When Connor Davies leads out Cwmbach Royal Stars this weekend, he’ll do so not just as captain, but as someone whose footballing journey has already taken him from Premier League opposition to the heart of the JD Welsh Cup.
The 23-year-old midfielder, who was once on the books of Cardiff City, has shared the pitch with some of the brightest names in British football.
He went toe-to-toe with Champions League winners Jude Bellingham, Reece James, and Mason Mount during his academy days, and played alongside current Cymru internationals such as Neco Williams, Brennan Johnson, and Ben Cabango at youth level.
“It was an unbelievable experience,” Davies recalls.
“Obviously, being with Cardiff for so many years and being around the Welsh set-up when I was younger, I’ve come up against some incredible talents.
“I think the Chelsea team we played against in the Youth Cup was the best I’ve come up against, the likes of Mason Mount, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Ugbo, the list goes on. They were all on a different level. I think they went on to beat us 5-1.”
He also crossed paths with future England internationals Jadon Sancho and Trent Alexander-Arnold, and featured alongside talents such as Ethan Ampadu and Rabbi Matondo, as well as under the watchful eyes of Cymru Men’s National Team Manager Craig Bellamy.
“I’ve had some unreal experiences,” he says.
“I’ve travelled all over, won cups in Poland, France, Slovakia, Italy and signed a professional contract when I was 18. I will always be grateful for the opportunities I’ve had.
“It’s every young boy’s dream to play football full time, and it’s something no one can take away from me.
“When you’re that young, you don’t realise how good some of the lads around you are going to be. Looking back now, it’s special to say I played with and against some of those names.”
That elite football background gives Davies a unique edge as he now captains Cwmbach Royal Stars into their first JD Welsh Cup first round tie since 2021/22.
The Cynon Valley side have fought through qualifying rounds with victories over Treforest FC and Burry Port, earning a challenging clash against tier four opposition, Garden Village.
It’s a tie that holds real meaning for the club, and for Davies personally.
“Cwmbach has been brilliant for me,” he says. “I love being a part of the club. When I first came here, my plan was to start enjoying football again, then go back to playing in the higher leagues, but as you can see, I’m still here now and I’m really enjoying my football, playing with my best mates.
“It’s such a great group of players and staff. There’s so many great people behind the scenes do so much for Cwmbach. Everyone knows everyone and it’s like one big family. I grew up watching Cwmbach every chance I had.
“I remember some great days out at cup finals many years ago, and now I’m playing for them. It’s like one big circle and I have no regrets.”
Davies brings a wealth of JD Welsh Cup experience from previous spells with Penybont and Cambrian United in the JD Cymru Leagues, and offers non-league experience after spells with Merthyr Town and Weston-super-Mare.
That know-how could prove vital as the Royal Stars prepare for one of their toughest tests yet this season.
He added: “It’s a really big day for us. I think you’ll see that by how many fans we’ll have up the pitch Saturday. We can’t wait to get out there and play.
“Garden Village will be strong, but in the cup, anything can happen. With them being two or three leagues above us, it takes the pressure off, but we 100% have the quality of players to win the game and qualify for the next round.”
Founded in 1969, Cwmbach Royal Stars has long been a pillar of its local community. From humble beginnings in friendly village matches to competing in national cup competitions, the club’s story is one of resilience and pride.
Since suffering relegation to Division One last season, their main ambition is to gain promotion back to the South Wales Premier League Championship. The club now hopes a strong Welsh Cup run has injected belief and energy into the squad to achieve that.
“The Welsh Cup is great for us. It’s the biggest cup competition we play in,” Davies says.
“It gives us the opportunity to play against teams who are higher up and really test ourselves. We want to win, keep the momentum going, and keep drawing teams from leagues above.”
