13.1.15

The Welsh Football Academy: T.E.Thomas and Chirk AAA

 Chirk is a village between Wrexham and Oswestry close to the England Wales border. In 1891 the population was 2,272.
 Between 1884 and 1907 the village club, Chirk Amateur Athletic Association Football Club, provided 20 Welsh internationals , whilst another 4 natives of Chirk were capped whilst playing for other clubs. 
The club also won the Welsh Cup 5 times between 1887 and 1894. 
The success of the small mining community as a breeding ground for top class footballers is largely due to the efforts of one man, T.E. Thomas.

T.E. Thomas

Thomas was born in Ystalafera, South Wales in 1853. He was a schoolmaster at Chirk National School. 
In 1876 when the locals decided to form a club, Thomas was appointed secretary (he also played for the club, alongside employees of the local coal mines).
Thomas indoctrinated his pupils in the importance of accurate passing, ball control and keeping the ball on the ground. These were very progressive ideas at the time. 
In 1890 Thomas became became president of the Football Association of Wales.

Chirk AAA's Cup Winning teams: 

1886-87
1887-88
1889-90
1891-92
1893-94
E Povey
J Morgan
T Wynne
E Roberts
G O Postle
E Powell
'Di' Jones
J Mates
H Owen
J Jones
J Rogers
W P Jones
J Williams
J Owen
Wise
J Davies
R C Jones
G Williams
J Jones
E Morris
H Morgan
Billy Owen
P Griffiths
E James
T Williams
J Butler
W H Meredith
G Owen
H Morris
G Owen
H Roberts
G Griffiths
W Egan
A Lockley


Chirk AAA players in the Welsh International XI:

17.03.84
Wales 0 England 4 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
Charles Conde (1)
Peter Griffiths (2)
Billy Owen (3)

29.03.84
Scotland 4 Wales 1 (Cathkin Park, Glasgow)
Charles Conde



11.03.85
Ireland 2 Wales 8  (Ballynafeigh, Belfast)
Billy Owen



26.02.87
England 4 Wales 0 (The Oval)
Billy Owen



12.03.87
Ireland 4 Wales 1 (Oldpark Avenue, Belfast) 
George Griffiths (4)



04.02.88
England 5 Wales 1 (Nantwich Road, Crewe)
Peter Griffiths
Billy Owen

03.03.88
Wales 11 Ireland 0 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
Di Jones (5)



10.03.88
Scotland 5 Wales 1 (Easter Road, Edinburgh)
Di Jones
George Owen (6)

23.02.89
England 4 Wales 1 (Victoria Ground, Stoke)
Billy Owen



15.04.89
Wales 0 Scotland 0 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
Billy Owen



27. 04.89
Ireland 1 Wales 3  ( Ballynafeigh, Belfast)
Billy Owen



08.02.90
Wales 5 Ireland 2 (Old Racecourse, Shrewsbury)
Peter Griffiths
Billy Owen

22.03.90
Scotland 5 Wales 0 (Underwood Park, Paisley)
Peter Griffiths
Billy Owen

07.02.91
Ireland 7 Wales 2  (Ulsterville, Belfast)
Peter Griffiths
Jack Mates (7)
Joe Davies (8)
Billy Owen

07.03.91
England 4 Wales 1 (Newcastle Road, Sunderland)
Billy Owen



21.03.91
Wales 3 Scotland 4 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
Billy Owen



05.03.92
Wales 0 England 2 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
Billy Owen



26.03.92
Scotland 6 Wales 1 (Tynecastle, Edinburgh)
Billy Owen
William Egan (9)

13.03.93
England 6 Wales 0 (Victoria Ground, Stoke)
Edward Morris (10)
Edwin James (11)
Jack Butler (12)

18.03.93
Wales 0 Scotland 8 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
George Williams (13)
Edward Morris
Billy Owen
Jack Butler

08.04.93
Ireland 4 Wales 3  (Cliftonville Ground, Belfast)
Edward Morris
Billy Owen
Jack Butler
George Owen
Edwin James

24.02.94
Wales 4 Ireland 1 (St Helen’s Swansea)
Edwin James



12.03.94
Wales 1 England 5 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
Edwin James



24.03.94
Scotland 5 Wales 2 (Rugby Park, Kilmarnock)
George Williams
Edwin James


16.03.95
Ireland 2 Wales 2 (Solitude, Belfast)
George Williams



18.03.95
England 1 Wales 1 (Queen’s Club, London)
George Williams



23. 03.95
Wales 2 Scotland 2 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
George Williams



20.03.97
Wales 2 Scotland 2 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
Jack Mates



29.03.97
England 4 Wales 0 (Bramall Lane, Sheffield)
Jack Mates



19.02.98
Wales 0 Ireland 1 (The Oval, Llandudno)
John Morris (14)
George Williams
Albert Lockley (15)

19.03.98
Scotland 5 Wales 2 (Fir Park, Motherwell)
Edwin James

28.03.98
Wales 0 England 3 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
Edwin James



04. 03.99
Ireland 1 Wales 0 (Grosvenor Park, Belfast)
Edwin James



03.02.1900
Scotland 5 Wales 2 (Pittodrie, Aberdeen)
Charlie Morris  (16)
Sam Meredith (17)

24.02.1900
Wales 2 Ireland 0 (The Oval, Llandudno)
Charlie Morris
Robert Morris (18)



02.03.01
Wales 1 Scotland 1 (Racecourse, Wrexham)
Sam Meredith



18.03.01
England 6 Wales 0 (St James's Park, Newcastle)
Sam Meredith



23.03.01
Ireland 0 Wales 1 (Solitude, Belfast)
Sam Meredith
Robert Morris

15.03.02
Scotland 5 Wales 1 (Cappielow Park, Greenock)
Robert Morris



28. 03.03
Ireland 2 Wales 0 (Solitude, Belfast)
William Wynn (19)



23.02.07
Ireland 2 Wales 3 (Solitude, Belfast)
Arthur H Hughes (20)




The rise of professionalism in the 1880's saw an increased movement of players away from the villages of North East Wales into the North West of England and the Midlands. Examples among the players listed are Joe Davies, who moved on to Everton, and Di Jones, later of Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City. 
In addition to the 20 players above, the following Chirk players gained international honours whilst playing for other clubs: 

Jack Owen (Newton Heath) brother of Billy Owen, 1 cap (1892).

Hugh Morris (Chirk, Ardwick, Sheff Utd, Manchester City, Grimsby Town) 3 appearances for Wales (1894–97).

Billy  Meredith (Chirk, Northwich Victoria, Manchester City, Manchester United) 48 Wales caps (1895–1920).

Lot Jones (Chirk, Druids, Manchester City) 20 Wales caps  (1905–20).