season. They did, however, manage to secure promotion at the second attempt when they won the Second Division championship at the end of 2001/02 with a 3-2 win in their final game of the season at relegated Chepstow Town.
Village had just one short spell in the top flight of Welsh League football after they were relegated at the first attempt. After an excellent run of form towards the end of the season, which almost kept them up, other teams hit similar form and Village narrowly missed out on safety, finishing two points adrift of Ely Rangers.
[edit] Form since joining the Welsh League / Ffurf ers ymuno y Gynghrair Cymraeg
1999-00: Welsh League Division 3 - 28 17 4 7 57 28 55pts 3/15
2000-01: Welsh League Division 2 - 30 11 8 11 50 54 41pts 8/16
2001-02: Welsh League Division 2 - 30 21 2 7 69 38 65pts 1/16
2002-03: Welsh League Division 1 - 34 9 7 18 39 65 34pts 16/18
2003-04: Welsh League Division 2 - 32 13 4 15 55 56 43pts 8/17
2004-05: Welsh League Division 2 - 34 17 8 9 60 55 59pts 6/18
2005-06: Welsh League Division 2 - 34 18 6 10 58 40 60pts 6/18
[edit] Club Honours / Cyflawniadau y Clŵb
- Welsh League Cup : Semi-Final (2005/2006)
- Welsh League Division 2 : Champions (2001/2002)
- Welsh League Division 3 : Third Place (1999/2000)
- Welsh League Reserve Cup : Runners-Up (2001/2002)
- Carmarthenshire League Premier : Runners-Up (1989/1990, 1997/1998 & 1998/1999)
- Carmarthenshire League Division 1 : Champions (1988/89) / Runners-Up (1977/78)
- Carmarthenshire League Division 2 : Champions (2001/2002 & 2004/2005)
- Carmarthenshire League Division 3 : Runners-Up (1999/2000)
- Carmarthenshire League Reserve Division 1 : Champions (2005/2006)
- Carmarthenshire League Reserve Division 2 : Champions (1990/1991 & 1998/1999)
- Carmarthenshire League Reserve Division 3 : Champions (1989/1990 & 1996/1997)
- Carmarthenshire League Senior Cup : Winners (1989/1990, 1994/1995, 1996/1996 & 1996/1997) / Runners-Up (1990/1991 & 1992/1993)
- Carmarthenshire League TG Davies Premier Cup : Runners-Up (1998/1999)
- Carmarthenshire League Challenge Cup : Winners (1988/1989)
- Carmarthenshire League Darch Reserve Cup : Winners (1993/1994, 1999/2000 & 2000/2001) / Runners-Up (1981/1982, 1990/1991, 1991/1992, 1996/1997 & 1997/1998)
- Summer Cup (Llwchwr) : Winners (1978/1979, 1990/1991, 1992/1993, 1994/1995, 1997/1998, 1998/1999 & 1999/2000) / Runners-Up (1979/1980, 1989/1990 & 1991/1992)
- Swansea League Investiture Cup : Runners-Up (1968/1969)
- Swansea League Gwalia Cup : Runners-Up (1938/1939)
- West Wales Youth Cup : Winners (2003/2004)
[edit] Teams / Tïmoedd
The club run four senior sides in:
- Welsh League Second Division
- Welsh League Reserve Division West
- Carmarthenshire League First Division (Third Team)
- Carmarthenshire League Reserve Division One (Fourth Team)
The club also run a number of Junior sides, including:
- Under-6s & Under-7s (Friendly Mini Football)
- Under-8s to Under-11s (Swansea Junior League Mini Football)
- Under-12s to Under-14s (Swansea Junior League)
- Under-15s & Under-16s (Carmarthenshire League)
- Under-10 Girls (West Wales Women & Girls League Mini Football)
- Under-12 Girls (West Wales Women & Girls League Mini Football)
- Under-14 Girls (West Wales Women & Girls League)
[edit] Past Players / Hen Chwaraewyr
Players to have played for Garden Village and in the Football League include: Alex Davies (Swansea City), Jamie Davies (Swansea City), Craig Draper (Swansea City), Robert Duffy (Rushden & Diamonds F.C.), Richard Evans (Plymouth Argyle & Newport County) and Andy Mumford (Swansea City).
Former Swansea City and Wales midfielder Leighton James, a former Junior at the club, helped the club to the Welsh League Second Division title as first team coach in 2001/2002.
