History

The legend of Gwiber Castell Newydd Emlyn (the Wyvern of Newcastle Emlyn) is a local tradition. It tells how on one of the fair days when the town was full of people a fierce winged viper called a Wyvern breathing fire and smoke, alighted on the castle walls and having cast threatening glances around settled down to sleep.

Its appearance on the castle at first brought terror to all but after the fear had died down a few brave townsfolk sought to destroy the fearsome monster. A soldier devised the plan of wading the River Teifi to a point of vantage on the castle side and letting a red cloak float in the river and shooting the Gwiber in a vulnerable part of the under body.

The creature, so violently startled from its slumber, caught sight of the cloak and fell upon it with horrible shrieks and tore it to shreds. The assailant meanwhile, escaped to a place of safety.

The Wyvern in its death throes turned onto its back and floated down the river, and came to its resting place, Pwll Du William (or Williams Black Pool). From its wound gushed forth a most loathsome venom which polluted the water and killed all the fish. The legend tells of the great joy of the townsfolk when they saw the monster dead. Pwll Du William is located at the bottom of the football field.

Football Club History

Newcastle Emlyn Football Club has a long and successful tradition within the local leagues both at senior and junior levels. Over the last thirty years the club has attempted to combine a successful playing side with the provision of the best facilities available for football in the Teifi Valley. They are one of few clubs in Wales that actually own their facilities.

These include:

Levelling and draining of the playing surface
Provision of a concrete path and rail around the pitch
Installation of floodlights
Installation of a 100 seater stand
Full refurbishment of the changing rooms & clubhouse

In the 52 years, since the club's reformation, the First Team have won 38 trophies and were runners-up 32 times, this is without the clubs numerous successes in the Mond Cup.

The club competed in the Welsh Football League for thirteen years, but were unfortunately relegated in the the 2014/15 season, and for the last few years they've competed in the first division of the Costcutter Ceredigion League.

As a result of the reorganisation of the Welsh Football Pyramid, and the creation of the new Tier 4, Newcastle Emlyn have joined the new Mid Wales League West - starting in the 2021-2022 season.

The club currently has a sound infrastructure with two Senior Men's Teams, and eight Junior Teams actively involved each weekend.