Denbigh Town Football Club, founded in 1880, is a semi-professional football club based in Denbigh, North Wales. They play in the Cymru North, which is in the second tier of the Welsh football league system. The club plays home matches at Central Park.[1]

Denbigh Town
Full nameDenbigh Town Football Club
Nickname(s)DTFC, The Reds, The Town
Founded1880; 144 years ago (1880)
GroundCentral Park
Denbigh
ChairmanShon Powell
ManagersDewi Llion Jones
LeagueCymru North
2022–23Ardal NW League, 1st of 14 (promoted)
WebsiteClub website

Club history edit

Early years edit

The club was founded in 1880, and in 1924 won both the Welsh Amateur Cup and the North Wales Coast Amateur Cup. During the 1970s, under manager John Trevor Roberts, the club won the Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Division One Championship four times and the League Cup five times, as well as the 1970 North Wales Coast Amateur Cup and the 1972 North Wales Coast Amateur Cup.[1]

Clwyd League edit

In the early 1980s Denbigh Town left the Wrexham Area League and joined the Clwyd Football League.[2] The club was promoted to the Premier Division in 1992, under managers Bill Dawson and Roy Cook-Hannah. During the same season the club secured a 1–0 North Wales Challenge Cup victory over Caernarfon Town, then a semi-professional side sitting fourth in the Northern Premier League.

For the 1994–95 season the club won promotion to the Fitlock Welsh Alliance League, finishing fourth in 1995. In the 1995–96 season Denbigh Town won the League Championship and Cookson Cup double.

Cymru Alliance edit

In the 1996–97 season the club played in the Cymru Alliance. They were relegated in 2001–02 but regained promotion in 2006–07.

Denbigh Town Reserves currently play within the Lock Stock Welsh Alliance Reserve League under Manager Nick Hailes.

Welsh Alliance edit

Between 2002 and 2007 Denbigh Town played in the Welsh Alliance, reaching the semi-final of the 2002–03 Barritt Cup and winning the Alves Cup the same year. On December 8, 2003, manager Roy Cook-Hannah resigned; he was replaced b caretaker coaches Clwyd Williams and Nick Hailes on December 11, 2003. Denbigh finished the 2003–04 season in 12th place with 36 points from 30 matches.

Tim Dyer was appointed manager on May 6, 2004, and in 2005–06 guided the club to the Barritt Cup and Cookson Cup double. Denbigh Town finished the season as runners up in the Welsh Alliance League and winners of the Welsh Alliance Fair Play League, and reached the final of the North Wales Coast FA Challenge Cup.

Return to Cymru Alliance edit

Denbigh Town were again promoted into the Cymru Alliance on 9 April 2007, when Llanrwst United failed to beat Holywell Town at Halkyn Road.

Denbigh Town also won the 2007 Cookson Cup at Farrar Road to complete a 2006–07 League and Cup double, making Tim Dyer an unusual winner of both League and Cup as a manager and as a player.

In the 2015–16 final the team reached the final of the Welsh League Cup, their first appearance in a major final under manager Gareth (Perry) Thomas. The match was played at Maesdu Park, Llandudno where Denbigh went down to defending Welsh Premier League champions and Welsh League Cup holders The New Saints 2–0. On their way to the final they beat 3 top tier opposition.

In season 2017-18 the Club achieved their highest ever league position by being runners up in the Huws Gray Cymru Alliance under the management of Eddie Maurice-Jones.[2] However at the end of that season Maurice-Jones left the club to take over as manager of close rivals Rhyl FC. Many of the players followed Maurice-Jones to Rhyl FC.

The Club appointed Matthew Jones & Dewi Llion Jones as Joint Managers for season 2018–19. They had to rebuild the squad as all of the previous seasons players left for pastures new. Despite a decent first half of the season the second half of the season saw them drop down the league and on the last day of the season they were relegated to the Lock Stock Welsh Alliance League for season 2019–20.

Dewi Llion Jones was appointed Manager during the close season and Owain Roberts joined him as Assistant Manager.

Back to the Welsh Alliance edit

At the end of the 2018–19 Cymru Alliance season, the team were relegated back to the Welsh Alliance League for the 2019–20 season. During the 2019–20 season Denbigh reached the Cookson Cup Final but the showpiece was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Denbigh wouldn't play another game following their semi-final win over Nantlle Vale in March 2020 until August 2021 – in a Nathaniel MG Cup loss to Llandudno.

Double Winners edit

During the 2021/22 Ardal North-West campaign Denbigh Town finished 3rd in the table, missing out on a play-off spot by a point to Porthmadog. The 2022/23 campaign saw them recruit several new players as Denbigh sought promotion to the JD Cymru North, the second tier in Wales revamped from 2019 onwards.

Denbigh battled both Bangor 1876 and Rhyl, pipping both to the title on the final day of the season with a 2-0 win over Rhostyllen.

In May 2023, a week after winning the title, Denbigh won the Ardal Northern League Cup beating Bow Street 6-1 in Caersws. The club had also reached their first national cup final in 99 years that season, the FAW Amateur Trophy, losing 2-1 to Trethomas Bluebirds in Newtown.

Current squad edit

As of 21 February 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK   WAL Aaron Jones
GK   WAL Jimmy McHarrie
DF   WAL Dan Parry-Jones
DF   WAL Billy Holmes
DF   WAL Max Cooke
DF   WAL Morgan Thomas-Sadler
DF   ENG Ben Lockley
DF   ENG Harry Lockley
DF   WAL Kyle Cooper
MF   WAL Sion Jones
MF   WAL Josh Lock (loan)
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF   WAL Keiron Roberts
MF   WAL Josh Griffiths
MF   WAL Paul Fleming
MF   WAL Dion Gibbins
MF   WAL Oliver Hansen
FW   WAL Nathan Brown
FW   WAL Owen Herbert
FW   WAL Kristian Pierce
FW   WAL Owen Davies (loan)
FW   WAL Matthew Worrall
FW   WAL Rhys Lloyd

[3]

Club staff edit

First Team edit

  • Manager: Dewi Llion
  • Assistant Manager: Brett Jones
  • Coach: Matthew Jones

[3]

Reserves edit

  • Manager: Liam Nash
  • Assistant Manager: Sion Jones
  • Coach: Alan Griffiths

Ladies edit

  • Manager: Ellen Lawson
  • Assistant Manager: Aled Davies

Backroom Staff edit

  • President: Clwyd Williams
  • Chairman: Shon Powell
  • Vice-Chairman: Richard Blake
  • Treasurer: Iwan Jones
  • Secretary: Neall Condon
  • Assistant Secretary: Stephen Whitfield
  • Match-Day Secretary: Gareth Luke Jones
  • Media Officer: Ollie Beech

Honours edit

Club Records edit

  • Highest Recorded Finish: 2nd (Cymru Alliance/North) 2017/18
  • Top Goalscorer: Mark Roberts (167)
  • Highest Attendance: 1,145 v Ruthin Town (26/12/2023)

Recorded History, goals from 1994 onwards.

Former players edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Denbigh Town – Ardel Lock Stock West – Lock Stock Welsh Alliance Football League". www.welshallianceleague.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  2. ^ a b "Welsh football third division club guide – Denbigh Town". County Times. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  3. ^ a b "First Team squad".
  4. ^ "Trethomas Bluebirds crowned Dragon Signs Amateur Trophy winners". .faw.cymru. Football Association of Wales. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  5. ^ "North Wales".

External links edit

53°11′2.2″N 3°24′36.8″W / 53.183944°N 3.410222°W / 53.183944; -3.410222