The Melting Pot – Merthyr Tydfil's History and Culture
In Association with the Merthyr Tydfil & District Historical Society
Following on form the recent article about Penydarren Park, below is an excerpt from the Evening Express 115 years ago today….
Top Row:- Edwin C Dow (goal), Sam Wightman (left back), William Davies (right back), Samuel Houshall (half back).
Second Row:- George Churchill (left half), William Bromley (centre half), Peter Kelly (right half)
Bottom Row:- James Whittaker (outside left), Frank Pemberton (inside left), James Wootton (inside right), Alexander Tait (half back).
by Allan ‘Salty’ Jones
It was only when I was thinking about this short article that it dawned on me what a dramatic slump there had been in 1953 and 1954. Crowds of thousands in 1951 fell to a couple of hundred in 1954. I can remember the very successful manager being criticised for letting the all the team grow old together, and how he had failed to introduce some new blood into the team.
In 1954, when I was 10, we had a Welsh Cup replay game in mid-week at the Park against Llanelly. It was an afternoon kick-off because we had no floodlights, and I wanted to go to the game. My mother was adamant that I had to go to school which was just around the corner from my house. We were lining up to go back into school when my teacher, Mr Granville Davies, asked me why I was crying. I explained that Merthyr were playing in the Cup and my mother had insisted that I had to go to school. Being the kind-hearted man he was, he told me to go and tell my mother that it was OK for me to go to the game. I could not be seen for dust.
Neither Merthyr nor Llanelly were at their prime, and even to a young boy, Merthyr were playing badly. The small crowd was getting at our own players because they were losing, and then one of our players, Johnny Reed, who had signed from Gloucester City, broke his leg. The crack was heard all over the ground. This was the final straw for many of our supporters and they dwindled away as a cup exit looked inevitable. As they say, football is a funny game, and Merthyr took the match into extra time. The heroic ten players went on to win 3-2, in what was to me a life-long memorable game.
I continued to support the Martyrs with my brother every game up to about 1963, when I became Secretary and player of Horeb Chapel Youth F.C. in the local league. I held this position for 17 years and, as such, was unable to go to the Park for Saturday games, but I was there without fail for the mid-week fixtures, without doubt one of the most memorable of these for me was the first game under lights in about 1965. Harry Griffiths was the manager and he had gathered together and excellent team. Wimbledon were the visitors and although the game ended 2-2, it was a great game.
I will always remember one funny story of when Harry first came to us. He was introducing the trainer, and he introduced a man involved with the Welsh League side as Mr Billy Marvel. Quite a few present nearly choked as this was Billy’s nickname – his real name was Evans.
There were some dire times for the Club in the late sixties, and I can remember one occasion when we were really scraping the bottom of the barrel for a team to go to Rugby. I was asked if I would go, and I readily agreed although I fully appreciated my shortcomings. I think we were unluck to lose 7-0, but it was my claim to fame that I played Southern League football for the Martyrs. I also played for the Welsh League and I am proud of my record in that I scored in every game. Played one, scored one, and the famous venue was Swansea University.
In the early ‘80s I returned to the Park for all games, even though I had been appointed the Secretary of the Merthyr Tydfil Association Football League in 1984. My appointment was the consequence of the very sudden death of a man I held in the highest esteem. John V Bevan D.F.M. had been secretary of the League for 37 years at the time of his death, and I am certain that this record will never be surpassed.
The great seasons of the mid ‘80s to early ‘90s will always remain with me. Two Championship wins, the Welsh Cup success, and of course European football at the Park. The win over Atalanta must rank with the very best and the trip to Bergamo for the return leg holds unforgettable memories. Since then, there have been more troubled times, but I hope that the wheel of fortune is going to turn our way in the future.
Do you have any memories of Merthyr you would like to share? It doesn’t have to be about sport – it could be about anything you like – school, work, chapel, church, play. Anything you would like to share, please get in touch at merthyr.history@gmail.com
by Allan ‘Salty’ Jones
It was as a seven-year-old boy in 1951 that I first made my way to Penydarren Park to see the Martyrs. Together with my younger brother Grenville and my father, we would either walk the short distance from Penydarren or catch the bus to the Theatre Royal. We would then join the large crowd on the Promenade and gain entry to the ground at the Theatre end.
Sometimes, manning one of the turnstiles would be my uncle, John Rees (right). John, a remarkable man, was also the club’s groundsman. He did his job despite having two artificial legs from just below the knee. Penydarren Park at this time was a very heavy venue and I can picture, even now, my uncle forking the ground to remove the excess water and his artificial legs would be sinking into the mud. To have an uncle who was in the inner sanctum of the Club used to make me feel very proud.
We used to watch the games from the Theatre end, sitting on the wooden fencing behind the goal. My father used to go a little way back into the crowd. The atmosphere was terrific, which was particularly caused by the great success the club had achieved during the late ‘40s and its continued success. I cannot remember seeing the great Bill Hullett play, but the side I can still picture vividly is:- Sellick, Avery, Phillips, Lloyd, Lowe and Richards, Davies, Squires, Reynolds, Jarman, Powell.
We were always playing football in the streets as there were not many cars around. On home days, Stan Davies the right wing of the above team, used to walk through the street carrying his boots in a small bag, on his way to Penydarren Park. One of our heroes walking through my street! Not long after, another of Merthyr’s famous football sons used to walk through my street to play for the Town. Ronnie Skyrme used to live in the next street, Church Street, and it was always a thrill to see him walking to a game. Ronnie was later transferred to Tonbridge.
On returning home from the match, we would again go out to play football. Some of the players would have a distinctive way of wearing their kit, and in our own innocent way we would try to copy them. We would give ourselves their names and shout for example, “Good shot Dego” (Trevor Reynolds’ nickname) or “Well saved Bert”, for Bert Sellick and “What a goal Shenkin”.
I could go on for quite a while reminiscing about this team but suffice it to say that who can forget the silky skills of Squires, Jarman and Dai Lloyd; the thunderous shot of Shenkin Powell and the sliding tackles of Ralph Avery. Two reserve players also come to mind from this era: Des Jackson, who I believe came from Glynneath, a village in which my father worked for 50 years in the coal mine. The other was Andy Mulgrew, a little Irish winger, and the much bigger Trevor Reynolds used to look after him like a father.
There were some great derby games at that time, for example Hereford United, and I can remember the big Aberfan born and Welsh Amateur international Gwyn Groves playing so well for them in goal. Another famous Merthyr man appeared in the Hereford team at this time – Cyril Beech. Cyril later went on to become a very successful scout, and amongst his discoveries were John Hartson and Mark Pembridge. Gloucester City, Worcester City and Bath City were always hard-fought games, and I can remember on one occasion the great Charlie Fleming turning out for Bath City. What games!
And what about the Welsh teams? Lovells Athletic with Ray Cross in goal and George Lowrie at centre forward; Barry Town and Llanelly were always keenly contested games, and ones which I like to think were never lost.
To be continued…..
by Phil Sweet
BACKGROUND
During the first half of the Twentieth Century, the manager’s job was very different to what it is today. In this era managers were generally given the title of Secretary-Manager and were responsible for signing players and the day-to-day running of the club. Much of the training and ‘tactics’ were generally left to the Trainer who would sometimes consult senior players. Team selection was normally left to the committee or board of directors.
What follows is a series of biographies of those individuals who ‘managed’ Merthyr Town, a job when the club was a member of the Football League in the 1920s, which was widely regarded as being one of the toughest in British football due to the massive financial problems facing the club as unemployment mounted year on year in the Borough.
THE EARLY ‘MANAGERS’
DAVID THOMAS MANTLE
David Thomas Mantle was the first Secretary-Manager of Merthyr Town. He was appointed in June 1908 and was assisted as Trainer by Sam Collins, a local insurance superintendent and trained masseur. Mantle arrived at Penydarren Park with a good pedigree having won the South Wales Cup with Ton Pentre the previous season. However, Mantle’s stay at Penydarren Park was to be a short one as he left in October 1908 to return to Ton Pentre. In 1912 he was banned from football for life having being found guilty by the Football Association of Wales of making illegal payments to players.
Following Mantle’s departure, Sam Collins continued as Trainer and the secretarial duties were taken over by Mr. W.H. Parry a local solicitor. Parry was himself replaced as Secretary for the 1909-10 season by Mr. W.T. Jones, a former Secretary of Merthyr R.F.C. and a member of the committee of Merthyr Athletic Club – the body that controlled Penydarren Park at that time.
ALBERT FISHER
Albert Fisher joined Merthyr Town in 1909 after a lengthy playing career in the Football and Southern Leagues. He was appointed Secretary-Manager in 1910 and the following season led the club to the Glamorgan League championship.
Season 1911-12 saw Fisher’s Merthyr Town team capture the South Wales Cup and pip Portsmouth on goal average to finish champions of the Second Division of the Southern League. Fisher left Penydarren Park in the summer of 1913 to become Notts County’s first Secretary-Manager and he marked his first season in charge by winning the Second Division Championship.
The 1922-23 season saw Fisher’s Nott’s County side reach the F.A. Cup semi-final where they were defeated by Huddersfield Town. In May 1922 Fisher took Nott’s County to Barcelona to play in tournament to mark the opening of Barca’s Les Corts stadium. Nott’s County’s notorious offside tactics didn’t endear themselves to the home crowd as they beat Barcelona by 4 goals to 2. For the second match against their hosts, County dropped their controversial playing style yet still secured a 1-1 draw.
Season 1924-25 saw County return to the First Division as Second Division champions. Albert Fisher remained with Nott’s County until the summer of 1927. He never managed again and died in 1937.
DAVID M. BUCHANAN
Former Leyton manager David M. Buchanan joined Merthyr Town in August 1913. However, his first season in charge saw Merthyr Town relegated from the Southern League First Division. The following year Buchanan fared slightly better. He took the team to Highbury for an F.A. Cup tie against Arsenal and narrowly missed out on promotion.
In later years he served as Charlton Athletic’s Assistant-Manager and Trainer (1925-28) and managed Thames F.C. (1928-31). In a bizarre twist of fate Buchanan was succeeded as Charlton manager by Merthyr Town manager Albert Lindon whilst Thames FC was the team who replaced the Martyrs in the Football League.
HARRY HADLEY
England international Harry Hadley enjoyed a long and distinguished playing career with, amongst others, Aston Villa and W.B.A. before being appointed Merthyr Town Secretary-Manager in May 1919. He was in charge for the first Football League fixture against Crystal Palace and led the club to an eighth-place finish at the end of the 1920-21 season. Hadley resigned in October 1921 following a difference of policy with the board of directors.
In April 1922 Hadley was named as manager of Chesterfield where he remained until August 1922 before taking up a staff appointment with Manchester United.
In November 1927 Hadley was appointed as manager of Aberdare. This was a very difficult appointment as the club was officially known as Aberdare and Aberaman.
Following the demise of Aberdare in the summer of 1928 Hadley worked as an agent for several Football League clubs.
In late September 1930 Hadley became Secretary-Manager of Merthyr Town for the second time, a post he held until the demise of the club in the summer of 1934.
JAMES McPHERSON
James McPherson joined Merthyr Town as Trainer in the summer of 1921. His background was in athletics having previously been Trainer to the Norwegian Olympic team.
Following the resignation of Harry Hadley, McPherson was given the sole responsibility of looking after the players. A mid-table finish at the end of the 1921-22 season led to the Board appointing McPherson as Manager in April 1922.However, after a challenging 1922-23 season McPherson left Merthyr Town at the end of the campaign
THOMAS DANIEL JONES
A pioneer of the association football code in South Wales, Jones, a native of Aberdare, was a former Welsh International and had served as a Secretary of Aberdare F.C. and a FAW Vice-President.
A solicitor by profession Jones was appointed Merthyr Town Secretary-Manager in July 1923. Despite finishing in a creditable 13th position in the Third Division South, Jones tendered his resignation at the end of the 1923-24 season.
ALBERT LINDON
Albert Lindon was very much ‘Mr. Merthyr Town’ He joined Merthyr Town in the summer of 1920 after spells at Birmingham, Aston Villa, Barnsley and Coventry City. A giant goalkeeper, he made a record 250 Football League appearances for Merthyr Town, scoring 1 goal.
Lindon was appointed Player-Manager in August 1924 for the princely sum of £1 a week on top of his playing contract!
He remained in charge at Penydarren Park until January 1928 when he was appointed Manager of Charlton Athletic. One of the last things Lindon had to do before leaving the town was to get married by special licence.
Lindon served Charlton in a number of capacities until March 1934. He subsequently joined Arsenal where he eventually ended up as chief scout before returning to Penydarren Park in May 1947 to manage Merthyr Tydfil AFC. Lindon remained at Penydarren Park until December 1949 by which time the team had won the Southern League Championship, the Welsh Cup and the Southern League Cup.
He then joined Cardiff City as a scout eventually becoming assistant manager before returning to manage Merthyr Tydfil AFC in the 1957-58 and 1958-59 seasons. He then became a scout for Swindon Town and then Newport County. During his managerial career Lindon reckoned to have discovered around 30 future international players.
THOMAS McKENNA
Tom McKenna began season 1927-28 as Charlton Athletic’s first choice goalkeeper. However, he lost his place following Albert Lindon’s arrival at The Valley and in the summer of 1928, McKenna joined Merthyr Town.
In November 1928 the Board surprisingly offered McKenna the manager’s job. At just 26 he was the youngest manager in the entire Football League. However, McKenna lasted just six months in the hot seat and he left Penydarren Park in the summer of 1929 to join Southend United.
SAM GIBBON
A local grocer Sam Gibbon headed a syndicate that took control of the Club in the summer of 1928 after the old company had gone into liquidation.
Despite enduring a tough 1928-29 season where he was forced to sell his own son to Fulham in order to try and make ends meet, Gibbon, who was the main financial backer, decided to carry on.
However, financial circumstances meant that he was unable to afford the cost of a manager. As a result, Gibbon was forced to supervise the training sessions himself.
The 1929-30 season proved to be disastrous for Merthyr Town. The club finished the campaign rooted to the foot of the table with just 21 points from their 42 matches. Consequently, it came as little surprise when the Club failed to secure re-election to the Football League.
In the light of these circumstances Sam Gibbon severed his connections with the Club. Sam Gibbon’s association with Merthyr Town cost him well over £2,500 (around £200,000 today) – a figure which would have been much higher but for the sale of players.
by Paul Newman
I began to watch football at an early age with my father at Penydarren Park. I recall the colourful characters in the crowd who often give some poor referee a verbal hammering. The colourful comments were often also directed at the opposition and some Merthyr players who had the misfortune of misplacing a pass. I bag of crisps and a chocolate bar and live football. I was hooked.
There was very little live televised football at the time. Therefore visits to Penydarren Park were our fix. We would come to watch both Southern League and Welsh League games. In my teenage years I would watch games with a group of school friends from Cyfarthfa High School. In later years I now attend with my son.
The first game I remember, and the first disappointment was the FA Cup Second Round defeat v Hendon in 1973, at the park. Hendon were drawn away to Newcastle in the next round which only added to the disappointment. I recall “King” John Charles was playing for the Town that day. I met John Charles many years latter at Elland Road Leeds. He spoke fondly of his time at Merthyr in which he was player manager. He also drove the team bus to away games!
I began watching the Martyrs on a regular basis in 1976; I remember the bruising battles with Barry Town in the league and Cup. 1977-78, was a good memory quarter final of the FA Trophy 1-1 v Runcorn at home Paul Caviel scored a header and had a better header disallowed. We was robbed! There was also a mid-week away trip to Wrexham in the Welsh Cup which was one of my first away games apart from our annual visit to Jenner Park in Barry.
One of my favourite memories is the Welsh Cup run of 1986-87; in the earlier rounds we played Cardiff Corries away. It was a 0-0 draw. I seem to remember Corries had a few chances to win the game. I was in college in North Wales at the time. So it was a short journey to see the Martyrs against Caernarfon Town in a scrappy 1-1 draw, and a dramatic penalty shootout win against Bangor City. Of course, the unforgettable final v Newport and then of course the Atalanta game in the European Cup Winner Cup at the Park.
Other memories include in the conference years, a 3-3 draw with Kidderminster, the Martyrs were 3 down. All the goals were at the Park End which was still frozen after an overnight frost! I remember a game against Macclesfield 1-1 at the Park when their goal keeper scored from a goal kick.
There have also been high profile friendlies v Red Star Belgrade, Celtic, and the Maltase National side. I remember the Red Star Game in which Belgrade had 2 players sent off.
Also in recent years, winning the South Western League and regaining our Southern League Premier status was more recent happy memories.
What a win on 15th Oct 2022 in the FA Cup! 2-1, in front of a raucous crowd at the Park. First Round of the FA Cup, here we come!
Some of my favourite players over the years include: Gordon Davies, Paul Caviel, Ray Pratt, David Webley, and Ian Traylor all terrific goal scorers. But my favourite player who was a rock in the defence was Chris Holvey.
I am currently living outside Merthyr but I make the pilgrimage to Penydarren Park whenever I can. So, support your local team. It is better than any soap opera.
Up the Town!
by Richard Hinman
Merthyr’s preparations for the game in Bergamo were dealt a cruel blow just before kick-off. Former England international Bob Latchford had missed the first leg with a groin strain but was expected to make the return match. Yet he failed a late pre-game fitness test and watched the game from the stands, after playing such a crucial role in the Welsh Cup triumph. He was joined by a notable travelling Welsh contingent.
“It sounded as though half the people in Merthyr had travelled to Italy for the second leg,” Beattie proudly boasted. A once in a lifetime trip was made by Merthyr fans who could never have dreamt of such an away game. Journalists as well made the journey to northern Italy hoping to report on the biggest cup upset in Welsh club football history.
They were greeted by an intimidating atmosphere. The Atalanta fans turned up in huge numbers as flares and banners welcomed the players onto the pitch, in an environment the Merthyr players had and would never again play in.
For Mondonico, the pressure was on. Following the shock defeat in Wales, his job had come under scrutiny and nothing but a win would save him. Fortunately for him, his players delivered.
In a role reversal of the first game, it was Atalanta who imposed themselves on the match. Merthyr struggled to live with the quality of their opponents who looked at ease in familiar surroundings. Just 18 minutes in and Atalanta made the breakthrough thanks to goal machine Garlini. Before half-time, the Italians gained a firm grip on the tie as Aldo Cantarutti made it 2-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate.
Merthyr came out for the second half with typical fighting spirit, but they lacked the quality to create any real chances as Atalanta saw the match out. The European adventure was over for the Welsh minnows.
There was an air of relief around the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia as Atalanta had squeezed through while the Merthyr players were devastated. Yet, just as in the first leg, Merthyr’s fans gave their side a warm and vocal send-off knowing they had given their all. After the game, players and fans alike went to a pub near the stadium to celebrate their remarkable European journey.
“It took us 10 games to win the Welsh Cup and then we ran a great team incredibly close. We won the first leg and I believe we should have won the tie over the two legs,” Jones insisted in the aftermath.
Despite the unconvincing nature of the victory, Mondonico kept his job and used the result as a stepping stone. La Dea went on to reach the semi-finals, beating Sporting Lisbon along the way before losing to shock winners KV Mechelen from Belgium. It remains to this day the best European run by a second-tier outfit and the best in the club’s history.
A fourth-place finish in Serie B sealed promotion with Garlini’s 17 goals proving crucial. The club and Mondonico built on the success and with the signing of Argentine World Cup star Claudio Caniggia and Atalanta made consecutive appearances in the UEFA Cup in 1989-1990 and in 1990-91, where they reached the quarter-finals. Fittingly, in both of those years the final was an all-Italian affair.
Likewise, Merthyr went from strength to strength following the remarkable European tie. In their first game back in domestic competition after their exploits aboard, Williams’ six goals helped them thrash Rushden 11-0. Promotion to the Conference was secured in the same season with a 3-1 win over Crawley in front of over 3,000 home supporters, sealing Jones’ place as the club’s best manager of all time.
Within four years, the Welsh side had established themselves as a force at their new level, finishing as high as fourth in 1992. Yet history repeated itself. Just as Merthyr looked destined to enter the Football League, the club struggled to take the next step. Relegated in 1995, the Glamorgan side never recovered.
The turn of the century saw Merthyr struggle off the field and tread water on it. A televised FA Cup game against Walsall in 2005 was supposed to ensure the club’s future but it only delayed the inevitable. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs grew tired of unpaid debts and in the summer of 2010, Merthyr Tydfil FC was liquidated. A famous club was lost. Ironically, at the same time Atalanta were relegated to Serie B.
Yet just like after they met back in 1987, both teams have seen an upturn in their fortunes. The Italian side made an instant return to Serie A under Stefano Colantuono and have stayed ever since. They are currently enjoying one of their best ever starts to a top-flight campaign and with the continuing success of their famed academy, the future looks bright in Bergamo.
The same can be said for Merthyr. Straight after the high court decision which saw the end of Merthyr Tydfil FC, a supporters group, Martyrs to the cause, resurrected the club. They emerged as Merthyr Town in reference to the original name of the town’s football club. Plying their trade in the lower leagues of Welsh football, the football-crazy town once again has a club to be proud of and are even back at Penydarren Park after life 20 miles away in Taffs Well.
Even with a different name, Merthyr’s footballing history is still at the centre of the club and the town itself, and one match in particular stands out.
“It was the best game of my life … I still watch the highlights on YouTube,” goalscoring hero Ceri Williams admits. Williams works in the tarmac trade but his name is written into Merthyr’s footballing history. His and the other ‘Martyrs of ‘87’s’ famous win over Atalanta will never be forgotten in the small town in rural Wales which shocked European football.
Article courtesy of ‘The Gentleman Ultra’. To view the original please follow the link below.
Merthyr Tydfil vs. Atalanta: The story of an unforgettable upset
Following on from yesterday’s post, here’s a bit of a mystery.
Alan Jones and David Watkins are currently researching Merthyr Tydfil A.F.C., and they have unearthed this photograph.
Can anyone shed any light on it?
The inscription on the football is all but illegible, but I have blown the photo up as best I can.
If anyone can help identify the team, please let me know and I will pass the information on to Alan and David.
Thanks
by Trev Jones
I’m Trev Jones from Birmingham, UK and now living in Wales. Together with my wife Debbie, we spent many years researching my Jones genealogy.
This is the story of my Grandfather, his four brothers from Penyard, Merthyr Tydfil and their sons who played professional football from 1918 to 1970. One family who sent player after player to grace the teams of the football league for over 50 years. Even today, the family have members still involved in the game.
Will John (Shoni) Jones:
The eldest of 5 brothers, my Grandfather. No more than an average player, but this was the beginning and no one was to know that his brothers would go on to achieve greater things at football. Shoni turned out for Aberdare and Ton Pentre when these teams were part of the football league.
He is pictured here with Ton Pentre from the 1921/22 season when they were beaten in the Welsh cup final by Cardiff.
Ivor Jones:
Ivor began to show the same skills as his elder brother Shoni. He was signed to Merthyr Tydfil FC and it wasn’t long before he was on his way to Swansea Town. From there his talents were spotted by West Bromwich Albion where he transferred in 1921.
He was the first of the family to gain international recognition, being selected to play for Wales 10 times during his career.
Emlyn Jones:
Signed for Merthyr Town in 1933. After six weeks he was transferred to Everton, playing alongside the likes of Dixie Dean. Moved on to Southend, playing over 500 games and becoming a firm favourite with the fans. Finished his career at Barrow after which he continued playing amateur football with Shirley Town in Birmingham.
Brynmor Jones:
Bryn started his career at Merthyr Town but soon moved over to Ireland playing with Glenavon. On his return to Wales, he played for Aberaman where he was quickly signed up by Wolverhampton Wanderers. A real favourite with the Molineaux crowd who nearly rioted when he was transferred for a record £14,000 in August 1938 to Arsenal. It was front page news, knocking talk of the impending world war that was facing the UK.
Bryn was selected to play for Wales no less than 17 times. He was in the side at Cardiff that beat England 4-2 in the 1930’s. He scored that day, along with another Merthyr lad, Dai Astley.
Bertrand Jones:
Aston Villa were after the talented Bert. However, with the outbreak of World War 2, Bert was sent to Burma with the South Wales Borderers. Unfortunately, he never returned, being killed in action against the Japanese.
Ken Jones:
Ken is the son of Emlyn. He played professionally at Swansea, Southend and Gravesend, but injury put him out of the game. He wasn’t finished with the game though, and became a sports journalist with the Daily Mirror. Following on from there he became sports writer at the Sunday Mirror and then the Independent.
Has written many books on sport including boxing and of course football.
Cliff Jones:
Perhaps the most famous of the Joneses. Signed to Swansea Town in the early 1950’s, Cliff was a wizard of the wing. In 1958 he was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur for another record fee, this time £35,000. He became a regular member of the Spurs first team, partnering Jimmy Greaves. The 60’s were known as the glory glory days at Tottenham, where the side were unbeatable. He was part of the double winning team of 1961 and 1962, and in the side that won the first European cup winners cup in England. Cliff was capped 58 times for Wales and collected three F.A. cup winners medals and the European cup winners medal. In 1970, after over 10 years at Spurs, he signed for Fulham where he retired from the game. He went on to teaching P.E.
Bryn Jones:
The elder brother of Cliff. He started his career as a forward but settled down to become a resolute defender. After playing at Swansea then Bournmouth he went on to captain Watford where he finished his playing career. Bill McGarry, the manager at Bournmouth says, “No player ever gave more for me, and he’s still the best full back I ever managed.”
Ivor Jones:
The youngest son of Shoni. This is my father seen here 2nd from the right back row with the England Schoolboys team at Ninian Park Cardiff in 1939. He was considered to be a full international of the future but with the war intervening and being of a somewhat shy nature declined to take up the sport as a professional.
To read the original article, please click the following link. http://joneshistory.com/the-jones-boys/