LOOKING BACK IN BLACK AND GREEN: CHAPTER 1

3 hours ago
3 min read

As we approach the end of the 2025/26 season, Club Historian Aled Bont Jones will be retelling and sharing tales from the past in the lead up to an ATFC Ex-Players' Event at our final home match of the season versus Llantwit Major on the 4th of April.

Each chapter will feature names and faces who were stalwarts at the Club over many years — some of whom we look forward to welcoming back to Park Avenue next month for a long overdue gathering.

First up, we look back over 54 years to a famous Welsh Cup encounter at Park Avenue...

Who remembers former sports broadcaster and conspiracy theorist David Icke appearing in goal at Park Avenue? Believe it or not, he did so when Hereford United were the visitors for a Welsh Cup 4th Round Replay on 5 January 1972.

The original tie was held at Edgar Street between Christmas and New Year 1971, with Aberystwyth Town securing a more than creditable 2–2 draw against their Southern League counterparts. Prolific scorer David “Dias” Williams got the ball rolling for the Black & Green when he netted within half an hour. The Bulls soon responded and equalised through Brian Owen, before Ricky George put the home side ahead with eight minutes remaining before the break.

Aberystwyth were not to be denied the opportunity to get one over on the league leaders, however. Around the hour mark, inside-left Gareth Roberts lobbed goalkeeper Fred Barber to bring the visitors level. Despite sustained pressure from the Hereford forwards, no further goals were scored and the match finished all square.

The Wednesday afternoon replay at Park Avenue drew a crowd of around 3,000 spectators packed into the ground. Not the usual time for a football match, especially on a working day during the school term, and it’s fair to imagine that more than a few “sick days” and bunked-off lessons helped boost the attendance.

Those present were treated to a memorable moment as Aberystwyth produced the shock of the round, defeating Hereford by a single goal. David Whitney scored the decisive header in the second half to secure the victory and set up a home tie against Ammanford Town the following Saturday.

While Fred Barber had been in goal for the original match, it was David Icke who stood between the posts in the replay. A far cry from what he would later become famous for, though that could also be said of Ronnie Radford and the aforementioned Ricky George. Within a month, Hereford would cause their own famous upset when they defeated Newcastle United in one of the most memorable shocks in FA Cup history, a match made famous by Radford’s stunning long-range strike.

It would be fascinating to hear from anyone who was present at Park Avenue for that memorable victory. What are your recollections of the day? Did you sneak away from school to watch the match, or perhaps take an unexpected afternoon away from work? Maybe some local schoolchildren were even given official permission to support their hometown club.

Any memories would be warmly welcomed! Get in touch info@atfc.org.uk

The Aberystwyth line-up that afternoon was:

Dyfrig Davies, Graham Thomas, David Sutton, J. O. Williams, Bryan Pugh-Jones (captain), Wil Lloyd, Nigel Southgate, David Whitney, Gwyn Thomas, David Williams and Gareth Roberts.

David Pugh was the substitute and replaced David Whitney before the end of the match.