Team colours:

(H) Red/White Striped Shirts & Blue Shorts & Red Socks

Goalkeeper: All Orange

(A) Royal Blue & White Striped Shirts with Blue Shorts and Blue Socks

Goalkeeper: All Orange

CARDIFF COSMOPOLITAN FC - CLUB HISTORY

Our story goes back to the early summer of the year 1919 to the docks area of Cardiff which was at that time a bustling port. Certain friends and business acquaintances would meet every morning at a cafe underneath the Cardiff Exchange for coffee.

Most of these fellows had played in an annual soccer competition called the Docks Cup. This had been resuscitated after the Great War and was competed for by teams drawn from offices at the Docks. They used to discuss the various matches which had been played, and also the final which was always played at Ninian Park.

None of those who met regularly for coffee could claim any regular or definite attachment to any soccer club, but most indicated that they were quite anxious to continue playing on a fairly regular basis.

A suggestion was then made that serious consideration be given to the question of forming a new club and this was taken up quite enthusiastically. The next important matter to be considered was a suitable name for the club. Everyone was asked to give this some thought - one member of coffee suddenly exclaiming "Why Not Cardiff Cosmos" - this being an abbreviation of Cosmopolitan.

His reasoning behind the suggestion was that those present not only came from Cardiff, but from Penarth, Barry, Peterson and other areas. In addition the Docks was a very cosmopolitan area anyway. Thus the Cosmos Club was born and in later years became rather more sophisticated and took the name The Cardiff Cosmos Athletic Club.

A committee, chairman, secretary and treasurer were appointed and the secretary immediately proceeded to obtain fixtures for the 1919-20 season.

It was decided to only play friendly matches as the club had no ground and so all games would have to be played at opponents' grounds. However, whilst it was not possible to secure a full fixture list, a goodly number of fixtures were arranged with other local clubs and hospital teams, the former comprising teams all over Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, the latter including the hospitals at Whitchurch, Parc Gwilt and Angleton Bridgend.

Later in the 1920s the Cosmos became more ambitious and entered The South Wales & Mon. Junior cup and reached the final of the Lord Ninian Stuart Cup, the final being played at Ninian Park against Cardiff City 'A'. The Cosmos lost but what a match and what an honour - score Cardiff City 'A' 6 Cosmos 1

The newly formed club were enjoying quite a good reputation and did indeed secure guarantees with First Division Welsh League clubs. In the meantime a second eleven had been formed and this section was also able to secure a full fixture list.

In the early 1930s the club joined the Cardiff & District League By this time thoughts were being given to a home ground and in the late 1920s we were able to have the use of a ground in Rhydypenau Road, for a while, and in the early 1930s we moved to

Whitchurch Grammar School. Following this playing facilities and dressing room accommodation were acquired at Pen-y-Dre, Rhiwbina, and the club stayed at Rhiwbina until 1940.

From 1931 to 1940, five teams were being regularly turned out and The Friendly Team was one of them. Although we did not win any honours we maintained our reputation for clean play and sportsmanship.

During the Second World War over fifty members of the Cosmos joined H.M. Forces but between 1940 and 1945 we were still able to field one team every Saturday, our home ground now being in Western Avenue.

As the club had carried on and been administered during the War, it meant that we were ready at the end of the hostilities to take back old players when they were demobbed. It is with deep regret at this point, we mention that seven of our boys did not return.

The availability of private grounds at this time was a very difficult question, but we did manage to make arrangements to play at Blackweir. From 1950 onwards we enjoyed a very successful period as we won the Cardiff & District League on two occasions and we won the Cardiff City Supporters Cup. We also won the South Wales & Mon. F.A. Cup twice in succession in 1964 and 1965 before becoming members of the South Wales Amateur League. We were fortunate during this era to have several well known Glamorgan County Cricketers playing for the club who were all very good footballers and they no doubt contributed to our successes. At the end of each season we played the Glamorgan County Cricket Club in a friendly football match. It was always an excellent game followed by a social function.

In seasons 1965-66, 1977-78 and 1986-87 the club was champions of Division II of the South Wales Amateur League and won the League Cup in 1975-76 and 1979-80. Notable club secretaries at this time were Derek Stroud, who also served on the committees of both the South Wales Amateur League and Cardiff & District League and also Alan Beardsworth who served in the post between 1974 and 1989. Since 1988 the club has been under the stewardship of current chairman Paul Brown.

In season 2006-07 the club was expelled from the league due to a poor disciplinary record. This saw a mass exodus of players and management alike. The club were relegated to the Premier Division of the Cardiff & District League Division I. These proved to be difficult times both on and off the field.

After two successful seasons where the club only lost one league game, we eventually returned to the now-named South Wales Alliance League. The team was, and still is, managed by James Lovegrove who has done an immense job in those years. To gain promotion we twice had to go through the play-off competition. The first time we were unsuccessful but in the second one we achieved our aim by playing some scintillating football.

During these years we have run both a second team and a third team in the Cardiff & District League. Our first team play our games at the 3G pitch, University Road, Llanrumney and the second team play their home games at Caedelyn in Rhiwbina.

CLUB HONOURS

SOUTH WALES AMATUER LEAGUE
Division 2 Champions 1965-66

CARDIFF & DISTRICT LEAGUE
Division 1 Champions 1954-55
Division 4 Champions 1960-61
Premier Division Champions 1962-63
Division 2 Champions 1962-63
Division 2 Champions 1976-77
Division 2 Champions 1986-87
Division 2 Champions 2003-04
Division 1 Champions 2008-09
Division 2 Champions 2010-11
Premier Division Champions 2013-14
Premier Division Champions 2013-14

AMATEUR CUP
Winners - 1963-64

CORINITHIAN CUP
Winners - 1975-76
Winners - 1975-80

LORD NINIAN STUART CUP
Winners - 1962-63
Winners - 2011-12
Winners - 2012-13

CARDIFF CITY SUPPORTERS CUP
Winners - 2007-08
Winners - 2008-09
Winners - 2009-10