Large crowds are expected this coming weekend for yet another huge occasion for Bow Street Football Club.

The club will be staging its 18th annual junior tournament, although obviously the first for three years due to the pandemic. Since the inaugural tournament in 2003, the event has rapidly grown in to one of the most prestigious and successful in the whole of Wales.

The tournament is organised by the Ardal North Tier 3 League team, and games will take place on nine different pitches at the club’s Cae Piod ground.

This year has again attracted an excellent number of entries with approximately 120 teams applying to participate in the eight different categories.

Teams from as far as Gwynedd and Cardiff will participate on the two days. The age categories taking place on Saturday are under 6s, under 8s, under 10s and under 11s. On Sunday, teams compete at uder 12s, under 14s and under 16s.

For the sixth year running there will be a specific all girls category, which will take place on Sunday at under 12s.

Bow Street FC are delighted to reveal that the tournament is again being sponsored by Castell Howell Foods. The company is firmly established as one of the UK’s leading independent food wholesalers, and is sponsoring the extremely popular event for the next two years.

Bow Street chairman Wyn Lewis said: “We are very proud that this tournament continues to go from strength to strength, and it is obvious from the entries that amazingly, its popularity is still increasing.

“It is incredible that many of our categories were full a couple of months in advance of the tournament – and again we have teams on a waiting list. We are very grateful to the clubs from all over Wales who continue to support us.

“We are absolutely delighted to once again have Brian Jones and Castell Howell Foods on board as our tournament sponsors. Castell Howell are well known for their commitment to community activities especially junior sport, and we appreciate the faith they have shown in us by agreeing to become our partners.

“Brian Jones is a hugely respected figure and it is obvious he has a huge passion for supporting youngsters playing all sports and taking part in community-based activities.

“The Bow Street tournament we believe is such an event as it enjoys support from all parts of Wales’.’

Castell Howell’s managing director, Brian Jones said: “May I say how delighted, happy and proud we are to be associated with this now very well established, popular and hugely successful Junior Football Festival organised by Bow Street FC.

“We at Castell Howell are big supporters of communities and believe greatly in giving our youngsters opportunities and we are delighted to support this superb event in Bow Street.

“One of the tournament organisers, Amlyn Ifans said: “This year has attracted an exciting number of entries yet again, and we look forward to an enjoyable two days festival.

“It is marvellous that a small village community club continues to facilitate such a prestigious event, which gives our own junior players valuable experience of challenging players from outside the locality.”

One of the original organisers Allan ‘Baba’ Evans said: “I am so chuffed at the way this event has developed since we started it in 2003. I am so proud of the way that the whole club and the community always embrace the annual tournament.

Play starts at 10am on both days, a wide variety of refreshments are available, and there is ample parking space.

The two-day event will also see FAW chief executive Noel Mooney officially reopen the club’s 3G facility.

Rhydypennau Playing Fields Association (RPFA), in partnership with Bow Street FC secured FAW ‘Grassroots Facilities’ investment to upgrade its 3G facility at Cae Piod.

This much-used community asset was upgraded back in 2012 to include a new synthetic surface which has since seen tremendous use by all facets of the local community, from Ysgol Rhydypennau to the hundreds of junior members associated with Bow Street FC as well as its youth and senior teams.

RPFA chairman Rhodri Morgan said: “We are delighted that Noel and others from the FAW are able to see the fruits of their investment via the total refurbishment of this much-used community facility.

”I’d like to thank the FAW and our other funding partners including Bow Street FC and Cronfa Eleri who have enabled us to pull together the necessary funding to deliver this exciting project.”

Wyn Lewis, Bow Street FC Chairman added: “The 3G has had terrific use since 2012 and was showing signs of intensive use not just from our own teams but also from further afield from clubs and organisations looking to train here during the winter months.

“This adds to the investment in our facilities and hopefully it can boost participation levels locally.”