Bethesda Athletic
Full nameBethesda Athletic Football Club
Nickname(s)Pesda
Short nameCPD BA
Founded1946
GroundParc Meurig
Bethesda
Capacity500
ChairmanRobert Alid Jones
LeagueArdal NW League
2022–23North Wales Coast West Premier Division , 1st of 15 (promoted)
Parc Meurig, home of Bethesda Athletic.

Bethesda Athletic F.C. (/bɛˈθɛzdə/;[1] Welsh: [bɛθ'ɛsda]) is a football club based in the Welsh town of Bethesda, in northwest Wales. They play in the Ardal NW which is in the third tier of the Welsh football pyramid.

History

Predecessor clubs

In 1919, a team known as Bethesda Comrades[2] were playing in the North Wales Coast League. This name changed to Bethesda United. In the 1930s Bethesda Victoria were involved in North Wales football circles, winning the North Wales Combination and NWCFA Cup in 1930–31.

Early years and Welsh League (North)

Bethesda Athletic was formed in 1946. In the 1948–49 season they joined the Welsh National League (North) Division 1, and early years in the league saw them regularly finish bottom, or near bottom of the table. The late 1960s saw the club regularly finish near the top of the division, with the first league title coming in the 1970–71 season, and a period of relative success followed in this period.

Athletic also enjoyed some good runs in the Welsh Cup, the English F.A. Cup, and the English F.A. Trophy. A long Welsh Cup run in 1960 saw wins over Nantlle Vale, Penmaenmawr and Pwllheli which set up a Quarter Final date with Cardiff City which ended in a six nil defeat against the eventual winners. In 1976 they beat Oswestry Town but were knocked out by Bangor City at Farrar Road. The score was 4–2 goals from Broadhead, Olney and John Hughes for Bangor and Alan Leicester for Bethesda.

In the FA Cup Bethesda took Tamworth to two replays in 1970 before finally bowing out. In 1974 Bethesda knocked out South Liverpool in the Qualifying rounds of The FA Cup but were eventually beaten by Rhyl in a second replay after two drawn matches.

The club spent 28 seasons in the Welsh League (North) with their final season, 1976–77, bringing the club's second divisional Championship.

Caernarfon & District League and Gywnedd League

The 1977–78 season saw the club move to the Caernarfon & District League, where they remained for six seasons, before moving to the Gwynedd League for a singular season, where they finished in third position.

Welsh Alliance

1984–85 saw the club join the Welsh Alliance League, the successor to the Welsh League (North) as a founder member. For the first two seasons, the club were runners-up in the league, before in 1988–87 finishing as champions. In 1990 when fellow Welsh Alliance members Fflint, Conwy, Porthmadog and Connah's Quay joined the newly formed Cymru Alliance, Bethesda remained in the Welsh Alliance League.

Return to Caernarfon & District/ Gywnedd Leagues

After finishing third in the Welsh Alliance in 1990–91, the club decided to drop down to the local Caernarfon & District League where they remained until stepping up to the Gwynedd League after being crowned champions in 1997–98 season. After two seasons in this league they were promoted to the Welsh Alliance League in 2000 after being crowned champions for the 1999–2000 season.

Welsh Alliance success

The club spent nine years in the Welsh Alliance culminating in two successive championship winning years. In the 2007–08 season they were champions of the Welsh Alliance League but were refused promotion to the Cymru Alliance by the Football Association of Wales.[3] Two players, Gareth Davies and Richie Owen, scored 70 goals between them over the course of the season.[4]

The following season saw the club break the league's season goal-scoring record, with 146 goals - again securing the league title.[5]

After also completing upgrades to their football ground, the club stepped up to the second tier of Welsh football – the Cymru Alliance.

Cymru Alliance

The club spent a solitary season in the Cymru Alliance, finishing ninth from 17 clubs in 2009–10 season.[6]

Return to the Welsh Alliance

The club returned to the Alliance, competing for two subsequent seasons. In August 2012 they were not able to complete fixtures and were given 14 days by the league's Management Committee to resolve their issues.[7] The club announced in September that it was disbanding and resigned from the league "due to various circumstances".[8]

After a season away - the club returned for the 2013–14 season but finished bottom of the Welsh Alliance Division Two with six points. The following season saw them finish 10th from 16 clubs, before they again left the league.

Return to the Gwynedd League

The club returned to the Gwynedd League, finishing bottom of the league in the 2016–17 season.[9] The following season they withdrew from the league.[10]

In 2018 it was announced that the club would return to the league again[11] but they again resigned from the league in August 2018 without playing any games.[12][13]

They were named as a returning club for the 2019–20 season to same league.

Ladies

The club also has a ladies team, Bethesda Athletic Ladies, who were established in 2018. The play in the North Wales Women's Football League[14] part of Wales' women's football pyramid. Their first season saw them compete in the second division, finishing the season as champions.[15] In their second season, they played in the first division before withdrawing from the league in September 2019 and having their results expunged.[16] The club announced they will continue to play instead at recreational level in the North Wales Recreational League.

Honours

  • North Wales Coast West Football League Division One Cup – Winners: 2021–22
  • Caernarfon & District League – Champions (1): 1997–98
  • Caernarfon & District League – Runners-Up (1): 1996–97
  • Gwynedd League – Champions (1): 1999–2000
  • Welsh Alliance – Champions (3): 1986–87; 2007–08, 2008–09
  • Welsh Alliance – Runners-Up (3): 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88
  • Welsh League (North) (2) – Champions: 1970–71, 1976–77
  • Welsh League (North) (2) – Runners-Up: 1971–72, 1973–74
  • North Wales Coast FA Junior Challenge Cup – Winners: 1979–80[17]

League history

Season League Final position
1946-47
1947-48
1948-49
1949-50 Welsh League (North) Division 1 11th[18]
1950-51 Welsh League (North) Division 1 10th[19]
1951-52 Welsh League (North) Division 1 17th[20]
1952-53 Welsh League (North) Division 1 18th[21]
1953-54 Welsh League (North) Division 1 18th[22]
1954-55 Welsh League (North) Division 1 13th[23]
1955-56 Welsh League (North) Division 1 16th[24]
1956-57 Welsh League (North) Division 1 14th[25]
1957-58 Welsh League (North) Division 1 15th[26]
1958-59 Welsh League (North) Division 1 17th[27]
1959-60 Welsh League (North) Division 1 4th[28]
1960-61 Welsh League (North) Division 1 14th[29]
1961-62 Welsh League (North) 10th[30]
1962-63 Welsh League (North) 11th[31]
1963-64 Welsh League (North) 10th[32]
1964-65 Welsh League (North) 17th[33]
1965-66 Welsh League (North) 13th[34]
1966-67 Welsh League (North) 16th[35]
1967-68 Welsh League (North) 3rd[36]
1968-69 Welsh League (North) 4th[37]
1969-70 Welsh League (North) 4th[38]
1970-71 Welsh League (North) 1st[39]
1971-72 Welsh League (North) 2nd[40]
1972-73 Welsh League (North) 7th[41]
1973-74 Welsh League (North) 2nd[42]
1974-75 Welsh League (North) 6th[43]
1975-76 Welsh League (North) 3rd[44]
1976-77 Welsh League (North) 1st[45]
1977-78 Caernarfon & District League 7th[46]
1978-79 Caernarfon & District League 9th[47]
1979-80 Caernarfon & District League 3rd[48]
1980-81 Caernarfon & District League 10th[49]
1981-82 Caernarfon & District League 10th[50]
1982-83 Caernarfon & District League 12th[51]
1983-84 Gwynedd League 3rd[52]
1984-85 Welsh Alliance League 2nd
1985-96 Welsh Alliance League 2nd
1986-87 Welsh Alliance League 1st
1987-88 Welsh Alliance League 2nd
1988-89 Welsh Alliance League 8th
1989-90 Welsh Alliance League 5th
1990–91 Welsh Alliance League 3rd
1991–92 Caernarfon & District League 15th[53]
1992–93 Caernarfon & District League 4th
1993–94 Caernarfon & District League 4th
1994–95 Caernarfon & District League 4th
1995–96 Caernarfon & District League 3rd
1996–97 Caernarfon & District League 2nd
1997–98 Caernarfon & District League 1st
1998–99 Gwynedd League 4th
1999–2000 Gwynedd League 1st
2000–01 Welsh Alliance League 4th
2001–02 Welsh Alliance League 7th
2002–03 Welsh Alliance League 4th
2003–04 Welsh Alliance League 6th
2004–05 Welsh Alliance League 3rd
2005–06 Welsh Alliance League 3rd
2006–07 Welsh Alliance League 6th
2007–08 Welsh Alliance League 1st
2008–09 Welsh Alliance League 1st
2009–10 Cymru Alliance 9th
2010–11 Welsh Alliance League 1 9th
2011–12 Welsh Alliance League 1 5th[54]
2012–13 Welsh Alliance League 1 Resigned from League
2013–14 Welsh Alliance League 2 13th[55]
2014–15 Welsh Alliance League 2 10th[56]
2015–16 Welsh Alliance League 2 13th[57]
2016–17 Gwynedd League 12th[9]
2017–18 Gwynedd League Withdrew from the league[10]
2018–19 Gwynedd League Withdrew from the league prior to season start
2019–20 Gwynedd League 14th
2020–21 North Wales Coast West Football League Division One
Notes

    References

    1. ↑ Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
    2. ↑ "Cymru 1914 - Friday 19th of September, 1919". Archived from the original on 2019-06-20.
    3. ↑ Jones, Dave (14 May 2008). "Football: Bethesda Athletic FC rocked by promotion refusal". Daily Post. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
    4. ↑ Jones, Dave (20 August 2008). "Football: Bethesda Athletic FC brilliant in cup win". Daily Post. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
    5. ↑ "Football: Bethesda Athletic FC break records on way to title". Daily Post. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
    6. ↑ "Football Club History Database - Bethesda Athletic".
    7. ↑ "Bethesda Athletic given 14 days grace". CPD Llanrug United. 12 August 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
    8. ↑ "League down to 15: Bethesda Ath Resigns". Clwb Pel-Droed Gwalchmai. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
    9. 1 2 "GWYNEDD LEAGUE TABLES 2016-17". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    10. 1 2 "GWYNEDD LEAGUE TABLES 2017-18". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    11. ↑ Jones, Dave (26 July 2018). "Bethesda and Glantraeth back in Gwynedd League - but Mynydd Tigers refused promotion". Daily Post. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
    12. ↑ "Gwynedd League (To 2019–20) - NonLeagueMatters".
    13. ↑ "Nine North Wales senior Saturday football teams have 100% records - who will be last to crack?". 20 September 2018.
    14. ↑ Jones, Dave (9 August 2018). "Two more teams join the new-look North Wales Women's Football League". Daily Post. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
    15. ↑ @NWWomensFL (May 20, 2019). "LEAGUE TABLES 🏆 DIVISION 2 This is the finished table in Division 2, @BethesdaLadies crowned champions with a tig…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
    16. ↑ Jones, Jordan (18 September 2019). "Bethesda Athletic: Gwynedd club withdraws from North Wales Football League". Y Clwb Peldroed. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
    17. ↑ "Junior Challenge Cup" (PDF). North Wales Coast Football Association. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
    18. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1949-50". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    19. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1950-51". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    20. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1951-52". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    21. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1952-53". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    22. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1953-54". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    23. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1954-55". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    24. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1955-56". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    25. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1956-57". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    26. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1957-58". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    27. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1958-59". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    28. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1959-60". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    29. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1960-61". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    30. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1961-62". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    31. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1962-63". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    32. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1963-64". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    33. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1964-65". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    34. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1965-66". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    35. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1966-67". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    36. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1967-68". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    37. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1968-69". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    38. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1969-70". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    39. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1970-71". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    40. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1971-72". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    41. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1972-73". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    42. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1970-71". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    43. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1974-75". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    44. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1975-76". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    45. ↑ "WELSH LEAGUE (NORTH) TABLES 1976-77". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    46. ↑ "CAERNARFON & DISTRICT LEAGUE TABLES 1977-78". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    47. ↑ "CAERNARFON & DISTRICT LEAGUE TABLES 1978-79". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    48. ↑ "CAERNARFON & DISTRICT LEAGUE TABLES 1979-80". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    49. ↑ "CAERNARFON & DISTRICT LEAGUE TABLES 1980-81". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    50. ↑ "CAERNARFON & DISTRICT LEAGUE TABLES 1981-82". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    51. ↑ "CAERNARFON & DISTRICT LEAGUE TABLES 1982-83". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    52. ↑ "GWYNEDD LEAGUE TABLES 1983-84". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    53. ↑ "CAERNARFON & DISTRICT LEAGUE TABLES 1991-92". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    54. ↑ "WELSH ALLIANCE LEAGUE TABLES 2011-12". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    55. ↑ "WELSH ALLIANCE LEAGUE TABLES 2013-14". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    56. ↑ "WELSH ALLIANCE LEAGUE TABLES 2014-15". Welsh Football Data Archive.
    57. ↑ "WELSH ALLIANCE LEAGUE TABLES 2015-16". Welsh Football Data Archive.

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