Lovell's Athletic F.C.

Lovell's Athletic F.C. was the works team for Lovell's sweet factory in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, which played professional football from 1918 until 1969.

Lovell's Athletic
Full nameLovell's Athletic Football Club
Founded1918
Dissolved1969
GroundRexville, Alderney Street, Newport

History

Lovell's joined the Western Football League in 1923 and won the title in their inaugural season.[1] In 1928, they moved to the Southern League, but left in 1930, with the first team taking the reserves' place in the Welsh Football League. They entered a second side in The Football Combination for the 1930–31 season only, finishing bottom of the inaugural Second Division with 15 points from their 26 games. Teams in that league included Bournemouth, Bristol City, Norwich City, Peterborough United and Swindon Town.[2]

Lovell's rejoined the Western League in 1931. They won their second title in 1938–39, and the following year joined the Southern League's wartime competition.[1] During World War II, Newport County did not field a team, so Lovell's were the premier team in Newport for that period. In the 1945–46 FA Cup, they reached the third round, losing 12–3 on aggregate in a two-legged match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, having defeated AFC Bournemouth of the Football League Third Division South in the first round 6–4 on aggregate.[3]

Lovell's returned to the Southern League in 1947. Following the 1947–48 season the club applied for election to the Football League, along with nine other non-league teams. However the two Third Division South teams seeking re-election, Norwich City and Brighton and Hove Albion, were both re-elected.

Lovell's left the Southern League in 1959 after finishing in the relegation zone of the North West Division.[1] They continued to play in the Welsh League until disbandment in 1969.

In their 51-year existence they were Welsh League champions six times, Southern League champions and Welsh Cup winners. The old Rexville ground is now a housing estate named "The Turnstiles".

Honours

Western League

  • Champions: 1924, 1939
  • Runners-up: 1936

Southern League Midland Division

  • Joint Champions: 1940

Welsh Football League

  • Winners: 1931–32, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1965–66

Welsh Cup

  • Winners: 1948
  • Runners-up: 1959

Welsh Amateur Cup

  • Winners: 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1953–54
  • Runners-up: 1922–23, 1923–24, 1938–39

South Wales FA Senior Cup

  • Winners: 1930–31, 1936–37, 1948–49, 1954–55

Monmouthshire/Gwent Senior Cup

  • Winners (10): 1929–30, 1930–31, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1946–47, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1954–55

Monmouthshire/Gwent Amateur Cup

  • Winners (2): 1925–26, 1928–29

History

References
  1. Lovell's Athletic at the Football Club History Database
  2. Perkins, Bob (2011). The league tables of the Football Combination (1915–2010)
  3. Collett, Mike (2003). The Complete Record of the FA Cup. Sports Books. p. 387. ISBN 1-899807-19-5.
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