Borough United  

A Flame Quickly Extinguished 

Borough United may not be a familiar name to many but, for a brief and so glorious period in the early 1960s, Borough United were the greatest team in Wales and their adventures in the European Cup Winners Cup brought them international fame.  

The Borough United story is a remarkable one. 

United were formed in 1954 when neighbouring clubs Llandudno Junction and Conwy Borough, both in serious financial trouble, decided to quit the Welsh league and re-join as a single club.   

It was decided that the new Borough United team would play at Junction’s Nant-y-Coed ground; a decision which would come back to haunt the club ten years later.  The new club began inauspiciously in the first season finishing a poor 14^th out of 18 but that was to be the only time they would finish out side of the top eight. 

Gradually the team of local players was reinforced by more experienced players from outside the district and 1958/59 was a landmark year for Borough as they won the Welsh League North scoring an incredible 146 goals in the process, producing score-lines such as 10-0 v Flint (away) and 14-1 v Holywell (home). 

United then finished second and third in subsequent seasons and in 1961 were beaten at home by Blacnau; their first defeat at Nant-y-Coed for four years.  Nevertheless, United bounced back and enjoyed the greatest season in their brief history in 1962/63.   

That was the year of the ‘big freeze’ which caused havoc throughout the country but United didn’t let the inclement weather effect them and strode to their second Welsh League North championship winning 27 of their 32 matches and again scoring well over 100 goals.   

Borough United had entered the FA Cup for the first time that season and reached the Third Qualifying Round but it was in their own Welsh Cup that they produced a huge shock.   

Reaching the two-legged final against Newport County was a fine achievement but Borough United went on to beat the Football League professionals in great style. 

A 2-1 win in front of 3500 at Nant-y-Coed was followed by a battling 0-0 draw at Somerton Park.  Added to their league and cup double were triumphs in two other competitions; the Cookson Cup and North Wales Coast Challenge Cup. 

That incredible season earned Borough United a tilt at the European Cup Winners Cup beginning with a trip to Malta to face Sliema Wanderers.   

Aircraft problems meant United reached Malta just in time for kick-off and, under the circumstances, they would have been delighted with the 0-0 draw.   

The second leg was played at Wrexham in from of 17,000 fans with United running out 2-0 winners.  United bowed out of the competition in the next round having given the international packed Slovan Bratislava a fright but it was to prove to be the last highlight for the club. 

In 1967 Borough United were dramatically and inexplicably evicted from Nant-y-Coed and with no alternative ground available they were forced to resign from the Welsh League and subsequently folded after a couple of seasons of local football.