The immediate post-war years were spent in the Dyserth Area League which offered a reasonable standard of football and the close-knit catchment area meant there were plenty of local derbies which ensured half-decent gates. With only the Welsh League (North) above it, the Dyserth Area was a breeding ground for good local talent and clubs often vied with each other for the best players, knowing the likes of Rhyl and Bangor City (plus the more affluent Welsh League clubs) were always watching with interest, cheque book at the ready should a likely prospect turn up.

The Dyserth Area's member clubs fluctuated from year to year but the 1954/55 membership of 31st TRAA (Kinmel Camp), Mostyn YMCA, Penyffordd, Rhyl Colts, Mostyn Albion, Rhyl Social Centre, Northop, Denbigh Town, Carmel United, Prestatyn, Rhyl YMCA and Llanddulas was a pretty typical constitution of the time. Others came and went but rather like the modern Clwyd League, the better organised teams were the ones with the greater longevity.

Whilst most of the Dyserth Area clubs played on a park or public pitches, Prestatyn benefitted from having their own enclosed pitch and as such were able to carry out various improvements including the installation of training floodlights in late 1954. These were to prove a handy asset not only for training purposes but also in allowing work to be carried out on the ground at any time. In January 1955 heavy snow had put a question mark over the likelihood of a crucial Coast Amateur Cup fourth round tie with Amlwch going ahead.

As it was, on the Friday before the game, the committee were out till late under the lights, clearing snow and sanding the goalmouths should the temperatures drop to freezing overnight. Their efforts paid off, the game was played and Town hammered the Islanders 6-2 with Cyril Jones netting four and goalkeeper Frank Farrow saving two penalties.

It was in season 1958/9 that the ambitious Prestatyn FC decided to take the plunge and join the Welsh League (North) after establishing themselves as one of the best organised and supported teams in the Dyserth Area League.

This was a massive step up for Prestatyn as the Welsh League as it was then bore no resemblance to the Welsh Alliance League it has evolved into today. It was comprised of the cream of the region`s teams outside of English competition and the likes of Caernarfon Town, Porthmadog, Llandudno, Colwyn Bay, Bethesda Athletic and Pwllheli were packed with costly imported players from over the border and regularly entered the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup.

To step up among this elite gave Prestatyn`s committee a headache - did they abandon their local amateur policy or dig deep and bring in lads from Merseyside and Manchester who were undoubtedly more experienced but who wouldn`t lace their boots up unless they were paid four or five pounds, a lot of money indeed at that time.

After some soul-searching it was decided to stay with their local amateur policy and if success came that would be great but consolidation would be equally welcome among North Wales` footballing elite.

As committee man and club founder-member George Drummond told the Western Mail at the time: "This is not a pot-hunting or title-hunting club and never has been. If we can get to the top then all well and good but there will be no broken hearts or long faces if we don`t."

Another resolution was to avoid the recruitment of professional players, preferring firstly to build upon the rock of amateurism and secondly because the committee of the time didn`t believe the club could afford it.

Mr Drummond added: "Our finances are comparitively sound at the moment but anything could happen between now and the end of the season. We need every penny we can lay our hands on to support a division one (Welsh League) team as well as our reserves in division two (Dyserth Area)."