Newly-promoted Caerphilly Athletic defy the odds to win league title

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Caerphilly Athletic are Ardal South East champions in their first season at this level, and will play in the second tier of Welsh football next season.

It’s been a remarkable rise to the Cymru South for Ian Butterworth’s team, whose title win was confirmed after runners-up Cwmbran Town drew 2-2 with Brecon Corries on Saturday May 9.

Speaking to Caerphilly Observer after that result, manager Butterworth said: “It was a massive relief. We actually found out at the same time as the club was hosting its minis and juniors festival, so a good few of the boys were at Caerphilly Rugby Club as the news was coming in.

“One of lads had a call from his dad who was at the game, and he just said ‘promotion’ down the phone and we all went crazy. I had my DJ equipment with me so we had music blasting and a good few drinks.”

The newly-promoted side had led the league for most of the season, and had the chance to wrap up the title at Undy on the final game of the season. An agonising stoppage time equaliser however meant they needed Cwmbran Town to slip up to avoid a playoff game.

Asked if it felt any different not winning the league on the pitch, Butterworth said: “Not really. I was worried about that, but look, you have to take it how you can get it and for us to win the league is still an amazing achievement.

“Of course you’d have liked to have won it on the pitch, but celebrating with the younger players at the club who’d joined us for away games all season was very special.”

On what his and the club’s realistic expectations were this season, he added: “Promotion was honestly the plan. I’ve never done anything in halves, and couldn’t think of anything worse than showing up just to make numbers and linger in mid table.

“I know every coach says they’ve got a great group of lads, but I truly mean it. The work they put in on the pitch as well as training and studying is second to none.

“It’s clear that other players recognise that too because we’ve got lads who’ve dropped out of the Welsh leagues to play for us because we do things the right way.

“I also think the style of football in the Ardal suited us better. In the Alliance League there was a lot less strategy from other clubs so it was difficult to identify patterns of play; I’m hoping that’s the same in the Cymru South.”

Caerphilly are set to actually lift the league trophy following their league cup final against Pure Swansea on Thursday May 14.

Butterworth continued: “Next year we’ll be ambitious again. Why not? I think that’ll be our motto going forward. Yes we’ll need to put even more effort and detail into our work, but we’ve got a group who are prepared to do it.

“This is huge for the area, and realistically as far as we can go as a club in terms of promotion. It’s just crazy to think I’ve been here five years and seen us promoted three times. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Caerphilly Athletic will now join the likes of Trethomas Bluebirds and Treowen Stars in the Cymru South when the new season kicks off in just a few months.