Welsh football attendances: The biggest crowds across the Ardal Leagues this weekend
Penydarren and Penrhiwceiber Rangers attracted the biggest crowds in the Ardal Leagues between October 16 and 18, with several clubs also enjoying three-figure attendances despite a reduced programme due to Welsh Cup action.
The Ardal Leagues delivered another weekend of action across Welsh grassroots football, with supporters turning out to watch matches in the North East, North West, South East and South West divisions.
With several teams involved in Welsh Cup fixtures, the weekend’s league programme was not a full one, but there were still some encouraging crowds across the four divisions.
Penydarren recorded the highest attendance among the reported fixtures, with 268 supporters watching their match against Port Talbot Town in the Ardal South West on Friday night. Penrhiwceiber Rangers were close behind, attracting 267 for their clash with Taffs Well.
There were also healthy crowds in the Ardal South East, while matches in the North East and North West produced several more attendances above the 100 mark.
Ardal South West leads the way as Penydarren and Penrhiwceiber draw biggest crowds
The Ardal Leagues South West provided the two biggest crowds of the weekend, with Friday night’s fixtures proving particularly popular.
Penydarren’s meeting with Port Talbot Town attracted 268 supporters, narrowly edging out Penrhiwceiber Rangers’ match against Taffs Well, which drew 267.
Saturday’s fixtures also brought supporters through the turnstiles. AFC Llwydcoed recorded an attendance of 100 against Clydach, while 90 watched Mumbles Rangers take on Morriston Town. Cefn Cribwr’s match against Ynysygerwn attracted 50.
The weekend’s South West action concluded on Sunday, when 75 supporters attended Canton’s game against Seven Sisters Onllwyn.
Across the six matches with confirmed attendances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the South West recorded a combined crowd of 850, giving an average of 144 per match.
Ardal South West
- Penydarren v Port Talbot Town – 268
- Penrhiwceiber Rangers v Taffs Well – 267
- AFC Llwydcoed v Clydach – 100
- Mumbles Rangers v Morriston Town – 90
- Canton v Seven Sisters Onllwyn – 75
- Cefn Cribwr v Ynysygerwn – 50
Total: 850 | Average: 144
Ardal South East records strong Friday night crowd
Abergavenny Town attracted 145 supporters for their Friday fixture against Blaenavon Blues, making it the division’s best-reported attendance of the weekend across the Ardal Leagues.
Saturday’s matches included a crowd of 101 for Newport Corinthians against Caldicot Town, while 72 watched Abercarn United face Goytre.
New Inn’s match against Undy attracted 51 supporters, and 65 attended Cwmbran Celtic’s fixture against Lliswerry.
A further match listed in the division saw Lliswerry face Croesyceiliog, with 35 spectators in attendance.
Across the six reported fixtures, the Ardal Leagues South East recorded a combined attendance of 469, an average of 78.2 per match.
North East and North West attendances include two more three-figure crowds
The Ardal Leagues North East saw 72 supporters attend Llanfair United’s match against Bow Street, while 55 watched FC Queens Park take on Kerry.
Builth Wells’ fixture against Carno was also listed, although its attendance was yet to be confirmed.
In the Ardal North West, Llanrwst United attracted 108 supporters for their match against Penmaenmawr Phoenix, while NFA’s meeting with Pwllheli drew 101.
Kinmel Bay’s fixture against Trearddur Bay attracted 34 spectators. Mynydd Isa’s match against Nefyn United was also included in the weekend’s fixtures, but its attendance remained unconfirmed.
Based on the confirmed figures, the North East recorded 127 spectators across two matches, an average of 63.5. The North West recorded 243 across three matches, giving it an average of 81.
Ardal North East attendances
- Llanfair United v Bow Street — 72
- FC Queens Park v Kerry – 55
- Builth Wells v Carno – TBC
Confirmed total: 127
Average attendance: 63.5
Combined Ardal Leagues attendance table
The figures below cover the reported fixtures between October 16 and 18. Matches with attendances listed as TBC have been excluded from the averages and combined total.
| League | Confirmed matches | Total attendance | Average attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardal South West | 5 | 750 | 142 |
| Ardal South East | 6 | 469 | 78 |
| Ardal North West | 3 | 243 | 81 |
| Ardal North East | 2 | 127 | 63.5 |
| Combined total | 16 | 1,589 | 99 |
The 16 matches with confirmed figures produced a combined attendance of 1,589, an average of just under 100 spectators per match.
With Welsh Cup commitments affecting the league schedule, the figures provide a snapshot of the weekend rather than a complete picture of attendances across all four Ardal divisions.
Combined Ardal Leagues attendances – highest to lowest
| Rank | Fixture | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Penydarren v Port Talbot Town | 268 |
| 2 | Penrhiwceiber Rangers v Taffs Well | 267 |
| 3 | Abergavenny Town v Blaenavon Blues | 145 |
| 4 | Llanrwst United v Penmaenmawr Phoenix | 108 |
| 5= | Newport Corinthians v Caldicot Town | 101 |
| 5= | NFA v Pwllheli | 101 |
| 7 | AFC Llwydcoed v Clydach | 100 |
| 8 | Mumbles Rangers v Morriston Town | 90 |
| 9 | Canton v Seven Sisters Onllwyn | 75 |
| 10= | Abercarn United v Goytre | 72 |
| 10= | Llanfair United v Bow Street | 72 |
| 12 | Cwmbran Celtic v Lliswerry | 65 |
| 13 | FC Queens Park v Kerry | 55 |
| 14 | New Inn v Undy | 51 |
| 15 | Cefn Cribwr v Ynysygerwn | 50 |
| 16 | Lliswerry v Croesyceiliog | 35 |
| 17 | Kinmel Bay v Trearddur Bay | 34 |
