The Rhondda Valley League (currently the Carol Hosking Rhondda & District League for sponsorship reasons) is a football league covering the Rhondda and surrounding areas in South Wales. The league is at the seventh level of the Welsh football league system.
History The Rhondda & District Football League was formed on 7 June 1907. The league was originally called The Rhondda Junior League.
The original clubs elected to the league were:
First Division: Ton-Pentre Thistles, Maindy Crescents, Pentre Blue and Whites, Mill Vue, Porth United and (Tre)Hafod Juniors Second Division: Ton-Pentre Juniors, Cwmparc Crescents, Ynyshir Albion, Tylorstown Crescents, Porth Reserves and Cymmer United.
In 1927 the league was called The Rhondda Valley (Amateur) Football League. At the time some clubs in the league were made up entirely of unemployed men. This resulted in the North Rhondda League being created because clubs were unable to afford travelling expenses. In 1929 the North Rhondda League was affiliated and in 1933 it was renamed The Upper Rhondda League. The leagues remained separated until the 1962–63 season when they reformed back into one league.
In 1931 a third League was formed called the Rhondda Fach League, but this dissolved after the 1937–38 season.
Throughout the Second World War The Rhondda League was one of the very few leagues to continue playing football; because of the thousands of miners working in the collieries in the Rhondda.
Divisions
Member clubs 2026–27
Premiership
Banog Cambrian United (development) Ely Valley Ferndale BGC Llwynypia BGC Penrhiwfer Penygraig BGC The Baglan Ton & Gelli BGC Tonyrefail BGC (reserves) Tonyrefail Welfare Ynyscynon Ynyshir Albions (reserves)
Promotion and relegation Promotion from the Premier League is possible to the lowest tier of the South Wales Premier League, with the champion of the league playing the other tier 7 champions from the South Wales regional leagues via play-off games to determine promotion.
Champions of the Top division
Information for champions of the top division from 1954–55 to 2006–07 is sourced from a booklet to commemorate 100 Years of Football in the Rhondda League.
1900s
1907–08: – Trehafod
1930s
1936–37: – Rhondda Transport
1950s
1950–51: – 1951–52: – 1952–53: – 1953–54: – 1954–55: – Dinas Corries 1955–56: – Ystrad Athletic 1956–57: – Trebanog 1957–58: – Pentre BC 1958–59: – Pentre BC 1959–60: – Pentre BC
1960s
1960–61: – Blaencwm 1961–62: – Beatus 1962–63: – Llwynypia BC 1963–64: – Beatus 1964–65: – Dare Inglis 1965–66: – Dare Inglis 1966–67: – Dare Inglis 1967–68: – Rest Assured 1968–69: – Ton & Gelli BC 1969–70: – Cambrian United
1970s
1970–71: – Cambrian United 1971–72: – Cambrian United 1972–73: – Wattstown United 1973–74: – Gilfach United 1974–75: – Cambrian United 1975–76: – Gilfach United 1976–77: – Ferndale 'A' 1977–78: – Gilfach United 1978–79: – Ystrad BC 1979–80: – Penrhiwfer
1980s
1980–81: – Ystrad BC 1981–82: – Ystrad BC 1982–83: – Blaencwm 1983–84: – Treorchy BC 1984–85: – Ferndale BC 1985–86: – Kensington 1986–87: – Ferndale BC 1987–88: – Ferndale BC 1988–89: – Kensington 1989–90: – Blaencwm
1990s
1990–91: – Ynyshir/ Wattstown BGC 1991–92: – Stanleytown 1992–93: – Naval 1993–94: – Trebanog Workingmens 1994–95: – Penrhiwfer 1995–96: – Llwynypia WMC 1996–97: – Ynyshir Albions 1997–98: – Penrhys Athletic 1998–99: – Penrhys United 1999–2000: – Tonypandy Naval
2000s
2000–01: – Tonyrefail BC 2001–02: – Penrhys United 2002–03: – Ferndale BC 2003–04: – Trebanog Rangers 2004–05: – Turberville Arms 2005–06: – Cambrian & Clydach BGC 2006–07: – Tonypandy Albion 2007–08: – Wyndham 2008–09: – Ynyshir/ Wattstown BGC 2009–10: – Llwynypia BGC
2010s
2010–11: – Max United 2011–12: – Sporting Marvels 2012–13: – Sporting Marvels 2013–14: – Penygraig United 2014–15: – Gelli Hibs 2015–16: – Trebanog 2016–17: – Blaenrhondda 2017–18: – AFC Wattstown 2018–19: – Penygraig United 2019–20: – Treherbert BGC
2020s
2020–21: – Competition cancelled due to Coronavirus pandemic 2021–22: – Penygraig United (promoted to SWAL via playoffs) 2022–23: – Ferndale BGC 2023–24: – Treorchy BGC (promoted to SW Premier League) 2024–25: – Porth Harlequins (promoted to SW Premier League) 2025–26: – Tonypandy Albion
References
External links Rhondda & District League