The GRASSROOTS NORTH WALES website was born in 2019, but its editor Dave Jones has been writing about local sport since 1987.
As he prepares to enter his 38th successive year of covering North Wales football, Dave chooses his team of every season between 1987-88 to 2023-24 in this special Christmas feature.
Who better to start with than your hometown!
By the late 1980’s. Holyhead Town were no longer the force of their 1950s and 60s heyday on the North Wales coast, but they had a superb 1987-88 season, winning the Anglesey League title, Dargie Cup, Elias Cup and the prestigious NWCFA Junior Challenge Cup.
Flint sowed the seeds for bigger things to come when they scooped the Welsh Alliance League title and Cookson Cup double in 1988-89.
The Silkmen won the league by a three-point margin from Rhyl Reserves.
The 1980s was a successful decade for Mold and they rounded it off in style by winning the Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Premier Division title by eight points, while also lifting the NWCFA Challenge Cup and Barritt Cup.
Mold beat Felinheli in the Coast Cup final 4-2 in a replay after a 2-2 draw. In the first game, Gary Wynne and Peter Donnelly scored for the Alex, while in the replay Darryl Williams, Micky Jones and a Graham Roberts double delivered a Flintshire success.
The inaugural season of the new Cymru Alliance League saw a very impressive Flint land the title by a seven-point margin..
Tony Martin was the Silkmen’s manager with Les Davies his assistant.
This season, Flint also scooped the NWCFA Challenge Cup for the first time in their history, Graham Roberts (2), Vernon Keep and Andy Davies sharing the goals in a 4-2 triumph over Caernarfon Town Reserves.
An unforgettable season for Llangefni Town as they captured a momentous treble.
They retained their Welsh Alliance League title by just one point from Felinheli, made it two Barritt Cup successes on the bounce, but even more prestigiously won the national Welsh Intermediate Cup, now FAW Amateur Trophy, beating Caersws of the higher level Cymru Alliance 2-1 in a replay.
The first game at the Racecourse, Wrexham, ended 1-1, Colin Jones on target for the Ynys Mon side, while the replay saw Bob Parry and Emrys Jones score the goals which sank Caersws 2-1 at Y Traeth, Porthmadog.
The squad this season included: Gareth Hughes, Gary Campbell, Andy Roberts, Allan Jones, Keith Ross, Peter O’Neil, Emrys Jones, Colin Jones, Bob Parry, Darren Baker, Alec James, Robert Gilmour, Terry Owen, Anthony Jones, David Williams and Ian Fidler.
Cefni remain the only Anglesey side ever to win this illustrious trophy in its 134-year history.
Llangefni also beat Bangor City’s first team 3-0 in the NWCFA Challenge Cup during this amazing campaign under manager Joe “Bach” Williams.
With former Bangor City manager Colin Hawkins, ex-Liverpool defender Chris Lawler and Holyhead’s favourite Scotsman Bob Brodie at the helm, Cemaes claimed the tier 3 Welsh Alliance League title and Cookson Cup double.
It was the start of something special for a club en route to spend three seasons in the newly-formed League of Wales. They remain one of only two Anglesey clubs to reach the top-flight.
The Cemaes squad that season included: Iolo Jones, Richard Jones, Nigel Ault, Simon Flower,Jackie Welsh, Gethyn Robyns, Mervyn Williams, Andrew Lefty Wright, Graham Cavan, Mark Gray, Henry Tudor, Martin Jones, Steven Humphreys, Tony Jackson, Billy McBride, Steven Owen and Chris Roberts
Cefni made it three Welsh Alliance titles in four seasons as they squeezed above Llanfairpwll and Rhydymwyn on goal difference, with Locomotive Llanberis just a point further back.
It was undoubtedly the most exciting ever ending to a season in the former tier 3 league.
Llangefni also lifted the Cookson Cup that season during what was a truly golden period for the islanders.
An unbelievable campaign for the Mold-area village team managed by Ken Knowles.
The 1994/95 season saw Rhydymwyn capture the Welsh Alliance League title, and gain promotion to the Cymru Alliance League.
They also won the FAW Trophy, beating Taffs Wells 1-0 in the final played at Caersws, Neil Wilson with the winning goal.
While they have had a few ups and downs since their 1990s heyday, Rhydymwyn have left an indelible mark on North Wales football.
After a few seasons of promise since their 1990 formation, Holyhead Hotspur really started to motor in 1995-96.
The Holy Islanders won a quadruple in this campaign, finishing up Anglesey League champions as well as lifting the Dargie, Megan and Elias Cups – basically the grand slam.
Hotspur were promoted to the Gwynedd League, which they won at the first attempt, and they did the same in the Welsh Alliance before settling for an impressive stint in the tier 2 Cymru Alliance.
Kicking off a prime period for Amlwch they celebrated a tremendous treble of Anglesey League title, NWCFA Junior Cup and Megan Cup in 1996-97.
The Lon Bach club went on to win the Gwynedd League, Cwpan Gwynedd and Eryri Shield the following season and the Welsh Alliance title in 2001-02 before reaching their highest level ever of the Cymru Alliance in 2002-03 and 2003-04.
This cracking village club which has so often punched above its weight really excelled itself in the 1997-98 season.
As well as lifting the Vale of Conwy League title, Glan also won the NWCFA Junior Challenge Cup for the first time in their history and made it a treble by claiming the John Hughes Challenge Cup.
In the Junior Cup final, the Conwy Valley side whipped Llannerchymedd Bulls 7-1.
Gareth Powell’s Cefn Druids side achieved a magnificent double in 1998-99.
Carrying their sponsors name of that time Flexsys, the Anciients were crowned tier 2 Cymru Alliance champions by 12 points, scoring more than 100 goals in the process.
This earned Druids promotion to the League of Wales for the first time.
The club was not finished there, as they also raised the NEWFA Challenge Cup that season.
What an effort from George Thelwell’s side.
They went the entire league season unbeaten to be crowned Welsh Alliance champions with a record of 19 wins, five draws and no losses.
Star players included Neil Howarth, Julian Jones, Gareth ‘Perry’ Thomas, Darren Wild, Darren Edwards and Nathan Jones.
Relegated from the Welsh Premier the season before, Adie Jones’ Caernarfon team bounced back magnificently to make headlines galore in 2000-01.
Town scooped the Cymru Alliance League and Cup double and also lifted the NWCFA Challenge Cup.
The Canaries won the Cymru Alliance by a massive 11 points, beat Welshpool Town 3-1 in the League Cup Final and Holyhead Hotspur 1-0 in the Challenge Cup showpiece game thanks to Tommy Mutton’s late decider.
Leading marksmen that season were: Jason Sadler (24 goals), Leon Gierke (20), Ian Bold (20) and Adam lillis (19). Goalkeeper Steve Skupski, midfielders Darren Wynne and Scott Millington, plus defender Mark Edwards were other key names.
The Citizens ladies were magnificent as they made it back-to-back Women’s Welsh Cups with a 4-2 win over Newport County at Caersws.
Katie Williams, Ceryl Jones, Ailsa Orlik and Cheryl Foster sealed the win for Keith Fearns’ side, who also finished an excellent sixth in the Northern Division (one level below National Division)
Teams very rarely win five trophies in a season, but Llangefni Town Reserves did just that in 2002-03.
John Buckland and Rob Hughes guided Cefni’s awesome reserves to a five-timer.
Cefni became Anglesey League champions, plus winners of the Dargie, Elias and Thomas & Williams plus the A.E.E.U. Cup.
Who possibly else? The club’s end-of-season presentation night must have been an event to behold.
Rhyl’s first team won the quadruple of Welsh Premier League title, League Cup, Welsh Cup and NWCFA Challenge Cup.
John Hulse led the Lilywhites through the most productive season in the club’s history.
With great players like Timmy Edwards, Paul Smith, Andy Moran, Steve Walters and Marc Limbert in the squad, how could the Belle Vue boys fail!
Rhyl Reserves won the Welsh Alliance League and Rhyl Thirds were Clwyd Premier champions!
Double joy for Buckley as they claimed their one and only Cymru Alliance League title to date and were also victorious in the NEWFA Challenge Cup final – a competition they have won more than anyone else.
Under the management of former European Golden Boot star Dave Taylor, the Bucks won the tier 2 crown by a seven-point margin, losing just three out of 34 games.
Top players included Rene Pinard, Graham Randles, Geoff Hinchcliffe and Kevin Breeze.
Dave Fuller’s first season in charge of Prestatyn – the club he had served so well as a player – will never be forgotten.
The Seasiders went undefeated for the entire season in being crowned Welsh Alliance League champions – 30 matches, 25 wins, 5 draws.
The invincibles included: Dave Hayes, Jon Fisher-Cooke, Jack Lewis, Jon Hill-Dunt, Neil Gibson, Russ Jones, Bevan Humphreys, Gari Thomas, Michael Parker, Craig Griffiths, Dale Milne, Ian Griffiths, Stephen Bowes, Peter Evans and Stephen Hoult
Marvellous stuff from Colin Caton’s men.
They were runners-up to Llangefni Town by two points in the Cymru Alliance, but won the League Cup and NEWFA Challenge Cup, while Bala Town Reserves landed the Welsh National League Division One title.
This was a golden period for the Sleelmen.
Having won the Welsh National League Premier Division title the previous season, they repeated the dose in 2007/08 – and added the divisional cup to make it a tremendous double.
Champions of the Welsh Alliance the season before, but denied promotion on criteria failure, Bethesda went and did it all again in 2008-09, finishing 19 points clear at the summit and amassing a league record 146 goals.
Chris O’Neal’s men completed a double by winning the Cookson Cup.
Striking partnership Richard Owen and Gareth Davies scored 102 goals between them in all competitions that season.
Owen netted 59 (47 in the league) and Davies 43 (31 league).
Others to make their mark included: Craig Roberts, Carl Thomas, Matty Hughes and Neil Hughes.
Neville Powell’s side were the toast of North Wales football after making it three Welsh Cup successes on the bounce.
After beating Llanelli in the 2008 final, then seeing off Aberystwyth 12 months later, City defeated Port Talbot Town 3-2 in the showpiece at Parc-y-Scarlets, Llanelli, on May 1, 2010. Dave Morley headed in a late winner after City had led 2-0 through Lee Hunt and Jamie Reed, but been pegged back to 2-2.
Trearddur Bay celebrated a quadruple success in a stunning season.
They won the Anglesey League title, Dargie, Megan and Thomas and Williams Cups.
Asa Thomas amassed an astonishing 112 goals in all competitions, while Bay also enjoyed a tremendous run in the Welsh Cup, reaching the second round proper including wins over Mold Alexandra (3-0) and Penparcau (7-3).
Other class performers for Trearddur that season included: Mike Davies, Craig Brodie, Carl Hagan and Ian Williams.
Hotspur finished just one win away from a truly spectacular quadruple.
The Holy Islanders won the Welsh Alliance title, Cookson and Barritt Cups, only to lose narrowly in the FAW Trophy final to Sully Sports.
Mel McGinness scored 50 goals for Hotspur that season.
During 2011/12, Hotspur compiled a record in all competitions of: played 49 won 42 drawn 1 and lost 6 with 159 goals scored.
Midfield ace Jay Gibbs was at his most dynamic, bagging 26 goals, while Asa Thomas, who had returned to Trearddur Bay United before Christmas, still netted a vital 17 times in those early weeks.
Kenleigh Owen (16) and Mike Edwards (12) also hit double figures, and the goalkeeping skills of Ben Heald and rock-like defending of Gareth Owen stood out. Mike Kelly, Chris Saxon, Dan McGinness, Jonathan Peris-Jones, Curt Williams and inspirational skipper Tom Nathan Edwards were all important parts in the machine.
Lee Dixon led the Canaries, who almost went out of business three years earlier, to a wonderful treble.
Town lifted the Welsh Alliance championship, Cookson Cup and FAW Trophy, whipping Kilvey Fords a record 6-0 in the final.
Outstanding performers in the Canaries’ successes included: top-scorer Neil Thomas, genius Lee McArdle, Dion Donohue, goalkeeper supreme Paul Pritchard and ever-consistent Clive Williams
This season saw Holywell create the best North Wales football story in years as they became the first tier 3 club ever to make it to the Welsh Cup semi-finals.
Johnny Haseldin’s side eliminated three Cymru Alliance teams and one Welsh Premier side before losing 3-1 to Aberystwyth Town in the last four, despite taking the lead.
Notable players to stand out in that fairytale cup run included: Paul Williams, Sam Jones, Steve Thomas, Phil Lloyd, Tom McElmeel, Graeme Williams, Luke Tyson, Graham Boylan and Dafydd Griffith. The manager was, of course (as he still is today) Johnny Haseldin.
New club Sports recorded a quintet that will never be repeated.
John Hargreaves and Mark Hughes’ side won the Vale of Clwyd and Conwy Premier title, Premier Cup, President’s Cup and NWCFA Intermediate Cup.
As if that was not enough, Prestatyn Sports Reserves won the VoC Division One title, making it a five-timer for the club as a whole.
Darren Cassidy and Craig Griffiths were the chief goal kings for the firsts, but many other stars featured including James Harper, Mike Jones, Sion Williams, Gareth Walsh, Russ Jones and Shane Middleman.
In their debut season, Wrexham aces Rhostyllen picked up four trophies and scored 218 goals in 46 games.
They finished 13 points clear to land the North East Wales League title – bagging 121 goals in 20 matches.
Rhostyllen also snared three other domestic trophies and enjoyed giant-killing runs in the Welsh Cup and FAW Trophy.
In the Trophy, as a tier-five team they made it to the semi-finals of the national competition, seeing off Welsh National League Premier Division sides Brymbo, Brickfield Rangers, Saltney and Ruthin Town.
Olie Allman, Steve Jones, Drew Wickens, James Jones, Ash Ryan and Craig Spencer were among the best of the squad.
One of the most famous names in North Wales football history returned to the scene in 2016-17.
And Holyhead Town made quite an impact, landing the treble of Anglesey League title, Megan Cup and Lucas Oil Cup, as well as finishing runners-up in the Elias Cup and Bwlch Car Boot Trophy.
Craig Brodie’s men emerged unbeaten throughout their league campaign and in 31-goal Tom Hadley one of the region’s finest young talents came to the fore.
Manager Brodie and his staff had to build a squad from scratch. With the quality signed instant success was expected and it was delivered.
Elevation to the Gwynedd League promised to be a much tougher assignment, yet Craig Brodie’s side finished champions and also raised the Gwynedd Cup, making it five trophies in two campaigns.
Asa Thomas notched a fabulous 45 goals for the double-winners, while other big performers included Jordie Murphy, Mike Davies and Tom Roberts.
Cefn Albion made national headlines in 2018/19 when they won the biggest prize in their brief history.
In just their fifth season of existence, the Wrexham-area club lifted the FAW Trophy with a 4-0 demolition of Pontardawe Town at Aberystwyth.
Scorers on that memorable day Nathan Williams, Conner Kendrick, Kien Morris and Jamie Foulkes
And they went on to land the Welsh National League Premier Division Cup, beating favourites FC Nomads 4-2 in the final with goals from Oli Davies, Alex Williams (2) and Kien Morris.
Although the coronavirus pandemic ended the 2019-20 season abruptly, the campaign did create a few cracking stories.
The best had to be Nomads winning the Cymru Premier title for the first time in their history and ending The New Saints’ run of eight successive championships.
Nomads also lifted the Nathaniel MG (League) Cup and sensationally knocked SPL side Kilmarnock out of the Europa League.
A magical season for Andy Morrison’s men.
Back-to-back Cymru Premier titles for the Deesiders!
While the previous season’s achievement was ever so slightly tarnished due to an incomplete season and TNS trying – unsuccessfully – to wrest the title in the courts, the 2020-21 campaign went the full course and Nomads were deserved champions by two points from Saints.
It had to be Nomads for Team of the Season as no other football below tier 1 in Wales was played due to the continuing menace of Covid.
Nomads’ magnificent 4-1 win at Park Hall towards the end of the season proved crucial.
Ex-Saints striker Michael Wilde hit a hat-trick as the Quay put on one of the best displays in a CPL match ever seen by any team.
Tier 3 Ardal North West champions and FAW Trophy winners – Mold Alex were more than worthy Team of the Season receipients.
Michael Cunningham’s Alyn Park heroes almost made it a treble, narrowly losing out in the Ardal Northern League Cup Final to Caersws.
To finish top of a very good standard tier 3 Ardal North West and achieve the difficult task of lifting the national FAW Trophy was some feat.
Mold beat South Walians Baglan Dragons 1-0 in the Trophy final through a Danny Warren goal and finished 11 points clear of Porthmadog at the ANW summit.
No surprise at all to see Cunningham and 34-goal (48 in all competitions) top scorer Warren win the Ardal North West Manager and Player of the Season respectively.
This was more a case of Club of the Season as FC Queen’s Park of Wrexham won five trophies collectively and nearly made it six!
Dave Evans’ first team landed the North East Wales League Premier Division title, Horace Wynne Cup and Mike Beech Memorial Trophy.
Malcolm Wareham led Queen’s Park Reserves to the North East Wales Reserve Division league (undefeated) and cup double.
And the Vets came close to making it a club six-timer, but were narrowly beaten by Hawarden Rangers in the NEWFA Vets Cup final.
What a season for Aden Shannon’s side!
In just their second campaign at Tier 3 Ardal North West level, Mountain were crowned champions to earn promotion to the Cymru North.
Not only that, Mountain beat three Cymru North sides on their way to lifting the NEWFA Challenge Cup, including mighty Mold Alexandra 3-2 in the final.
The Flintshire club were also runners-up in the Ardal Northern League Cup and reached the quarter-finals of the Welsh Cup.
Added to this, Flint Mountain Reserves scooped the NEWFA Reserves Cup and when the fixtures ended in the FAW Cymru Reserve Tier 3 North League, they were in second spot.
Top-scorer Mike Hayes proved to be one of the signings of the season, the former Connah’s Quay Nomads, Caernarfon Town and Bala Town striker bagging 32 goals.
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