History

Henllan Football Club were admitted to the Llandyrnog & District Village Clubs Summer Football League at the League's 1932 AGM. The club had actually been formed some 3 years previously, but for a number of reasons they could not join until the 1933 season.

The club won the title at the very first attempt with a playing record of

Played 14, Won 7, Drawn 7, Lost 0, For 29, Against 16, Points 21.

An inconsistent 1934 saw Henllan's standards slip to mid table, however they were back in pole position in 1935 winning 10 of their 14 matches and in the process racking up 40 goals. The remainder of the 1930's were pretty unsuccessful for Henllan with no finish in the top half right up until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. There was no league programme between 1940 & 1945. The summer of 1946 brought with it hope and optimism after over 6 years of war, Henllan though struggled and were to finish bottom and throughout the 1940's Henllan would fail to match the success of those first few years.

The decade of the 50's was a classic period for Henllan, during this time they finished inside the top 3 on 7 occasions, winning the title twice. The North Wales Times Shield was also won in 1957 and finished runners up in 1955 & 59. it was during these years that Roy Allen would have his first airing in a Henllan shirt. he would go on and play for Football Leagues Blackburn Rovers, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City before quitting the professional game to become a teacher. Other players of that era were Maldwyn Jones, Jonnie Mallon and two of Henllan's greatest players John Gwyn Roberts and John Lloyd Jones.

The 1960's saw Henllan continue to be a successfel Summer League outfit, only twice during the decade did they fall out of the Top 4 (5th 1969 & 7th 1968). the title was won in 1963 (see picture below) and 1965, and inbetween the Shield was won in 1964.

In the late 1960's Henllan were less of a force as far as trophies were concerned, but were still a match for anyone on their day, the club was led by loyal club servant Gwilym Roberts both on and off the field. He was assisted by the Tudor brothers Elwyn and Gwilym, as well as Doug Vernon, Maldwyn Jones and Ricky Denman.

The early 1970's was also a successful period in the club's history with a League title in 1974 preceded by the Shield in 1973, the club would have picked up further trophies during the mid and late part of this decade but for the great Llandyrnog sides of the 1970/80's and early 1990's. The club was well served during this period with some high calibre players such as Tim O'Shea, John Roberts, Nigel Williams, Ian Stubbs, Gwyn Roberts and many more. trophies proved elusive but only due to the Llandyrnog factor. The club turned into the 1980's in a strong position Finsighing 3rd in 1982 and reaching a number of Shield Semi Finals, but as the decade went on, Henllan's playing record deteriorated this was mainly due to a large turnover of players, the village was growing and many people were moving in and in some cases moving out quickly. The era of players from the 1970's was coming to an end and only Nigel Williams, John Roberts and Gwyn Roberts would remain from that period. The younger players coming through were untested and inexperienced and the late 1980's early 1990's was another barren period for the club. There was the odd Semi Final, occasional 7 a Side final and some limited success in the junior competitions. In 1992 the club moved grounds to Top Park, whilst this pitch is not ideal due to size, the location meant the club could attract new supporters and play on an improved surface. Whilst the traditionalists bemoaned the move commom sense dictated it. Since finishing bottom in 1991 the club has seen small improvements on the pitch including 6 semi final appearances in the last 11 seasons, although winning only two (2000 & 2004), there was hope that the corner had been turned. The 2000 final was diappointing in that the match was lost 1-0 (to Llanrhaeadr at Llanrhaeadr) especially as the players felt that they had not performed. This year's (2004) final again ended up in disappointment as a well drilled Trefnant team stifled Henllan's attacking abilities eventually triumphing 2-1 despite a late rally from Henllan who put the trefi goal under siege but could not conjur an equaliser.

2005 turned out to be a transitional year with the club fielding in many games a very inexperienced side, but a respectable 6th position was reward for the those that had put in the hard work. An early exit in the Shield Prelims was one of the downsides to the season.

Between 2006 and 2008 the club struggled somewhat to make any kind of impression on the League or the Shield competition, despite being more than capable of the odd upset along the way. This in the main wasdue to an exodus of players either due to retirement, injury of the ususal Summer League problem of young people having to find affordable housing in local towns. 2009 was a year of hope with the club finishing 4th and looking a whole lot stronger both on and off the pitch, with a crop of good young players, an extended pitch and a long awaited club house. The team finished in the top 5 in every year between 2009 and 2012, improving each year without quite breaking into the top 2/3.On Friday July 13th all the pain of 38 years without a trophy was extinguished as the team beat Clawddnewydd 2-1 to bring home the Shield.