Mid Rhondda Athletic Field,
Gelli Road,
Tonypandy
CF40 1DB

Rhondda loves its sport. In the 1920s, this Mid Rhondda Athletic Field – built with an outer track for top-class cycling – was home to ‘The Mush’, a professional football team that took on the likes of Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur. Back in 1908, thousands saw Penygraig (in Rugby Union) and Mid-Rhondda (in Rugby League) play the full Australian national touring teams here; and the first ever international Rugby League match – Wales beating England 35-18. Rhondda demanded fair play of a different kind here in 1910: 12,000 miners held mass meetings on this field in pursuit of a living wage during the infamous Cambrian Combine Dispute.

For more Rhondda heritage info and stories, go to http://rctourheritage.com/heritage-home