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Years 1914-1945
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1920. A Supporters' Club was formed, but lapsed after a short period.
1921. The Ground was raised and re-laid, railed in and a stand erected. The scheme cost
£9777.9.6
3rd December, 1921. The Ground was officially re-opened when Aberavon played Neath.
1921/22. Johnnie Ring scored a Club record of 55 tries in a season. It has been
reliably claimed for him that in the 1919/20 season, when the Club was still playing at
the Mansel Ground, he scored 76 tries. Regretfully, it has not been possible to research
and therefore to confirm this figure. Until recent years, he held the record for an
Aberavon player of scoring seven tries in a club match, when this record was equalled by
Denis Curling who scored seven tries in a cup match against Nantymoel in 1971.
At the beginning of the 1921/22 season, Aberavon were unofficially christened "The
Wizards of the West" by W. H. Taylor ("Rover") of the Evening Post. The
name was later shortened to "The Wizards". The description arose from the Club's
brilliance in the 1920's. In 1924, following a match between Aberavon and Bridgewater, a
report by a Bridgewater reporter in his local paper confirms the quality of Aberavon's
play. Headed, "Fine Display by Welsh Wizards," it reads : "The Welsh
Wizards" are indeed a wonderful combination and possess all the wiles and guiles of
the Rugby game. They manoeuvre with all the astuteness of their kinsman,, Mr. Lloyd
George, and blend with their adroitness the judgement of the first Minister of the British
Empire, whom they claim as their representative of the Government. - Aberavon, a
beautifully balanced athletic machine, possessed strength and speed, reliability and
resource, alertness and agility in attack and all the doggedness of defence if it were
needed. No Country XV could get within yards of the play which has been perfected by these
paramount pattern weavers." - "This aptly describes the finest local Rugby side
north of the equator." Team : D. Williams, W. James, E. Williams, Cyril Griffiths,
Stan Davies, Shon Thomas, D. Hunt Davies, Bob Randell, Lew Jenkins, J. Jeremy, Bryn
Phillips, P. C. Bennett, W. J. "Noisy" Thomas, C. Bamsey and J. Sullivan.
1923/24, 1924/25, 1925/26, 1926/27. Aberavon Welsh Club Champions for four consecutive
years.
1925. When winning his first cap against England, Evan Williams became, at the age of
17, the then youngest player to win Welsh Senior honours.
1925/26. The Aberavon team contained eight players who had been capped for Wales: Evan
Williams, D. Hunt Davies, W. J. Hopkins, Willie James, C. F. Rowlands (five backs), Lew
Jenkins, Bryn Phillips and Bob Randell.
1928/29. Aberavon again ran a Second Team, captained by I. Rees.
1930/31. Only 278 points scored, the lowest scoring season on record.
12th September, 1932. Aberavon Supporters' Club reformed.
15th October, 1932. First official programme issued by Supporters' Club, price one
penny (d.), Aberavon v Bridgend. The Supporters' Club declared object was "to become
a practical ally to the Aberavon Rugby Football Club" and "to keep the
progression of Rugby in Aberavon and District." Team : T. O. James, W. Barnes, J.
Thomas, T. Davies, 'Dai' Phillips, Ivor Roberts, Tom Egan, Ned Jenkins (Capt.), W.
Vickery, D. Morgan, Les Davies, J. T. Morgan, H. Davies and A. McCarley.
By 1935 the Ground had become known as the Talbot Athletic Ground.
1937. The Supporters' Club erected a Stand or Shelter on the "Tanner Bank."
1937/38. 610 points were scored, then a record Aberavon score for any season, under the
captaincy of George Davies. Sid Williams scored 37 tries.
1939 to 1945. Aberavon played infrequently, and during World War II the Ground was used
as a Balloon Barrage Site.
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