A GOOD AFTERNOON TO YOU ALL. For the second LoW match running we welcome visitors from the NW Coastline who have made the long journey to Richmond Park. So may I offer our friends from Rhyl a warm welcome.

Have you heard the story of the two Saints? As was THE Saint in yonder days, both were named Paul. They are, in fact, journalists attached to that well-known Sunday newspaper in Wales. That paper has proclaimed that both these journalists are, respectively, the No. 1 rugby writer and the No I soccer writer in Wales and who am I to disagree with these views? St.Paul the First in his Epistle to the Welsh Rugby Union last Sunday pronounced that after Wales’ resounding win over the mighty Italians, while not actually suggesting that we were now the best team in the world, gave me the impression that he may have thought so. Whatever, this scribe was at least being positive about our nation’s future and I applaud his approach. St. Paul the Second, however, in his expositions on Sunday, first of all completely ignored the burning issue of the moment regarding dissent and violence both on and off the field that has emanated from the Carling Premiership. Thousands of words have been written about the problems across the spectrum of the media, and even that old footballing maestro Sir Tom Finney has entered the debate - but not our journalisti friend, and not even any comments from his fellow-colleagues in the newspaper. What we had was the continuing negative tirade of anti LoW / FAW propaganda. It leaves me in absolute despair and if the two apostles are sitting on either side of the hands of God I implore them to swop places for a short spell at least!

The Chairman and I attended the funeral this week of Richie Jones, the Rhayader player who was tragically involved in a car crash near Llandrindod Wells. We went on behalf of the Club, of course, although Jeff Thomas also represented himself as a LoW Director. There was a large gathering at the Catholic Church in Rhayader, testimony of the esteem people held for this young man. The football fraternity was very much in evidence with representatives from many clubs in attendance. I felt that the LoW Gôl programme last Sunday paid a superb tribute to Richard with a fine presentation by Ian Gill and in the concluding clip of the tribute I was very moved when the film showed Richie scoring a goal and stretching his arms up in jubilation. The actual clip was taken from the match here at Richmond Park exactly a year ago. It was very strange that Richie’s funeral coincided with the news that the legendary Sir Stanley Matthews had passed away.

On a happier note, it is a pleasure to see that John Meredith has contributed in today’s programme. John, of course, is the father of one of our players, Siôn, and attends matches regularly - both home and away. After being employed by the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, John joined the BBC in 1987 as a freelance newsround reporter both on Radio and TV. His profile on the media has increased significantly over the years and he broadcasts with considerable fluency and knowledge on a wide range of subjects in both Welsh and English. John hails from Pontrhydfendigaid and like his father before him played for his home village club.

CONGRATULATIONS to our Youth side for reaching the Quarter Finals of the Astoria Cup. There is no doubt that after recent results the Youth Department is on the march, underlined by the selection of Huw Neil and Gareth Barton for the Welsh Schools team. As well as Matthew Delicate, who is a first team member ........ Enjoy the game!

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AS I BID YOU a warm welcome, I can say that a visit from today’s visitors always conjures up a feeling of considerable anticipation. It may be that the Aberystwyth Club has always been able to put one on us or maybe it is a Club with a considerable tradition. Whatever the reason there is an additional spice to the occasion today that it is also a Welsh Cup tie which has prompted our worthy Chairman to persuade nine businesses to partake in some corporate hospitality. Guests also include Paul Williams, Sportswriter, of the Western Mail , and Rhodri Glyn Thomas, AM.

Which prompts me also to highlight the importance of sponsorship in the world of football today. In our own League despite strenuous efforts to obtain sponsorship, other than Konica in the early years, none has been forthcoming. The fact that in recent weeks clubs such as Inter Cardiff, Caernarfon and Conwy have had to dispose of their semi-professional players and turn their attention, partly anyway, to locally based amateur players highlights the problem of a lack of sponsorship of the League.

Here in Carmarthen I think sponsorship is the single most important factor in the survival of our Club which emphasises the indebtedness owed to the Chairman who skilfully negotiates quite considerably in this respect. 20% of our income is derived from gate revenue, 40% from fund raising such as raffles, tote, sportsman’s dinner, etc., and 40% from sponsorship and advertising. So you can see that unless we can increase our fund raising capability by another 40% then we will have to rely heavily on sponsorship. In recent years that has always been the case throughout football and if one looks at the English Carling Premiership which is awash with money, in 1991, for example, Manchester United’s gate receipts were well below half their income that year. The rest was made up of TV, advertising, catering and sponsorship.

And of course there are attractions for sponsors. It could be, for example, that companies are able to get into people’s living rooms through good media coverage. A case in point as our appearance in the Welsh Cup Final last year with the subsequent live broadcast of the match on BBC TV which indeed pleased our main sponsor, RSU Windows, and the Company’s Proprietor, Dorian Roberts. In fact, Dorian has indicated that as a result of the exposure his company has received through this Club, its profile throughout Wales nationally has increased, in other words far beyond the boundaries of its five Dyfed depots.

WELL, ONCE AGAIN our programme has been enhanced by some excellent guest contributions today. Firstly, John Evans, a solicitor in Aberaeron, is a good friend of the Club, often attending matches here. When his playing days were over, he became a Welsh League referee . He was later appointed to the Council of the FAW and became Chairman of the International Committee. Keith Cooper is the National Referees Officer for Wales, responsible for the promotion of referees in Wales. He had a distinguished referee’s career both as the Welsh representative on FIFA and in the English Premiership and Football League. And finally Ian Gwyn Hughes -a high profile figure in the media. He started his career as a Sports Presenter with the Cardiff Broadcasting Company. In 1992, he became a Sports Presenter with the BBC, mainly on radio, but rapidly moved into television as a Presenter and Commentator and is now the Corperation’s Football Editor. As well as fronting the Wales on Saturday Programme, he occasionally commentates on Match of the Day. and appears regularly on S4C’s Gôl. , Here in Carmarthen, we are always appreciative of his support for the LoW. Many thanks to our three distinguished guests.. ............. Enjoy today’s game!

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A WARM WELCOME to our friends from Deeside who have made the long journey today in time for a 1.00pm kick-off. Back in the summer I requested the LoW to avoid putting us home on Rugby International Saturdays but despite receiving co-operation in this respect today’s fixture has somehow managed to slip through the net.

I remember well my far off schooldays, when in maths or arithmetic it was fractions that were in vogue. Over the years statistical analyses were measured as fractions rather than the shift during later years to percentages. I would therefore like to measure in percentages the level of improvement in this Club’s performances in the LoW since our manager took over the reins here in Carmarthen at the beginning of December 1998. I know that our manager shuns any praise on his achievements because he is always modest in such matters but his approach is definitely to work for continuing improvement which these statistics illustrate. The following figures are based on league games played (i) from December 1998 to April 1999 (20 matches) and (2) from August 1999 to January 2000 (20 matches).

As you can see, so far this season, despite a slight increase in the numbers of lost games, the high percentage of drawn games last season has now been translated into wins this year which has given us an improved playing record. So what target has Tomi set himself for the end of the season? Well certainly his objective for continuing improvement is being maintained and in my view the team is capable of bettering the above percentages. But of course Tomi does not indulge in making rash predictions. If you would allow me therefore to make a prediction on what percentage success would be required to qualify for Europe which I think will be as follows :

So compared with (2) above we are well on course but a few of our projected defeats will have to be turned into draws. Am I being the eternal optimist?

IT IS A PLEASURE to thank Alun Evans for his guest article this week. Alun has had an interesting time in Football Administration since he was appointed Secretary of the FAW in 1982. It was in 1990 when Alun drew up the blueprint for the establishment of the LoW and after the draft copy had been considered at length by the FAW Intermediate Sub Committee it was finally approved by the full Council and the League was set up in 1992. That year his designation at the FAW was changed from Secretary to Chief Executive and I wonder if the change of status was a reward for his achievement in establishing our National League but then came a period of acrimony during which time the so called ‘rebel’ English Non-League Clubs and the Welsh team manager were sacked. Alun then resigned from his post and it could be that the resignation the time was coincidental. Since that date Alun has undertaken an academic path, successfully undertaking an external MA degree in the British International Championship and is currently researching a PhD on Welsh Football at the Centre for Sports History and Culture at de Montfort University. Alun is now the LoW Club representative on the FAW, and Chairman of the Council’s Commercial Committee. I wish him well ...................... Enjoy today’s game!

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