Cefn Druids A.F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Cefn Druids Association Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Ancients, Druids | ||
| Founded | 1872 | ||
| Dissolved | November 15 2024 | ||
| Ground | The Rock, Rhosymedre, Wrexham |
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| Capacity | 3,000 (500 seated) | ||
| Chairman | Des Williams | ||
| Manager | Ryan Roberts | ||
| 2021–22 | Cymru Premier, 12th of 12 (relegated) | ||
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Cefn Druids Association Football Club (Welsh: Clwb Pêl-droed Derwyddon Cefn) was a football team from Cefn Mawr, Wrexham. The club stopped playing in November 2024. However, it reformed for the 2024–25 season. Before this, the team played in the Cymru North. They had been relegated from the top league, the Cymru Premier, in the 2021–22 season.
The club was started in 1872 by Llewelyn Kenrick. He later helped create the Football Association of Wales. Over the years, different clubs merged to form Cefn Druids AFC. This happened in 1992 when Cefn Albion F.C. joined with Druids United. The club is one of the oldest and most successful in Wales. They won the Welsh Cup 8 times. They also reached the final 14 times, most recently in 2012. The team has done very well recently. They had their best league finish ever and won a play-off. This allowed them to play in the Europa League for the second time.
The team's main uniform is black and white striped shirts, black shorts, and black socks. Their second uniform for the 2019–20 season was red shirts, red shorts, and red socks. The club's official kit was made by Errea. It was sponsored by Wrexham Lager and Johnstown Tyre Service.
The Home Ground: The Rock
Planning for a new stadium called The Rock was approved in March 2009. This stadium in Rhosymedre could hold 3,500 people. There were some delays, but the club moved into the new stadium in August 2010. Before this, the team played at Plas Kynaston Lane in Cefn Mawr.
Club History
The club's long history comes from the famous old Welsh team, Druids FC. This team was founded in the early 1870s. They won the Welsh Cup 8 times and were runners-up five times. However, they faced difficulties when professional football became popular. The name "Druids" comes from ancient mystic men in Celtic history. These men were closely linked to Wales.
How the Club Started
The modern club says that Druids FC was formed in 1872. They claim this happened when Plasmadoc FC merged with Ruabon Rovers and Ruabon Volunteers. This was supposedly guided by Llewelyn Kenrick. However, old records from that time tell a different story.
Records show that on October 6, 1872, a new football club played its first game at Plasmadoc Park. Mr. George Hampden Whalley was the captain. On October 23, 1872, Ruabon Rovers held a meeting. They chose their club committee, including David Thomson and Dr Daniel Grey. George Hampden Whalley was chosen as president. He also became president of Druids and a rival club, Ruabon FC.
In February 1873, Ruabon Rovers played against Ruabon Volunteers. This shows that both clubs were still active after the supposed merger date. Ruabon Volunteers was actually a military team.
In September 1873, the club was still known as Ruabon Rovers. Important people who later joined Druids were part of this club. These included David and George Thomson. The club's founding story is even more confusing because Llewelyn Kenrick was at the start of a football club in Ruabon in September 1873.
The club's name seemed to switch between Ruabon Rovers and Plasmadoc in 1873. It was often called the Plasmadoc Club from 1874 to 1876. In 1882, Llewelyn Kenrick said that David Thomson started the Plasmadoc Club in 1874.
The Druids FC Era
The name "Druids" first appeared in local newspapers in January 1876. By 1877, the club was commonly known as Druids Football Club.
The club was allowed to play at Plasmadoc Park by George Hammond Whalley MP. But after he passed away in 1878, Druids could no longer use the ground. Because of this, Druids had to pull out of the 1878–79 Welsh Cup. The club then stopped playing, and many players, including Kenrick, left. The club did not play for over a year until it was restarted in November 1879.
The Williams-Wynn family helped the club by letting them use part of the Wynnstay Estate. This became Wynnstay Park, the home of Druids for the next forty years.
With their new home, Druids entered the Welsh Cup again. The 1879–80 season began a very successful time for the Ruabon Club. Druids reached the Welsh Cup final seven times in a row between 1879 and 1886. They won the trophy five times. Druids also did well in the FA Cup. They reached the Fifth Round (last eight teams) in 1882–83 and the Fourth Round in 1884–85.
After seven years of success, Druids began to struggle as professional football grew. They did not get past the Second Round in the Welsh Cup until the 1892–93 season. Their earlier FA Cup success also faded. After 1887–88, they did not reach the First Round proper again.
Club Mergers Over Time
In September 1888, Druids FC reformed. They merged with a nearby team called Ruabon Wanderers. They decided to keep the well-known name "Druids." Llewelyn Kenrick was at the meeting where the new committee was chosen.
After World War I, Druids FC stopped existing. They merged with Rhosymedre to form Rhosymedre Druids. Even with this new team, Druids still had money problems. In August 1927, they merged again with Acrefair United F.C. to create Druids United.
In 1992, after many talks, Druids United and Cefn Albion F.C. finally merged. This ended the local football rivalry in Cefn Mawr. The new club decided to join the new Cymru Alliance league. By combining their resources, they hoped to bring football success back to Cefn Mawr.
The "Oldest Club" Claim
The club badge and a sign at the clubhouse say that Cefn Druids is the oldest club in Wales. However, these claims are not correct.
The now-closed Oswestry Town claimed to have started in 1860. This would be before Druids. But old records suggest 1875 is more likely for them. Oswestry Town was in England, but they played in the Welsh football system. They were also early members of the Welsh FA.
When the National Library of Wales put its old newspapers online in 2012, new information was found. This showed that Wrexham AFC was formed in 1864. This is 8 years before the original Druids FC (from Ruabon Rovers and Plasmadoc). So, Cefn Druids' claim of being the oldest club in Wales is wrong.
Cefn Druids can still say they come from one of the oldest existing teams in Wales. This makes them one of the oldest football clubs in the world outside England. Their nickname, 'The Ancients', might seem to come from this age. However, Druids FC was called 'The Ancient Britons' as far back as 1893. So, the nickname actually comes from Celtic history, not just the club's age.
Druids can still claim to be the oldest club playing in the Welsh Pyramid through their history.
Recent Club History
The club became strong in the Cymru Alliance. They focused on developing young players. Under manager Gareth Powell, they won the 1998–99 Cymru Alliance championship. They scored over 100 goals that season. They were then promoted to the League of Wales. Druids finished 13th in their first season there, avoiding relegation easily.
The 2000–01 season started with high hopes. But on May 23, 2001, Gareth Powell resigned as manager. After Steve O'Shaughnessy became manager in 2001, the team had some of its best results. This was like their successful Welsh Cup days from the late 1800s.
The 2001–02 season was about staying in the Cymru Premier. They finished 14th. In the Welsh Cup, they reached the semi-finals for the first time in 98 years. They beat teams like Llangefni-Glantraeth and Cymru Premier teams Prestatyn Town. On March 31, 2012, Cefn Druids beat Airbus 4–1 to reach their first Welsh Cup final in 108 years. Andrew Swarbrick scored three goals. Druids lost 2–0 to the New Saints in the final. But because they reached the final, they qualified for the UEFA Europa League.
The 2017–18 season was Cefn Druids' best ever in the top league. They finished in fifth place.
Club Achievements
Druids (1872–1927)/ Druids United (1927–1992)/ Cefn Druids A.F.C. (1992–present)
League Titles
- Wrexham & District Amateur League
- Champions: 1931–32, 1933–34, 1936–37
- Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Division One
- Champions: 1950–51
- Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Division Two
- Champions: 1969–70
- Cymru Alliance
- Champions: 1998–99, 2013–14
Cup Wins
- FAW Welsh Cup
- Winners: 1880, 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1898, 1899, 1904
- Finalists: 1878, 1883, 1884, 1900, 1901, 2012
- Welsh Amateur Cup
- Winners: 1903
- Welsh Youth Cup
- Winners: 1958, 1959
- North East Wales FA Challenge Cup
- Winners: 1980, 1998–99, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19
- North East Wales Presidents Cup
- Winners: 1998–99
- WPL Europa League Play-off Final
- Winners: 2017–18
Cefn Albion (1967–1992)
League Titles
- Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Division 1
- Champions: 1979–80, 1980–81
- Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Division 3B
- Champions: 1969–70
Cup Wins
- North East Wales FA Challenge Cup
- Winners: 1978
- North East Wales FA Horace Wynn Cup
- Winners: 1977
- Welsh National League Division 2 Cup
- Winners: 1974
European Matches
Cefn Druids has played in European competitions. Here are their results:
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | UEFA Europa League | First qualifying round |  MYPA |
0–0 | 0–5 | 0–5 |
| 2018–19 | UEFA Europa League | Preliminary round |  Trakai |
1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
See also
In Spanish: Cefn Druids Association Football Club para niños
