Erthyglau / Articles Season 2001 - 2002
Rejoice,
Rejoice – Alun Evans | The Trundle Phenomenon | ‘Dwi’n Mynd Lawr Y
Cae’ – Malcolm Williams | A Marketing Blueprint – Lawrence
Hourahane | Carmarthen Town report – Martin Evans |
Shoulder To Get The Elbow ? | There’s More To Life Than
The Oval Ball! | Aik
V Carmarthen Town | Y Prif Gwpan – The Premier Cup | LOW Viewpoint | Aberystwyth 7 Carmarthen 1
LATEST – Where are they now?
WELSH SCHOOLBOY SOCCER – Martin Evans ALTHOUGH NOT EVERYONE WILL AGREE the Welsh Schoolboy
system misses very few current and future Welsh players. Names that easily spring to mind are Ian
Rush, Mark Hughes, Mark Bowen, Clayton Blackmore, Craig Bellamy, Matthew
Jones and Robbie Savage. True some
players such as Gary Speed did not play for Wales at this age - he was
identified, but physically was not ready at that particular time. Players like that are now kept in our
development system until they are. People
must realise young players develop at different times; some are fully matured
at 15 and 16 and never improve and vice versa. Teams at national level
from U21 down are picked in the year they are born ie. from January to
January. This is a UEFA ruling that
causes some confusion in selection as most boys play for their school in their
school year and for their junior league clubs ie. September to
September. To give you a rough
guideline of progression I would use the following diagram. National
Team
National Development Squad
South Wales Squad
School Association L.O.W. Academy
ie.
Dyfed, Swansea Carmarthen
Town, Llanelli AFC F.A.W. CENTRES OF
DEVELOPMENT
ie. School Team Junior League Team To date the Welsh U16 side
have played their three Victory Shield games live on Sky. We drew 4-4 with Scotland in an exciting
game at Newtown. We lost 3-1 to a
strong England side at Wycombe and then beat Northern Ireland 1-0 at Ninian
Park, Cardiff to finish in joint second place for the second year
running. These results compare
favourably with the results at other National age groups. We also played the Republic of Ireland at
Stebonheath in February drawing1-1 with local boys Keeron Stone (Dyffryn Taf)
and Dean Hodson (Gwendraeth) in the squad. In May we go to an International
Tournament in Ballymena to play England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Holland,
Israel, USA and Austria. THE U15’S ALSO have a busy
programme. We have already played
Holland drawing 1-1 at Barry and in February we played the Republic of
Ireland in Dublin. With a squad of 18 the tie was played over two legs with
the Welsh boys winning both games 2-1 and 3-2 respectively. With a trip to
Belgium in April, and to Scotland in June there are busy times ahead. Martin Evans is the Welsh Schoolboy
Team Manager at U15 and U 16 level. DYLAN LLEWLYN ASKS – WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
WHILST BROWSING through a copy
of the RCS v Wales Under 21 match programme recently it threw up some
interesting names. The match in question was the match between the RCS and
Wales played at the end of April 1993 at the Stovky Stadion in a little place
called Frydek-Mistek about thirty minutes (and a bottle of Baileys in a wonky
taxi) away from Ostrava in the east of the Czech Republic where the full
Welsh side drew 1-1 against the RCS side the following evening (27.04.93). The Welsh U21 squad included
John Robinson, currently playing at the highest level with Charlton Athletic
and First Division players Nathan Blake (Wolves), Rob Edwards (Preston NE)
and Danny Coyne (Grimsby). Interestingly others in the Welsh squad (with
their former and last known club) included :
But does anyone know the whereabouts
of the following:- Lee Baddeley (Cardiff) Gareth Davies (Hereford)
& Lee Powell (Southampton)? The Czech / Slovak squad however
included the following impressive line-up : - Patrik Berger & Vladimir
Smicer (Liverpool) Tomas Repka (West Ham) Karel
Poborsky (Lazio) Pavel Nedved (Juventus) Tomas
Votava (1860 Munich) Zdenek Svoboda (Sparta Prague)
Tomas Galasek (Ajax) Michal Kovar (Sigma Olomouc)
Jiri Lerch (Slavia Prague) Peter Gunda (Slovan Bratislava)
Marian Zeman (Vitesse Arnhem on-loan to PAOK Salonika) &
Miroslav Konig (Basel). And
what was the score? Maybe it was the effect of the Baileys or the taxi ride
but the result that evening escapes me!! When not rummaging through his old programmes or watching CPD Pwllheli
Dylan is working on a series looking at football around the world for
Ffilmiau'r Nant which will be shown on S4C in the eight weeks leading up to
the World Cup. "MAE'R BYD YN GRWN" will be broadcast at 9.00
on Monday evenings starting on April 8th 2002. ALAN
CURTIS (of
Real Radio and former Wales, Swansea City. Leeds United, Southampton
[Stoke City], and Cardiff City star) reminisces ……. Welcome
to Richmond Park for today’s clash between Carmarthen and Barry Town to both
sets of players and supporters. I had the great pleasure after my own
Football League career to have played for both clubs. I was
fortunate to have played for Barry Town in the Welsh Cup Final in 1994 in the
days when the Football League teams, Swansea City, Cardiff City and Wrexham
were allowed to enter the competition.
It was one of my fonder memories in the game when we beat Cardiff City
2-1 at the National Stadium, especially as I was then just turned 40 years of
age. In fact, the following season we
played Carmarthen Town in one of the early rounds and in a tremendous
encounter Barry just managed to overcome an excellent Carmarthen side in a
team managed by the old stalwart Peter Fearn. When I
played for Carmarthen Town, we were playing in the old Welsh League and
certainly were not the force they are today.
Nevertheless, there was always a great fan base and people wanting to
work hard to take the club forward. There have been lots of changes at
Carmarthen since I played and now they are one of the leading clubs in the
League of Wales, even managing to play in Europe. The one
great change of all is the quality of the playing surface. When I played the
pitch was like a bog in places and perhaps explained why I stayed so long in
the club afterwards to rest my weary legs! It is
fair to say that Barry Town, more
than most, have been the standard bearers for the League of Wales and
have been a credit to Welsh football over the years. Certainly during my time
at Swansea City they gave us more than a hard time and managed to defeat us
on more than one occasion. They have
been the target for other leading clubs and without doubt Carmarthen Town are
amongst those in hot pursuit of them. I have
great memories of playing for both clubs and made many friends both on and
off the park. I am sure both clubs will continue to prosper and I am sure
today’s game will be a great contest.
Whatever the result, I will still be able to raise a smile. MY BEST
WISHES go to both teams for the remainder of the season. RÅSUNDA REMEMBERED – Nigel Williams DID YOU
KNOW that when Carmarthen Town played against AIK in the Rasunda Stadium last
June they were watched by a larger crowd than watched Wales beat Hungary 2-1
in the 1958 World Cup play-off match played at the same stadium? Much has
been written about Town’s first venture into European football last
summer. Great credit must go to the
management of Tomi Morgan and the late Ray Davies, the players and the Club’s
organisation off the field. I am sure that a lot of LoW clubs could have
learned some considerable lessons in the way we played against superior
opposition, approached the occasion and conducted ourselves both on and off
the pitch. To
achieve a 0-0 draw and only lose 3-0 away against a team who in recent times
had been playing European football against the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona
was remarkable. But back to the plot. On that day in June, Town were watched
by a poor crowd of 3,200. It was bank
holiday weekend in Sweden. I picked
up a book recently in the library called When Pele Broke Our Hearts by
Mario Risoli. It was re-released last Christmas and I would recommend it as
an excellent read and difficult to put down,
I read it in 24 hours! The
book covers the exploits of the Welsh team up to and including the World Cup
Finals of 1958. Wales qualified
through the backdoor after a play-off with Israel. They drew all their group
games against the host nation Sweden, the great Hungarian side and Mexico,
after being given little chance. They
finished joint second with Hungary.
In those days goal difference was unheard of and they were forced to
play-off against Hungary only two days after their last game. The game was played at the Rasunda Stadium
and only drew a crowd of 2,832. It
was Wales’ greatest day, despite trailing 1-0 at half-time they eventually
won the match 2-1 with goals from the great Ivor Allchurch and Terry Medwin. QUALIFICATION
to the quarter final was achieved, where they met eventual winners Brazil and
a raw 17 year old called Pele. Wales
fought a fierce rearguard game without the injured John Charles, and
eventually lost 1-0 to a goal late in the game to, you guessed it, Pele. REJOICE REJOICE
– Alun Evans REJOICE! REJOICE! - as
Margaret Thatcher declaimed after the victory in the Falklands (And
repeated with happy irony by Edward Heath - no admirer he - after
her subsequent downfall). Welsh football fans may wish to echo the Iron
Lady after a similarly notable triumph in the face of pessimism. The
cause? The climb down by BBC Wales over its scandalous treatment
of LoW football since the new season opened. Handed an exclusive
football contract which barred the door to other suitors, the Beeb then
returned to its long-term mistress, rugby, and has force-fed us a steady diet
of a game which has even more competitions than reports on the go at any
one time. With so much air-time devoted to rugby to justify its
multi-million pound contract, the Sunday programme "Gôl" was
axed, and our national league has been all but ignored despite one of the
most open championship races yet. But
now comes the good news with the announcement that Welsh football will be
given a fifteen-minute slot on S4C's "Y Clwb" on Sunday
lunch-times from next week. Let's not pretend that this is the answer
to all our prayers, but it is a step in the right direction, and the
programme does have sub-titles, something which was denied to the producers
of "Gôl". But the real cause for rejoicing is the impact that LoW fans have made
in the corridors of powe. While the FAW and the LoW have registered their
discontent with the coverage of Welsh football under the new contract, I
doubt that the mandarins of Broadcasting House were too concerned. What
has won their attention is the campaign waged by supporters, including
banners at televised rugby matches, and more directly a massive e-mail
broadside which has driven the newly-appointed Head of Sport, Nigel Walker,
almost to despair. The BBC can easily dismiss representations from its
partners - at least until the next contract comes up for discussion - but it
is far more accountable to its audience, which is its raison d'être, so when
an estimated 1800 e-mails flood into the offices of its senior management, it
has to offer a more sensitive response. Now we know the nature of that
response, and supporters around Wales can give themselves a pat on the back. I SEE AN EVEN more significant factor in these events. It is not paranoia to suggest that the LoW does not get a fair stake from our national media, but its opponents have always offered the defence that the League has no public support. Like many, I have subscribed to the chicken and egg theory that no coverage equals no development. Times have changed. The ten years of the League's existence have quietly but successfully built up a fan-base which is now capable of defending its principles. I can think of no more compelling justification for the creation of the LoW. The only truly national league of any sport now has a foundation of support that can itself influence other national bodies. Many of us have argued that the League is not stagnant, but is constantly improving. Yet it is the support which the teams attract which is at the heart of future development. In recent weeks, the League's Board, spearheaded by Carmarthen chairman Jeff Thomas, has been developing a major business strategy. Their efforts can only be stimulated by the awareness that the League has captured the interest of a wider and more influential community than has been previously assumed. The BBC's sharp about-turn proves that Welsh football is coming home. REJOICE! REJOICE!THE TRUNDLE PHENOMENON – Gareth Hughes. CARMARTHEN AND RHYL are two of only a handful of current League of
Wales clubs to have seen one of their players progress to the Football League
and then go on to gain international recognition with Wales. Mark Delaney
made the successful transition via Cardiff and Aston Villa quite recently,
while going back to the 1980’s, Rhyl nurtured Barry Horne and Andy Jones
before they joined league clubs and followed the same path. Their rise might
not have been so sudden or meteoric as Delaney, but the sense of achievement
in seeing a former player progress is immense. Rhyl added to their impressive list of graduates by selling Lee
Trundle to Wrexham last season. Now I’d never in a million years suggest that
Trundle will go on to be capped by his country, but he left behind some great
memories, and will be held in high regard for many years to come. It was a brave decision by directors Peter Parry and Norman Jones to
bring Lee to Belle Vue from Conference outfit Southport in the first place.
He had a proven pedigree on the field, but a suspect temperament had kept
most of the watching league clubs at bay. He had natural talent however, one
which very few players have and he made an immediate impact at Rhyl, scoring
two goals against Manchester City’s Reserve side in a pre-season friendly at
Belle Vue. No-one expected him to stay the season at Rhyl, but everyone enjoyed
it while it lasted and his name on the teamsheet was guaranteed to add an
extra hundred to the gate. He revelled in the banter from the fans, and was a
PR man’s dream, always willing to be interviewed or pose for promotional
photographs. His strength on the ball
was awesome, and although primarily left-footed, he had the ability to turn
defenders inside-out with the greatest of ease. He had more tricks up his
sleeve than Paul Daniels, and I well recall a moment of magic against
Rhayader at Belle Vue. He was standing on the touchline when a team mate
lobed the ball to him, he casually trapped the ball on the back of his neck,
holding it there before allowing it to roll down his body onto his left foot,
dummying the defender and racing in on goal. It was something I’ve never seen
done before, and certainly something I will never forget. It felt as if the
Harlem Globetrotters had come to town! He
quickly became a marked man, and not only from players. After being booked
for taking a ‘dive’ against Connah’s Quay, the word must have done the rounds
in refereeing circles, and very few decisions around the penalty box went his
way after that. It was a shame, because Trundle cleaned up his act when Lee
Williams took over and I felt that many a genuine penalty call went
unrewarded. He was still too hot a prospect for most defences to handle
though, and his return of 18 goals in 22 appearances is fine testimony to
that. He finally got his breakthrough in a
friendly match against Wrexham’s full first team squad at Belle Vue last
January. Rhyl won the match 4-1, and a spectacular Trundle hat-trick was
enough to convince Brian Flynn that he was worth taking a gamble on. It
certainly paid off, with Trundle’s goals being instrumental in keeping
Wrexham in the second division of the Nationwide League. He capped a
wonderful season for himself by scoring one of the goals that saw Wrexham
retain the FA Premier Cup at Swansea. The success of Delaney, Trundle and the many
others who have gone on to earn full-time contracts in the Football League goes
to show just how far the League of Wales has progressed. The next challenge
will be for the clubs to be able to keep this talent by offering comparable
terms and opportunities for success. It won’t happen overnight; but then
again Rome wasn’t built in a day! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you
all. ‘DWI’N MYND ‘LAWR
I’R CAE’ (‘I’M
GOING DOWN TO THE FIELD’) Malcolm Williams These are the words that
have caused my loving wife to blow a fuse on so many occasions over the past
five years since I took an active interest in the upkeep and development of
Richmond Park. This is probably because I have been known to disappear for up
to 12 hours at a time especially in the summer. I have come from a farming stock & my children reckon that I have gone back to my roots and
I do have to admit to the fact that I have always had a love for tractors and
machinery in general so they may well be right for once. The low point for me on Richmond
Park was some seven seasons ago when we were in the Welsh League and the
referee refused to start the match due to the condition of the centre circle
which resembled a bog. We had to barrow off the pitch some twenty
wheelbarrows full of mud before he
allowed the match to start. I’m sure that many of you will remember that day
well. It was at this time that the pitch was maintained by Carmarthen Town
Council and they certainly had no money to spend on developing the playing
surface. In those days we used to buy in sand and spread it on the pitch with shovels and I will never forget John Davo who used to throw his sand into
my wellingtons when I was not looking and then laugh when I could
not move my feet due to the weight of my boots. The big break came for us when
we took over the lease for the ground some four years ago and erected a fence around the perimeter which allowed us to keep out all the dogs
and fishermen – yes fishermen. They used to take away the worms by the bucket
full, which just added to the problems on the pitch as worms are a very important source of drainage. We were now forced to undertake an
underground drainage scheme which was only completed this season, and
accepted a tender from Julian Mousley & Sons from St Clears which has
proved to be an excellent choice.
Executing the drainage scheme
itself was easy compared to the protracted dealings that we had with the
ancient monuments people – CADW. You
may not be aware of the fact that Richmond Park sits smack on top of the
ancient Roman town, which is approximately 1 meter below the surface. In fact
there is a Roman road that crosses the pitch from the turnstile at the car
park across to the away dug out. Over
the past four years we have added approximately 700 tons of sand and 300 tons
of loam which has now mixed in well with the ancient soil of Richmond Park. Over the past 4 years we
have experimented with turf which was supplied by the company which provided
the turf for the millennium stadium. However, over the last two years we have
sown seed direct into the ground at the end of the season and this season we
have used the same seed that has been sown on ‘Old Trafford’ and this work
was carried out by Carmarthenshire County Council. This year we have received
numerous compliments from many sources
praising the condition of the pitch which is very rewarding indeed. Looking back over the
past seven years there have been many major challenges that have been set
before us, for example, installing the floodlights, securing the lease,
perimeter fence, 50mm mains supply, the studio and gantry, and I am pleased
to say that we have managed to rise to the challenge on every occasion. We
have an excellent network of contacts with local business people who are
always ready to assist when the chips are down and I am always grateful for
their generous support. I cannot wait to make a start with the new stand,
widen the pitch and also redevelop the changing rooms – more than enough work
for the next two years. I must
make a special mention of three very hardworking individuals who help us on
almost a daily basis with the various chores that have to be carried out in
order that we continue to make improvements within our own local football
stadium – Roger Evans, Jonathan Lewis and Willie Thomas. Thank you boys and
well done. A MARKETING BLUEPRINT.... (a personal viewpoint) Lawrence Hourahane Behind
the scenes, Mike Harris of TNS is working hard to try and woo a sponsor for
next season, and on Wales On Saturday last week, he reported that he will be
looking to narrow the field down to two prospective partners in the near
future, with the hope of concluding a deal in time for the start of the
2002-2003 season. That's
good news, but when potential sponsors look at the League, what do they see? The last
time I counted, the aggregate attendance at a full weekend League of Wales
programme of fixtures was in the region of 1,800, with individual match
attendances ranging from just over 100 to around 500. Given
that many clubs are based in small towns, that's to be expected although
nothing to write home about. So what can be done to double that number? - a
not unreasonable target and one which should be acknowledged by the League as
an immediate target. Why not give free tickets to schoolchildren, and use
that as part of a larger effort to make each match something of an occasion
rather than just the latest in a series of fixtures to be completed by the
end of April? And with
the amount of newspaper, television and radio coverage less this season than
previously, why not approach BBC Wales and Wales On Sunday (dare I
suggest, the two biggest and most influential media outlets in the country),
point out these initiatives and ask how a partnership can be formed to
promote the League? I spoke
recently to a club official with extensive experience of football in the Conference
and the Dr. Martens League, and he told me that clubs in those leagues would
kill for the amount of coverage that the League of Wales receives – even
nowadays - and how the clubs in England would take all reasonable steps to
ensure regular radio and television coverage. Sponsorship
and media coverage requires a two-way relationship with the League and those
outside it, with each side understanding the potential of the partnership,
and doing their best to smooth over any problems should they arise. I
guarantee that if the League had a marketing official, the first calls that
person would make would be to the media to arrange meetings, listen to its
views, and get it on-side. We may not actually have
a marketing officer for the League of Wales at present, but would anyone like
to start the ball rolling? Martin Evans
(Welsh National Team Manager U15/U16)…. CARMARTHEN TOWN REPORT A few
weeks ago I was unable to travel with Llanelli to Bangor so decided to watch the
Carmarthen game against top of the table Connah’s Quay. I was pleasantly surprised when asked by
Vince James to contribute to the programme despite being Director of Football
at local rivals Llanelli AFC. It is a
friendly rivalry, though, isn’t it!! Vince is an old friend from the Grammar School at Carmarthen, an
outstanding athlete in his younger days. I always enjoy the Carmarthen
programme - full of interesting information, not just adverts. It is almost
as good as Hugh Roberts in Stebo!! Before going on to my
role as Welsh U15 and 16 Manager a few thoughts on Carmarthen Town and
Richmond Park. Having been born and
bred in Llansteffan and going to school in Carmarthen, I remember playing
many times on Richmond Park and am pleased to say the pitch is looking a lot
better these days. I remember
watching my favourite player at the time Dai ‘Dole’ Evans, now a friend, as
well as playing with Bernie Lewis (now involved with the Town) and my good
friends the Turner brothers. It is interesting to see
the Swansea and Welsh Schoolboy connection with the Carmarthen side at
present. Dai Barnhouse, Shaun Chapple, Lee Jones and Robert Fitzgerald all
played for Swansea Schoolboys, the latter two for myself, and the first three
played for Wales at U15. Strangely,
Robert didn’t, although he was at 15 a very good keeper. The Swansea connection continues on the
coaching side with obviously the late legendary Ray Davies and now Colin
Staples whom I know well. It is perhaps strange,
having gone to the ‘Gram’ where only rugby was played, to end up manager of
the Welsh Schools soccer team. However, I remember in school Richard Gealy,
another town stalwart, organising a petition for soccer at school, which
didn’t get very far. So it was rugby in the morning with Ray Gravell and Roy
Bergiers and soccer on Saturday afternoons. The Welsh job has now gained a
high profile with all games covered live on Sky Sports. But I do feel
we possibly miss some good players in this area or they develop later as has
happened with Tim Hicks and Luke Fayers.
I am pleased to see Tomi using the club’s youth policy, as we have
tried to do at Stebo. I was also
pleased to see Tomi at the Wales v Scotland game at Newtown when we drew
4-4. I was hoping to catch him for
the beer he owes me. Never mind, next
time, Tomi! SHOULDER TO GET THE ELBOW ? - Mike Davies Beleaguered
Wales Under 21 manager Jimmy Shoulder should be replaced as soon as possible.
His record 24 games without a win is an embarrassment to the game in this
country. He has obviously lost the respect of his players and the players do
not wish to perform for the manager. The performances of the team during the
last qualifying campaign were disappointing to say the very least and
culminated in another defeat at the hands of the Belarussian team two weeks
ago. Many
will question Shoulder`s choice of personnel and others will defend his
selection due to the small number of Welsh players playing the professional game.
But the same may be said of the Republic of Ireland. However, if Shoulder
were to visit from time to time League of Wales grounds he would be most
impressed, I feel, with the quality of those Under 21 players plying their
trade from Bangor to Cwmbran. Is it not asking too much of the National team
coaches to either give opportunities for the very best LOW youngsters to
train alongside the National Under 21`s or, even better, to stage a
compulsory warm up match for the Under 21`s against a League of Wales
Representative Under 21 team prior to both home and away fixtures? Players
such as Graham Evans at Caersws rejected by Aston Villa one week and starring
in the LOW the next deserve the chance to try and bridge the gap between the
national league, the professional game and the Under 21`s. Let`s see more of
these representative games coming to the heart of the LOW – Newtown
successfully hosted a Schools International recently. Why not an Under 21
game at Aberystwyth or Carmarthen? One could at least count on a crowd of
2,000 for a fixture of this importance.
Jimmy Shoulder was appointed
from the Australian Football Academy and his revolutionary work in Wales at
grassroots level has turned mini-minor football around and this aspect of his
work is to be commended. Indeed, I would suggest that this is one of Shoulder
`s strengths and he be kept on at the
F.A. in this capacity. His changes included the introduction of mini-football
and small-sided games on smaller pitches. Although many disagreed with these
changes and many still do - particularly at the transition Under 13 level
where it is said players have to start to learn football again – the quality
of the players` skills, movement and the all round excitement of the mini
football game has much to offer both players and supporters alike. Let's look forward to a better
showing in the next Under 21 and senior qualifying campaign under a new
management structure of Brian Flynn and Ian Rush. Former Internationals that
the young players of Wales will respect and admire. Home games with high
attendances played at LOW venues with the very best LOW youngsters amongst
the squad! RYLAND JAMES has been the NEWPORT
COUNTY CORRESPONDENT since he arrived at the SOUTH WALES ARGUS in
February. A self-confessed rugby fan,
he is discovering that…………. THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN THE OVAL BALL! There’s nothing like a local derby match to remind a
sports reporter that his articles are being read and scrutinised. Some days it seems like you are just
churning the copy out and no-one really reads it! Today’s news is tomorrow’s fish and chips wrapper. Unless you
make a mistake, and, trust me, sports fans love ringing in to point out the
smallest of inaccuracies. Incoming
calls are usually from regular contacts and team managers. That is until you
report on a controversial Merthyr Tydfil – Newport Count derby and then you
know all about it! A 1-1 draw should have sent both sets of fans away with a
contented League point, but not this game.
A penalty incident for Merthyr and a potential sending off for Newport
added spice to the mix. The penalty
to Merthyr should not have been given (from where I was sitting), but then
again we all have a bad day at the office from time to time. So there was plenty to write about and I
filed my copy safe in the knowledge I had reported it as I saw it from a
Newport perspective. Then someone put
my match report on the Merthyr fans’ internet site and I found out how
uncomfortable Daniel must have felt in the Lions’ Den. As the e-mails started rolling into my account I stopped
checking after a few days, but a letter from a Merthyr fan was delivered by
post. The fan from Pembroke, a
Merthyr supporter for 35 years, was keen to know what game I had been
watching, if I was a work experience lad and if I wore black and amber
glasses! To his credit, he kept the
insults intelligent and I took his comments on board. But that is the
position journalists put themselves in.
It is my job to make sure that, no matter what I write, I can defend
it and I was actually grateful for the experience of being involved in a
derby game, where the rivalry is just as intense off the field. I hope tonight’s game will be just as intense. It’s the
clash of the Dr Martens Premier Division against the League of Wales and
it’ll be interesting to compare the two styles. As a boy from St. David’s, West is Best in my book, although the people of Gwent are just as
friendly as back home, I look forward to County making their debut in this
competition. Tim Harris’ side have hardly set the world on fire this season,
despite a large amount of optimism around Newport Stadium and a huge amount
of effort is needed this season if County are to challenge for promotion. AIK v CARMARTHEN TOWN - Gareth
Hughes IT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY AMBITION to see Rhyl play in Europe,
and when the team hit a rich vein of form at the time of the Inter-Toto cup
draw last April, I honestly thought that Rhyl would surprise the pundits by
qualifying for the first time. It didn't happen, the irony being that it was
in the red mist of Caersws that Rhyl's hopes ended, while some two weeks
later, it was Carmarthen's battling 2-2 draw at the same venue that ensured
third berth and qualification for the cup.
By that time we already had our cheap flight tickets, and not to be
denied our trip, this is our story of AIK v Carmarthen …. It might have been lovely weather, but this was not the
weekend to see Stockholm at its vibrant best. With the summer months being so
short, "Midsummer" is declared a national holiday with the city
dwellers escaping to their countryside retreats, leaving closed shops and
deserted streets behind them. Those who do stay make their way to the
National Heritage park at Skansen to see the traditional maypole dancing,
then drink copious amounts of alcohol until the early hours of the morning. The subdued atmosphere was a theme for the whole weekend,
the match barely raising an eyebrow locally which was in contrast to that of
the home leg in Aberystwyth. There were
no bill posters advertising the fixture, and only one local paper carried a
preview of any great depth. Despite this, our appetite had been wetted and
the only place to be on Saturday was Solna. A ten minute underground journey
took us direct to Solna Centrum station, which was only a stone's throw away
from the Rasunda, "Sveriges Nationalarena for Fotball" - the
national football stadium of Sweden. Solna is one of Stockholm's leafy suburbs, but our walk to
the ground was anything but sleepy! In a scene akin to a slapstick Benny Hill
sketch, a runaway car, being pursued by several police cars, ploughed through
the parkland, forcing a poor man who was enjoying a leisurely read of his
newspaper to leap for his life! The sirens could be still be heard for some
time afterwards, but I'm sure that the driver breathed a sigh of relief that
Jeff Thomas hadn't been on the scene at the time! Thankfully this was to be the only dramatic event of the day,
and a pleasant build-up to the game ensued in the "Caffreys" bar
opposite the ground. The Swedes had a great knowledge of the game in Scotland
and England, and were interested to hear about the League of Wales and how it
compared to the others. In fact, their knowledge of the British game was
second only to their ability to speak English, with a fluency that would have
put many a native to shame! Playing a side with such resources was never going to be
easy for Tomi's men, and although they were on the back foot for most of the
game, they played well as a team, with Neil O'Brien a tower of strength and
Robert Fitzgerald inspired yet again. O'Brien was selected as the man of the
match by sponsors Marabou and he was awarded a huge bar of their chocolate
for his efforts. I'm intrigued to know if it ever survived the journey home!
The Carmarthen players were disappointed that AIK wouldn't swap shirts at the
end of the game, but this didn't stop some of them coming back to the
"Caffreys" bar after the match and swapping their match shirts with
AIK supporters. This was more in keeping with the spirit of the game and was
appreciated by all who were there. With a sore head, Sunday was a predictable wash-out, as
all intentions of doing lots of sight-seeing went out of the window. We did
manage to get to the AIK Souvenir shop that was open at last, and the timely
appearance of Dean Rossiter revealed a 10% discount on purchases for people
from Carmarthen. It didn't stop him haggling with a shop assistant for 20%
though, and as the rest of the weary looking players trooped in, we bade our
farewells and headed off to our only tourist attraction of the day, the
"Vasa". The Vasa was to be Sweden's premier warship when it was
finished in 1628, but only lasted 20 minutes on its maiden voyage before
toppling over and sinking! It was preserved in the mud for some 300 years
before being salvaged in 1961, is 90% original and well worth the visit if
you ever go to Stockholm.
Carmarthen's maiden voyage into European football lasted a great deal
longer, and just as the Swedish boatyards learned from their experience,
Carmarthen will have learned lots from their inaugural entry into Europe. I
just hope it isn't too long before the name of Rhyl joins them in the hat at
Geneva! Y PRIF GWPAN – THE PREMIER CUP - Jeff Thomas IN WELCOMING RHYL for the first match in this our second
season of Premier Cup competition, one cannot but remember the envy felt
within the Club, given our absence from it on so many occasions for so many
years. We heard of the injection of vast sums of money into LoW Clubs and saw
them on our TV screens taking on the might of the Nationwide Clubs. Then we
saw our top three Clubs also playing in Europe with the monies emanating from
such competitions being used to improve stadiums and strengthen playing
squads. The envy disappeared almost as soon as it came and there was never a
feeling of mortification at another club`s good fortune, merely the deafening
battle cry of ‘one day, one day…’. That day finally came and we can draw upon
so many vivid memories, that tingling sensation at Bangor as we qualified for
the quarter final, the resultant quarter final game at the Vetch Field when
we narrowly lost by the one goal but only after extra time. It was also by
that margin that we had earlier lost to Wrexham in a qualifying match at
Richmond Park in front of 1000 spectators – and this despite the most
horrible of our wet and cold Winter weather – but they came, and another
95,000 armchair viewers witnessed our efforts with a similar number enjoying
our skirmish at the Vetch. Need I, therefore, emphasise to you the importance of the
Premier Cup – it has given an added profile to our sponsors particularly RSU
Windows, a profile Mr. Dorian Roberts so richly deserves for his loyal
support; it has provided the revenue for ground and stadium improvements; it has provided so much
joy and happiness to so many people who will have gained added reserves of
motivation, be it as supporters or Committeemen; it will have given our players so much confidence in their
abilities and has provided them with a wider stage to manifest their many
skills and fitness levels; it will
encourage experienced players to join our ranks and show our local youths the
standards they need to aspire to.
Finally and most importantly it will also encourage our Manager, Tomi
Morgan, to cement his future with us, as the Club strive to satisfy his
thirst for success. It is just one of
his many endearing qualities and let us be in no doubt of his immense
contribution to this Club. It is clear that the Premier Cup has opened so many
frontiers and indeed a view so often expressed is ` Forget the Intertoto but
the Premier Cup is a must`. On the simple basis of `money in the bank` I
would have to agree but the ingrained competitive instinct must never be lost in favour of such matters. The
thoughts expressed by some as to their preference for the Premier Cup signify
in themselves the validity and importance of this competition. One can therefore imagine the disappointment and concern
on hearing of its possible demise due to claims of the BBC`s ambivalence
towards it with a vastly reduced commercial package on offer. Thankfully the
Competition lives on, albeit in a different format and not as financially
favourable as previously. Make no mistake that the benefits previously
described continue to abound and not just for the Clubs. The BBC have an
excellent package to produce and on the best value ethos, in my view a better
one than the rugby offered within the Welsh/Scottish and Celtic League. I
would suggest that the financial gulf in favour of the oval ball is far
greater than will be the gulf in viewing figures. It is in this context that
the Clubs and the Premier Cup Board must be professional in their marketing
of this Competition. The BBC deserve such support for their investment Despite being much maligned in recent
times, let us not forget that we are here tonight purely because of their
support - without them the benefits outlined would be but a distant dream. IN
CONCLUSION I thank Mr Keith Jones of the BBC for his support for this
Competition – let us show that it will be a worthwhile investment for them
and that the continuation of the Premier Cup becomes an automatic decision,
based not just on patriotism but on sound business grounds. Gareth Vincent (South Wales Evening Post)…… LOW
VIEWPOINT DESPITE being a huge football fan, I knew virtually
nothing about the League of Wales when I arrived in Swansea two years ago.
Growing up not far over the border in the North Midlands, all attention was focused
on the Premiership - as well as the Second Division and Stoke City - along
with Europe. Did anyone take note of what was going on in the LoW? Not
that I remember. Were the results from the other side of Offa's Dyke readily
available? I don't think so. By contrast, I and my football following friends were
always up to speed with what was going on North of the border in Scotland.
Okay, you could normally guess that Celtic and Rangers had both won, but we
usually knew exactly who they had thrashed on a particular day! The results
would always be noted in the pub that weekend. And if either of the Old Firm
giants actually managed to lose a game, it would warrant a brief
conversation. Now, of course, I might just as well talk about the League
of Wales over a Saturday-night pint - providing I have not been covering
Swansea City somewhere in England, because that would mean no news of
results. As for my friends back home, I know for a fact that the League of
Wales is still not of interest. And
for me, the League needs to remould itself in some way in order to make that
change. So that after Celtic-Hearts and Rangers-St Johnstone, they will talk
about Carmarthen-Afan Lido and Llanelli-Haverfordwest. How
might this change be made? Personally, I like some of the ideas of Mike
Harris, the forward-looking chairman of Total Network Solutions. Harris, a
hugely successful computer entrepreneur, reckons the LoW is a sleeping giant
which could be as big as the Scottish Premiership. And he believes his
formula for the future would wake the League up. Harris's
most attractive suggestion, I think, is to bring sides from Wales's three
Nationwide League clubs into the fold.
It's not the first time this idea has been bandied about, of course,
and there are obviously hurdles to clear before any such move could happen. But what a
shot in the
arm it would be for the LoW if
Cardiff City, Wrexham and the Swans were suddenly represented. Why not Merthyr, Newport and Colwyn Bay as well? I am
certain that many more newspaper column inches would be devoted to Wales's
top flight if it were to happen. And I imagine television and radio coverage
would increase significantly too. Those of you reading this know better than
me, but wouldn't fans of League of Wales clubs be excited at the prospect of
meeting a Nationwide side every few weeks of the season? With
an increased fan-base would come more sponsorship - or should I say some
sponsorship - and eventually more money to clubs. And with increased financial
clout, those clubs could attract better players, improving the quality of the
League and in turn raising its profile. Maybe then the results would make it
on to English radio stations at tea-time, and then into the pubs after that. Alun Charles…… ABERYSTWYTH 7 CARMARTHEN 1! Don’t worry, Town supporters, it’s not a
prediction of today’s score (hopefully), though it must be admitted that the
Seaside town has the edge over us in one respect at least. According to the Who’s Who of Welsh
International Soccer Players, seven players actually born
in the town of Aberystwyth have won full international caps for Wales.
This number compares very favourably with other towns in Wales. The oldest is JOHN CHARLES REA,
born in 1868, who won nine caps for
his country. He rose to prominence in
the army and his family owned the White Horse Hotel in the town. In 1870, WILLIAM
ROBERTS JONES was born. He was
Aber’s captain in their first season in the Welsh League in 1896 and won his
only cap against Scotland in 1897. Then in 1872, JOHN GARNER was born
and won a cap against Scotland in 1896.
He was a baker, an official with the club and served as a magistrate
in the town. He was a proven scorer
for Aber. Then came JOHN HENRY EDWARDS born in 1876. He won one cap against Ireland in 1898.
There’s an interesting story about him leaving the field of play early in one
match (when Aber were leading 10-2 and well in command) to keep an engagement
in a local concert! Two international players were born in the town
in 1881. The oldest, by a few months, was JOHN RICHARD LEWIS who won
one cap against England in 1906. He was a particularly influential player in
Bristol Rovers’ side at one time.
Then came ARTHUR WILLIAM GREEN, another prolific scorer. He won eight caps and the highlight of his
career was scoring three times in a 4-4 draw against Ireland at Wrexham in
1906. He was top scorer for Notts
County during 1903-04. He represented
Nottinghamshire in tennis and was a very good golfer. And then, in 1888, ERNEST PEAKE was
born. He won 12 caps. He played for Aber, Liverpool, Third
Lanark and Blyth Spartans before coming manager of Aberaman and Caerffili. According to the book, only one international
player has been born in the town of Carmarthen – WILLIAM (BILLY) MARSHALL
HUGHES in 1918. He won ten caps.
He started with Archer Corinthians of Llanelli before moving on to play for
Birmingham, Luton, Chelsea, Hereford and Flint Town United. He was captain of Flint when they won the
Welsh Cup in 1954. Unfortunately, in both Aberystwyth and
Carmarthen’s cases, we have to go back quite a way to find Welsh
internationals born in either town.
Let’s hope that things change and we shall see a new breed of
international players emanating from both towns in contemporary Wales! |