Bala Town Football Club (Welsh: Clwb Pêl-droed y Bala) is a Welsh professional football club from Bala, Gwynedd, who play in the Cymru Premier.[1] They play their home games at Maes Tegid.[2]
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| Full name | Bala Town Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Lakesiders | ||
| Founded | 1880 | ||
| Ground | Maes Tegid, Bala | ||
| Capacity | 3,000 (504 seated) | ||
| Chairman | Arwel Roberts | ||
| Manager | Colin Caton | ||
| League | Cymru Premier | ||
| 2023–24 | Cymru Premier, 3rd of 12 | ||
| Website | https://www.balatownfc.net/ | ||
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History
editFor a full history see; List of Bala Town FC seasons
Although the current Bala Town was formed in 1880, there is record of a football club competing in the 1877–78 Welsh Cup, losing to Corwen after two replays.[3] After Bala North End, Bala South End and Bala Thursday's merged, Bala Town's first available league status record is playing in the Welsh National League (North) Division 2 East in the 1921–22 season. Bala Town moved to their current home, Maes Tegid, in the early 1950s and joined the Wrexham Alliance in 1950,[4] however Bala Town had to wait for more than a century until they were promoted to the second tier of Welsh football, into the Cymru Alliance at the end of the 2003–04 season.[5] After only four seasons in the Cymru Alliance, Bala Town sealed promoted to the Cymru Premier.[6]
Bala Town secured European football for the first time in their history after a John Irving goal in the 89th minute was enough to see off Port Talbot Town 2–1 to ensure the Lakesiders a European place. Bala Town were drawn against Estonian outfit Levadia Tallinn in the Europa League first qualifying round but after winning the home leg 1–0, they lost 3–1 in the reverse fixture in Tallinn and were eliminated. In the 2014–15 season, the Lakesiders finished second, their highest ever league position, thus qualifying for the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League. Bala Town missed out the opportunity of playing Turkish giants Trabzonspor in the 2015–16 Europa League after losing on aggregate to FC Differdange 03 after falling victim to an injury time Differdange goal, however Bala maintained a proud record of a 100% win percentage at "home", playing at Rhyl's Belle Vue stadium due to UEFA stadium requirements on both occasions, in Europe.
After finishing second in the 2015–16 Cymru Premier they followed this success up by winning their first Welsh Cup, beating The New Saints 2–1 in the final ending their 8 trophy winning streak.
In the 2021-22 season Bala Town secured a runners-up finish for the third time in their history behind champions The New Saints. The 2023-24 season then saw Bala secure a third-place finish.
Stadium
editBala Town have played at Maes Tegid in Bala since the 1950s. For European matches they use Rhyl's Belle Vue stadium due to UEFA stadium regulations. They lost a 2021–22 Europa Conference League qualifying match at Park Hall to Sligo Rovers on 8 July 2021.[7]
European record
edit| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  Levadia Tallinn
|
1–0 | 1–3 | 2–3 |
| 2015–16 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  Differdange
|
2–1 | 1–3 | 3–4 |
| 2016–17 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  AIK
|
0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 |
| 2017–18 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  Vaduz
|
1–2 | 0–3 | 1–5 |
| 2018–19 | UEFA Europa League | PR |  Tre Fiori
|
1–0 | 0−3 | 1–3 |
| 2020–21 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  Valletta
|
— | 1–0 | — |
| 2Q |  Standard Liège
|
— | 0–2 | — | ||
| 2021–22 | UEFA Europa Conference League | 1Q |  Larne
|
0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 |
| 2022–23 | UEFA Europa Conference League | 1Q |  Sligo Rovers
|
1–2 | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | 2–2 (3–4 p) |
| 2024–25 | UEFA Conference League | 1Q | Paide Linnameeskond
|
1–2 | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | 2–3 |
- Notes
- PR: Preliminary round
- 1Q: First qualifying round
- 2Q: Second qualifying round
Current squad
edit- As of 16 August 2024[8]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Notable former players
editFor all players with a Wikipedia article see Category:Bala Town F.C. players.
Honours
edit- Cymru Premier:
- Welsh Cup
- Winners (1): 2016–17
- Cymru Premier Cup:
- Cymru Alliance
- Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Premier Division
- Winners (1): 2003–04
- North East Wales FA Challenge Cup
- Winners (4): 1971–72, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08
- North East Wales FA Junior (Horace Wynne) Cup
- Winners (1): 1996–97
References
edit- ^ "Welsh Premier profile". Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ "Maes Tegid – The home of Bala Town". Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ^ "Welsh Football Data Archive:Welsh Cup 1877–78". Welsh Football Data Archive. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- ^ "Welsh Data Archive:Wrexham Area 1950–51". Welsh Football Data Archive. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- ^ "Welsh Football Data Archive: Wrexham Area 2003–04". Welsh Football Data Archive. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- ^ "Welsh Football data Archive: Cymru Alliance 2008–09". Welsh Football data Archive. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- ^ Pritchard, Tom (15 June 2021). "TNS, Bala and Newtown discover Europa Conference League opponents". Y Clwb Pêl-droed - Your home for Welsh football. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ^ "Og-title-uefaeuropaconferenceleague-team-squad". Bala Town F.C. Retrieved 5 July 2022.