Llanbradach celebrate 25 years of hosting French football team

Llanbradach AFC have celebrated 25 years of being twinned with French football side AS Servel, as the teams played their annual football match.

This year, the fixture was played at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach.

Caerphilly has been twinned with Lannion, Brittany, since 1991, while Llanbradach has been twinned with Ploubezre, which is about two miles from Lannion, since 1994.

The arrangement was created by the Caerphilly and District Twinning Association, whose members visit Brittany bi-annually, while their Breton counterparts come to Wales on alternate years.

President of Llanbradach AFC, Kenny Ball, together with vice-president Malcolm Bateman, were first involved in arranging the team visits back in 1996.

Mr Ball said: “We are proud that this arrangement has lasted for so long.  It takes a lot of hard work to get everything arranged and I would like to thank both parents and members of Caerphilly and District Twinning Association for their help in hosting our visitors.”

Due to Covid, the visits were temporarily paused, meaning this is the 25th year of the arrangement.

The game itself was a closely contested tie, with Servel retaining the cup after a narrow 2-1 win over Llanbradach.

The French side also visited Big Pit, the Principality Stadium, and Cardiff City Stadium, to learn a bit more about Wales before a presentation was held in Llanbradach Community Centre on Saturday May 27.

Llanbradach councillor Colin Mann, who is also Chair of the twinning association, said: “It’s a great achievement that this arrangement has lasted so long and given young people the opportunity to experience life in another country. 

“It has given a generation of young people memories which I believe they will greatly value. I would like to see the arrangement to continue for a long time.”