Key facts
| Address | 39 Manor St, Port Talbot SA13 1AB |
| Capacity | 3,000 seats |
| Build Date | 1921 |
Description
The Talbot Athletic Ground is a stadium in central Port Talbot, Wales that has a total capacity of 3,000 people. The stadium is the permanent home of Aberavon R.F.C. as well as the Wales women’s national team.
In the 1900s, the ground was known as the Central Athletic Ground. At those times, it belonged to the Margam Estate and was used for different sports events, such as quoits, hockey, tennis, football, running, and horse racing. Aberavon R.F.C. got the right to use the ground in 1913; however, the WWI made the stadium unavailable.
The Talbot Athletic Ground has opened again in the winter of 1921. During the WWII, it became a barrage balloon site. In the spring of 1946, the ground was visited by 19,000 people, which became its highest attendance. It happened during the match between The Kiwis, an army team from New Zealand, and Aberavon.
Aberavon R.F.C. became the only owner of the ground in 1952. Lots of improvements were made in the 1950s, then in 1970s, and, finally, in 1980s. The ground was also used for the matches of South Wales Dragons during the Welsh professional rugby league final in 1996. A range of football matches also took place at the ground. For instance, Afan Lido F.C. played their UEFA Cup during 1995-1996 seasons.
