History/Honours
12 Aug 2008

The club was originally founded in in 1972 and played their football on the Park field (now the rugby field). The club moved to the Welfare ground and played there until approximately 1975, when the Cavaliers folded. The reasons for the club folding are unknown, but players retiring and a lack of backing is considered to be the most likely rationale.

Football was played in Nelson in many guises through the years but in 1983 the Social Club formed a team to enter the Rhymney Valley Saturday League. The team then mainly played for the social side of football, but were a young and improving team. At the club's A.G.M in 1992, John Price proposed a name change back to Nelson Cavaliers, John was one of the founders of the original Cavaliers. The change in name changed the face of the club.

With Terry Davies taking over as manager and Billy Matthews as captain a more professional attitude was instilled in the team. The hard work and dedication off the field was provided by a revamped committee headed by Carl Dicks and Peter Szpadt. The club's first season as the Cavaliers proved to be a success, with the club lifting its first trophy, the Rhymney Valley Cup (season 1992/93). The 1993/94 season proved to be a bigger success, with the club retaining the Rhymney Valley Cup as well as winning the Rhymney Valley League and gaining promotion to Division 2 of the South Wales Senior League. In the 1993/94 season, the club lost only two games, one of which was a South Wales Intermediate Cup quarter-final against Lisvane, who went on to win the Senior League that year. The 1994/95 season saw more achievements for the Cavaliers, with the club winning promotion to Division 1 of the Senior League, finishing third behind Penydarren and Whitchurch. Unfortunately, the 1995/96 was not such a success with the club being relegated back down to Division 2 after the loss of many players.

Following a few years in the doldrums, the club's young, exuberant team gained promotion back to Division 1 in 2004/05, this time going up as champions! The club's first season back in Division 1 saw the club finishing a creditable 5th place, and finishing runners up in the C.W. Bruty Cup losing to local rivals Fochriw in extra time.

From the 2006/07 the club formed another Saturday Senior team, in the Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Alliance Saturday League. This was due to an increase in interest from players wanting to play for the club. All players are available for selection for both the SWSL team and the TERV team.

From 2003 - 2006 the club ran an Under 18's team in the South Wales Youth League. Although the youth team did not pick up any honours, it proved to be a success with a number of players now playing their senior football for the club.

The club also has a veteran's team where former players and older current players join together. The veterans team has yet to win honours, although in the 2004/05 season, they reached the semi-final of the National Umbro Veterans Tournament, which is made up from teams across England and Wales, some of which have ex-professionals playing for them.

The junior section will take off in the 2007/08 season, entering an Under 10's team in the Taff Ely Rhymney Valley Alliance League. There is also to be an Under 9's team introduced for the 2008/09 season, with the hope of continous expansion within the junior and youth ranks at the club.

The club is on the rise and has ambitions of playing Welsh League football in the next few years, and setting up a full junior section. Nelson Cavaliers is enjoyable club to be involved with, both on and off the field