Cardiff Grange Harlequins A.F.C.

Cardiff Grange Harlequins (known as the 'Quins') are a Welsh football team originating in Grangetown, Cardiff. The team's first choice strip is red shirts, black shorts and red socks. Their second strip is gold and black shirts, black shorts and black socks. They used to play their football at Cardiff Athletics Stadium in Leckwith.

Cardiff Grange Harlequins
Full nameCardiff Grange Harlequins Association Football Club
Nickname(s)The Quins
Founded1935 (1935) (as Grange Harlequins)
Dissolved2015 (reformed 2020 as Grangetown Harlequins)
2021–22Cardiff & District League Three, (resigned from league)

The Quins were formed in 1935,[1] and progressed in the 1990s from 'parks' football into the Welsh League, via the FAW Pyramid system. The club won the Welsh League Challenge Cup in 1995.

In the 2005–06 season, they played in the Welsh Premier League.[2] However, a lack of finances and fan support led to the departure of key players, leaving the club to rely on youth and reserve players. The 'Quins' remained rooted to the bottom of the table, and never looked able to avoid relegation. A second relegation followed in 2006–07, and the club's prospects of returning to the Premier in the short term looked slim.[3]

With the demolition of the old Cardiff Athletics Stadium in 2007 Grange Quins lost their home ground. Because a replacement was not due to be completed until late 2009 the Quins had nowhere to play and, in any case, were considering withdrawing from the Welsh League because of the far higher costs of playing at the new Cardiff International Sports Stadium.[4]

The club had a long-standing rivalry with fellow Cardiff side Cardiff Corinthians which dated back to the 1980s, when both clubs were fierce cross-city rivals and took part in some mouth-watering fixtures. Both clubs have rarely been in the same division, but the rivalry resumed in 2014–15 with the Corinthians relegation to Division 3.

In 2014–15 the Cardiff Grange Harlequins resigned from the Welsh League towards the end of the season[1] and their record was expunged.

The team continued to play in the Cardiff & District League for a season, though with none of the players that played in the Welsh League, using the park facilities at Pontcanna Fields as their home ground.[1] The club folded shortly afterwards. The club was reformed in 2020 as Grangetown Harlequins,[5] playing in the Cardiff & District League Division Three for the 2021–22 season, but withdrew mid-season. The club continues as a junior club.

Honours

Team names
  • 1935–1999: Grange Harlequins
  • 1999–2002: Porto Grange Harlequins
  • 2002–2005: Grange Harlequins
  • 2005–2006: Cardiff Grange Harlequins
  • 2006–2009: Grange Harlequins
  • 2009–2010: Cardiff Bay Harlequins
  • 2010–2015: Cardiff Grange Harlequins
  • 2020–date: Grangetown Harlequins

References
  1. "Quins keep going in 80th year". Grangetown Community News. December 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  2. "Druids let off the hook in Premier division". Daily Post. North Wales. 12 May 2005. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  3. "The Quins Club History". Cardiff Grange Harlequins FC. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  4. "Homeless Quins fighting for survival". Wales Online. 26 July 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  5. "Breaking News". Twitter. Grangetown Harlequins. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
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