DENBIGH Town Football Club will be looking to win a prestigious national competition for the first time in a century this weekend, writes OLLIE WILLIAMS.

On Saturday, treble-chasing Denbigh head to Newtown's Latham Park to take on Trethomas Bluebirds in the final of this season's FAW Trophy.

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It has been 99 years since Denbigh won the national competition.

In 1924, Denbigh United were having perhaps their greatest-ever season at the time.

Having merged with Denbigh Asylum Football Club in May 1921, the re-named United would see the move pay off in extraordinary ways.

Football had always been popular in Denbigh, with clubs formed as early as 1876 and at one time up to five played in the town including the likes of the Church Guild, Athletic, Cons, Liberals, Amateurs, Asylum, Town, Grasshoppers, Albion and more.

Hundreds if not often thousands would flock to these matches as the sport boomed in the late 1800s but Denbigh Town brought back limited success other than one-day tournaments played in Caernarfon and St Asaph in 1891 and 1892 respectively.

That was until the 1923/24 campaign.

READ MORE: Denbigh win moves them to within seven points of the title

Entering the Welsh National League in the September, the league form left, to put it mildly, a lot to be desired.

The likes of champions Oswestry, Chirk, Shrewsbury and Flint put Denbigh to the sword but far bigger prizes than a respectable league position were at play - a tonic to finishing 16th of 17.

Denbigh entered the Amateur Cup, as it was known, in January 1924 after being exempt from the earlier rounds.

Playing Northern Nomads in Hoylake, Jackie Jones’ goal was cancelled out in a 1-1 draw.

The replay in Denbigh wouldn’t be so close, with United running out 3-0 winners in the replay.

The next round would come at home - that home being Denbigh Asylum, as it had been since merging clubs.

Not that it hadn’t come with its issues.

In February 1923, famed Welsh international Lot Jones was locked - albeit accidentally - in the asylum following a match against Oswestry, before his side realised and released the 20-time capped Welshman!

The visitors in the next round were Brymbo Green in what was a hotly contested affair.

Goals from Bates, Miles and once again Jackie Jones sealed a 3-2 win and sent Denbigh through to the semi-finals.

Played on neutral ground, Denbigh made their way to Shrewsbury to take on Barry Amateurs in the final four.

Bates made his mark opening the scoring before Mills doubled the Denbigh lead.

A second half strike from Penny for Barry made it a nervy affair but it wasn’t enough, Denbigh booked their place in the showpiece.

Lovell’s Athletic, of Newport, would be their opponents in the final.

The showpiece game was held at Barcoed Park in Mold on April 19.

Denbigh went into the game following a 1-0 win over Barmouth to win the North Wales Coast Amateur Cup.

For the national final, Denbigh's line-up was: J Hayward, Arthur Lewis, R Evans, DT Jones, Ernest Jones, W Lewis, J Bartley, Jack Jones, Bates, EE Davies, R Miles.

Davies gave Denbigh the lead before Bates, so reliable in the cup for Denbigh, grabbed a second before half-time with a rasping shot from range.

Lovell’s responded well in the second half with Hill pulling a goal back, but Denbigh had their goalkeeper Hayward to thank as he made a string of fine saves to see out the match.

Denbigh's young captain Ernest Jones was presented the trophy by chairman of the FAW R T Gough and so began a 99-year wait for a taste of the final again.

Denbigh wouldn’t see such success again until a golden period of the 1970s and they wouldn’t reach a national final until 2016 when losing out to The New Saints in the League Cup final.

This year, Denbigh have a real chance of gaining a national title for just the second time in the club’s long and illustrious history under the stewardship of Dewi Llion Jones and his coaching staff and, much like 1924, a famous cup double.