The Valley Commandos
Motorcycle Club (M.C.) was officially
established in May 2007.
The inaugural meeting took place at a public
house in Aberdare, where a large group of
like minded mates sat down and formally
agreed to set up the Valley Commandos M.C.
The history behind this get together is
quite complex and something that did not
happen over night, if truth be told it is
something several of us have been putting
together over at least two years.
A hardcore of the original members had spent
many years together as “serious” fans of
their football club “Cardiff City” these
hardcore members had been instrumental some
6 years previous in helping to set up an
organisation known as the Valley R.A.M.S.
The RAMS name symbolising the areas where
our main support was based in the Rhondda,
Aberdare and Merthyr valleys, hence the name
RAMS.
The Valley Rams became the fastest growing
football fans organisation in Britain and
went from zero to a paid up membership of
2,000+ in no time at all. This was no
“stereotypical” supporters group, and our
members in the majority came from the bad
side of town (to put it lightly). We had
soon outgrown our target area of 3 valleys,
and suddenly had members from all over
Wales, including a hundred or so members
based in Australia.
The Valley Commandos will always have a
strong link to the Valley Rams, but it will
operate under its own charter and set of
rules more in line with other biking groups
worldwide. Many Valley Rams whilst not being
bikers in the true sense of the word, share
similar social (or anti social ideals) and
on many occasions these Rams members will
attend rallies and concerts etc along with
the Commandos.
We have already in our short existence been
kindly accepted as affiliate members of the
Outlaws M.C. a world wide association, which
has thousands of members and club houses in
every corner of the globe.
We are honoured and privileged to be
affiliated to this association, and
recognise fully the responsibility that goes
with such a link.
What is the attraction behind membership of
such a club, well every individual may have
their own version of this, but to all of us,
the fellowship, brotherhood and sense of
belonging to a group of like minded people
is a bond that goes way back in time, some
would say tribal, and possibly so, but being
the birth place of the trade unions. And the
home for so many centuries of some of the
hardest mining industry on record i.e.
initially iron ore, and then coal, looking
out and standing strong side by side with
your work mates through all sorts of
hardships, is something that been now set in
our “genes”The
old saying of “hurt or hit one of us” and
you’ll fight all of us, is not something we
say lightly.
Where id the name Valley Commandos come
from, well taking it back to the football
link once again, during the peak of
“football hooliganism days” early 70’s. On
of the most infamous mobs or gangs of
hooligans was Manchester United’s “Red Army”
this mob of thousands had ridden rough shod
all over Europe and were feared by fans and
Police forces throughout the country.
However as can be read in the book brought
out under the title of “Red Army General”
August ended with an away trip to Cardiff
City, the Taffies were coming off a riot at
Bristol and this game got the full media
hype.
One newspaper described it as the “least
long awaited clash since Boadicea’s chariots
bumped into the Romans.
Then in the author’s own words, the plan was
to meet up at 7.30am in a café adjacent to
the Cardiff station, when suddenly we heard
“fuckoff” and a train load of Taffies had
burst in, probably from the valleys or one
of the mining towns. They were mad blokes
and it was all hands to the pumps, we had to
throw everything at them ,knives, forks,
plates, mugs anything we could get our hands
on.
The press latched onto this and many more
incidents that happened that day, and later
went on to call these lads from the Valleys,
“THE VALLEY COMMANDOS” a name that has
stuck, an rarely for the press a name quite
apt for the description of the “warring
tribes” that had made their way down to the
big City for this showdown.
So where do the Valley Commandos go from
here, we have set up our charter and our
rule book; we have already attended many
rallies, ride outs and weekend events, with
a lot more planned.
We hold twice monthly meetings and It is
intended to increase the membership as we
progress, full membership will lead to the
member being allowed to wear the full Valley
Commando’s back patch, prior to full
membership, prospective members will be able
to wear a side patch until approved for full
membership.
A back patch as with all MC clubs is
something to be worn and looked after with
pride the loss of a back patch is seen as a
major sin in the biking world, and breaking
of set rules or bringing the club into
disrepute can lead to the back patch being
taken of the offending member
To find out more or to enquire about a
possible membership, either contact one of
the members directly, or leave a message on
the Valley Rams message board, and one of us
will get back to you.
Alternatively come along to any Cardiff City
home game, and ask the ugliest roughest
looking person you come across, and I’m sure
one of them will put you in touch with one
of us.
We have a network spread throughout South
Wales with area Reps in just about every
area you can think of, so if you genuinely
want to find out more, then get off your
arse and do something about it.
O.I.A.I. |