Buckley is an old established football centre in North Wales. The game was first introduced in Buckley in around 1860. There were very few organisations, and lack of funds meant that the game was played in a basic way.

An early player named Sarbat recalls playing football with his friends on the common in Buckley, using coats for goal posts, because the Lord of the Manor had forbidden the use of permanent wooden posts on the land. He recalls the day when he and his friends were presented with a real, full sized, brand new football, from a vicar in the area. With the new ball, they regarded themselves as a real team, and established themselves as a football club, playing under the name of Belmont Swifts Football Club. This formed the heart of what would later become Buckley Victoria Football Club, the first organised team in the town.

Buckley Town FC 1898

The team had their own pitch at Mill Lane, and soon played home and away matches against teams such as Mold Athletic, Wrexham Victoria and Rhyl Athletic.

Buckley Victoria were superseded by the Buckley Engineers, who carried on the 'Vics' winning ways. The amateurs' most famous team consisted of ten colliers, and a plumber. They picked up a huge amount of silverware in their playing days, including the Welsh Amateur Cup which they won on 3 occasions.

In 1887 Buckley Town Football Club was formed, and it wasn't long before they had a taste of success. They went on to win the Wirral & District League in 1898, and picked up the Pike Challenge Cup in the same year. Buckley Town continued to play right up to the 1920's, and in 1925 joined the Welsh League, North Division. In 1937 they went on to win the North Wales amateur cup.

During the 1930's it seemed that there was a football club in every area of the town and surrounding hamlet. Clubs such as Altami, Buckley Amateurs, Burntwood Victoria, Buckley Victoria, Daily Hill FC and Nant Mawr. Few were successful in competitions.

Then, in 1936-37 Buckley Town A.F.C won the North Wales F. A. Amateur Cup and the Pyke Challenge Cup.

BAGGY SHORTS AND TOE CRUSHERS

BUCKLEY TOWN team of 1936-37 pictured with the North Wales FA Amateur Cup and the Pyke Challenge Cup.

Back row – Heron, Catherall, Garston, and Dunn.

Middle row – Messham, Williams, Bellis, Hughes, Parrish, Harvey, Bell, Millington, Tarran, Burton.

Front row – Kelsall, G. Morris (Assistant Secretary), F. Roberts (Chairman), Arthur Jones (secretary), A. Edwards, R. Smith, Campbell.

BUCKLEY football veteran, Arthur Jones, revived a lot of memories when he told of the golden days of soccer in the town in a recent Chronicle article. He dusted down his scrapbooks to relive the 193Os when he was in turn secretary of Burntwood and Buckley Town clubs. His reminiscences of those days of baggy shorts, toe-crushing leather boots, and nail-biting matches provoked a lot of interest. So now Mr. Jones has come up with more thoughts and anecdotes of those pre-war football days.

Buckley seemed to have a club down every street 50 years ago. There were teams like Nant Mawr, Altami, Buckley Amateurs, Burntwood and Buckley Victoria.

Rule Book

Mr. Jones said the club secretary played an important role and had to learn three rule books practically by heart. He recalls one occasion when he had to give evidence at a Football Association Commission when he was accused of fielding seven ineligible players in a cup tie. Although he won his case at the hearing, Mr. Jones said he was so apprehensive about facing the commission that he spent a long time studying the rule book under an old oak tree.

The rule book was the bible, and legendary local football doyens like A. W. Evans of Flint, Ralph Williams of Shotton, Treflyn Roberts, of Shotton and Jack Rowlands of Buckley, knew the regulations inside out and “gave their all” for amateur football.

Mr. Jones said referees were paid 7 shillings an 6 pence for a league match and 10 shillings and 6 pence for a cup tie - (nothing has changed then - Ed) - providing there was enough in the coffers. The refs had a tough time in those days. “In one match my uncle broke his collar bone, which resulted in the referee being thrown in the nearby pond,” he said. Linesmen were appointed by the local club committee. Many were over enthusiastic and would argue with the referee or with spectators. This often led to stand-up fights, which would result in a match being abandoned.

Cup victories for Buckley clubs were big occasions. “It was tremendous returning home in the early hours of Sunday morning with the cup. Crowds would be waiting on Buckley Cross and because it was the Sabbath, someone would shout ‘let’s have Cwm Rhondda’, said Mr. Jones. Silver cups won on the football field were valuable possessions. “I once had to keep large trophies at home so every night my mother would carry them upstairs and place them under the bed for safety,” he said.

Transfer

There was also a thriving transfer market. He remembers taking a player, who had impressed Manchester United scouts, to Old Trafford. Mr. Jones was offered a stiff whisky by the late Walter Crickmer, tragically killed in the Munich air crash. The Buckley secretary declined, opting instead for a cup of tea. But he was rewarded some time later when United visited Buckley. (So Danny Collins was not the first, how about a game then United - if you dare! - Ed).

Another memorable incident came when Buckley visited Tranmere for the Pyke Cup final. The Buckley crowd got so worked up that they invaded the pitch. Mr. Jones was summoned before the league committee to explain the fans’ bad behaviour. (Nothing has changed then - Ed).

Then his team got the bird again when they were playing at Llandudno. Players were amazed when they spotted a bird’s nest with two eggs in the penalty area!

Buckley folk have always taken their football seriously. Colliers, brick makers, potters and schoolteachers have all rubbed shoulders in team line-ups. The game has always been classless in the town. Names that will be long remembered include Joe Kelsall, Percy Millington, John Beavan and Arthur Peters, who came back from West Ham United and Newry Town to finish his playing days with his native Buckley Town. Household names from the 30s included Charlie Hayes who played for Wales, Len Peters, a local preacher for 50 years, and Ted Piercy, a schoolteacher renowned for never losing the ball.

There were also great administrators like Ted Robbins, Welsh F. A. secretary, Lt. Col. Williams, of Holywell, and George Thewell, of Shotton. “They all worked hard for Welsh football and I pay tribute to them,” said Mr. Jones.

Rivals Burntwood & Drury United 1967

Buckley Wanderers finished runners-up for the third time in their history, with Chirk AAA finishing just two points ahead of them. 'Rovers' struggled in there first season in top flight football, finishing ninth in the league. Then in the 63-64 season Buckley Rovers were relegated, only to come straight back up the following season.

From 1974 Buckley Rovers then became the better of the two sides, with a runners-up finish and a third place finish. The 1976-77 season saw both teams finish in the bottom half of the table.