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Home \| News \| Discussion forum \| Events \| Activities \| History \| Photographs	11 December 2007

The Cynon valley's great sportsmen

By John Penri Hillman

Cameos of Greatness

Mountain Ash in 1925 saw the birth of Richard Williams. He was later to be known as "Dickie" and started on his road to sporting greatness when in 1939 he earned his first cap for Welsh Rugby Union School boys.

Later he played for Kings College, Welsh Accies and Bristol before turning to Rugby League in 1944. Moved to Leeds where he made 233 appearances and scored 69 tries. He also played in the side that won the Cup at Wembley. The year was 1947. He represented Wales Rugby League on 10 occasions and won the first of 12 Great Britain caps in 1947. In 1950 he toured Australia and New Zealand with the British Lions and again in 1954 when he captained the side.He transferred to Hunslelt in 1953 and made 44 appearance for his new club. Retirement came in 1956.

Abernant gave birth to one of the immortals of Welsh Rugby when in 1880 Edward "Teddy" Morgan arrived,

One of the most prolific try scorers on the Welsh scene he was educated at Christ College, Brecon and Guy's Hospital, London but played most of his rugby for London Welsh. His international debut was against England in 1902. He will probably best be remembered for scoring the only try in Wales famous 3-0 win over the AllBlacks in 1905, which ended their 27 consecutive victories.

Between 1903 and 1905, Morgan scored 8 tries in 5 consecutive internationals and captained Wales against France in 1908 in the first match between the two countries. He also took over the captaincy of the British Isles team on their tour of Australasia in 1905. He made 14 appearances for Wales, 12 of which were victorious. He died in 1949.

He was the fastest wing to play for Wales at 9.8 seconds over 100 yards and he was born Haydon Thomas Morris in Mountain Ash.

His rugby career started in Bangor Normal College and later, Mountain Ash, Cardiff, Welsh Accademicals and the Barbarians. His first international was played against France in 1951 and 4 years later against Ireland in Cardiff, where he scored the second of the four Welsh tries that brought a 21-3 victory.In 1955 he toured South Africa with the British Lions and scored a hattrick of tries in his debut and 6 further tries in 7 matches. Unfortunately injury curtailed his career.

Shadow from the past and this brings to mind a certain back row forward named Dai Morris, who was born Rhigos in 1942.

Later known as the shadow he first played rugby at Gadlys Secondary School then joined Rhigos before going to Glyn Neath and eventually, Neath R.F.C., and the Gnoll.

1967 brought Dai his first cap against France and this was to be the first of 34 caps he was to gain playing for his beloved Wales. In a period called the Golden Era of Welsh rugby he toured Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Canada.

His final appearance was against England in 1974, bringing to an end the career of a player acclaimed by his peers as the finest back row forward Never to have represented the British Lions.

Alan Davies was born in Ynysybwl, 1944 then moved to Nottingham when 10 years old.

He graduated at Loughborough College and played for several English clubs before becoming a coach and gained success with Nottingham R.F.C, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire. He also succeeded coaching the Midland Division. Between 1986 and 1988he coached the English B-side and assisted Geoff Cooke in the English Tour of Australia and Fiji in 1988.

Initially appointed emergency caretaker coach for the 1991 World Cup but remained in charge until 1994 during which he collected the European Coach of Year. Patron of Aberaman (now Aberdare) R.F.C.

Keith Rowlands was born 1936 and tended the Aberdare Boys Intermediate School (grammar) which has now being demolished.

His potential was clear for all to see and it was no surprise that he excelled at rugby. It was self-evident even when playing for Aberdare Grammar that his future was in the game. After playing locally he moved to Cardiff's famous side and gained recognition when Wales picked him 5 times.

In 1966 he captained the Barbarian side then went on to further greatness by representing the British Lions on 19 occasions including 3 tests in 1962 Tour of South Africa, where he scored a try in the final International.

He became chairman of Cardiff R.F.C in 1973-1986 and he served International Board 1981-1986 then acted secretary form 1988-1996. Also Director of World Cup Limited between 1991 to 1995, the organisation responsible for the overall administration of Rugby World Cup.

Soccer star John Roberts was born in Abercynon in 1946 and started his football career with Abercynon Athletic F.C.

He matured to greatness in his chosen sport when he advanced to play for Swansea City in 1964 and scored 16 goals in 36 appearances. Then in 1967 he played for Northampton before joining Arsenal in 1969.

Two years later he was capped for Wales and gained 22 caps overall. Whilst with Arsenal he shared their Football League and F.A. Cup double.

The one street that makes up the close-nit community of Northview Terrace, Aberaman, over-looking, from the mountain's side, the site of the old colliery and just across the way Abercwmboi R.F.C.'s field, Formerly Aberaman A.F.C's ground and it was the latter's presence that inspired the street's greatest son, namely Alf Sherwood.

He won caps at soccer and cricket when still a schoolboy and soon his natural talent caught the eyes of Cardiff City and it was, indeed their lucky day because he matured into the finest left-back of his era.

The superb youngster joined City in 1940, and soon settled down learning his craft. He played 110 war time appearances for the bluebirds and went on to playa further 353 league matches between 1946 and 1956.

He gained International honours in 1947 against England and played 41 times for Wales, including 33 successive appearances. He joined Newport County in 1956 and turned out in 205 league appearances. After a brief spell as manager of Barry Town he retired in 1961.

Ron Jones, who was born in Cwmaman, 1934 and was educated at Aberdare Intermediate School (the old Grammar school adjacent to Aberdare Park) before joining the R.A.F where his Athletic career took off.

In a 16-year career he was the Welsh 100yds champion 8 times, and 220/200 metres champion 6 times. He held the Welsh 100 metres record of 10.4 sec for a remarkable 24 years 1967-1991. He represented Wales in 4 Commonwealth Games. 1967 saw him become British 100-metre champion and he represented Great Britain in 35 full Internationals.

He took part in 2 Olympic Games and captained the Mexico team the European Games / Championships also saw him represent Great Britain on 3 occasions. On retiring from athletics he became a football administrator, first with Queen's Park Rangers then Cardiff City and Portsmouth between 1976 and 1989.

He was a member of the Sports Council of Wales, 1982-1985, also the chairman of the Sports Development Committee.

Born in Barry, 1925 Bernard Baldwin was steeped in the athletic scene from childhood.

In 1943 he was Welsh A.A.A. junior men's mile champion and a cross country international, soccer in the Welsh League teams Tynte Rovers, Abercynon and Penrhiwceiber showed his overall command of sport and this participation was to compliment his all round knowledge when administration became his means of involvement.

It started in 1949 but it was when he became secretary of Welsh AAA and British Olympic Association (Wales)-1966-175 that his ability was rewarded.

Having lived in Mountain Ash since 1950 he used his knowledge and aided the famous Nos Galan Road Races there, which started in 1958 and saw some of Britain's best athletes compete. His efforts in athletics saw him rewarded in 1971 with the MBE.

Billiards

One of the valley's greatest players was Roy Oriel, he was born in Mountain Ash in 1929.

Darts

Ynysybwl's Leighton Rees won the World Individual Championship in 1977 and the Embassy World Professional championship in 1978.

Golf

His farther was the Professional at Aberdare's Golf Club and Dai Rees became assistant professional at the age of 16.

Born in Barry the family moved to Aberdare and Dai always remembered his time in the Valley though he was to travel widely and become one of the great golfers of his generation. His first professional tournament was in 1939. Yorkshire was the venue in an event run by the Evening News.

He was to appear in the Ryder Cup 10 times (5 as captain). His team gained a memorable victory in 1957. He became BBC Sports Personality the same year and captained the Professional Golfers Association from 1967 to 1976. In 1958 he was honoured with an MBE.

When Cycling spotlighted Aberaman by J.P.H. In 1884 Aberdare Cycle Club was formed and their greatest products were the Brothers Linton.

Arthur, Samuel and Thomas. By 1892 they had risen to prominence in South Wales, with Samuel being regarded, at that time, as the better cyclist over short distances. However, between 1892 and 1896 Arthur and Thomas went on to gain international fame for their long-distance racing exploits and between them the two brothers broke virtually every cycling record, in Britain and on the Continent, where they were victorious in France and Italy.

In 1894, Arthur, then racing as a professional, broke 4 world records. He won the Bordeux to Paris event and earned the title "Champion Cyclist of the World" 1894 also saw Thomas Linton, in the course of one month break records for the distance covered in 1- km, 10-km, 100 km, 5 miles and also won an 8-day event!

Sad to relate, both these remarkably brothers were to fall victim to typhoid. Arthur in 1896, aged 26 and Thomas in 1914. Samuel died in 1935.

Quoits anyone?

Born in Cwmaman, William 'Dice' Davies, during a period when the game of quoits was very popular as a sporting pastime in South Wales, stood out as one of its finest exponents.

Regarded as one of the stars of the art, which involved throwing a ring at a peg target he participated in a game dated back to the 15th century.

A record braking champion, he was 5 times Welsh Champion before 1921, was runner up on a further 6 occasions up to 1938 and won the South Wales Championship 10 times.

Representing Wales on 25 occasions he captained them 5 times. He served as secretary to the Welsh Quoiting Board for 7 years and was an International referee. His remarkable exploits over such a sustained period earned him the title of the "Grand old man of Welsh Quoiting".

Source to above: Aberdare's Hall of Fame' in the Valley's greatest sportsmen. Sobell's Sports centre Ynys, Aberdare.

Players / Administrators / Officials.

The Cynon Valley's Edward James Thomas became one of Table Tennis top administrator's. He was born in 1925 and passed away in 1990.

Ynysybwl's Ken Rowlands became a Rugby Union referee in 1964.

In 1979 he was a member of the full Welsh Rugby Union International Panel and Five Nations, and refereed Internationals in over 25 countries. He was invited to referee South Africa versus the Rest of the World match to open Ellis Park, S. Africa, as well as Wales versus the Rest of the World Centenary Match.

Brian Fear always thought football and his career in the game's administrative side proves the point.

Born in Abercwmboi, 1936 he became secretary of Aberaman A.F.C in 1957 after being attached to the club since his boyhood days when he became the Mascot of the team.

In the course of the next 4 decades since he became secretary he has served the Welsh Football League and Football Association of Wales with distinction. Periods as vice chairman and Chairman of the Welsh Football League coupled with his becoming Treasurer and Vice President of football Association of Wales secured him the great honour of being made a life member and Vice President of the Welsh Football League culminating in his being elected President of the Football Association of Wales.


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