Team Colours

(H) Orange Shirts with Black Shorts & Orange Socks

Goalkeeper: Purple

(A) Purple Shirts with Black Shorts and Purple Socks

Goalkeeper: Pink

Club History

Aber Valley YMCA are a small club situated in the South Wales Valleys. They currently operate two teams. The First Team play in the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division and the Seconds are members of the Taff Ely Rhymney Valley Alliance League.

The aim of the Club is to gain promotion to the Welsh League and rise as high as it can in the Welsh Pyramid. The Club believes in using home grown talent, which is evident as every player at the club comes from the local area.

The Club has a good local following, with a regular turn out at their home games. The First and Second teams play at Aber Park which is located in the small village of Abertridwr a few miles to the north of Caerphilly.

Aber Valley Y.M.C.A. Football Club was formed in the summer of 2000 by its founder Howard Herbert. The team was fresh from finishing junior football and was ready for the senior league when they entered the then called Rhymney Valley League. The club's first season at that level finished with success with Aber winning both cups and finishing runners up in the League.

Before the start of our second season there was a merger between the Rhymney Valley League and the Taff Ely League, creating the Taff Ely Rhymney Valley Alliance League. Aber started the season in the second division but refused to let that hold them back from achieving their goal of reaching the Amateur League. The success continued with Aber reaching two finals, winning one and finishing runners up in the other, and also winning the league and promotion to Division One.

The team's third year was a big, big season for Aber, having just won the league and getting promoted confidence was high and they were looking for promotion to the South Wales Amateur League. Again another successful season and Aber won the league with relative ease going undefeated whilst also adding another cup win along the way. Now it was just down to getting the changing rooms and pitch ready for the Amateur League.

The 2003/04 season was Aber Valley's first season in the South Wales Amateur League. It was to be a controversial season that saw 11 points being deducted that cost Aber promotion to Division One and warnings for discipline. Overall though it wasn't a bad season for Aber that saw the club finish a respectable 4th place in the league and reached the semi-final of the cup, only to be beaten on penalties by Division One team Ynysddu.

The following season, Aber were determined to win promotion after last year's disappointment. Things were looking up for Aber, the discipline had improved and results were looking good in the League and Cup. Another good Cup run saw Aber reach the semis for the second consecutive year, only to get hammered 7-1 by Kenfig Hill. The main target was achieved though and Aber won the league and more importantly promoted to Division One.

Having gained promotion to Division One, Aber knew that it was going to be a tough season playing quality opponents week in week out. After a long hard debut season Aber did a decent job finishing in a safe mid table position, with another excellent cup run that ended in a 3-1 Cup Final defeat to Cwmaman Institute.

The 2006/07 season saw Aber Valley firmly established as Division One side and were confident of putting together a challenge for the title. This was proven by pushing Cwmaman Institute all the way with 15 wins from the last 16 games to finish 4 points behind them. Yet again though Aber's love affair with the Cup carried on and another cup run saw Aber reach the final against Division One opponents Abercynon. It was a competitive game with both teams having good opportunities on goal. It was Aber who broke the deadlock though through an Elliott Prangley header in the first half. Both teams started the second half just like the first half finished with two early chances for either side. It wasn't until a late Daryl Jenkins goal that Aber settled Aber's nerves and the game was effectively killed off and Aber finally got their hands on the W.J.Owen Cup.

Confidence was high at Aber going into the 2007/08 season with a successful season behind them. That was soon turned to disappointment though as Aber had to battle on through the year with continuing injuries to key players and results not going the team’s way. Aber quickly turned their attentions to the Cup where they were yet again through to the Final of the W.J. Owen Cup. The opposition this time were League One opponents Ynysddu. Aber were quietly confident after two league wins over Ynysddu in the league. The game started well for Aber and it was Ben Thornton who got an early goal for Aber. In the second half Ynysddu started well throwing everything at Aber in the first 15mins but could not break down the Aber defence. It was then that Aber started to show their attacking threat catching Ynysddu with the counter attack, and it was Carl Osborne who got on the end of a Rhys Whatley cross that hit the post with 20mins remaining. Aber again had more chances later in the game but could not find the killer instinct in front of goal and Aber Valley were crowned winners of the W.J.Owen Cup for a consecutive year.