Knighton Town F.C.

Knighton Town FC
Full nameKnighton Town Association Football Club
Nickname(s)The Robins, The Borderers
Founded1887; 137 years ago (1887)
GroundThe Showground, Knighton
Capacity1,200 (96 seated)
LeagueCentral Wales Southern Division
2022–23Central Wales Southern Division, 7th of 12
WebsiteClub website

Knighton Town Football Club is a Welsh football club founded in 1887. They play in the Central Wales League Southern Division which is at the fourth tier of the Welsh football pyramid.

2015–16 The Return to Mid Wales Football's Top Division

Knighton's return to top flight football in The Mid Wales League was successful, narrowly missing out on back-to-back league titles on the final day of the season to Penrhyncoch, just missing out on a return to The Cymru Alliance league by one point. They also did well in the FAW Cup reaching the 2nd round proper by defeating Kerry A.F.C. (H) 4–0, Welshpool Town (H) 2–1 in the qualifying rounds and Dyffryn Nant Vale (A) 2–1 in the 1st round before losing to Holywell Town (A) 6–3. In the FAW Trophy they defeated Machynlleth (A) 2–1 in the 2nd round before bowing out 3–2 away at Greenfield after extra time. [1]

2014–15 Mid Wales League Division 2 League and Cup Double

Knighton Town were promoted as champions of Mid Wales League Division 2 scoring 113 league goals, much owing to the striker Connor Bird who netted 30, midfielder Mark Jones who hit 26 and winger Adrian Jones who netted 22. Knighton also conceded only 18 league goals all season which was the best defensive record in Welsh senior football. Losing only 1 league game all season, Knighton Town racked up a record points total with a goal difference of +95.

Knighton completed a league and cup double (E.R. Jenkins Cup) winning 4–3 after extra time against Borth United played at Penrhyncoch. Knighton took the lead midway through the first half through a Sam Williams header. Borth turned the game on its head with Bryn McGilligan Oliver scoring twice in four minutes on 70' and 74'. As injury time reached the forth minute, Adam Worton equalised with a 25-yard volley into the far top corner. Extra time was only 2 minutes old when the league champions took the lead for a second time when Mark Jones raced onto a through ball and calmly clipped the ball over the keeper and into the bottom corner. Knighton quickly ended the game with substitute Marc Wozencraft putting them 4-2 up with a thumping header, from a Mark Jones cross. Borth did get a late consolation through Ryan Davies, but Knighton would still win the Mid Wales league cup double.

The Robins also exceeded all expectations in the FAW Cup by reaching the 2nd proper, the only tier 4 side to do so.[2]

1991–92 Mid Wales League Championship

In 1991–92 Knighton won their first Mid Wales League Championship for 88:years. They lost one league game all season away at Aberystwyth Town. They clinched the title by winning 3–2 away at Morda United in front of over 700 in attendance. Before the match Morda United were 2 points above Knighton, so only a win would have seen them champions. In the last minute of the game with the score tied at 2–2, Knighton midfielder Sean Parker scored the winner in a goal mouth scramble.

The club started the 2020–21 season in the Mid Wales League East Division but resigned in December 2021 with the club's reserve team in the Mid Wales South League becoming the senior team.[3]

Players

First-team squad

As of 10 September 2018

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Honours

  • Welsh Cup
    • Semi-finalists: 1896–97,[4] 1903–04[4]
  • Welsh National League (Mid Wales Section)
    • Runners-up 1925
  • Mid Wales League:[5]
    • Champions: – 1901–02, 1902–03, 1903–04, 1991–92
    • Runners-up: – 1900–01, 1905–06, 1906–07, 1945–46, 1949–50, 1983–84, 2015–16.
  • Mid Wales League Division Two
    • Champions: – 2014-15[6]
  • Mid Wales League Cup
    • Winners: – 1952–53, 1960–61, 1968–69, 1988–89
    • Finalists: – 1962–63, 1965–66, 1967–68
  • Mid Wales League South
    • Champions: – 2002–03, 2003–04
    • Runners-up: 1974–75
  • South Shropshire League
    • Runners-up: 1920–21
  • North Herefordshire League
    • Division 1 Champions: – 1931-32
    • Runners-up: – 1934–35, 1951–52
  • Central Wales Challenge Cup
    • Winners: – 1969–70, 1971–72
    • Finalists: – 1975–76
  • J. Emrys Morgan Cup:
    • Winners: – 2003–04[7]
  • Radnorshire Cup
    • Winners: – 1971–72,[8] 1972–73,[8] 1978–79,[8] 1979–80,[8] 1983–84, 1987–88, 1994–95, 2002–03[8]
    • Finalists: – 1973–74, 1984–85, 1993–94, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2017–18
  • Highest League Position 4th in the Cymru Alliance, 1997–98 * since formation of Welsh Premier League/League of Wales 1992

Club records

Record Attendance: vs 2,211 v Hereford United, Welsh Cup 4th Round, 1981[9]
Record Victory: 16–0 v Bucknell United, Home – Mid Wales League South, 2004[9]
Record Defeat: 0–16 v Cardiff City, Away, Welsh Cup 5th Round, 1961[9]

League history

References

  1. ^ "Knighthtown F.C. Website". Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Mid-Wales Football League". midwalesleague.pitchero.com.
  3. ^ Grosvenor, Gavin (9 December 2021). "Knighton Town quit league as chairman pledges Robins will return". County Times. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  4. ^ a b "World Football - Blogging about football related topics". World Football.
  5. ^ "Club Records". Knighton Town FC. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  6. ^ "County Times (UK)".[dead link]
  7. ^ "Archive: Previous Winners – J. Emrys Morgan". Ceredigion League. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d e Townsend, Stuart (28 August 2021). "The story of Knighton Town – Radnorshire's resilient Robins". Powys County Times. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  9. ^ a b c "Club Records". Knighton Town FC web admin. 4 January 2014. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Football Club History Database - Knighton Town". www.fchd.info.

External links