The Oswestry Railways Social Club
Press & Publicity Officer
Gareth Evans
Oswestry,
Shropshire,
SY11 1HT
Email Us
Website: http://www.cambrian-railways-soc.co.uk/~socialclub/
Since its earliest days, Oswestry Town Football Club and the Cambrian Railways had close links. There are some historians who believe that the club was founded as long ago as 1860. It was certainly up and running by 1875 and the early committees included the names of several Cambrian officers. One of the early players was called Savin, possibly the son of Thomas, the engineer to many of the early Cambrian schemes.
Thomas Owen, father of First World War poet Wilfred and an employee at the Great Western station is also believed to have played for the club and to have gained a Welsh cap whilst he was there. A large proportion of the club’s supporters in the past have been railway employees and as late as the 1950s the poor attendance at a supporters club meeting was attributed to its being held during ‘works fortnight’. Before the advent of the motor bus all visiting teams would, of course, come by train and specials were laid on for supporters.
The old ground in Victoria Road was used on many occasions around the turn of the century for Welsh Cup finals which resulted in a fair bit of traffic into the town. In the 1870s when Newtown beat Wrexham in the final there are reports that the Newtown team had to be escorted to the station by police who saw them onto the train and out of town - soccer hooliganism is nothing new! There are records of the Great Western putting on additional trains on the Llanfyllin and Tanat Valley branches for big games and on one occasion in the 1920s, when Oswestry played away at Mold Alexandra in the Welsh Cup no fewer than three special trains ran from the town. The game was drawn and replayed at Oswestry the following Wednesday afternoon when the North Wales club arrived in a further two specials.
One consistent problem the club has had over the years is financing its operation (and it is by no means unique in this!). you may have seen in the local press that Oswestry Town have had problems recently - and not necessarily of its own making! The Cambrian Railways Society have recently developed links with the club and we are now using their social club in the former Cambrian Institute, opposite the works in Gobowen Road, for our meetings and social events. This benefits both of us and, we hope, will help safeguard the future of a genuine Cambrian Building.
Any football supporters wanting to help the club through its present difficulties would be welcome to attend any of the games at Oswestry Town’s Park Hall Stadium, despite the financial problems, the team has been playing quite well lately! or to join the social club.
Lets hope that the recently renewed historical links between the football club and the Cambrian Railways Society remain for many years to come.
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Football : 2 - English Clubs and Associations