Bridgend Street A.F.C.

manager  = Craig Dale 

Wayne Tarr

Bridgend Street are a Welsh football club based in Cardiff. The club currently play in the Welsh Football League Division Three, which is the fourth tier of the Welsh football league system in South Wales. The club emulate from the tough Splott district of the capital and have been established since way back in 1899. Bridgend Street were arguably one of the most successful teams in Cardiff, winning multiple honors domestically and also regionally virtue of the highly coveted South Wales Amateur Cup under the astute management of club stalwarts Laurence "Lollar" Marshall and Edward Crawley throughout the 1970 and 1980 decades. With the newly formed South Wales Senior League formed, the club then won their place in that league in 1993 and went on to be record five-time winners of the title until their promotion to The Welsh Football League. The Senior League's CW Bruty Cup was won in 1997 after defeating Pentwyn Dynamos 2-1 in the final under the managership of Joe Feehan and a few seasons later, the first of the club's five Senior League title was won under the guidance of their ex-player Garry Fowler in 1999/2000 season whilst former players, Kingsley Lloyd, and Geraint Brooks led the club to two more South Wales Senior League titles in 2005 and 2006. This resulted in the duo receiving the South Wales FA Manager of The Year award. In 2007-2008 Kingsley Lloyd led the club to its then highest possible cup accolade. Despite a modest mid table finish in the South Wales FA Senior League Premier Division the team defied all odds and lifted the prestigious South Wales Senior Cup, beating South Wales Amateur League champions and Welsh League bound Chorus (Port Talbot) in a tense final by a 2-1 score line. In addition the team appeared in two consecutive CW Bruty Cup Finals in 2006 and 2007 ironically losing both in a penalty shootout after the games were tied. Promotion to the Welsh League came in 2010 under the guidance of the much travelled Gary Proctor after another two back-to-back Senior League titles. The club's first team are currently (2016/17) managed by Craig Dale while the Welsh League reserve team are managed by Paul Morgan and Joseph Rees. Bridgend Street also have a team in the Welsh League Youth Division and are managed by long serving former Street player Keith Joseph, plus teams in the Cardiff & District Mini League who are coached by Kyle Debono, Paul Edwards, Dean Harford and Simon Fish. The Bridgend Street home base is The New Fleurs Sports & Social Club (CF24 5YE) which is located in Portmanmoor Road, only yards away from the land where the now demolished Bridgend Street once stood. The club's stadium is independently situated within the grounds of Willows High School, which is located on the border of Splott and Tremorfa and stands in the shadow of the sprawling Celsa steel plant. The 2016-17 season has been disappointing on the league front however Street have had a tremendous Welsh League Cup run, eliminating along the way Taffs Well (the holders of the cup for the past two seasons) and beating another division one outfit Haverfordwest County in a momentous semi final that will never be forgotten. Despite being reduced to 9 men and trailing 3-1 in injury time Street somehow summoned up the strength to score twice and take the game into extra time. Yet again it seemed as though Street were on their way out of the cup trailing 5-4 in the last minute of extra time but miraculously equalised again and eventually won 4-2 on penalties against their more illustrious opponents. Bridgend Street eventually lost 3-1 to a fine Llanelli Town outfit in The Nathaniel Welsh League Cup Final at Old Road, Briton Ferry Llansawel, bizarrely the semi final will live longer in peoples memories than the actual final itself. A fine achievement by manager Craig Dale, coaches Lee Moore & Matt Boyd-Anderson and the entire squad