Llandudno Albion say farewell to North Wales football on a real high
Farewell Llandudno Albion – your story has been a fantastic one.
It was a day of sadness but also immense pride when the tier 3 Ardal North West League club played their final game on Saturday – for the immediate future at least.
Despite struggling in their goodbye season, the Albion went out as winners after a typical 3-2 against the odds victory at Brickfield Rangers.
It would have been nice for the nine-year-old club to say adieu at home, but therein lay the problem.
Albion lost their ‘home’, the OPS Wind Arena, Maesdu Park, which they shared with Llandudno FC, early this season when a Uefa inspection found a health and safety issue with the pitch, making it out-of-bounds for competitive games.
This situation still remains, and Albion had not performed at Maesdu since September, having been forced to play every fixture away from home.
After difficulty finding an alternative ground share agreement – with Llandudno FC not an option – by March 1 for next season as part of tier 3 FAW licence regulations, Albion decided to call it a day.
It brings down the curtain on a tale of largely joy which saw Albion develop as the best example of proving that there could be more than one great club in Llandudno.
The one thing they always longed for was their own ground, but it never happened. It was not for the want of trying from the club, but they never received the support from those who could have helped more.
The story of Llandudno Albion began with their formation in summer 2014, when they were accepted into tier 6 Vale of Clwyd and Conwy League Division One.
Their inaugural competitive match brought a 1-1 draw at Llandudno United, Tom Calvert scoring the club’s first-ever goal, and a first victory followed seven days later, 2-0 at Cerrigydrudion.
Albion’s first home game delivered a mighty 11-0 triumph over Betws-y-Coed.
Here is a season-by-season account of Llandudno Albion’s fortunes…..
2014-15
What a first season for Albion!
The team managed by Paul Cheung Jr and Luke Regan won the NWCFA Junior Cup at the very first attempt, becoming the first-ever Llandudno side to lift the trophy.
Albion also landed the REM Jones Cup and finished runners-up in Division One to secure promotion to the Premier.
The team amassed 189 goals in just 38 games across all competitions with top scorers Mark Montgomery (38) and Mike Chapman (37).
2015-16
Another tremendous campaign for the newcomers as they were crowned Vale of Clwyd and Conwy Premier Division champions at the first time of asking.
Albion won their first 12 matches in all competitions and went on to finish runners-up in the NWCFA Intermediate Cup and Premier Cup as well as reaching the semi-finals of the Presidents Cup.
Jordan Kane was the leading scorer on 33 goals.
2016-17
Promoted to Welsh Alliance League Division Two, the Albion’s amazing achievements continued as they won the tier 4 title first up – three seasons, two league titles, three promotions!
A stunning end-of-season run comprising 12 wins in 14 games clinched the championship.
Heading the goals tally were Allan Davies (26), Duncan Midgley (24) and Ricky Jones (20).
2017-18
Having started off in tier 6 just three years earlier, Albion were now a third-tier club.
They finished seventh on their Welsh Alliance Division One debut, but it was in the cups there Albion made the biggest impact.
On October 7, 2017, the club recorded perhaps its greatest ever result as they knocked Rhyl of the tier 2 Cymru Alliance out of the Welsh Cup in a 3-2 stunner at Maesdu, Dave Maddock, Allan Davies and Ricky Jones, with almost the last kick of the game, sealing the win.
And the Trophy cabinet was to receive another boost as Albion beat Llandyrnog United 4-1 in the Mawddach (formerly Barritt) Cup final, goals from Conor Davies, Dan Evans, Anthony Marshall and Bryan Roberts clinching more glory.
Paul Cheung Jr stepped down as manager on a high, Darren Jones took over with Luke Regan and Karl Cheung remaining part of the management team.
Dave Maddock, who had reverted from central defence, was top hitman this season with 30 goals.
Five trophies in four seasons for Albion!
2018-19
A terrific effort from Albion saw them firmly establish themselves as one of Welsh Alliance Division One’s top sides, finishing third behind champions Llangefni Town and runners-up Bodedern Athletic.
For the first time there was no silverware this season for Albion, but third-place in a league of that standard was almost as good as.
Peter Jones was top of the goals chart with 21, Dave Maddock hitting 17 to prove he was no one-season wonder.
2019-20
Apart from the hard decision taken to disband this season, the second most heartbreaking thing to happen to Albion took place in 2019-20.
Covid hit many people in many ways. It forced an end to the Welsh football season on March 7, 2020, the day Albion had qualified for the FAW Trophy Final by beating Holyhead Hotspur on penalties.
Sadly, the pandemic made sure the final was never to be held. Albion were due to take on Penydarren BGC of South Wales. Cruel luck.
In the league Albion did really well again, finishing fifth, with Dave Maddock overall top net-finder with 15 goals.
In the first game of the season, Maddock scored his 67th club goal, taking him past previous record holder Mark Montgomery on 66.
2020-21
Season cancelled due to pandemic
2021-22
Albion became part of the new tier 3 Ardal North West League, formed under a Welsh football restructure.
On April 9, 2022, Dave Maddock became the first and only Albion player to score 100 goals when he notched the second in a 2-0 victory at Llay Welfare.
Albion finished the season in seventh and walloped Brymbo 11-0 at home in their final game, Lee Stokes netting five.
2022-23
It turns out to be Llandudno Albion’s eighth and final competitive season.
Having lost their ground in September, due to Maesdu Park being classed as unfit to host matches, Albion played almost their entire campaign away from home.
Some clubs may have folded, not Albion. They fulfilled all their fixtures and avoided a bottom-place finish, which was their main aim.
Their final game was a thrilling 3-2 win at Brickfield Rangers. The club tried everything to stay afloat but it proved an impossible task.
What Llandudno Albion achieved in North Wales football will never be forgotten. From tier 6 to tier 3 in three years and always more than held their own at third-tier level. They made a lot of friends and earned plenty of respect.
Two league title wins, three promotions, three cups and an FAW Trophy Final appearance cruelly denied them by a pandemic.
Forza Albion!
LLANDUDNO ALBION ALL-TIME MATCH RECORD 2014-15 TO 2022-23 (ALL COMPETITIONS)
PLAYED 281
WON 170
DRAWN 25
LOST 86
GOALS FOR 874
GOALS AGAINST 488
Total league stats
Played 194 Won 111 Drawn 24 Lost 59 Goals For 582 Goals Against 323
Total cup stats
Played 87 Won 59 Drawn 1 Lost 27 Goals For 292 Goals Against 165
TOP SCORERS – SEASON-BY-SEASON
2014/15: Mark Montgomery 38
2015/16: Jordan Kane 33
2016/17: Allan Davies 26
2017/18: Dave Maddock 30
2018/19: Peter Jones 21
2019/20: Dave Maddock 15
2020/21: Season cancelled
2021/22: Dave Maddock 19
2022/23: Adam Hold 15
ALL-TIME LEADING GOALSCORERS
109 – Dave Maddock
66 – Mark Montgomery
65 – Jordan Kane
56 – Joel Lloyd
54 – Dan Evans
43 – Allan Davies
42 – Adam Hold
41 – Ricky Jones
37 – Mike Chapman
31 – Peter Jones
25 – Steve Cheung
24 – Duncan Midgley
LLANDUDNO ALBION CLUB HONOURS
2014-15
North Wales Coast Junior Cup winners
REM Jones Cup winners
Vale of Clwyd and Conwy League Division One runners-up (promoted)
Presidents Cup runners-up
2015-16
Vale of Clwyd and Conwy League Premier Division champions (promoted)
NWCFA Intermediate Cup runners-up
Premier Cup runners-up
2016-17
Welsh Alliance Division Two champions (promoted)
2017-18
Mawddach Cup winners
2019-20
FAW Amateur Trophy finalists
THE FINAL GAME – BRICKFIELD RANGERS 2 LLANDUDNO ALBION 3
It was an emotional, yet inspiring day which showed everyone what Llandudno Albion has been all about.
Second favourites to win away at a higher-placed Brickfield, the visitors went a goal down to Andy Vale’s 25th minute strike.
Albion equalised five minutes before the break, when top-scorer Adam Hold knocked in his 15th goal of the season.
Jay Richardson restored the Rangers lead on 63 minutes, but Albion had a big finish up their sleeve.
Captain courageous Joel Lloyd, an Albion player from the very beginning and scorer of more than 50 club goals from centre half, made it 2-2 in the 73rd minute.
And four minutes from time, unsung hero Calum Lewis Jones delivered the winner with a tremendous finish – scenes in the away camp!
A fitting end for a truly great community club.