The story of Brecon Corries – New adventures await following mid Wales return

The famous Corries will be playing in the new MMP-NL Mid Wales League East after sweeping all before them in the Mid Wales League South last season before the campaign was cancelled

The club that has enjoyed as many highs and lows - as they prepare to celebrate their 75th anniversary next year.

Having missed out on promotion to the top echelon of domestic football at the conclusion of the 1992/93 campaign, the following two decades were largely filled with disappoint for the Corries' supporters, as they dropped out of the Welsh League and plied their trade in the South Wales Senior and Alliance Leagues.

That all changed last summer when the club's hierarchy took the decision to return their roots within the Central Wales FA region and transferred across to the Watson Financial Mid Wales League (South).

Brecon Corinthians Football Club's Rich Field. Picture by Brecon Corries FC.

The club was formed back in 1946 at the Greyhound Coffee Tavern in Llanfaes and were accepted into the Mid Wales League (Southern Section).

The Corries completed a league and cup double in the 1947/48 campaign before joining the Welsh League two seasons later to begin a long association with this competition.

The Rich Field outfit finished just below the halfway point in the Second Division (East) table at the conclusion of their debut campaign.

After experiencing a couple of disappointing campaigns, Brecon Corries claimed the divisional title in 1953/54 on goal difference from Troedyrhiw, but success at the higher level did not arrive immediately at the Rich Field.

Berriew v Brecon Corries. Picture by Phil Blagg Photography. PB060-2020-7.

The first major piece of silverware arrived in 1962/63 when the Corries defeated local rivals Abergavenny Thursdays on their own Pen-y-Pound ground to lift the league cup.

The top echelon was renamed the Premier Division two seasons later but the Corries were relegated at the conclusion of that same campaign.

The Rich Field outfit spent two campaigns in the middle tier of the Welsh League before leaving the competition following the 1966/67 campaign and plied their trade in the local Brecon and District League.

Brecon Corries eventually returned to the competition in readiness for the 1974/75 season, where they remained in the second division until promotion in 1980 was followed by the first division title in 1982 and completed a double after overcoming Trelewis Welfare in the league cup final.

Action from Brecon Corries last season.

The club consolidated their place in the top echelon of the Welsh League, which was re-branded as the National Division in readiness for the 1983/84 campaign, over the course of the next decade.

The highlight of this era was the Corries' inaugural Welsh Intermediate Cup final appearance in 1984/85, losing 2-1 at Ton Pentre in a replay.

When the League of Wales was established the following term, the Rich Field club enjoyed one of the most successful campaigns in their history, finishing runners-up to Ton Pentre in the re-named Welsh League First Division and reached another Welsh Intermediate Cup final, losing 3-0 to Llansantffraid.

This campaign was to the beginning of the end for the Breconshire club, as their fortunes waned over the course of the of the following two decades and culminated in relegation from the Welsh League in 1999.

Action from Brecon Corries last season.

The poor run of form continued as the Breconshire club began a new chapter in the South Wales Senior League and were relegated from the First Division at the conclusion of their debut campaign.

The Corries earned promotion from the Second Division in 2001/02 and consolidated for a couple of seasons prior to enduing another relegation from the league's top section at the end of the 2004/05 campaign.

The summer of 2006 saw a change of direction at the Rich Field, with the new committee in place deciding to utilise local players.

Former Newtown midfielder Damien Daniel took over as player/manager of Brecon Corries and guided his charges to runners-up position in the second division where they consolidated in 2015.

The Corries were awarded a berth in the South Wales Premier Division, level five of the pyramid, and finished in the top six in each of the new league's opening three seasons.

The stand at Rich Field.

In 2019 the club made surprise decision to switch to the Watson Financial Mid Wales League (South).

This change also coincided with the restructure of the domestic pyramid and the Rich Field club had signalled their intent to climb back through the levels.

Despite last season being curtailed prematurely, the Corries swept all before them in the league, winning all 16 leagues fixtures in the process. The Rich Field outfit netted 143 goals and conceded only two as they were crowned champions on a points per game basis.

The Rich Field outfit have become noted in recent times for fielding four brothers within their team.

Former Caersws defender Dale Evans was joined at the beginning of the 2018/19 campaign by brother Craig and twins Corey and Joel after the trio transferred across from nearby Brecon Northcote.

Corries will ply their trade in tier four as they set to become inaugural members of the Mid Wales League (East).

This will certainly be a greater challenge for Damien Daniels' charges compared to some of the one-sided fixtures at times last term but, whatever happens on the pitch, these are exciting times for everyone involved at the Rich Field, with a five-year plan in place to develop the club's facilities in addition to bringing a higher level of football to the historic town.