FROM the Archive this week features a small football club from Sweden, arriving in Barry for what is thought to be a pre season camp.

It seems unlikely - even in these days - but thanks to contacts the coach of Tranas Bois managed to arrange the trip 50 years ago.

In early spring 1970 the 20, or so, squad took the ferry from Gothenburg, arriving Britain 25 hours later after a trip with the worst possible weather, taking in total almost 48 hours.

Thanks to a last minute injury, my father Kenneth, a furrier, and left-footed defender, took the last spot on the trip.

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The players were hosted in Barry by several good-hearted families.

My father remembers the cold nights with warm water bottles provided and the insane amounts of food that the wife cooked for them.

Sometimes they were so full they struggled to participate in the next session.

The first team had a friendly against Hereford, while the reserves played Barry Town at Jenner Park.

No-one I spoke to now remembers any result but the yellow match poster, found a few years ago is framed and put up on the wall in my house in Tranas, Sweden.

Low level football perhaps, but pure happy football history!"

The Barry & District News would like to thank Rickard Carlsson, of Tranas, Sweden, for the photographs and information.

If you have an old Barry photograph you would like to see included, with information about what it depicts, email sha@barryanddistrictnews.co.uk