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GROUNDBLOG DAYS - SPRING 2009
15/03/2009

Into March, we continue the editor's weekly blog of games and grounds....

SATURDAY 14TH MARCH – Penydarren Park
MERTHYR TYDFIL 0 BASHLEY 2 (British Gas Business Southern League)
With Merthyr Tydfil A.F.C. clearly in desperate need of every paying spectator they can get, I decide to pay my first visit of the season to Penydarren Park, a ground that holds so many happy memories for me from the Martyrs last halcyon period in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. My son and I supported the club through those enjoyable, optimistic years, and now returning is always a bittersweet experience: not only am I now unaccompanied, but the fortunes of the club have waned, crowds are low and the atmosphere low-key and fearful.

So, on the day after Merthyr’s iconic Hoover factory closed after 60 years of production, I’m heading through Pentrebach into town on the X4 bus, hoping that Merthyr’s home game with Bashley will lift the gloom at Penydarren Park. Arriving at the ground, I’m met with fanzine sellers, but half an hour before kick off there few fans in evidence. Inside the ground, tea bars are open, club shop and programme shop too, but I’ve rarely seen the ground so empty for a Martyrs home game. Crowds are indeed low, despite the team’s success earlier in the season, presumably a sign of falling disposable incomes rather than disillusion ? Mind you, Man Utd v Liverpool on TV this lunchtime doesn’t help clubs at this more modest level of English football.

Penydarren Park may be without mains power after the club was cut off (by the league’s sponsors) but it looks smart enough in the spring sunshine, the fans’ efforts repainting the ground last summer still making a difference. On field, things haven’t been going too well recently, as the club’s plight no doubt affects the players, who aren’t getting paid for their efforts and deserve credit for staying with the cause. Martyrs manager Garry Sheppard has been quoted as saying he’ll not hesitate to make changes if players attitudes aren’t right, but there are no real surprises in the line-up, and in truth he probably doesn’t have too many options. The teams take to the field, visitors Bashley sporting a dreadful strip, the black and amber shirts looking as if they belong to a different kit from the green shorts and socks. Early exchanges suggest Bashley have come for a point in their fight against relegation, and they’re keen to hoof the ball away and let Merthyr try to play the football. Unfortunately the game is all too often interrupted by the referee’s whistle for any flowing moves to develop.

Merthyr look by far the more accomplished side but the final ball is letting them down. A couple of half chances is all they have to show for a first half which hardly sets pulses racing. The ground remains so quiet that the loudest sound is the hum of the temporary generator in the corner. The Sky cameras – here to film a club at death’s door – can’t have captured much action footage that will make the final edit.

A change of ends and a little bit more noise as the small band of home faithful take up position in the covered end for the second half. But it makes little difference to matters on the field, as Bashley begin to sense that they needn’t fear the home side too much. They get a goal about ten minutes into the half from a long, low shot: maybe this will galvanise the Martyrs ? But then Bashley score again from a corner; the scorer is Dave Allen but this is no laughing matter.

Manager Sheppard makes a double substitution, including coming on himself, as a desperate throw of the dice to rescue the promotion dream. But it’s not to be, a few chances are created but Bashley’s lead looks safe and they return home to Hampshire with three precious points that edge them further up the table. Merthyr slip further away from the play-off places. A sad day at Penydarren Park, a season that promised so much now become a nightmare of failure and recrimination.

SATURDAY 21st MARCH 2009 - King George V Recreation Ground
GOVILON 10 MALPAS GLADIATORS 0 (Gwent County Lg. Div 2)
With Wales hosting Ireland in the Six Nations showdown today, it’s a day for getting out of Cardiff. A perfect opportunity to make a visit high on my ‘to do list’ for over a year – Gwent Amateur Cup holders Govilon.

Although it would have been possible to travel all the way from north Cardiff to Govilon on one bus (the X4 Cardiff to Hereford), I’m fortunate to have a lift today. Pre-match explorations reveal Govilon to be a charming canalside village with a couple of decent pubs and some great walks both towards Abergavenny and Gilwern.
The King George V ground is alongside the main B road through the village, as you enter from the A465 trunk road. It’s a stunningly-located ground, with views across the Usk valley to the hills behind Abergavenny and to the steep hillsides to the south, overlooking the village itself. Inside the entrance gate there is a changing room block with refreshment kitchen, and along the road side there is a high grass bank providing elevated viewing. The pitch is flat and in fine fettle – apparently locals tend to it on a daily basis !

Govilon, Division 3 champions last May, are on the verge of clinching the Division 2 title and with three home games left their destiny is in their own hands. Today’s visitors are mid-table Malpas Gladiators from Newport and after a couple of narrow wins recently, Govilon are expecting to have to battle for the points again today.

From the kick-off, Govilon in a smart navy blue strip with white panels, look the more accomplished side. Neat passing movements and pace up front start to bring a string of chances, and soon one is converted. Centre-forward Dean Morgan’s lob is stopped on the line but he’s able to get to the rebound first. Not long after this, the skilful Jamie Laurent curls a peach of a shot under the Malpas bar, and doubles his tally with a crisp near post finish. Malpas, offering little resistance other than a dodgy offside trap, are looking demoralised already and Morgan grabs his second with a fierce shot after being allowed to advance into the box too easily. 4-0 at half time and game over, really.

The second half is clearly going to be one-way traffic too, and the pattern of the game is difficult for the poor referee – without linesmen of course: the Gladiators’ offside trap and the speed of the Govilon forwards means a string of borderline decisions, some of which he gets wrong. Once or twice he realises and apologises. Fortunately it makes no great difference, for Govilon continue to score almost at will. Morgan completes his hat-trick and adds a fourth after defensive errors, then Rhys Whiteman scores from close range at the third attempt, and then Stevens gets in on the act and adds a couple, with Malpas very much on the ropes now. Just after Stevens’s second, Laurent walks through unchallenged to complete his hat-trick and Govilon’s tenth, upon which the referee blows the final whistle – at 4.25. Now, for a match that kicked off at 3pm, this has to be early, but to continue the boxing metaphor, he’s presumably stopped the contest to avoid further punishment. No-one objects. A soft and facile win for Govilon, an afternoon to forget for Malpas.

SATURDAY 28TH MARCH & WEDNESDAY 1st APRIL – Millennium Stadium
WALES 0 FINLAND 2
WALES 0 GERMANY 2

An afternoon and an evening spent watching any lingering Welsh hopes of World Cup qualification ebb away in two depressing defeats before distinctly unpassionate Millennium Stadium crowds. The Finland game gives Welsh fans nothing to cheer, with a cautious and timid performance. Maybe we are expecting too much too soon – hopes had been rising that the under-21 squad would graduate to senior level and transform our fortunes, but it’s not going to happen just yet. Two lapses on the flanks of the Welsh defence allow the Finns to record a deserved win.

The Germany game is better – both a little more entertaining, a little better in terms of atmosphere, and with a more spirited Welsh performance. A long range strike by Ballack breaks the deadlock for a fairly ordinary German side, who need an unfortunate own goal to make the game safe.

But how awful is the atmosphere in the stadium for these games ? With over 20,000, decent crowds let’s face it, the place still seems empty. This is not good. But even worse, there is no chanting or singing from the Welsh fans, a third of whom seem to be kids who prefer to incessantly blow horns and indulge in the detested Mexican wave. This creates a soporific atmosphere which seems to infect the players. Time for drastic action by the FAW. Consider smaller stadia – the new Cardiff ground may be a better bet. And wherever we play – JUST BAN THE HORNS ! (they’re not allowed at rugby games as far as I know)

SATURDAY 4TH APRIL 2009 - Riverside Park, Llanrumney
LLANRUMNEY UNITED 0 PENYDARREN BC 3 (SWFA Senior Cup semi-final)
It’s strange that, so close to the end of the season, you can get a fixture list where nothing jumps out as a ‘must see’. A few regional cup semi-finals are the best option, but I have too little time this week to plan travel to the north Wales coast or mid Wales, and end up with the South Wales Senior Cup – a pale shadow of what was once a strong competition involving Merthyr and the Welsh Premier / Welsh League clubs in the SWFA region. The semi-finals have produced one all S. Wales Amateur League game, with Caerau at home, and one all South Wales Senior League tie – Llanrumney United v Penydarren. AS Llanrumney’s Riverside Park has been on my list to visit for several seasons, it’s a simple if uninspired choice for today, a dry and sunny day with enough of a wind-chill to take the edge off the temperature.

I locate Riverside Park just beyond the University Sports Ground where Splott Albion play. There is some big uni sports event going on all over the university fields, but the other side of the fence is Rumney RFC’s enclosed ground and, tucked behind it, the modest, secluded railed pitch that is home to Llanrumney United. At 1.55 there is no sign of players or officials, but everyone emerges from the distant facilities just in time for a kick off at roughly 2pm.

Llanrumney, in cerise and light blue, immediately look the more accomplished side. They have a couple of forwards who like running at defenders and chances, corners etc. come steadily. It looks like just a matter of time before they open up a lead. About halfway through the first half, a clever free-kick almost produces a goal but the visitors survive and quickly move the ball to the other end: a defensive error lets in a Penydarren forward who fires a fierce shot high into the net, despite the home keeper getting a hand in the way.

For a few minutes, it’s fair to assume this hasn’t altered the game much: United are back on the attack, striving for the equaliser. But just before the half-hour mark, they are caught out again. Another break, a loose ball in the goalmouth, and a striker reacts fastest to turn it in. Now, whatever the balance of possession, and despite the fact they’ve had only two chances, there’s no denying that Penydarren are on top. The second goal has altered the game, and chances come for a third goal before the break, but United survive these.

Then second half follows the same pattern: good approach play by United, who dominate possession, but lack the killer touch and probably lack a bit of sharpness too. Somehow Penydarren seem quicker to react at key times. On 75 minutes, any chances of a comeback are dashed – a long shot from an acute angle on the Penydarren right flashes into the net and it’s 3-0. The closing stages see Llanrumney lose a bit of discipline as frustration shows: they pick up a couple of yellow cards, that at higher levels would have been straight reds. The referee blows for time without adding much stoppage time, which seems sensible with the result beyond doubt.

SATURDAY 11TH APRIL 2009 - Pryderi Park
SEASIDE AFC 1 SOUTH GOWER 2 (WWFA Intermediate Cup semi-final)
Now this was more like what I expect from a cup-tie ! Easter Saturday and I decided to give local cup football another chance after last week’s insipid semi final – so it’s a West Wales FA Intermediate Cup semi-final being played at the neutral venue of Pryderi Park, West End AFC. On a clear, sunny day like today, this venue, perched at the top of Swansea’s Townhill, is a good place to watch football. A crowd of around 100 has assembled to give the occasion more atmosphere than we had at Llanrumney, with Seaside clubwear much in evidence.

Seaside from the Carmarthenshire League are favourites with a good record in this competition, but South Gower, from the Swansea Senior, are going well in their league and a close tie is expected. The teams take to the pitch, a symphony in blue, with South Gower in light blue and dark blue strip, while Seaside are wearing their royal blue and white kit. Opening action sees Seaside looking the more fluent – as I’ve noted before, their midfield and forwards like to pass and run. The game is clearly going to be hard fought on and off the pitch, with more passion in a couple of early throw-in appeals and arguments than we had in 90 minutes last week. Seaside quickly gain the upper hand and force corners and a couple of goal-line clearances, so a goal looks imminent. And then South Gower score: a powerful effort from left side giving the Seaside keeper no chance. They celebrate wildly, no-one more so than the keeper, who appears to be “a bit of a character”, racing round his half ecstatically shouting profanities.

For a while, Seaside look stunned, but as the half develops they again take the ball to South Gower – who hold firm, without ever really playing much football. A fellow neutral spectator comments that they’re not a popular side – seen as a bit dour. Which does seem like fair comment on the evidence of the first 45 minutes.

The second half is less than 5 minutes old when Seaside draw level. Carl Thomas directs the ball goalwards and it creeps over the line – just – before being cleared at the far post. South Gower protest but it stands. Just after the restart the linesman on the far side summons the referee, who summons the South Gower keeper for a chat. For a minute it seems he may get a red card, but it’s only a talking-to, seemingly for abusing the official over the goal. By now he’s engaged in banter and abuse with the Seaside fans too, intent it seems on being disliked, or at the very least noticed. He even makes a show of each catch, grunting like a tennis player. They’d probably not be so antagonised by him if their side could get in front, but despite the fact that they are still putting all the best moves together, South Gower are blocking and hoofing the ball clear every time.

With 20 minutes remaining, South Gower cross from the right, keeper and a defender seem to have it covered, but a forward nips in to score at the far post. Cue a repeat rampage around the pitch by their excitable and extrovert keeper. Now Seaside are staring a surprise defeat in the face, and an air of desperation enters their attacks, and South Gower’s rugged determination to get the ball away. Seaside think they’ve equalised but the effort is disallowed, maybe for a foul on the keeper, maybe the two forwards on the line deemed offside. Whatever the reason, the Seaside fans don’t take it well, convinced now they have been cheated, rather than just turned over by a side more effective at the basics on the day. At the final whistle, South Gower celebrate, Seaside players look dejected, and their fans just look like bad losers.

I, on the other hand, have had a great afternoon: a full-blooded cup tie that clearly mattered to everyone involved. It must have put me in a good mood, because that can be the only reason I allow myself to be engaged in conversation on the bus back to town by Elmer, one of a pair of white-shirted, badged Mormons. Elmer feigns interest and pleasure in finding out what I’ve been doing this afternoon, before cutting to the chase and inviting me to his church tomorrow. I decline – football is my religion.

EASTER MONDAY 13TH APRIL 2009 - The GenQuip Stadium
PORT TALBOT TOWN 2 NEATH FC 0 (Principality Welsh Prem. League)
Easter Monday, day most Welsh leagues spurn as an opportunity to catch up on fixtures. But the welsh Premier rescheduled all the New Year’s Day local derbies that fell victim to frost, and so for the third time in a few months I make the familiar train journey and walk through Port Talbot / Aberafan to the Gen Quip Stadium. The town centre is very quiet, a few shops open but fewer people.

The GenQuip Stadium isn’t exactly bursting either, despite the lack of choice in games today. The attendance later turns out to be less than 300, for a local derby at the top level of Welsh football, on a pleasant, cool spring day, though the season has now lost any meaning for both these sides, Port Talbot’s early season slump condemning them to mid-table despite a fine run since Mark Jones returned as manager, and Neath’s late rally bringing enough points to lift them just free of the danger zone.

So it’s a typical end-of-season fixture, in the worst sense, and it lives up to its billing. There’s a reasonable amount of effort, but little inspiration, and few chances. The first 45 minutes pass with no real excitement and the second seems stuck in the same groove. Port Talbot look the more likely to do something different, but despite substitutions nothing much happens and attention starts to drift.

Four minutes from the end of normal time the match jerks into life. A half-clearance by the Neath defence and a low shot by Thompson bobbles through the area and finds the net. That looks to have sealed the points, but Neath throw on the veteran Clayton Blackmore. With his first touch he has Neath’s best chance of the game, but wastes the golden opportunity. Within a minute Martin Rose finds space at the other end and steers home a second goal for Town deep into stoppage time. And that completes the action, the game’s real interest shoe-horned into about seven minutes right at the end.

SATURDAY 18TH APRIL 2009 - The Bridge Meadow Stadium
HAKIN UNITED 4 MERLIN’S BRIDGE 3 (Pembrokeshire Senior Cup final)
It’s three years since I attended Pembrokeshire’s annual end-of-season showpiece at the Bridge Meadow, but a good weather forecast and glowing reports of the two finalists tempt me to make the five hour round-trip by train to south-west Wales. It’s a very pleasant route along the coast west of Swansea, and Haverfordwest is a nice town to visit on a spring day that, by the time I step off the train, is feeling more like summer.

As ever for this game, a large crowd assembles at the Bridge Meadow for a match that is treated as a real local occasion – by the county’s football fans and by the Pembrokeshire F.A. and hosts Haverfordwest County FC. There’s a different feel to local cup finals here compared with the more cynical and cosmopolitan south-east of Wales: even in Gwent, where the county FA put on a similarly well-organised end-of-season show, the fans seem less partisan, their allegiances masked by a sort of 21st century irony. In Pembrokeshire, no such reticence: Hakin United and Merlin’s Bridge merchandise is worn by many of all ages – hell, there are even middle-aged women wearing home-made pink and black Merlin’s Bridge rosettes !

Merlin’s Bridge are the local Haverfordwest finalist, there are at least as many Hakin supporters who’ve made the journey up from Milford Haven. They are in confident, almost cocky mood, their team having won the league comfortably and beaten Bridge twice in the process. But they are given something to think about straight from the kick off: the Wizards move the ball into the Hakin half and invite the first of many Hakin fouls. From the free-kick, fully 30 yards out, the ball bounces once and eludes the Hakin keeper’s late dive.

The set-back doesn’t seem to faze the Hakin players, though. They launch attacks of their own and within minutes are level, deadly striker Paul Jones rifling home after receiving the ball in a fair amount of space on the edge of the box. The mood of the Vikings supporters lifts and they expect more goals. The half settles into a fairly even pattern though, with Hakin dominating possession and midfield, but Merlin’s Bridge creating better-quality, though fewer scoring chances. The sides are still level as half time approaches, but Hakin win a free kick on just in from the left wing. Jones shouts to James Stanmore to ‘have a go’, so it shouldn’t come as surprise when he launches the ball goalwards. It bounces in front of keeper Kerrison, and past him into the net. 2-1 at half time, each side having scored and conceded a soft dead-ball goal.

The second half initially proves a bit of a let-down: Hakin don’t, as expected, push on and build on the lead. There are unforced errors on both sides, and the referee has to stop the game too often for any real flow. I can’t escape the conclusion that, for all their strengths, Hakin would be a much more effective side if they didn’t concede so many free-kicks for late and clumsy challenges. It would be tempting to blame referee Baxter for being over-zealous, but by brooking no rough-stuff he does prevent inflamed passions that could have sparked a flare-up.

The game seems to be heading for a tame conclusion when Merlin’s Bridge finally take advantage of Hakin’s failure to make the game safe. A goalkeeping error allows the ball to be squared back into the box where it’s forced home by Peter Thomas. Watches are consulted – looks like extra time may be needed. Then the Wizards score again. Hakin, stunned by the equaliser, allow McNabney to run at their defence and he fires a fine low shot past Hartley.

We have the momentary diversion of the Bridge substitute Canton getting himself booked for a foul, within seconds of entering the field of play, but the reality is that, with only a few minutes remaining, Hakin can’t afford to get distracted if they’re to force extra time. It needs something special, and as the end of the 90 minutes approaches, we get it, a perfectly flighted shot arcing over Kerrison and into the top corner of his net. It’s 3-3 and now we all settle for extra time. But the momentum’s with Hakin and with the last attack of the game Paul Jones sets off in pursuit of a long-ball. Making up a yard on two Bridge players, he gets to it first and an exquisite touch sends the ball trickling past Kerrison and into the unguarded net. A amazing climax to the game, the final 15 minutes banishing any memories of duller passages earlier in the afternoon.

All that remains is for the trophy and mementoes to be presented and for the victors to celebrate. Which all goes to plan until Hakin get to the stage of wanting a team photo with the cup – they discover their secretary has made off with the hard-won trophy for safe keeping. That’s a first for me in many years of watching cup finals !

Seven goals, a proper old-fashioned cup final atmosphere and a fitting finale to Pembrokeshire’s short and self-contained football season. Well worth the journey even to experience as a neutral outsider.

SATURDAY 25TH APRIL – Kimberley Park
ALBION ROVERS 5 ABERTILLERY BLUEBIRDS 2 (Gwent Co. Lg. Div 1)
The Gwent County League’s title race has developed into a game of catch up, with Abertillery Bluebirds trying to complete almost half a season’s fixtures in a couple of months, bidding to overtake long time leaders Albion. So this match is one that could have huge bearing on the title, and promotion to the Welsh League.

So it’s a short train ride to Newport on another Spring Saturday, but this one cold and showery. Trying to walk out to the Crindau and Malpas area of Newport from the city centre is a challenge – Newport has become a maze of dual carriageways, flyovers and bridges. It strikes me how badly this road development has served the few remaining traces of Newport’s history. First the castle, marginalized on the edge of a traffic roundabout and hardly even accessible; then the Old Rising Sun, which once dominated the road in from the north, now shuttered and derelict and by-passed by a flyover. A little further on the ornate Lyceum Tavern is intact, but lies off the slip road off the motorway, passed by speeding traffic. Opposite, hidden from view, the canal – its footpath walkable and indeed the safest way to walk to Albion’s ground. But history has been treated with contempt here too – the junction and lock gate between canals now sadly condemned to the dark recesses under the stilts of the M4 motorway.

Arriving at Kimberley Park half an hour before the match, the two teams are out on the pitch, testimony to the importance of the game. A fair crowd assembles, but large groups supporting both teams have turned up with huge carrier bags of alcohol – risky if passions were to become inflamed later. Taking up a position near the main gate into the ground enclosure, I’m able to waylay the programme seller and buy one of the handful available – it proves to be a good quality issue, better than anything I recall from Albion’s Welsh League days.

When the game starts, Albion look sharper and make the perfect start, a long shot half-saved and a striker quickest to the loose ball to score. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the lead is increased at this stage, but the Bluebirds escape and begin to come into the game; after half an hour a corner is back-headed for an equaliser. This only seems to spur on the home side, who stun the visitors with two quick goals, the first an acrobatic flick and equally impressive strike, the second a power shot following a half-clearance.

Trailing 3-1 at half time, Abertillery would be expected to come out fighting, but the second half is an anti climax. Time ticks away and Albion look comfortable – a fact underlined when they score a fourth with 7 minutes of normal time left, and a fifth in stoppage time. Abertillery pull one back but it’s academic. Maybe tiredness is catching up with them – the punishing run in was always going to be a big ask (though Albion officials still offer the opinion that the fixture list has been unkind to them !). Whatever the reason, today Albion have been head and shoulders above their rivals, who can only afford to drop two more points in their remaining seven games.

SATURDAY 2ND MAY 2009 - Celtic Park
CWMBRAN CELTIC 7 GARDEN VILLAGE 5 (MacWhirter Welsh Lg Div 2)
The Division Two title race involves three clubs, and though all of them look reasonably assured of promotion, I figure that a game involving one of them should have enough riding on it to rule out that ‘end-of-season boredom’ factor. Pity that Cwmbran Celtic slipped out of the promotion picture recently, but I travel to Celtic Park hoping they won’t be too relaxed and switched off to make this a stroll for the Swansea visitors.

Cwmbran as a destination never really delights but on a sunny May afternoon Celtic Park is a pleasant place to watch football (its scale and intimacy making it far preferable to the Stadium next door). There’s a reasonable attendance by kick off time, while on the pitch Celtic do look carefree during the warm-up while Village look focused and tense. But from the start Celtic take the game to the visitors and look the more accomplished side, with their youthful front line causing all sorts of problems. They deservedly open up a 2-0 lead inside the first half hour, but before half–time a defender’s slip allows Garden Village to pull one back. Some fine goalkeeping and some desperate defending prevent the two goal lead being restored before the break. An entertaining half, everyone agrees – certainly more of a match than I’d expected. Positive reactions too to the extremely youthful match officials who have allowed play to flow but remained in control.

The second half starts with Garden Village fired up and soon getting on level terms. Thee seems to be more belief in their play now, and ten minutes into the half they take the lead after a striker is allowed too much time to execute a skilful turn and shot in the box. At this point, it seems fair to assume that the greater importance of the result to the visitors had allowed them to get the upper hand. From here, they should go on and take the points they need. Maybe these thoughts cross their minds too ?

What happens in the next eight minutes stuns just about everyone: from 2-3 down, Cwmbran Celtic storm to a 6-3 lead, every tackle won, every finish on target. If they knew what went right during this purple patch, Del Cheedy’s Celtic management team could become the hottest commodity in Welsh football. But I suspect they have no more idea than the rest of the crowd why their team has suddenly hit its best form of the season.

After this, with 25 minutes left, all Garden Village can try and do is stem the tide and nick a goal back, which they do four minutes later. ‘Only’ 6-4 down now, they need to get the next goal – and soon - to give them hope again, but it doesn’t work out that way. Tempers flare a few times, mainly in response to fierce challenges, and these incidents distract them from the business of pulling the deficit back. They also test the young referee, but despite one or two debatable 50:50 calls, he comes through the ordeal OK, only having to resort to yellow cards a couple of times.

It’s Cwmbran Celtic who score the next goal, restoring their 3 goal lead. The Village people battle on and a free-kick goes through the Celtic wall to reduce the lead, but it’s too late and after a lengthy period of stoppage time the game ends 7-5. A remarkable afternoon’s entertainment for the £2.50 entrance fee, far exceeding any pre-match expectations. If Celtic can reproduce this form in the Gwent Senior Cup final, they should have some silverware in the trophy cabinet this month. As for Garden Village, they aren’t out of the promotion race but do need to find their rhythm again after this nightmare if they are to stay in the top three.

After the final whistle, I detour via nearby Cwmbran Park to see how Abertillery Bluebirds are getting on in their Gwent County League title quest – they are away to Coed Eva Athletic this afternoon. Only ten minutes left when I arrive at this attractive park venue, Bluebirds nervously defending a 2-1 lead. They succeed in playing out the rest of the 90 minutes plus stoppage time and remain on course to catch Albion Rovers.

MONDAY 4TH MAY - Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
BANGOR CITY 2 ABERYSTWYTH TOWN 0 (Welsh Cup final)
On a wet and windy Bank Holiday Monday, north Walians Bangor and mid Walians Aberystwyth are required to travel to south Wales for a 4.10 p.m. kick off in the Welsh Cup final. There have been plenty of complaints about the venue and kick-off time, but the FAW were determined to stage the game at the new home of the west Wales rugby region.

For the neutrals, this is a chance to see the much-praised new venue. Firstly many have to test out its accessibility: fortunately for me, I have a lift and a pass for the official car park, and the venue is easily approached by road, whereas those relying on public transport face a long walk or a taxi ride out from Llanelli station. Even fans arriving by car aren’t well-served, with no access to the rather empty official car park and the adjacent retail stores preventing long stays.

With the wind and rain sweeping across the car park, the 1,244 spectators are scurrying into the stadium so there’s no milling about renewing acquaintances we usually get at these games. Inside though, the stadium is impressive, built on an intimate scale and with the four sides completely separate, which helps with segregation (deemed very necessary here because of the City fans’ notoriety for spoiling any occasion). Despite being only 10% full, the atmosphere in the stadium is good, with both sets of fans making themselves heard.

The rain does relent as the game gets underway, with Bangor looking the more accomplished side, Aberystwyth struggling to rise to the occasion. Bangor win a number of corners and create more chances, but Aber almost take a lead with a shot that hits the post. A couple of minutes before the break, Les Davies sends a looping header into the Aber net for a deserved Bangor lead, and when Christian Seargeant scores another four minutes into the second half it’s game over, really. Excitement is hard to come by for the next forty minutes and compared with last year’s event, this proves to be a tame final. City get to keep the cup and we all get to go home without the inconvenience of extra-time. Or at least we should be able to, but there is a farcical breakdown in policing and stewarding after the game, as a small number of exiting Bangor fans are allowed to cause mayhem on the way out of the complex, leading to the exit roads being closed and everyone in the official car park prevented from leaving for 45 minutes. How will they cope if they ever get a proper crowd here ?

SATURDAY 9TH MAY – Pen-y-Pound Stadium
ABERTILLERY BLUEBIRDS 2 ROGERSTONE 0 (John Payne Barber Gwent FA Amateur Cup final)
Abergavenny’s Pen-y-Pound again hosts the first of the Gwent F.A.’s finals, an occasion I have had in my diary for some time, after enjoying last season’s event so much. I make the trip to Abergavenny by train, leaving time to stroll through Abergavenny town centre to the Thursdays’ ground – always an enjoyable trip, and one I only wish I had cause to make more often. But there is still no real sign of Thursdays returning to any sort of prominence in Welsh football. Abergavenny seems less obviously recession-hit than many places I’ve visited this season, attributable no doubt to the fact that the agricultural economy is prospering at present. Abergavenny as a town remains an odd mixture though, part rural, part posh, and part tatty.

The organisation of the final is again excellent, with programmes and refreshments readily available but the attendance is noticeably lower this year, maybe because local club Govilon were involved twelve months ago. The Bluebirds, from Division One, start as favourites (although so did Blaenavon last year), while Division two Rogerstone can only hope the distraction and fatigue of the championship race will have an effect on their opponents. But early exchanges show there’s a gulf in class, Abertillery playing the more joined-up football and seeming to be quicker to the ball. It is no surprise when a defender’s slip allows Owen Goodenough to profit and put them 1-0 up, a lead doubled by the prolific Lee Bancroft before the break, with a neat lob over Rogerstone’s keeper.

Bluebirds should really go on to record an emphatic victory after the break, but they don’t. Maybe the continuing demands of three games a week to secure promotion lead them to move down a gear or two, or maybe they’re tired. They have enough chances to extend the lead, but contrive to miss them, some almost comically, while Rogerstone create enough at the other end to bring the game to life. Late on, they hit the post when a goal looks odds-on, and after that it is clear the Bluebirds have the cup for the third time in four years.

SATURDAY 16TH MAY – The Murch Field
DINAS POWYS 0 ENTO ABERAMAN ATHLETIC 8 (MacWhirter Welsh League Div 1)
The Welsh League title race has taken plenty of twists and turns in the last month of the season. The two chief contenders, Goytre United and ENTO Aberaman, have met twice – Goytre doing the double. Earlier this week Goytre, with one hand on the championship trophy, needing only a win at Cardiff Corries, let the title slip in a 1-1 draw. All of which now means that ENTO come to sleepy, suburban Dinas Powys needing a win to snatch the championship away from Goytre. Neutrals generally hope the will, because ENTO are chasing promotion to the Welsh Premier, whereas Goytre have again not applied.

It’s mid-May but a keen wind and heavy showers make it feel more like April as I make my way down to the Vale of Glamorgan by bus (no trains today – engineering work !). For Dinas, the season petered out ages ago, so what for them is a meaningless final game has drawn a fair, though not impressive crowd of just over 100, and a visiting squad very definitely with every motivation. This suggests it will be a one-sided affair, but early on ENTO look nervy and Dinas put up a spirited fight, true to their promise not to roll over and hand the title to ENTO.

Gradually the visitors start to create chances, they strike the woodwork, and their predatory forward line begins to sense chances opening up. Eventually, shortly before half time, the deadly Chris Summers gets up to a corner and sends a delightful flicked header in off the bar. On the stroke of half-time the lead is doubled – suddenly ENTO look home and dry.

The second half proves to be a completely different game. Dinas have now lost belief, maybe even interest, and ENTO are relaxed. The effect is that ENTO are now in full command, Summers given time to turn and score the third early in the half, and he goes on to add a further two. In the latter stages, Dinas’s defence goes AWOL upfield, leaving ENTO to score at will. Mattie Davies comes on for the last quarter of an hour and gets in on the act. The last few minutes drag as ENTO now just want to receive the trophy and start celebrating – Dinas want the season to be over. Which it soon is.

FIVE STEPS TO A BETTER WELSH PYRAMID
02/09/2007

This article was published in issue 118 (July 2007):

Once again, the Welsh pyramid system has worked its annual magic and sent clubs between leagues on promotion and relegation. And as ever there is plenty of dissatisfaction with the outcomes. Most people in Welsh football believe the pyramid needs an overhaul – but the problem is, they have many different views on how it should be changed. Everyone has an opinion. So here is one observer’s view on the five priorities for reform:

REMOVE RESERVE TEAMS FROM LEVEL 3
The barrier to promotion created by reserve sides who can’t be promoted, but block the top two places in league tables, needs to be addressed, especially at level 3. The Welsh Alliance, the Spar Mid Wales League and the Welsh National (Wrexham) Premier all contain reserves. Wales really needs a proper network of reserve leagues to provide competition for these sides – the Welsh League in the south has created a blueprint but of course there isn’t one dominant competition in north and mid Wales, which makes it more difficult. Ideally this approach should move all reserve teams out of the pyramid leagues at all levels, as in England. South Wales has almost achieved this in all but the lowest (district level) competitions, and indeed even some of those run parallel competitions for first and reserve sides. It’s time for the rest of Wales to follow suit.

In the meantime, since inevitably this will take time to achieve, the promotion rules in the pyramid should be amended so that reserve teams cannot block aspiring clubs from promotion – allowing clubs outside the top two places to apply for promotion if reserve sides have occupied one or both of those spots.

STANDARDISE THE PROMOTION PROCESS AND APPLICATION DATES
To avoid the cases of clubs denied promotion because they applied a few days too late, or expected to be given time to comply with criteria, one standard date should be set by which aspiring clubs at all levels have to register their interest in promotion. They should then be given a standard date, by which – without exception – they have to meet the higher league’s ground criteria. Nobody wants to see repeats of this year’s events surrounding the Cymru Alliance promotion places (Wrexham Area clubs somehow missing the deadline early in the new year) and the confusion over enforcement of ground criteria in the Spar Mid Wales and Gwynedd Leagues (see Regions report in this issue).

SOLVE THE MID WALES PROBLEM
There has been plenty of talk about the predicament of the successful mid Wales clubs now that the Cymru Alliance has become so north Wales-centric. Take Presteigne, this year’s Mid Wales League champions. They are clearly not going to enter a league where virtually all their opponents are two hours or more away by road.

Some people in Mid Wales have called for a league to be established on a par with the Cymru Alliance and the Welsh League Division One, but realistically there aren’t enough strong sides to make this viable. One possible approach would be to give Mid Wales champions/runners-up the option of seeking promotion either to the Cymru Alliance, or to the Welsh League’s Division One, depending which ‘end’ of central Wales they come from. Even so, the geographically isolated clubs would still have a travel burden, but it would give them a better choice.

SOLVE THE TWIN SOUTH WALES LEAGUE PROBLEM
The rival, parallel leagues in the South Wales FA region feeding into the Welsh League need to be rationalised – combining the top teams in the Amateur and Senior Leagues would create a fantastically strong competition and remove the agony of a play-off where champions like Sully Sports can miss out on promotion. A tricky problem to solve – what the clubs want, and what the leagues themselves want, are probably not the same.

CREATE A WEST WALES SENIOR LEAGUE
To bridge the gap between the four district leagues in west Wales and the Welsh League, the WWFA should bring together the top clubs. There may not be 18, or even 16 of them willing to commit initially, but any start would be worthwhile. At the moment, the travelling implications of promotion are a deterrent, so creating a ‘halfway house’ which will start to reverse the decline of senior west Wales football would be a valid first step.

Dave Collins

Around the Regions Column (from issue 125)
01/06/2003

EVERY MONTH OUR REGIONAL COLUMN CATCHES UP WITH THE NEWS FROM LEVEL 3 AND BELOW IN THE WELSH PYRAMID (the top two tiers have dedicated columns for each league). This article appeared in May 2008:

Let’s start this column in north-east Wales this time, by way of a tribute to the area’s dominance of the FAW Trophy this season. With the two Welsh National (Wrexham Area) League sides kept apart in the semi-finals, an all-Wrexham final was possible and victories for Rhos Aelwyd and Corwen in March made it a reality. Rhos Aelwyd eliminated the last mid Wales contender, Berriew, with goals from Jose Alkatra and Tony Cann, though reports suggest that the Rhiewsiders were unlucky not to make it to the final.

Corwen’s win over three times winners Ragged School was more of a surprise, though less so by the time it went to penalties, such is the War Memorial Ground side’s record in shoot-outs. Nathan Aldridge was the hero, saving four penalties including the decisive one in sudden death mode. For Corwen of course this was only their first of three major cup semi-finals this season.

In the league, though, neither of the Trophy finalists are hitting the headlines, as Mold Alexandra continue to maintain a big points lead at the top of the Premier Division, while watching Brymbo close the gap all the time, having only dropped four points all season. But with Brymbo having half a season’s fixtures to complete in April and May, the title will be decided by how many points they drop through exhaustion, injuries etc. in the closing weeks.

Bethesda Athletic are still favourites to win the Welsh Alliance league for the first time since 1987, with fixture congestion possibly their main danger – the Snowdonia side have enjoyed a great season in the cup competitions too. Their first silverware of the season was secured with a victory in the final of the league’s Cookson Cup, but further trophies could join it in the Meurig Park club’s cabinet.

The Gwynedd League championship could go to the wire, with Easter leaders Llanllyfni threatened by Barmouth & Dyffryn United, the latter with games in hand and a superior goal difference, but facing a hectic April and May schedule with cup commitments too (March brought a semi-final victory over Blaenau Ffestiniog to secure a NWCFA Junior Cup final appearance, and then in April came a fantastic 2-1 win over Bethesda of the Welsh Alliance to secure a Barritt Cup final appearance). It’s too early to make predictions for this league title race, since the top clubs had only completed two-thirds of the season by Easter. The eagerly awaited first meeting of the two top at Easter was abandoned for disciplinary reasons with over 20 minutes left and one or both of the clubs could be in hot water as a result. They still have to meet at Llanllyfni at the end of April too. At the bottom, Cemaes Bay are already mathematically certain to take the wooden spoon, presumably facing relegation to the Anglesey League, which would complete their sad fall from the top tier of the Welsh pyramid to the very bottom.

The top of the Clwyd League Premier Division is building to a fine climax with a four-way battle for honours, involving the reserves of Prestatyn Town and Flint Town United, and Abergele Rovers and Penmaenmawr Phoenix, the latter entering April still unbeaten. Meanwhile in Division One, Greenfield had secured promotion by the end of March and should have added the title to that by the time we publish. Just as we went to press, Greenfield lost their record of being unbeaten in all competitions, bowing out of the NWCFA Junior Cup at the semi-final stage.

In the Spar Mid Wales League, with WPL reserve sides likely to occupy the top places, it’s two of the newer entrants to the league who look likely to achieve the best placings amongst the first elevens. Newbridge, in their second season, and Bow Street, in their first, both look to be on course for top six finishes. At the bottom, established clubs are facing a real threat of relegation: Llanidloes Town and Kerry both appear likely to end up in the Montgomeryshire League next term. A third side could even be facing the drop, which puts a group of five clubs in danger as well. All will depend on whether two or three sides step up from the feeder leagues. Waterloo Rovers, one of the endangered teams, enjoyed a shock penalty shoot-out win over Caersws in the Montgomeryshire Cup quarter-finals (the Bluebirds have tended to dominate the county cup).

Meifod have stormed to the top of the Montgomeryshire League, now looking serious title contenders, though TNS Colts, Llanfair United and Dyffryn Banw are by no means out of the race yet. The young Saints aren’t eligible for promotion, but the other three have all applied. League sources say all have work to do on their facilities to meeet Spar Mid Wales League criteria, though. In Division Two, Llansantffraid Village (with the best facilities in the league !) are on course for promotion in their first season.

The Mid Wales League (South) remains at the mercy of Rhayader Town. Their almost unblemished record has put them clear of the pursuing pack, and they are averaging 5 goals per game, having scored their hundredth league goal in mid March. The Weirglodd ground will comfortably meet Spar League criteria so Town’s promotion looks a formality. There hasn’t even been cup consolation for the unfortunate sides who have had to try to keep pace with Rhayader this term – Hay St. Mary’s were going well, reaching the Central Wales Challenge Cup quarter-finals and Emrys Morgan Cup semi-finals, but in the space of a week, two 4-1 defeats ended their challenges. Llandrindod Wells also enjoyed a good Emrys Morgan Cup run but ultimately lost out to Penrhyncoch Reserves in the semi-finals.

In the Cambrian Tyres Aberystwyth League, Penparcau are now chasing a double after prevailing in a penalty shoot out in the Emrys Morgan Cup final on Good Friday – the third season running that a north Ceredigion side has captured the trophy, following Bow Street in 2006 and Tregaron in 2007. They even had to play the final at Cae Baker, the home of their opponents Penrhyncoch Reserves. The league leg of the double is very much a possibility too for Penparcau, with games in hand on leaders Tregaron Turfs, and they are reported to be working to bring their Min-y-Ddol ground up to current Spar League standards by the end April deadline.

In south Ceredigion, reigning champions St. Dogmael’s look odds-on to retain their crown this season, and are chasing a double with a semi-final appearance in the Cwpan Ceredigion. They weren’t involved in the League Cup final on Easter Monday, with Cardigan Town and New Quay contesting the annual showpiece at Aberaeron’s Cae Sgwar. New Quay prevailed by a single penalty in extra time, converted by Bryn Evans, bringing the Seasiders their first silverware in half a century.

In west Wales, Merlin’s Bridge duly secured the Pembrokeshire League title when Hakin dropped a couple of points on Easter Saturday. However, the Bridge’s bid for the league double was derailed by deposed champions Monkton Swifts at the semi-final stage of the Senior Cup. Michael Canton’s second half winner was enough to take the cup-holders through to the Bridge Meadow final in April. The Swifts will face Neyland in the final after the latter cruised to a 6-2 win over Pennar Robins in the other semi.

Pembrokeshire had no interest in the later stages of the West Wales Intermediate Cup, but neighbouring Carmarthenshire supplied three of the four semi-finalists. League title favourites Seaside won an all-Llanelli semi-final with a convincing 3-0 victory over Evans and Williams, but in the other match Trostre Sports had the misfortune to meet Swansea cup specialists Ragged School, smarting from their FAW Trophy exit a week before. Ragged stormed to a 6-2 win over the Steelmen to set up a mouth-watering final between two of the competition’s most successful sides in recent years.

In the Swansea Senior League, Winch Wen have done little wrong in their defence of the title, but need to keep picking up the points through April to see off the challenges of South Gower, Bonymaen and of course Ragged School, whose cup commitments have once again left them with a fixture mountain to climb.

In central south Wales, the Amateur League championship hasn’t been in much doubt for ages, as AFC Porth’s gamble on securing a quick return to the Welsh League appears to have been justified. Below them, the recent form of Tefelin BGC has been noteworthy, with a 6-1 thrashing of Aber Valley YMCA at Easter standing out. Trefelins fortunes have fluctuated – they won the Welsh Intermediate Cup in the nineties but only a few years ago were really struggling. Now they are clearly on an upward curve again and could snatch runners-up spot.

The South Wales Senior League presents a total contrast to the Amateur League this season: no clear top dogs here, and six or even seven sides in the running. Tonyrefail BGC slipped up recently but with a good finish to the season could still be thereabouts. Fairwater have been heading the table for a few weeks, but an Easter defeat at another contender, Fochriw, prevented them from pulling so clear that they could afford to relax. Similarly Sully Sports’ defeat against Grange Albion in March dented their slim hopes of climbing the table, while Penydarren’s form seems to have deserted them too. Any club that can hit a rich vein of form in the remaining weeks could take the title, with so much inconsistency around. However, since the winners will end up facing Porth in a play-off, once again the Welsh League may remain tantalisingly out of reach for the Senior League’s top clubs. In the Senior League’s CW Bruty Cup, double-chasing Fairwater have reached the final where they will start as very firm favourites against Llanbradach Social, of the Second Division.

The South Wales FA Senior Cup semi-finals were nicely balanced with two Amateur League and two Senior League sides, and the draw obligingly ensured that the final has one from each of the rival leagues.

In Gwent, the big news was the success of the Gwent County representative side in the southern Welsh qualifying group for the UEFA Regions competition. After beating the SWFA region and drawing with west Wales, Gwent’s side are through to the north v south final to see who will represent Wales in Israel in August and September this year. In the County League itself, it’s still tight at the top between Newport Civil Service and Chepstow Town, though these two have drawn clear of Abertillery Bluebirds. Pentwynmawr still appear to be heading for promotion from Division Two, while Division Three’s promotion race is all but over, with Sudbrook and unbeaten Govilon out of sight of the rest. The Gwent Amateur Cup semi-finals were among the many victims of the awful late March weather, being deferred to a midweek date after we go to press.

History feature - the Borough Utd Story
27/10/2002

Although the name of BOROUGH UNITED only existed for 15 years (1954-1969), the club occupies a unique place not only in the history of soccer in Llandudno Junction but in Welsh football history. Maybe, 40 years on from the height of their fame, a newer generation of fans knows little of the events of 1963 which have been described as “north Wales’s media story of the 20th century”– so Borough United’s story bears re-telling in this issue concentrating on football ‘Up the Junction’, past and present.

In 1954, Welsh League (North) rivals Llandudno Junction and Conwy Borough, held talks on a possible merger, the objective to pool resources as both outfits were struggling financially with attendances at their respective Conwy Morfa and Nant-y-Coed grounds in decline and costs, including Entertainment Tax, rising. The two neighbouring clubs had finished champions and runners-up only five years earlier but in 1953-54 occupied two of the bottom three places. A public meeting at Llandudno Junction Memorial Institute approved the amalgamation, with Alderman Ivor Parry of Conwy taking the new club’s chair – both his sons played for the Junction pre-merger. The club was to base itself at Nant-y-Coed, Llandudno Junction and to wear maroon and white colours, as worn by the Junction side.

The new club soon began to establish itself as one of the Welsh League (North)’s better sides, and brought the championship back to Nant-y-Coed in 1958-59, exactly ten years after Junction previous title. 146 goals represented an average in excess of 4 per game – and no doubt the fact that Llandudno F.C. were beaten into runners-up spot added to the sweet taste of success. The next few seasons brought near misses (second, third and sixth), but in the 1962-3 season, one ravaged and prolonged by the worst winter in the second half of the century, everything really came good for United: With another avalanche of goals (led by prolific bothers Keith and Mike Pritchard and former Oldham striker Gerry Duffy), they swept to another Welsh League (North) title ahead of Holyhead Town and Colwyn Bay, picking up a trio of cups along the way. In addition to the local Cookson Cup, they won the North Wales Coast Challenge Cup (defeating Porthmadog 2-1 in the final) but it was the Welsh Cup run that propelled the club to international fame. Victories over coast rivals Rhyl (4-1), Denbigh (4-2) and cup-holders Bangor City (4-1) were followed by a 1-0 win over Hereford United in the semi-final, thanks to a Mike Pritchard goal. The two-legged final pitted United against Football League opposition, Newport County, and in front of 3,500 fans Borough came back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 (a Billy Russell penalty and a Joe Bebb header); three days later at Somerton Park it was keeper Dave Walker who was the Borough hero in a 0-0 draw which clinched their chance of European glory in the European Cup-Winners’ Cup.

The club’s four trophies were paraded through Conwy and Llandudno Junction and Borough enjoyed a civic reception, but the summer was spent fund-raising for the European adventure; despite the 1962-3 season’s successes, Borough had made a £73 loss. A lottery was held – first prize a bungalow being built by Borough supporter Cifford Ogle. The First Round pairing with fellow minnows Sliema Wanderers of Malta was a kind one, but the logistics of the journey were less straightforward 40 years ago than they would be today. The United part took 31 hours to reach the Med – their plane diverting to Marseille because of engine trouble – and they took to the pitch just four hours after arriving, a request for postponement having been refused. The match took place at the national stadium in Gzira, before 15,000 spectators, and in the circumstances Borough did well to hold out for a 0-0 draw on an unfamiliar sandy surface.

Back home, the second leg was played at Wrexham on 3rd October 1963, with 17,613 fans in attendance (what would Welsh clubs give for an attendance like that today ?) The Maltese visitors found playing on grass as alien as sand had been to the Borough party, and a goal in each half, from Gerry Duffy and 19-year-old Mike Pritchard, sent United through.

The Second Round didn’t take place until December, with Borough drawn against Czech cup-winners Slovan Bratislava, who had reached the previous season’s quarter-final and fielded five internationals. Strangely, only 10,196 turned out on 11 December 1963 for the first leg at Wrexham, but they saw a close and fiercely contested game, Molnar’s goal early in the second half giving the visitors a 1-0 lead to take into the return, played only four days later. This time the Borough part-timers had to contend with an icy, snow-covered pitch and despite a brave attempt to contain the home side, Borough conceded three goals to Molnar (2) and Moravcik and went out 4-0 on aggregate.

Though the Cup-Winners’ Cup adventure was the highlight of Borough United’s short history, the good times didn’t end immediately. The first four months of the 1963-4 season were dominated by the European ties, but United enjoyed another good season in the league, finally finishing third behind Holyhead and Colwyn Bay, but top scoring with 134 goals from 32 matches. They relinquished the Welsh Cup in a 5-1 Fifth Round defeat at Chester but retained the North Wales Challenge Cup, beating Holywell 2-0 in the final, Gerry Duffy and Reg Hunter the scorers. Emboldened by the previous season’s cup successes, they also entered the English FA Cup, going out to New Brighton in Qualifying Round 2.1964-5 brought runners-up spot in the league, behind Colwyn Bay, but Welsh Cup glory eluded United again as they lost to Chester in a twice-replayed quarter-final, and the FA Cup dream ended again, with a 4-0 defreat by Ellesmere Port in Qualifying Round 3. 1965-6 was fairly successful but brought no trophies, only fifth position in the league, another quarter-final exit in the Welsh Cup (5-1 v Bangor City), another Qualifying Round 3 exit from the FA Cup (to Colwyn Bay) and a 4-1 defeat to Caernarfon Town in the North Wales Challenge Cup final. 1966-7 was even less outstanding - fourth place finish in the league, a 5-2 home defeat by Chester in the Welsh Cup and an early home FA Cup defeat by Oswestry.

But 1967 was to be a momentous year for Borough United for other reasons: Nant-y-Coed’s owners, an Irish Catholic order, evicted the club from Nant-y-Coed, leaving the club without a ground of Welsh League standard. Relocating to Conwy Morfa was ruled out as unfeasible, mergers with Llandudno or Colwyn Bay mooted but ultimately scuppered by the FAW’s refusal to sanction an application to the Cheshire League. In July 1967 the club resigned from the Welsh League (North) and though they soldiered on for two seasons in the Vale of Conwy League, they folded in 1969.

Borough United’s sudden demise is made all the more poignant by the fact that Nant-y-Coed remained, intact but decaying, for over a quarter of a century. Their name will not be forgotten though, for in their short history they placed it indelibly in the annals of Welsh and European football history.

Is Soccer the New Rugby ? (editorial from issue 76)
14/04/2002

"Is Football is the new Rugby ?" asked a rather superficial feature article in the South Wales Echo, two days after Mark Hughes's Wales side restored Welsh pride with the best international performance for years, against Argentina. And on the sports pages of our rugby-obsessed south Wales papers, the 'threat' was being discussed in more serious vein: "Waiting in the wings to assume the mantle [of national sport] is Welsh soccer, which is on a new high etc..." wrote the Echo's Chief Rugby writer, continuing "Soccer has already firmly established itself as the supreme power in the capital", referring to the renaissance at Ninian Park led by Sam Hammam.

There is no denying the feel-good factor, which was growing before the Argentina game, and flourished in the days following it, with the Millennium Stadium having been filled with an almost tangible confidence that Wales can be on the brink of a long-overdue period of real success. The result was good, but the performance and the response of the crowd (both to the fixture and the Welsh team's efforts) were even more encouraging.

Despite the inevitable headlines after the Euro 2004 draw which suggested that our hopes in Group 9 rest on the shoulders of one R.Giggs, the Argentina game showed that others are ready to share the burden, that Ryan himself admitted last year weighed heavily. I have long believed that the assumption, fuelled by the media, that at international level Wales consisted simply of Giggs plus 10 others, was undermining both his contribution and that of the rest of the team.

Too often, though, challenging the hype is perceived as an attack on Giggs himself, when no-one in their right mind would deny that he is an automatic choice and is central to our Euro 2004 hopes, and beyond. After the Wales win over Belarus (which Giggs had missed), I made the mistake of mailing a question to BBC Wales's phone-in, taking care over the wording, referring to Giggs's own admission of the burden of expectation, and asking whether the media and the team might now be beginning to believe that Wales could be more than a one-man band. When the question was read out on air, it had been doctored to a ridiculous "Do Wales need Ryan Giggs" which of course prompted no sensible studio discussion at all. But I'm sure the point is valid - Ryan Giggs will perform best for Wales (as at United) as one of the stars, not as the one man upon whom the nation depends, and I saw that starting to happen against Argentina. Reason to be cheerful, indeed.

So, with Wales poised to make an impact in Group 9 of Euro 2004, and with Sam Hammam's money surely waking the comatose giant at Ninian Park (though so far results are a poor return on his investment), and with Welsh rugby seemingly in permanent crisis and gradual decline, can Welsh football seize the moment and build on the current momentum ?

We all know Welsh rugby gets a disproportionate slice of available cash, from sponsors and especially media (BBC Wales's exorbitant contract now looking an even poorer investment than it did last year) but can the FAW now move effectively to capitalise on the pro-soccer feeling ? They showed a swiftness of purpose and action (one we never believed they possessed) to arrange and stage the Argentina friendly in less than two weeks. Can they harness the same energy and confidence to demand better media coverage for Welsh football; can they use the opportunity to move the League of Wales forward ? (Surely they can insist on linked deals for the now highly marketable national team and the national league ?) The League, and the Welsh Cup for that matter, need sponsorship and prize money to make domestic football the automatic choice for the vast majority of our clubs - failure invited the worst-case scenario of attempted defections to English non-league (as mooted by Rhyl), dissent in the ranks, and an erosion of the strength and ideals of the league. Wales can't afford the consequences of that on our status as a football nation.

The present feel-good factor in Welsh soccer is too good an opportunity to be missed - and we look to the F.A.W. to capitalise on it. Whether or not football proves to be "the new rugby" for the Welsh public, it has no need to accept secondary status in publicity or funding.

Dave Collins

Archived Items

Club Focus - ABERGAVENNY THURSDAYS (from issue 99)
Part of a serialised article on MID RHONDDA FC
club focus article - CAERSWS (from issue 76)
Wrexham Come Home ! (from issue 66)
10 Years of "Welsh Football"
Programme Awards 2007-08 (from issue 126)