Club History
The original Treharris Football Club was formed in 1889 as one of the earliest association football clubs based in south Wales. They were founding members of the South Wales League – a predecessor of the Welsh Football League – in 1891. The Treharris club were one of the foremost association football sides in South Wales in the two decades before the First World War, winning the inaugural South Wales League title in 1891, adding further triumphs in 1904-05 and 1907-08. They were also winners of the South Wales FA Senior Cup in 1904, 1906, 1907 and 1911. Treharris were also founding members of the Rhymney Valley League in 1904 and were league champions in 1910.
The club joined the Western Football League in 1906 and were champions in 1909-10 season. They entered the Southern League Second Division for 1910-11 finishing 6th behind the likes of Reading, Stoke and Cardiff City. Treharris remained in this division for another three seasons until the outbreak of WW1.
After organised football resumed in 1919, the club resumed as Treharris Athletic but did not join the English football pyramid, instead opting to play only in the Welsh Football League, where they generally played in the second tier during the 1920s and early 1930s. However, in 1934-35 the club won promotion to compete in Division One until the outbreak of WW2.
When the Welsh League resumed in 1945, the club played in Division 1, finishing as runner-up in 1949-50 behind Merthyr Tydfil, until relegation in 1959-60 into the Division 2 Eastern Division. The league restructured in 1964-65 and Treharris won promotion from Division 2 in 1965-66 as runners-up behind Caerleon. 1967-68 to 1969-70 saw Treharris miss out on promotion by a place three seasons running to Swansea University, Barry Town and Cwmbran Town.
After several years in mid-table in Division 1, the club finished 3rd in 1977-78 to win promotion to the Premier Division, behind Cardiff Corinthians and Milford United, but their stay at the top lasted only one season losing out to Pontlottyn on the final day of the season. In 1983-84 they were relegated again into the Third Tier. They remained here until 1995-96 when they won promotion as runners-up behind Cardfiff Institute before relegation again in 1998-99.
Promotion was again achieved in 2000-01 in third place behind Bettws and AFC Llywdcoed. However, after two seasons the club were relegated back to Division 3, two years later they were back though again in third place behind West End and Cambian & Clydach. In 2009, Treharris Athletic incorporated Western Hotel FC into the club and were re-named Treharris Athletic Western FC.
In 2011-12 the club were relegated into Division 3, where they would remain until the Pyramid re-structuring in 2019-20 which led to their last season in the Welsh League being in Division 2. In 2016 the club had to move from the Athletic Ground, their home since 1900 and for two seasons Treharris were forced to play at different grounds including Ystrad Mynach & the Welfare Ground in Fochriw. At the start of the 2018-19 season, Treharris moved into their new permanent home in Parc Taf Bargoed on the site of the former Deep Navigation Colliery and look forward to being founder members of Ardal Southern League, South West Division.
