A century ago and we nearly made it “four times” by Marc ap Dafydd
It’s the 30 th April 1924 and Merthyr Town are in the Welsh Cup Final for the first time. A 2-1 semi-final victory at Penydarren Park in front of 10,000 fans over local rivals and fellow Football League members Aberdare Athletic means that the Red & Greens faced Wales’s oldest club and the Welsh Cup’s perennial winners Wrexham AFC in the Final tie to be played at Taff Vale Park near Pontypridd. Taff Vale Park was the home of Pontypridd FC at that time and had hosted a previous Welsh Cup Final two years earlier when Cardiff City had hoisted the famous trophy after a 2-0 win over Ton Pentre. Pontypridd FC were members of the Southern League from 1911 until their demise in 1926 (their first game at Taff Vale Park had been for the visit of Queen’s Park Rangers). The venue though had been a multi-sports arena from the 1890s when it was built for Pontypridd RFC. Sports such as athletics, greyhound racing, speedway, cycling, rugby league, boxing contests and even baseball would