Glantraeth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ground name: Cae Glantraeth
By car: Google Maps – Glantraeth Farm Cottages, Bodorgan
Parking: Ample parking at the ground
Nearest train station: Bodorgan – 1.7 miles away
Pitch: Grass
Floodlights: No

 

Glantraeth’s recent history is a tale of a club being victims of their own success. In the 2016/17 season they romped to the Welsh Alliance Division One title before failing to achieve promotion due to failing the ground criteria to advance to the Huws Gray Alliance (tier 2). The more recent criteria of 250 seats needed was not met (Glantraeth have just 63), and promotion was refused. This despite Glantraeth having achieved this promotion twice before (1997 and 2003), but the new criteria and subsequent failure to be promoted meant Glantraeth’s successful manager Warren Gibbs stood down, players left, and Glantraeth were unable to raise a team for the following season. So, a year out for Glantraeth, but they return for the 2018/19 season, with Warren Gibbs back as manager, but further down the pyramid in the Gwynedd League (tier 5).

Glantraeth’s home ground is on the outskirts of the tiny hamlet of Trefdraeth, in beautiful grounds on the Bodorgan Estate. Upon entering the ground you will find yourself behind one of the goals, on an area of hard standing which houses a small covered area for spectators, with toilets on one side and Hel’s Kitchen inside a portakabin on the other. The usual refreshments here, but no booze on my visit (it was pre-season), but not expected during the season either.

Continuing around the ground, more hard standing leads down one side towards the smart 63 seater main stand, with the club’s name on the roof. In front of this are the home dugouts.

The hard standing turns to grass as you continue past this stand and behind the other goals, with just pitch railings here.

Down the other side of the pitch is more hard standing, although this side is raised well above pitch level, with the away dugouts on the halfway line.

All in all, a very tide little ground in a beautiful part of Anglesey, but this has restricted Glantraeth somewhat. The fact that they can’t simply throw up a larger stand as it would not be in keeping with the rest of their landowner’s grounds (his house is directly opposite), means promotion to the second tier is well beyond them under current criteria.