NB: first ever season; played in the north of Wales;
on Mar 15, 1890, ten clubs had been selected for the league;
of those, Wrexham and Chirk declined their invitation to join,
in the case of Wrexham explicitly because of the inferiority
of some of the other selected clubs (Wrexham instead entered
the inaugural edition of The Combination);
Newtown withdrew on account of travelling difficulties;
in their place, Ruabon were added on May 1, 1890, so that the
league consisted of eight clubs;
the winners were presented with a silver cup offered by Welsh
international player Dr. Alfred Owen Davies;
Druids were from Ruabon; they played at Wynnstay Park;
Rhos is short for Rhosllannerchrugog; they played in Johnstown;
Westminster Rovers were from Wrexham; they played at Stansty Park;
matches were played on Saturdays or public holidays (Boxing Day,
Dec 26; New Year's Day, Jan 1; and Easter Monday, Mar 30).
Final Table:
1.Druids 10 7 1 2 45-14 13 [-2] Champions
2.Rhos 9 5 0 4 26-17 10
3.Rhostyllen Victoria 9 4 0 5 18-28 8
4.Ruabon 7 3 0 4 18-23 6
5.Rhyl 8 2 2 4 9-24 4 [-2]
6.Westminster Rovers 9 2 3 4 18-28 1 [-6]
-.Bangor withdrew in March 1891;
record at withdrawal: 8 2 3 3 16-21 5 [-2]
-.Mold withdrew in March 1891;
record at withdrawal: 6 0 4 2 5-12 4
NB: point deductions for use ineligible players;
it is not clear whether the points deductions against Druids and Rhyl
(both incurred against Mold) were revoked after Mold withdrew; the
tables in the Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser let the deductions
stand, whereas those in the Rhyl Record and Advertiser did not (and
reduced the deduction for Westminster Rovers to 4 points – although
their deductions did not involve either Mold or Bangor);
remaining matches not played.
[Oct 11]
Mold 1-2 Westminster Rovers [annulled]
[annulled after protest Mold (on the ground that an unofficial referee
officiated); the management committee meeting on Oct 16 did not decide
on the protest but ordered a replay on Jan 31 after having been informed
that neither club had registered its players 14 days ahead of the match]
Rhostyllen Victoria 1-8 Druids
[Oct 18]
Rhos 7-0 Rhostyllen Victoria
Mold 2-2 Druids
[Oct 25]
Rhostyllen Victoria 2-2 Mold
[Nov 1]
Rhos 3-2 Ruabon
Rhyl 2-0 Mold
Bangor 1-1 Westminster Rovers
NB: on Nov 14, both Druids and Rhyl had 2 points deducted – Druids for having
fielded two unregistered players against Mold on Oct 18 and Rhyl for having
fielded an ineligible one (captain Lewis Morgan, who before had represented
Chester in a Combination match on Sep 27) against Mold on Nov 1.
[Nov 15]
Ruabon 5-1 Westminster Rovers
Druids 8-0 Rhyl [also reported 7-0]
[played over 2x35 minutes because Druids (!) showed late; because of
that, Rhyl protested against the result being counted; their protest
was upheld at a League meeting on Dec 23 and a replay ordered on a
date to be mutually agreed upon; thereafter, it was not included in
the league tables reported in the newspapers (cf. tables in March
around the withdrawals of Bangor and Mold) but the match was never
replayed; in April, the original score reappeared in the standings]
Mold 1-1 Bangor
[Nov 22]
Ruabon n/p Mold [due to replayed cup tie; not refixtured]
Bangor n/p Druids [due to replayed cup tie; refixtured Feb 7]
Westminster Rovers 2-1 Rhos
[Nov 29]
Westminster Rovers n/p Mold [not refixtured]
[Dec 6]
Ruabon 2-6 Druids
Rhyl 2-2 Westminster Rovers
Rhostyllen Victoria 5-0 Rhos
[Dec 13]
Westminster Rovers 2-3 Ruabon
Rhyl 6-0 Bangor
[Dec 20]
Ruabon n/p Rhos [due to inclement weather; refixtured Jan 31]
Mold n/p Rhyl [due to inclement weather; not refixtured]
NB: on Dec 23, Westminster Rovers had 6 points deducted for fielding unregistered
players in three matches (against Ruabon on Nov 15, against Rhyl on Dec 6, and
again against Ruabon on Dec 13).
[Dec 26 (Boxing Day)]
Rhyl 1-3 Rhos
[Dec 27]
Bangor 1-1 Rhos
Mold 0-0 Rhostyllen Victoria
[Jan 1 (New Year's Day)]
Druids 4-2 Ruabon [also reported 3-2]
[Jan 3]
Druids 5-3 Bangor
[Jan 10]
Mold 0-5 Ruabon [also reported 1-5]
Westminster Rovers 2-2 Rhyl
Druids 2-1 Rhostyllen Victoria
[Jan 17]
Bangor 7-1 Rhyl
Westminster Rovers 3-3 Druids
Rhostyllen Victoria 2-1 Ruabon [annulled; not refixtured]
[Ruabon successfully protested that the match had finished too early]
[Jan 24]
Bangor 1-5 Ruabon
[Bangor fielded a reserve side, including an unregistered player, J.G. Jones;
the first team played away against Everton, losing 0-4]
Rhos n/p Westminster Rovers [Westminster Rovers dns; refixtured Mar 30]
Druids n/p Mold [Mold dns; not refixtured]
[Jan 31]
Rhostyllen Victoria 1-2 Bangor
[Rhostyllen Victoria lodged a protest, which was not decided upon before
the withdrawal of Bangor]
Ruabon 2-1 Rhos
[Rhos lodged a protest about alleged rough play of Ruabon and the want of
ability of the referee, which was dismissed on Feb 13 (for other fatuous
protests on the quality of the refereeing, see the Olympic Games of 1920
and 1936)]
Mold n/p Westminster Rovers [replay match Oct 11; not refixtured]
[Feb 7]
Bangor n/p Druids [Druids dns; not refixtured]
Rhos n/p Mold [Mold dns; not refixtured]
Ruabon 2-6 Rhostyllen Victoria
NB: on Feb 13, Bangor had 2 points deducted for fielding an unregistered player
against Ruabon on Jan 24.
[Feb 14]
Ruabon n/p Rhyl [not refixtured]
Rhostyllen Victoria 2-1 Westminster Rovers
Druids 3-1 Rhos
[Feb 21]
Rhos n/p Bangor [not refixtured]
Rhyl 1-0 Druids
Westminster Rovers 5-1 Rhostyllen Victoria
[Feb 28]
Rhostyllen Victoria 2-1 Rhyl
[Mar 7]
Rhos 3-2 Druids
Table (Mar 8):
1.Druids 11 7 2 2 43-19 14 [-2]
2.Ruabon 9 5 0 4 28-24 10
3.Rhostyllen Victoria 11 4 2 5 21-30 10
4.Rhos 9 4 1 4 20-18 9
5.Rhyl 9 3 2 4 16-24 6 [-2]
6.Bangor 8 2 3 3 16-21 5 [-2]
7.Mold 6 0 4 2 5-12 4
8.Westminster Rovers 9 2 4 3 19-20 2 [-6]
NB: note that the standings published in newspapers at the time did not
include the match between Druids and Rhyl played on Nov 15 (which
is included above and below as it was added again later);
at this point, both Bangor and Mold retired, and their results were
deleted from the standings:
Table (Mar 13):
1.Druids 9 6 1 2 36-14 11 [-2]
2.Rhos 8 4 0 4 19-17 8
3.Rhostyllen Victoria 8 4 0 4 18-26 8
4.Ruabon 7 3 0 4 18-23 6
5.Rhyl 6 1 2 3 7-17 2 [-2]
6.Westminster Rovers 8 2 3 3 18-19 1 [-6]
NB: as both Druids and Rhyl were deducted points for using ineligible
players against Mold, those deductions may have been revoked.
[Mar 14]
Druids 9-0 Westminster Rovers
Rhos n/p Rhyl [Rhyl dns; refixtured Apr 11]
[Mar 28]
Rhyl n/p Ruabon [not refixtured]
Bangor n/p Rhostyllen Victoria [cancelled after withdrawal Bangor]
[Mar 30 (Easter Monday)]
Rhos - Westminster Rovers
[probably not played; Westminster Rovers played Chirk in a semi-final
for the Chester Charity Cup on Mar 28, losing 0-2]
Rhyl 2-0 Rhostyllen Victoria
[Apr 11]
Rhos 7-0 Rhyl
Final Table:
1.Druids 10 7 1 2 45-14 13 [-2] Champions
2.Rhos 9 5 0 4 26-17 10
3.Rhostyllen Victoria 9 4 0 5 18-28 8
4.Ruabon 7 3 0 4 18-23 6
5.Rhyl 8 2 2 4 9-24 4 [-2]
6.Westminster Rovers 9 2 3 4 18-28 1 [-6]
-.Bangor withdrew in March 1891;
record at withdrawal: 8 2 3 3 16-21 5 [-2]
-.Mold withdrew in March 1891;
record at withdrawal: 6 0 4 2 5-12 4
NB: point deductions for use ineligible players;
it is not clear whether the points deductions against Druids and Rhyl
(both incurred against Mold) were revoked after Mold withdrew; the
tables in the Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser let the deductions
stand, whereas those in the Rhyl Record and Advertiser did not (and
reduced the deduction for Westminster Rovers to 4 points – although
their deductions did not involve either Mold or Bangor);
remaining matches not played.
End-of-Season Benefit Match [Apr 18, Johnstown]
Rhos and Rhostyllen 0-2 Druids and Ruabon
Cross-Table: home records: away records:
Dru Rho RhV Rua Rhy Wes Ban Mol P W D L F A Pts P W D L F A Pts
Druids xxx 3-1 2-1 4-2 8-0 9-0 5-3 5 5 0 0 26- 4 10 5 2 1 2 19-10 5
Rhos 3-2 xxx 7-0 3-2 7-0 unk 4 4 0 0 20- 4 8 5 1 0 4 6-13 2
Rhostyllen Victoria 1-8 5-0 xxx 2-1 2-1 2-1 1-2 2-2 4 3 0 1 10-10 6 5 1 0 4 8-18 2
Ruabon 2-6 2-1 2-6 xxx n/p 5-1 4 2 0 2 11-14 4 3 1 0 2 7- 9 2
Rhyl 1-0 1-3 2-0 n/p xxx 2-2 6-0 2-0 4 2 1 1 6- 5 5 4 0 1 3 3-19 1
Westminster Rovers 3-3 2-1 5-1 2-3 2-2 xxx 5 2 2 1 14-10 6 4 0 1 3 4-18 1
Bangor 1-1 1-5 7-1 1-1 xxx
Mold 2-2 0-0 0-5 1-2 1-1 xxx
NB: annulled results in italics;
the match Mold vs Westminster Rovers was played on Oct 11, but its result
was annulled and the match refixtured for Jan 31; however, it eventually
was not replayed;
the match Rhostyllen Victoria vs Ruabon was played on Jan 17 but annulled
and not refixtured;
Rhos vs Westminster Rovers was (re)fixtured for Easter Monday but appears
not to have been played (unlike Rhyl vs Rhostyllen Victoria on the same
day, although that match result is missing from all reported tables);
Ruabon declined to arrange new dates for their two matches against Rhyl.
NB: first ever season; played in the south of Wales;
a complex bonus point system for scratched matches was used, but
apparently not implemented in a transparent manner (the basic
idea appears to have been that the club responsible for the
scratching of a match forfeited it and their opponents were
awarded both points);
matches were played on Saturdays or public holidays (specific to
South Wales: Mabon's Monday, the first Monday of every month).
Available Results:
[Oct 25 (first three matches of the league season)]
Abergavenny 2-0 Caerleon
[Caerleon showed with nine players and were completed by two Abergavenny men]
Phœnix Wanderers 0-5 Mountain Ash [away team also given as Duffryn Rovers]
[Duffryn (or Dyffryn) was a former name for Mountain Ash]
Treharris 4-0 Blaina
[Nov 1]
Aberdare ann St. Margaret's [result annulled after protest St. Margaret's]
Scotch Albions 0-1 Porth
[Nov 3 (Mabon's Monday)]
Treharris 1-1 Mountain Ash
[Nov 8]
Mountain Ash 7-0 Gelligaer
[Nov 15]
Aberdare 3-1 Caerleon
[Nov 22]
Mountain Ash 2-1 Ton Strollers [away team given as Ton Rovers]
Gelligaer n/p Scotch Albions [Gelligaer scratched]
Phœnix Wanderers 2-3 Abergavenny
Treharris 2-0 Porth
Blaina 1-3 Aberdare
[played between Nov 1 and Nov 28 (inferred from published table)]
Abergavenny 3-1 Blaina [home team not known]
Porth 1-1 Scotch Albions
Scotch Albions n/p Gelligaer [Gelligaer scratched]
Table (correct as of Nov 28):
1.Mountain Ash 4 3 1 0 15- 2 7
2.Abergavenny 3 3 0 0 8- 3 6
3.Treharris 3 2 1 0 7- 1 5
4.Scotch Albions 2 0 1 1 1- 2 5 [+4] [from Trealaw]
5.Aberdare 2 2 0 0 6- 2 4
6.Porth 3 1 1 1 2- 3 3
7.Mardy 0 0 0 0 0- 0 0
St. Margaret's 0 0 0 0 0- 0 0 [from Cardiff]
9.Ton Strollers 1 0 0 1 1- 2 0 [from Ton Pentre]
10.Caerleon 2 0 0 2 1- 5 0
11.Phœnix Wanderers 2 0 0 2 2- 8 0 [from Pontypool]
12.Gelligaer 1 0 0 1 0- 7 0
13.Blaina 3 0 0 3 2-10 0
NB: Scotch Albions 4 bonus points (between square brackets) for scratched
matches against Gelligaer.
[Nov 29]
Aberdare 0-1 Scotch Albions
[Dec 1 (Mabon's Monday)]
Mountain Ash 2-2 Blaina
Treharris 2-0 Mardy
[Dec 6]
Porth 4-1 Treharris
[Dec 13]
Aberdare 1-0 Mardy
[Jan 31]
Scotch Albions 1-4 Aberdare
St. Margaret's 1-5 Treharris [at Tyn-y-coed Farm]
[Feb 14]
Ton Strollers 1-2 Mountain Ash
Reported Table (Apr 10):
1.Aberdare 13 9 3 1 37- 8 27 [+6] Playoff
2.Porth 10 6 2 2 17-11 18 [+4] Playoff
3.Treharris 8 5 2 1 20- 7 17 [+5] Playoff
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4.Mountain Ash 11 4 3 4 22-20 17 [+6]
5.Scotch Albions 6 1 2 3 3- 8 13 [+9] [from Trealaw]
6.Caerleon 6 2 0 4 7-16 11 [+7]
7.Blaina 9 2 3 4 11-16 7
8.Abergavenny 3 2 0 1 6- 5 4
9.Ton Strollers 6 2 0 4 10-12 4 [from Ton Pentre]
10.Gelligaer 2 0 0 2 0-16 2 [+2]
11.Mardy 2 0 0 2 0- 3 0
12.St. Margaret's 1 0 0 1 1- 5 0 [from Cardiff]
13.Phœnix Wanderers 3 0 0 3 2- 9 0 [from Pontypool]
NB: one more win than loss; odd number of draws;
bonus points for scratched matches (if any) between square brackets;
Aberdare and Treharris split the points of a scratched match – which
suggests that the number of bonus points listed for Aberdare is not
correct as it should be odd – possibly their actual record was
1.Aberdare 13 8 4 1 37- 8 27 [+7];
Caerleon and Scotch Albions split the points of a scratched match;
Porth and Ton Strollers agreed to have one encounter counted twice
(i.e. for 4 points) and not play the return match;
Treharris had outstanding claims for fixtures arranged with Mardy
and Phœnix Wanderers.
End-of-Season Benefit Match [Apr 25, Treharris]
Aberdare and Treharris 3-3 Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire XI
NB: at a general meeting following the above benefit match, it was decided that,
given the unsatisfactory conclusion of the season, the top-three of the above
table were to play off for the title and, above all, the accompanying medals;
at the same meeting, those matches were drawn as follows:
Semi-final
Aberdare - Porth
Final
Treharris - semi-final winners
The hope was expressed all would be arranged by May 4 (Mabon's Monday), suggesting
the semi-final was intended to be played on May 2 and the final on May 4, but it is
not known when (or indeed whether) these matches were played, as no reports on the
matches were found in the available newspapers; apparently Treharris were eventually
declared champions; it therefore seems possible that both Aberdare and Porth failed
to appear for the semi-final and then Treharris were declared champions by default.
NB: first season (an earlier league under the same name had been set up in 1888/89
but folded before the end of that season; apart from Leek and Northwich Victoria,
none of its clubs were involved in this new version; most of them had meanwhile
joined the Football Alliance in 1889);
Gorton Villa were from Manchester;
Stafford County were from Stoke-on-Trent;
Witton (who had declined to enter the 1888/89 Combination) were from Blackburn;
Wrexham were the first Welsh club to enter an "English" league competition (and
were followed by Chirk in the next season).
Final Table:
1.Gorton Villa 16 10 2 4 47-26 22 Champions
2.Macclesfield 16 9 3 4 44-27 21
3.Chester 16 8 4 4 41-30 20
4.Burton Swifts 14 9 0 5 55-28 18 [!]
5.Denton 16 8 1 7 39-32 17
6.Northwich Victoria 16 5 7 4 29-30 17
7.Hyde 14 3 4 7 25-39 10 [!]
8.Wrexham 16 4 4 8 25-47 10 [-2]
9.Leek 16 1 1 14 21-67 3 To seek Re-election
Three clubs withdrew during the season; their records at withdrawal:
-.Witton 10 2 0 8 15-59 2 [as of Mar 14]
-.Derby St. Luke's 10 3 2 5 18-27 8 [as of Jan 17]
-.Stafford County 9 1 0 8 11-57 2 [as of Jan 10]
NB: Wrexham 2 points deducted for fielding an ineligible player away
to Chester on Jan 24;
Welsh club listed in bold face.
[!] Hyde vs. Burton Swifts was fixtured for Apr 11 but Hyde failed to
show and indeed refused to meet Burton Swifts for both their
remaining matches; had those been played and Burton Swifts won
twice, the league title would have been decided on goal average
(which almost certainly would have favoured Burton Swifts).
After the season, Hyde withdrew and Burton Swifts joined the Alliance;
Leek had to seek re-election after finishing last.
At a general meeting held on May 16 at the Crown Hotel, Manchester,
Leek were unanimously re-elected and five new clubs were elected:
Everton (reserves), Chirk, Buxton, Stoke Swifts and Stockport County;
six other clubs had applied for entry but did not succeed:
Chester St. Oswald's, Dresden, Fairfield, Hanley Town, Hooley Hill
and Nantwich.
Round 1 - Group 1 Mold 3-2 Holywell Carnarvon 3-4 Rhyl Bangor 7-4 Colwyn Bay [protest Colwyn Bay; replay ordered] St Asaph 3-2 Bangor Athletic Round 1 - Group 2 Buckley o/w Northwich Victoria [Buckley withdrew] Brymbo Institute 2-2 Gresford Westminster Rovers w/o Nantwich [Nantwich withdrew] Crewe Alexandra o/w Wrexham [Crewe Alexandra withdrew] Round 1 - Group 3 Chirk 2-1 Druids Ruabon 1-1 Rhostyllen Victoria Wrexham Hibernians 2-2 Overton Corwen 0-2 Rhos Round 1 - Group 4 Oswestry 4-3 Rhayader Shrewsbury Town bye Wellington St George bye Builth bye Round 1 - Group 1 Replay Bangor 3-1 Colwyn Bay Round 1 - Group 2 Replay Brymbo Institute 1-2 Gresford Round 1 - Group 3 Replays Wrexham Hibernians 3-2 Overton Ruabon 1-3 Rhostyllen Victoria Round 2 - Group 1 St Asaph o/w Rhyl [St Asaph withdrew] Bangor 4-1 Mold [Bangor disqualified after protest on width ground] Round 2 - Group 2 Northwich Victoria o/w Wrexham [Northwich Victoria withdrew] Gresford 3-4 Westminster Rovers Round 2 - Group 3 Rhos unk Chirk [reported 2-1 but Chirk progressed, possibly Wrexham Hibernians 3-5 Rhostyllen Victoria after protest] Round 2 - Group 4 Oswestry 1-0 Wellington St George Shrewsbury Town 4-1 Builth Quarter-finals Rhyl 2-2 Mold Westminster Rovers 0-1 Wrexham Rhostyllen Victoria 1-2 Chirk Shrewsbury Town 6-0 Oswestry Quarter-final Replay Rhyl 2-3 Mold [aet] Semi-finals Wrexham 4-3 Chirk [at Shrewsbury] Shrewsbury Town 5-0 Mold [at Wrexham] Final [Mar 30, Oswestry] Shrewsbury Town 5-2 Wrexham
list of final tables combination.
Sources: [Gar 93], contemporary Welsh newspapers (available through the National Library of Wales), Welsh Football Data Archive
Prepared and maintained by Hans Schöggl (cup) and Karel Stokkermans (leagues) for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Authors: Hans Schöggl and Karel Stokkermans
Last updated: 2 Jan 2026
(C) Copyright Hans Schöggl, Karel Stokkermans and RSSSF 2015/26
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the authors. All rights reserved.