Ynysybwl Football Club was formed in 1895 and competed with great success in the local Pontypridd & District league until 1967 when they applied to step up to the Welsh League.
The team adapted well to the higher standard and narrowly missed out on promotion in their first season. However a year later they were crowned second division champions.
Unfortunately Ynysybwl didn’t make much impact in the first division and were relegated in 1974/75. After fourteen years in the bottom division a steady improvement eventually led to promotion again in 1988/89, when Ynysybwl finished runners-up behind Garw Athletic.
This time Ynysybwl were stronger and missed out on successive promotions by only six points, but difficulties off the pitch eventually led to a merger with local Pontypridd & District league team Pontypridd Sports & Social to form Pontypridd/Ynysybwl and a move to Ynysangharad War Memorial Park in the heart of Pontypridd from the 1991/92 season. Then a sixth place finish was enough to earn promotion to the top division for the first time in the club’s history, due to reorganisation of the Welsh League following the formation of the League of Wales.
The club changed its name again in 1992, now being named Pontypridd Town, and in 1992/93 enjoyed it’s highest ever league position, finishing in third place with just 3 defeats in 26 games.
With the help of the local council the club opened new changing rooms, installed floodlights and upgraded the stand at Ynysangharad Park in 1995, and a sponsorship deal with Shamrock Coaches allowed Pontypridd Town to loan three young professional players from Cardiff City.
A memorable Welsh Cup run saw Ponty defeat League of Wales team Cemaes Bay 1-0 before going out 2-1 against eventual winners Llansantffraid in the quarter-finals. However, off field problems led to the manager, many players and sponsors leaving the club after the Welsh Cup exit, and after ending the season in eleventh place Pontypridd were deducted seven points for fielding an ineligible player dropping Ponty four places down the table into the relegation zone.
Several managers and numerous players came and went as Ponty hung on in the second division for three seasons before relegation back to the basement in 1998/99. They even looked in danger of dropping out of the Welsh League altogether after a terrible start to the 2000/01 season. But the club was fortunate to obtain financial backing, once again from Clayton Jones of Shamrock Travel, and the appointment of former Ynysybwl, Ton Pentre and Inter Cardiff player Brian Gibson as player/manager led to an influx of new players and an improvement in results which pulled Ponty away from the bottom to mid table safety.
Expectations were high for 2001/02 and there was huge relief as Ponty won nine of their last twelve games to clinch third place, and promotion, by two points from Caldicot Town.
After a season of consolidation in the second division, 2003/04 saw Ponty avoid relegation thanks to a stunning 6-0 win in their final game of the season against Blaenrhondda, who were relegated instead of Ponty on goal difference!
The summer of 2004 saw the club clinch another major sponsorship deal, with Decor Frame, and expectations were high. But an indifferent start left Ponty too far behind the leaders and they had to settle for fifth place despite a run of 10 wins and 2 draws from their last 13 games.
The end of season revival coincided with the arrival of Ryan Nicholls as joint manager with Brian Gibson. But Gibson then stepped down due to business commitments leaving Nicholls in sole charge for 2005/06 and, after an impressive summer recruitment drive, Ponty were unstoppable as they stormed to the top of the second division. Ponty stayed unbeaten until they clinched the championship with 3 league games still to play, and enjoyed a great Welsh Cup run, beating first division sides Pontardawe and Ton Pentre then Welsh Premier Aberystwyth before going out to eventual Welsh League champions Goytre United.
Ponty challenged for the Welsh League title and applied for promotion to the Welsh Premier in 2006/07, but eventually finished third again. But the club was devastated by the withdrawal of their main sponsor on the eve of the 2007/08 season and the loss of every player forced the recruitment of a new manager and squad who battled hard but failed to avoid relegation.
This season sees Gary Haman appointed manager as the club seek to rebuild, and hopes are high that the backing of Clayton Jones once again via St. Davids Travel will bring some much-needed stability to the club.

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