The term ‘professional’ is one that is often applied in the competitive world of sport these days. When the walls of amateurism came crashing down within the world of Rugby Union a few years ago, the vast majority of Welsh clubs foolishly defined ‘professionalism’ as an opportunity to throw money that did not really exist at every problem. This definition has resulted in absolute disaster, with a number of clubs close to financial ruin and players with fat waistlines to match their fat wallets. No - to be ‘professional’ in the world of sport means more than having great sums of money to spend and waste. The success of our illustrious visitors today has been attributed to the fact that they are a ‘professional’ club. In terms of money, there is no doubt that Barry have been lucky to receive generous financial backing that has enabled the club to attract quality players from far and wide. However - to simply say that Barry’s success has been solely due to the fact that they have had money to spend would be to misinterpret what true professionalism means, and would also be an insult to what Barry have achieved.

They have a managerial structure that simply does not tolerate any failure. Gary Barnett is a shrewd individual who has replaced any players who have lacked the levels of motivation required, and has kept his squad fresh and eager to improve on the performance of the previous season. They have signed quality Welsh players like Gary Lloyd and Eifion Williams that take great pride in playing for a Welsh team, and who are loyal to a manager who has given them the opportunity to play at such a high level. One could argue, of course, that they have turned the league into a very one sided affair but as a club they have never sat back and taken success for granted. They have always set themselves new targets and objectives each season. Their performances in the FAW Premier Trophy against Swansea and Wrexham have shown that they are arguably the best footballing side in Wales at the moment. They were unlucky to face the awesome Dynamo Kiev side in the qualifying round of the Champions League and although they were well beaten in the end they endeavoured to play technically good football in both legs.

The only disappointment for the team must be that, although they have had unequalled success, the regular attendances at Jenner Park have been relatively small. The small but vociferous band of supporters who follow the team everywhere might well disagree with the above comment, but, if Carmarthen Town were as successful as Barry, then who knows how many people would frequent Richmond Park? Therein lies the challenge - to maximise the potential of our club. Off the pitch, the infrastructure is strong - a team of dedicated individuals determined to safeguard the future of Carmarthen. It is time for the team to try and attain the same level of professionalism in their preparation and general approach to the game - Barry Town would never and will never settle for mediocrity.

There are several teams who are rising to the challenge of emulating the successful set-up at Barry by improving the playing staff and structure and developing their grounds. It is vital that Carmarthen Town join this group of clubs to give the loyal support something to cheer ... a win against Barry - now, that would be a start!

Mae fy mhrofiad o bêl-droed yn gyfyngedig i’r ardd gefn ac i wylio Cymru yn chwarae yn erbyn Rwsia ar y Vetch. Yr hyn yr wyf yn ei gofio am Gêmau yn Ysgol Gynradd Mynydd-y-Garreg yw’r bechgyn yn chwarae rygbi ac ambell gêm o bêl-droed, heb anghofio criced yn yr haf, tra bo ni’r merched yn chwarae pêl-rwyd drwy gydol y flwyddyn, heblaw am ambell gêm o rownderi. Felly, un digon di-brofiad ydw i pan mae’n dod i bêl-droed, ond gyda’r oes yn newid a bodolaeth y Cwricwlwm Cenedlaethol, nid dyna fydd hanes plant - gan gynnwys merched - o hyn ymlaen.

Ers nifer o flynyddoedd bellach mae CPD Y Barri wedi creu cysylltiadau agos ag ysgolion cynradd yr ardal drwy anfon chwaraewyr i gynorthwyo gyda hyfforddi pêl-droed yn yr ysgolion. Rydym wedi bod yn ddigon ffodus i gael Eifion Williams, unig siaradwr Cymraeg y tîm, i ymweld â ni yn Ysgol Gymraeg Sant Curig bob prynhawn am flwyddyn bellach. Am awr bob prynhawn mae Eifion yn dysgu sgiliau i wahanol ddosbarthiadau yn yr adran iau. Mae’r plant yn disgwyl ymlaen yn eiddgar at ymweliadau Eifion. Mae’r sesiynau yma wedi cynorthwyo’r plant i ddatblygu sgiliau pêl a braf yw gweld y plant i gyd yn mwynhau’r gwersi mas draw ac yn trio’u gorau glas. Yn bendant, mae’r plant yn elwa’n fawr. Mae eu gallu i gydweithio’n gwella - sgil sy’n anodd iawn i’w feithrin. Mae Eifion hefyd yn mwynhau hyfforddi plant gan deimlo ei bod yn gyfle i gyfrannu’n ôl i’r gêm.

Pan fyddwch yn gofyn i blant pa dîm pêl-droed maent yn ei gefnogi - Lerpwl. Arsenal a Man U yn aml yw’r atebion, ond yma, yn Y Barri, mae clwb y dref yn cael ei gynnwys yn y rhestr. Yn sicr, mae’r cynllun wedi sicrhau lle i’r tîm yng nghalonnau nifer o gefnogwyr ifanc y gêm. Ar adegau, mae’r plant yn derbyn tocynnau rhad (gan gynnwys un oedolyn) i weld Y Barri’n chwarae ar Barc Jenner. Wrth gwrs, mae’r plant wrth eu bodd yn gweld eu harwyr yn chwarae’r gêm, ac rwy’n siðr fod sawl oedolyn yn mwynhau’r profiad o gael eu lusgo i weld gêm am ddim!

Pwy a ðyr, efallai y bydd sawl siaradwr Cymraeg yn nhîm Y Barri ryw ddydd. Rwy’n ddigon ffyddiog fod nifer o sêr y dyfodol ar hyn o bryd yn derbyn hyfforddiant ac ysbrydoliaeth o dan arweiniad Eifion Williams. Michael Owen fyddai dewis Eifion Williams fel cyd ymosodwr. Ymhen ychydig o flynyddoedd efallai mai brodor o dre’r Barri fydd dewis Michael Owen!

Denise Davies’ interesting article in the Bangor Programme (7.11.98) about Carmarthen Town’s Ladies Team set me thinking how many women are now involved in the game. There has certainly been an increase in the last few years.

Gabrielle Yorath (known affectionately as Gabby) has been raising a number of eyebrows with her excellent knowledge of the game in her new ITV Saturday lunchtime soccer chat show ‘On the Ball’. One might expect this due to her father being a certain Terry Yorath but she has earned the position of presenter in her own right. The 24 year old former gymnast who has represented Wales in the Commonwealth Games is a direct rival to Gary Linekar, who is the face of the BBC’s ‘Football Focus’. And, of course, S4C’s Sgorio can boast of Amanda Protheroe Thomas, the Ammanford lass who is completely at home with football in the Spanish and Italian Leagues!

We have a number of women involved with the running of the game in Wales - and making a good fist of things.

Joan Hill of Cardiff City is the chief executive at Ninian Park;

Here at Richmond, of course, we have Lisa Rice - a student at Trinity College and a qualified referee, and our superb Ladies Committee, with Janet Williams at the helm, on whom we depend so much.

The problem we have, in reality, is the thinness of our squad as not everyone is always available for selection. I would, therefore, like to appeal for budding players to come forward to assist us. I can be contacted on ( 01267 222790. It is my second season as secretary and the Club is appreciative of the work undertaken by our Treasurer AMANDA BOWEN. Matches are played on Sunday afternoons with home matches on Bro Myrddin School Field. Training takes place at the Leisure Centre Astro Turf on Tuesdays between 6.00 and 7.00pm.

Sefydlwyd y Gymdeithas hon rai misoedd ‘nôl wrth i griw o gefnogwyr a oedd yn defnyddio’r rhyngrwyd deimlo bod nifer o faterion difrifol yn wynebu’r gêm yng Nghymru. Ar yr un pryd teimlwyd nad oedd unrhyw fforwm ar gael i gynrychioli llais un o’r carfanau pwysicaf o safbwynt y gêm yng Nghymru, sef eich llais chi, y rhai sy’n darllen yr erthygl hon - y cefnogwyr.

Football in Merthyr Tydfil is steeped in history. We all know of Merthyr Tydfil AFC having brought glory to the town with their exploits in Europe - the defeat of Atalanta at Penydarren Park may be the highlight, with the winning goal being scored by Carmarthen’s former player Ceri Williams. But there are also a creditable 35 Senior Teams in Merthyr and four Junior Leagues.

Treharris Athletic and Hoover Sports are members of the Welsh Football League. Treharris are founder members and Hoover recently entered in 1995. Troedyrhiw and Trelewis are members of the South Wales Amateur League. Many years ago Troedyrhiw were members of the Welsh League with gates of 8,000 or more!

In the Merthyr Tydfil Simbec League there are three Senior Divisions where the football is very competitive. In the Junior Section there is organised football for Under 16s, 14s, 12s and mini football for the younger children.

Many players from the town of Merthyr have made the grade in the Football League. These include :

BACK IN APRIL of this year when Caersws and Carmarthen drew a LoW match 0-0 at Richmond, the match programme contained a feature on the Caersws manager Mickey Evans plus the briefest mention of my schoolfriend, football and cricket team-mate, and long-time assistant manager of Caersws, Barry Harding. After that drawn match, Barry pointed out that some of the brief details were not a 100% correct. So below are a few factual recollections.

The most memorable game ( for myself and Barry) played for Caersws Youths was the semi-final of the Welsh Youth Cup played at Knighton in March 1969. This was against Cardiff City, and their side contained Derek Showers, Nigel Rees, Alan Couch and John Williams (GK) who all went on to play in City’s first team. Cardiff City Youths triumphed 1-0 in extra time after the village side had missed an extra time penalty before Derek Showers headed the winner from a Nigel Rees cross; and then Cardiff went on to win 9-1 against Hawarden.

Barry also teamed up with Derek Showers, Alan Couch and Phil Dwyer when representing Wales at Youth Level in the 1968-69 season. After breaking into the Caersws first team in 1968, Barry (then 17) continued playing for the Mid Wales ‘Bluebirds’ for the next 20 years. The highlight of this lengthy playing career was reaching the final of the Welsh Intermediate Cup in 1983. Regrettably, Barry was injured in the semi final victory over Sully (now called Inter Cable-Tel) at Brecon. A fractured eye socket and cheek bone prevented him from playing in the final 1-1 draw and the final replay 1-0 defeat by Welshpool.

A number of Football League clubs showed interest in Barry’s early progress and trials were taken up with Wrexham, Manchester United and West Brom, but a career as a professional footballer did not materialise. However, Barry continued to enjoy himself in the Central Wales League, providing entertainment for spectators with his silky Trevor-Brooking-like style of play.

Barry is confident that Caersws’ fine tradition of producing talented footballers will continue - just as he was influenced by the likes of Phil Woosnam, Mickey Evans, Melvyn Jones and Gareth Davies. These like Barry represented Welsh Football at various levels. So the conveyor belt continues to turn out professional players like Kevin Lloyd (ex Hereford United, Cardiff City and currently a non-contract player with Plymouth Argyle), and most recently Graham Evans who joined Aston Villa on a two year contract just four weeks ago. Carmarthen Town fans who travelled to Caersws last February will be pleased about Graham’s departure because he registered a hat trick in the 6-1 humiliation of the ‘Town’ that day.

Finally, Carmarthen and Caersws now have a common challenge in providing the up-graded facilities required by the LoW by the year 2000. The Recreation Ground, Caersws, has already undergone extensive improvements over the past six years and the resources of the village team, its committee and supporters will be severely tested; but Barry believes the ‘we shall overcome’ spirit of all concerned with the Bluebirds will ensure LoW football at the Recreation Ground well into the 21st century.