Footage of 1927 FA Cup town tour

The FA Cup being paraded in Rhayder in 1927

Rare footage of Cardiff City's 1927 FA Cup winning side parading through a Powys town has been revealed by the National Library of Wales.

The cine film, shot in Rhayader by a holidaymaker, shows the players on board a bus days after their historic victory over Arsenal.

The visit was thought to have been organised by two Cardiff City directors who lived in the town.

The team returns to Wembley for the first time in 81 years on Sunday.

The Bluebirds face Barnsley in a FA cup semi-final, with the hope of repeating their historic win against either West Bromwich Albion or Portsmouth in May.

Cardiff became the first team outside England to lift the FA Cup in 1927.

The team visited various towns and cities in Britain to show off the silverware, but it is said they stopped off in Rhayader because it was home to two of the club's directors.

From what I remember there were hundreds in the streets and it was a silent, black and white film Lesley Walters

The old footage was shot by holidaymaker Dixie Glasgow, who had set out to film a fair taking place in the town on May Day.

Richard Shepherd, Cardiff City's historian, said: "Cardiff were invited to show the cup in various towns in Britain, but it wasn't an organised tour as such.

"I hadn't heard about the team or cup visiting Rhayader, but it's probable the visit was organised through a connection with the club's directors."

Mr Glasgow's family donated the film to the National Library of Wales in 1993.

Black and white

"Dixie Glasgow lived in Rhayader but had emigrated to America," said Lesley Walters, who is Mr Glasgow's great niece.

"It was when he returned to Rhayader on holiday that he filmed the team with the cup.

"From what I remember there were hundreds in the streets and it was a silent, black and white film."

The National Library said the film showed "all the fun of the fair," and included footage of the cup being carried around the town on a bus.

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