Mount Pleasant Park

Mount Pleasant Park is a community hub in Beddau, Pontypridd, where two different codes of football share the same turf. The rugby club, Beddau RFC, has anchored the site since the early 1950s, while the football side, Cwm Welfare A.F.C., was formed in the same decade. They play in the WRU Championship and the South Wales Premier League (SWPL) respectively.

The pitch itself has seen changes. Work was done to install artificial three G surfaces nearby to ensure the club could play through the worst weather, but the main event space remains turf. The boundary is defined by the surrounding valley, and the atmosphere is shaped by that geography. The away end never stopped, not because of the size of the crowd, but because the proximity keeps everyone on edge. It is a place where the line has barely moved for generations, and the players are often known by name to those in the stands. The club office is located on Castellau Road, a short walk from the turnstiles.

There is no attendance record to boast about, and no headline-grabbing history. The ground simply exists, a fixture in the landscape that has seen the clubs rise and fall within the same league system. When the wind comes down from the hills, it passes straight over the terraces, and the game continues.