The first game 1887
"If one can cast one's mind back over a hundred years one can imagine young boys watching and imitating their heroes as they do today. In the autumn of 1887, the village of Ammanford, formerly known as Cross Inn, was privileged to witness its first game of organised rugby football. Ammanford R.F.C. was born. The distinction of being Ammanford's first opponents fell to Mynyddbach, a successful team from Swansea at that time. Details of the scoring are rather vague. However, it is known that Mynyddbach won by virtue of having scored two goals.
Credit for arranging this first game is solely due to the efforts of Mr. lvor Morris, who was one of Ammanford's leading industrialists of the period. He was a great rugby enthusiast, and rendered yeoman service to the game and Ammanford R.F.C. for some considerable time. Prior to 1887, rugby had been played with success in the Swansea, Neath and Llanelli districts. From these districts had come the migration of workmen to the then flourishing tinplate industry of the Amman Valley. The arrival of these workmen, several of whom had rugby experience, together with the initiative and enthusiasm of Mr. lvor Morris undoubtedly led to the formation of Ammanford R.F.C.
The first ever game was staged at the Ynys Field, adjoining the river Amman, on the site of the now closed Baltic Saw Mills. The Club's headquarters for nearly 50 years was the Cross Inn Hotel on Ammanford Square, and its first colours were Black and Amber”.
The club continued to thrive until the year 1905, when a very unexpected occurrence caused a complete cessation of its activities. This occurrence was the advent of the great Welsh Methodist Revival of 1904 which spelt doom to rugby in Ammanford. Such was its effect that both players and officials severed their connections with the club. Even the use of the playing field was withdrawn, and membership of the W.R.U. discontinued. Nevertheless there were a few die-hards left who were determined that rugby would not completely disappear from the town. The outcome of this determination was the formation of a junior side with the title of "Ammanford All Whites" – a youth team of its era.
Little did they know that they had laid the foundations to a side recognised as the finest in the club's history – the Ammantord lnvincibles 1912-14. At the A.G.M. of 1912-13, the decision was passed to change colours to blue and black hoops, and these colours have remained to the present.
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