THE County Times has delved back into its archives to share some images of happier times.
Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and rolling national lockdowns since March last year the region’s sporting landscape has been devastated.
It is worth remembering prior to March 2020, mid Wales was home to a thriving sports scene, producing a host of top football clubs to represent the country in European competition, like Newtown in 1996.
Powys was also home to a vibrant local football scene.
Newtown fans watch their side against Skonto Riga in 1996.
Hundreds of clubs and thousands of players competed in local football leagues and competitions, just like Montgomery Town who won the Montgomeryshire Cup in 2012.
Hundreds of clubs and thousands of players competed in local football leagues and competitions, just like Montgomery Town who won the Montgomeryshire Cup in 2012.
Montgomeryshire Cup winners Montgomery Town in 2012.
The county was also home to a growing girls football scene with successful school sides at Newtown and Llanfair Caereinion who both reached the final of the Welsh Schools Cup in the past decade.
School Cup action between Llanfair Caereinion and Newtown.
The county was also once home to the North Powys Ladies League which, at its height, operated with two divisions and contested several cups, including the coveted County Times Cup as pictured below.
Other sports were also played in the county to a high level.
County Times Cup final action between Newtown and Meifod.
Newtown Ladies won the North Wales Hockey Cup in 2010 and up until the initial lockdown was still producing the next generation of talent at its Maldwyn Leisure Centre base.
Shelley Roberts of Newtown with the North Wales Cup in 2010.
Of course it was not just outside sports which Powys people relished.
Few parts of Wales had such a formidable pub sports scene with pool, darts and dominoes leagues in operation in virtually every town and village in mid Wales - providing sport and social inclusion for many.
None more so than in Newtown with its successful pool league operating with three divisions and a host of cups up until Wales entered lockdown in March 2020.
Newtown Pool League side, the Monty Dons.
While all seems like a lifetime ago now after 10 months of virtually no sport we can all sincerely hope that with the roll out of vaccines that one day soon Powys will once again be the home of the sports we love so dearly.
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