South Wales and Monmouthshire Football Association Records

The fonds comprises minutes, 1892-1962, of meetings of the committees of the South Wales and Monmouthshire Football Association, together with match programmes and newspaper cuttings. There is also a separate account book, 1892-1894.

The South Wales and Monmouthshire Football Association was established in 1893 under the presidency of Captain Morgan Lindsey, with Mr Charles Axtell as secretary. Although it was answerable to the Football Association of Wales, it was the governing body of soccer in South Wales and was responsible for the development of the game in the region. A central part of the Association was the competitions that it sanctioned, in particular the South Wales Senior Cup. Also, the Association ran two senior leagues in their early days, the South Wales League which was formed in 1890, and the Rhymney Valley League formed in 1903.
The game of football in Wales had previously been dominated by the North, and the South Wales and Monmouthshire Football Association did much to broaden the appeal of the sport in South Wales. The game grew quickly in the area and by 1929 there were over 800 clubs, with a total of nearly 20,000 players registered with the Association. As well as clubs and players, many leagues and competitions were sanctioned by the Association, and it was also responsible for referees in the area. It also held annual general meetings, annual meetings to consider the rules of the Association, finance committee meetings, emergency committee meetings and other meetings to consider various matters.
The South Wales and Monmouthshire Football Association came to an end following the 1967-1968 season. The Football Association of Wales decided to restructure the football associations in Wales and proposed to set up new 'Area Football Associations' throughout the country. As a result of this restructuring, the Association was split into three separate associations by the beginning of the 1968-1969 season: The South Wales Football Association; The Monmouthshire County Football Association; and The West Wales Football Association.

Arranged at NLW into two series: account books and minute books.

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.

Deposited by the Football Association of Wales per Mr D. G. Collins, Secretary General, March 1998.; C1998/8

The South Wales and Monmouthshire Football Association was established in 1893 under the presidency of Captain Morgan Lindsey, with Mr Charles Axtell as secretary. Although it was answerable to the Football Association of Wales, it was the governing body of soccer in South Wales and was responsible for the development of the game in the region. A central part of the Association was the competitions that it sanctioned, in particular the South Wales Senior Cup. Also, the Association ran two senior leagues in their early days, the South Wales League which was formed in 1890, and the Rhymney Valley League formed in 1903.
The game of football in Wales had previously been dominated by the North, and the South Wales and Monmouthshire Football Association did much to broaden the appeal of the sport in South Wales. The game grew quickly in the area and by 1929 there were over 800 clubs, with a total of nearly 20,000 players registered with the Association. As well as clubs and players, many leagues and competitions were sanctioned by the Association, and it was also responsible for referees in the area. It also held annual general meetings, annual meetings to consider the rules of the Association, finance committee meetings, emergency committee meetings and other meetings to consider various matters.
The South Wales and Monmouthshire Football Association came to an end following the 1967-1968 season. The Football Association of Wales decided to restructure the football associations in Wales and proposed to set up new 'Area Football Associations' throughout the country. As a result of this restructuring, the Association was split into three separate associations by the beginning of the 1968-1969 season: The South Wales Football Association; The Monmouthshire County Football Association; and The West Wales Football Association.

Title supplied from provenance

A hard copy of this list is available at NLW

October 2002

Compiled by Owain Schiavone.

The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Martin Johnes, 'That other Game: A Social History of Soccer in South Wales, c. 1906-39' (unpublished PhD thesis, Cardiff, 1998); NLW Football Association of Wales Records.

Usual copyright laws apply

Action: All records deposited at NLW have been retained.

Accurals are not expected

Football Association of Wales Records, 1893-1986, are also held at NLW.

The records were used by Martin Johnes for his unpublished PhD thesis 'That other Game: A Social History of Soccer in South Wales c.1906-39', Cardiff 1998.

Published