Bala Town F.C.

Bala Town Football Club (Welsh: Clwb Pêl-droed y Bala) is a Welsh football club from Bala, Gwynedd, who play in the Cymru Premier.[1] They play their home games at Maes Tegid.[2]

Bala Town
Full nameBala Town Football Club
Nickname(s)Lakesiders
Founded1880 (1880)
GroundMaes Tegid,
Bala
Capacity3,000 (504 seated)
ChairmanArwel Roberts
ManagerColin Caton
LeagueCymru Premier
2022–23Cymru Premier, 5th of 12
WebsiteClub website

History

For a full history see; List of Bala Town FC seasons

Although the current Bala Town was formed in 1880, there is record of a football club competing in the 1877–78 Welsh Cup, losing to Corwen after two replays.[3] After Bala North End, Bala South End and Bala Thursday's merged, Bala Town's first available league status record is playing in the Welsh National League (North) Division 2 East in the 1921–22 season. Bala Town moved to their current home, Maes Tegid, in the early 1950s and joined the Wrexham Alliance in 1950,[4] however Bala Town had to wait for more than a century until they were promoted to the second tier of Welsh football, into the Cymru Alliance at the end of the 2003–04 season.[5] After only four seasons in the Cymru Alliance, Bala Town sealed promoted to the Cymru Premier.[6]

A view of Maes Tegid from the corner

Bala Town secured European football for the first time in their history after a John Irving goal in the 89th minute was enough to see off Port Talbot Town 2–1 to ensure the Lakesiders a European place. Bala Town were drawn against Estonian outfit Levadia Tallinn in the Europa League first qualifying round but after winning the home leg 1–0, they lost 3–1 in the reverse fixture in Tallinn and were eliminated. In the 2014–15 season, the Lakesiders finished second, their highest ever league position, thus qualifying for the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League. Bala Town missed out the opportunity of playing Turkish giants Trabzonspor in the 2015–16 Europa League after losing on aggregate to FC Differdange 03 after falling victim to an injury time Differdange goal, however Bala maintained a proud record of a 100% win percentage at "home", playing at Rhyl's Belle Vue stadium due to UEFA stadium requirements on both occasions, in Europe.

After finishing second in the 2015–16 Cymru Premier they followed this success up by winning their first Welsh Cup, beating The New Saints 2–1 in the final ending their 8 trophy winning streak.

Stadium
Main article: Maes Tegid

Bala Town have played at Maes Tegid in Bala since the 1950s. For European matches they use Rhyl's Belle Vue stadium due to UEFA stadium regulations. They lost a 2021–22 Europa Conference League qualifying match at Park Hall to Sligo Rovers on 8 July 2021.[7]

European record
Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
2013–14 UEFA Europa League 1Q Estonia Levadia Tallinn 1–0 1–3 2–3
2015–16 UEFA Europa League 1Q Luxembourg Differdange 2–1 1–3 3–4
2016–17 UEFA Europa League 1Q Sweden AIK 0–2 0–2 0–4
2017–18 UEFA Europa League 1Q Liechtenstein Vaduz 1–2 0–3 1–5
2018–19 UEFA Europa League PR San Marino Tre Fiori 1–0 0−3 1–3
2020–21 UEFA Europa League 1Q Malta Valletta — 1–0 —
2Q Belgium Standard Liège — 0–2 —
2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League 1Q Northern Ireland Larne 0–1 0–1 0–2
2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League 1Q Republic of Ireland Sligo Rovers 1–2 1–0 (a.e.t.) 2–2 (3–4 p)
Notes
  • PR: Preliminary round
  • 1Q: First qualifying round
  • 2Q: Second qualifying round

Current squad
As of 16 August 2023[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Wales WAL Kelland Absalom
2 DF England ENG Adam Mitter
3 DF England ENG Joe Nelson
4 DF Wales WAL Nathan Peate
5 FW Wales WAL Iwan Roberts
6 MF England ENG Cesaire Lingouba
7 FW England ENG Luke Wall
8 MF England ENG Nathan Burke
9 FW England ENG George Newell
10 FW England ENG Joe Malkin
11 MF England ENG Kieran Smith
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 FW Nigeria NGA Osebi Abadaki
17 FW England ENG Ryan Rogers
20 MF Wales WAL Aeron Edwards
22 MF Portugal POR Paulo Mendes
23 DF Wales WAL Ross White
24 DF England ENG Kyle Harrison
28 DF Wales WAL Naim Arsan
29 MF England ENG Oliver Shannon
30 GK Wales WAL Harri Lloyd
– MF Republic of Ireland IRL Joshua Ukek
– MF England ENG Theo Knight

Notable former players

For all players with a Wikipedia article see Category:Bala Town F.C. players.

Honours

References
  1. "Welsh Premier profile". Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  2. "Maes Tegid – The home of Bala Town". Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  3. "Welsh Football Data Archive:Welsh Cup 1877–78". Welsh Football Data Archive. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  4. "Welsh Data Archive:Wrexham Area 1950–51". Welsh Football Data Archive. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  5. "Welsh Football Data Archive: Wrexham Area 2003–04". Welsh Football Data Archive. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  6. "Welsh Football data Archive: Cymru Alliance 2008–09". Welsh Football data Archive. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  7. Pritchard, Tom (15 June 2021). "TNS, Bala and Newtown discover Europa Conference League opponents". Y Clwb Pêl-droed - Your home for Welsh football. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  8. "Og-title-uefaeuropaconferenceleague-team-squad". Bala Town F.C. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
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