Bridgend Ravens
| Nickname(s) | Ravens The Bridge |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1878 |
| Location | Bridgend, Wales |
| Ground(s) | Brewery Field (Capacity: 8,000 - 1,100 seated) |
| Chairman | Derrick King |
| Coach(es) | Matt Silva (Head Coach & Coaching Co-ordinator) |
| Captain(s) | Zac O'Driscoll |
| League(s) | Welsh Premier Division |
| 2015-2016 | 10thWelsh Premier Division |
| Official website | |
| www |
|
Bridgend Ravens (Welsh: Cigfrain Pen-y-bont) (formerly Bridgend RFC) are a semi-professional rugby union club based in Bridgend, South Wales. They currently play in the Welsh Premier Division and the Swalec Cup. Bridgend are a feeder club to the Ospreys regional team. In 2015, Bridgend won the Welsh Cup for the third time by beating Pontypridd RFC, 19-15 at the Millennium Stadium.
1878 is regarded as the year that Bridgend RFC began life, in that year the club lost to Newport RFC in the final of the South Wales Challenge Cup. However, the first general meeting of the club took place at the York Hotel, Bridgend on 11 April 1880, where those present were told that in the season 1879-80 season, the club played 11 matches which included six wins, three defeats and two drawn encounters. A profit of £3.9s.3d. was made during that season. The first captain of the club was F. Sadler. The first international cap won by a player from the club was Ben Gronow, winning the first of his four union caps in 1910.
Prior to the First World War, the club were mainly based at the Quarella ground, but were forced to move out when it was taken over for building purposes. The club obtained the Brewery Field in 1920, which has been their home on and off ever since. The club's first exile from the Brewery Field began in 1928, when the ground had been taken over by a greyhound racing syndicate. They moved to Uxilla Fields, where Jubilee Crescent now stands, it had been the home of the old Bridgend Town AFC which had gone out of business by that time. The first match at their new base was a 16-4 victory over Newport RFC. The club did not remain at the ground for very long, as they returned to the Brewery Field in 1935, however, a second exile would begin 14 years later which had serious implications for the club.
Season 1948–49 saw a newly created Bridgend Rugby League step in and acquire a three-year lease of the Brewery Field, which saw Bridgend RFC homeless. The club were on the verge of going out of existence, but help came from the Bridgend Urban District Council who offered the club the Bandstand Field on their Newbridge Fields recreation grounds. Initially, teams had to use Island Farm prisoner of war camp for changing facilities until a pavilion was erected by the club right next to the ground, which is still being used by Bridgend Sports RFC to this day. When the Bridgend Urban District Council eventually proceeded towards purchase of the Brewery Field by the way of a Compulsory Purchase Order, the club was granted a 21-year lease, with an option of renew for another 21 years. The club knew they were going back to the Brewery Field in 1957, following the issue of the lease, finding the ground in a poor state of repair. Most of the outside fencing was laid to the ground, essential services including water, heating, lighting and drainage were wrecked and needed to be completely re-installed. Other repairs and building work took place over several months and just in time for the 1957–58 season and the club have remained there ever since.
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