Talbot Athletic Ground
Encyclopedia
The Talbot Athletic Ground is a sports stadium
located in central Port Talbot
, Wales
. The ground is home to Welsh rugby
team Aberavon RFC
and has a seating capacity of 3,000.
played host to various sports including football, tennis, hockey, running, quoits and on one occasion a horse race. Aberavon RFC was granted exclusive use of the ground in 1913 - although it was sectioned off into allotments to help the war effort the following year. Officially re-opened in December 1921, the re-named Talbot Athletic Ground became a barrage balloon
site during the Second World War. In March 1946, the ground attracted its record crowd, 19,000, for a match between Aberavon and a New Zealand Army
team, "The Kiwis". The club became absolute owners of the ground in 1952, in a deal negotiated by Alderman Llewellyn Heycock, and various improvements and extensions were built in the 1950s, 1970s and 1980s. Although exclusively a rugby union
venue for most of its existence, the Talbot Athletic Ground also hosted some matches played by the final Welsh professional rugby league
side of the 20th century, South Wales RLFC
, in 1996.
Sports Stadium
Sports Stadium was an Irish television sport programme on Raidió Teilifís Éireann . Broadcast between 1973 and 1997, it was RTÉ's flagship sports programme and one of its longest-running shows....
located in central Port Talbot
Port Talbot
Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The ground is home to Welsh rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
team Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh town of Port Talbot, although the club's name refers to the older settlement of Aberavon which lies on the western side of the town...
and has a seating capacity of 3,000.
History
Originally called the Central Athletic Ground in the 1900s, the venue then owned by the Margam EstateMargam Country Park
Margam Country Park is a country park estate in Britain, of around 850 acres . It is situated in Margam, about 2 miles from Port Talbot in south Wales it was once owned by the Mansel Talbot family and is now owned and administered by the local council, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council...
played host to various sports including football, tennis, hockey, running, quoits and on one occasion a horse race. Aberavon RFC was granted exclusive use of the ground in 1913 - although it was sectioned off into allotments to help the war effort the following year. Officially re-opened in December 1921, the re-named Talbot Athletic Ground became a barrage balloon
Barrage balloon
A barrage balloon is a large balloon tethered with metal cables, used to defend against low-level aircraft attack by damaging the aircraft on collision with the cables, or at least making the attacker's approach more difficult. Some versions carried small explosive charges that would be pulled up...
site during the Second World War. In March 1946, the ground attracted its record crowd, 19,000, for a match between Aberavon and a New Zealand Army
New Zealand Army
The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...
team, "The Kiwis". The club became absolute owners of the ground in 1952, in a deal negotiated by Alderman Llewellyn Heycock, and various improvements and extensions were built in the 1950s, 1970s and 1980s. Although exclusively a rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
venue for most of its existence, the Talbot Athletic Ground also hosted some matches played by the final Welsh professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
side of the 20th century, South Wales RLFC
South Wales RLFC (1995)
South Wales RLFC was a rugby league club formed in 1995. South Wales during their existence played at Morfa Stadium, Swansea, the Talbot Athletic Ground, Aberavon and Cardiff Arms Park.-History of rugby league in South Wales:...
, in 1996.