A YOUTH football league credited with getting 25,000 children out of bed and playing sport on a Saturday morning is to celebrate its 50th anniversary this month.

The Mini Minors football league, as it was then, was set up in January 1968 after the late Ron Cullum, who passed away in September, aged 92, set up the inaugural meeting “with the purpose of forming a Mini Minor Soccer League for boys between the ages of 9 and 13”.

Speaking to the Cambrian News this week, chair of the now Aberystwyth Junior Football League, Russell Hughes-Pickering, has outlined plans to mark its half-century starting with a special event at Aberystwyth Town FC’s home game against Connah’s Quay on Saturday, 13 January, which kicks off at 5.15pm.

Mr Hughes-Pickering paid tribute to Mr Cullum’s dedication to youth sport in Aberystwyth, and said that since its humble beginnings of six teams and 89 players in 1968, the league has grown to feature 650 children playing football for 58 teams annually.

He also estimates that over the last 50 years, 25,000 players have played in 15,000 games, with 2,500 volunteers helping out in what is “the single biggest community event” in Ceredigion.

“Everyone will leave memories but few leave a legacy. A legacy that has enriched the lives of thousands of children and the community we live in,” said Mr Hughes-Pickering, paying tribute to Mr Cullum.

For more information on the league and upcoming events, visit www.facebook.com/AberJL/

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