Nearly ten years ago, Barry Town were celebrating their sixth Welsh Cup win at the expense of Cwmbran Town. This was the third season in succession that they had claimed not just the Welsh Cup, but also the Welsh Premier League title. The end of that very successful era saw a change that would lead the club to a war within and, as it stands today, a fight for their very existence.
It was with some excitement that I went to a match at Stebonheath Park in December 2011. Llanelli were in great form having lost only three of their eighteen games so far that season and a win against that day's opponents, Prestatyn Town, would take them to the very top of the Welsh Premier League.
The close of a football season usually brings about some interesting ties. These can come in the
form of title deciders or battles to avoid relegation. One such clash that took place on the last
day of regular fixtures in the Welsh Premier League was between Port Talbot and Carmarthen Town.
Carmarthen need to take points from this game to give themselves a chance of finishing outside the
bottom two and thus avoid relegation, but things are never that straightforward in the Welsh
Premier League.
Saturday August 25th Cymru Alliance RhayaderTown o Cefn Druids 3 HT: 0-1 Att: 83
from Y Weirglodd
Entrance £5 Programme £1 Y Weirglodd pictures
Having seen the first two games of the Mid Wales hop (out of 11), I went my own way, choosing quality over quantity in Cymru Alliance new boys RhayaderTown.
Most football connoisseurs will have heard of Caersws (pron. care-soos), from James Alexander Gordon's reading of the football results at 5 o'clock on a saturday afternoon, from when they were a top flight Welsh club.
Spurs star Gareth Bale has been named as the PFA Player of the Year and its Young Player of the Year. The 23-year-old picked up both honours both of which are voted for by fellow professionals at a ceremony held last night. He said: "It's a massive honour. To be voted by [...]
If we disregard the rebranding of Cardiff City for a moment, 2013 is turning out to be rather a good year for the Welsh clubs which continue to play within the English league system. At Wembley Stadium yesterday afternoon, in a match almost completely devoid of the cynicism that has come to be a hallmark of twenty-first century professional football, Swansea City brushed Bradford City aside to win the Football League Cup to lift their first major trophy within the English league system after one hundred and one years of endeavour with a performance of almost complete polish which underlined exactly why the Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup has been receiving such praise this season.
Tonight Cardiff City have finally reached the summit of the English football pyramid after years of faltering at the last hurdle. Congratulations to them. Where the majority of fans will be elated at the thought of playing Manchester United and a top flight derby game with Swansea, there are a few who called themselves fans this time last year that find themselves apathetic towards this success.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of what now looks likely to be stage two of the rebranding of Cardiff City is how easy it has all proved for Vincent Tan so far. There were, presumably, meetings held at the club towards the end of last season at which the possible risks of him pursuing such an aggressive rebranding of the club were explained.
Last night a meeting was held in the Roath area of Cardiff with the intention of bringing
together those who feel Cardiff City should play in blue and have a bluebird as the main focus of
the club badge. The hope was that these like minded people could formulate a plan to make their
voices heard in a peaceful manner.
Considering that they are making a pact with the devil, it is perhaps appropriate that Cardiff
City will be playing in red from the start of next season. It was at the end of last month that the
club first announced that it was to change its colours in accordance with the request of the clubs
new Malaysian investors, who consider red a "luckier" colour in the Far East and that it will allow
more people in that part of the world to identify with their hold your noses "brand".
Another season ends for Cardiff City in what seems to be the norm, faltering in the play-offs.
However, when the change of manager and the summer exodus are taken into account, praise for Malky
Mackay's achievements in his first season cannot be understated. As with most clubs, Cardiff City
has an active and vocal fan base online, where one can find insight into the day-to-day running of
the club, rumour and conjecture.
One of the quieter success stories of the last twenty years of British football has been the
establishment of the Welsh Premier League. The foundation of this league, however, was far from
harmonious with eight clubs which felt they were being corralled into leaving the English
non-league pyramid ending up in a bitter dispute with the Football Association of Wales.
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40) Character 9, Structures/Terracing 6, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums8 Total 30
I'd spent the previous night in the Severn Arms in Penybont.
Date:FridayAugust24th 2012 Ground:Mount Field Comp:Spar Mid Wales League Div 2 (welsh step four) Match:LlanfairUnited 4 Abermule 1HT: 2-1
ATT:261 Additional: Entrance £3.00 Programme £1 Mount Fieldin pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40) Character 7, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums7 Total 28
This was the first night of the August Bank Holiday weekend Welsh Groundhop, a marathon of an event that takes in 11 grounds in four days.
The Wales Umbro 2012/13 away kit to be used the first part of the team's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign was officially launched on Tuesday. The new shirt will...
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40) Character 8, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums8 Total 30
A family day in Llandudno, not even suggested by me, just happened to coincide with Llandudno playing at home.
Date: Thursday July 05 2012
Ground:Â Nantporth
Comp: Europa Cup Qualification Round 1
Match:Â Bangor City 0 Zimbru Chisinau 0Â Â HT: 0-0
ATT:Â 1,012
Additional: Entrance £15.00 Programme £3
Nantporth in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 9, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 8 Total 33
When July arrives you can start to smell the new season.
The Wales Umbro 2012/13 away kit to be used the first part of the team's 2014 FIFA World Cup
qualification campaign was officially launched on Wednesday. The 1970s-inspired shirt will...
ATT: circa 150
Additional: Entrance £5.00, Programme run out
Afoneitha Road in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 6, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7 Total 25
Another Cymru Alliance tick at Afoneitha Road, the home of Penycae FC.
Date: Friday March 23 2012
Ground: Y Morfa
Comp: Cymru Alliance (Welsh step two)
Match: Conwy United 0 Llandudno 4  HT: 0-2
ATT: circa 150
Additional: Entrance £5.00, Programme £1.50
Y Morfa in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 8, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 8 Total 31
This was an evening of good and bad but little in between.
Date: Saturday Mar 10 2012
Ground: Memorial Playing Fields
Comp: Cymru Alliance (Welsh step two)
Match: Ruthin Town 1 Rhyl 3  HT: 0-2
ATT: circa 150
Additional: Entrance £5.00, Programme £1.00
Memorial Playing Fields in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 5, Structures/Terracing 3, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7 Total 22
Whilst I have a vague ambition to complete all 16 Cymru Alliance clubs at some point Ruthin Town
was never near the top of the list, as it was one of a few without floodlights and, from what I'd
seen on the net, the ground looked like part of a public park.
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 6, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7 Total 25
Prestatyn Town was the last of the northern based Welsh Premier clubs I had left to do.
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 6, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7 Total 27
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 6, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7 Total 27
Last week, UEFA's executive committee met the Football Association of Wales. They discussed
the proposal to allow Welsh clubs playing in the English pyramid system to qualify for European
competition through the Welsh Cup. If successful, the FAW would have succeeded in their attempt to
raise the profile of the Welsh Cup by making it more attractive to the exiles, to whom they had
only recently extended an invitation back into the competition.
Date: Saturday Dec 03 2011
Ground: The Muga
Comp:Â Welsh Cup third round
Match: FC Cefn (3rd Tier) 1 Aberystwyth Town (1st
Tier)Â 6Â Â HT: 1-3
ATT: circa 450
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.00
The Muga in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 4, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7 Total 25
Another Welsh odyssey and this time my first Welsh Cup tie.
Date: Saturday Dec 03 2011
Ground: The Muga
Comp:Â Welsh Cup third round
Match: FC Cefn (3rd Tier) 1 Aberystwyth Town (1st
Tier)Â 6Â Â HT: 1-3
ATT: circa 450
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.00
The Muga in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 4, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7 Total 25
Another Welsh odyssey and this time my first Welsh Cup tie.
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 9, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 8 Total 32
Newtown marked my completion of the mid-wales Welsh Premier clubs.
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 9, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 8 Total 32
Newtown marked my completion of the mid-wales Welsh Premier clubs.
Chris Coleman has been announced as the new manager of Wales, replacing Gary Speed who
tragically died a few months ago. Coleman stated that it was such a bittersweet emotion, becoming
Wales manager in such sad circumstances, but feels that he can continue much of the good work that
Gary had began.
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 6, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7 Total 27
Another Welsh ground pinched from what would have been an unmemorable Friday evening.
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 6, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7 Total 27
Another Welsh ground pinched from what would have been an unmemorable Friday evening.
Aaron Ramsey has been an active ambassador of Team GB's upcoming Olympics campaign but ahead of
the team's July 26 kick-off, the Arsenal midfielder has identified Manchester United's Ryan Giggs
as one of the keys to success this summer.
Ramsey is one of five Welshmen in Stuart Pearce's 18-man squad squad, with Swansea City duo Neil
Taylor and Joe Allen, Liverpool's Craig Bellamy, and Giggs being the other four.
The Welsh FA have just confirmed that Chris Coleman will be the new manager of the Welsh
national side, following the tragic death of former incumbent Gary Speed in November of last
year.
Chief executive Jonathan Ford announced the decision a short while ago, admitted it had
understandably been a tough few months for the FAW:
This has been a season that has seen unprecedented success in Welsh club football for a number of teams playing over the border. Yesterday's play-off final saw Newport County find their way back into the Football League after beating Wrexham at Wembley. This followed an FA Trophy win for Wrexham, a League Cup win for Swansea City and Cardiff City's promotion to the Premier League.
Both Wrexham and Newport County went into their play-off semi-final second leg matches in the Blue Square Bet Premier this season with leads that could perhaps be best described as "precarious." Newport County entertained Grimsby Town at Rodney Parade with a one goal lead from their first leg trip to Blundell Park, but a first half goal from Christian Jolley was enough to settle most nerves and they held on with some comfort to book a trip to Wembley for a second successive season after losing in the FA Trophy final there to York City last season.
Their Words "The Football Association of Wales would like to announce the staging of the Gary Speed
Memorial match on Wednesday, February 29th,2012, ,kick off 7-45 pm. The opponents will be Costa
Rica. Gary made his international debut for Wales against Costa Rica back in May 1990 at Ninian
Park in Cardiff, and Wales won by a goal to nil.
