Cofis 'Refuse To Lose'!

When the season’s fixtures were announced over the Summer, I’m sure I was not alone in thinking the Canaries had been handed a tough opener. The Cymru Alliance is a tough league and there are no easy matches, but I can certainly think of one or two more appealing openers than having to travel to Holywell to face the reigning Welsh Alliance League Champions.

Their manager John Haseldin has been at the club for a number of years and has been successful in turning things around for the Wellmen. He has always had a good side there and, having seen them enjoy a remarkable promotion winning season last time around, I think everyone connected to Caernarfon Town would have expected a difficult challenge on Saturday. And this is certainly what the team got!  

This was my first visit to Halkyn Road since that infamous evening in March 2013, which saw firecrackers, sending offs, a rather disjointed performance from an inexperienced referee and his  linesman and, ultimately, defeat for the Canaries, who were so near at the time to clinching the league title and promotion. It was such an odd and disappointing night that I felt it warranted a chapter in my ‘Oval Ways’ book, which I titled ‘The Battle of Halkyn Road’. A tad over the top maybe, but it conveys how I feel about the experience. 

Thankfully, Saturday was nowhere near as dramatic but one thing is for sure, the football on display  was every bit as good, and exciting, as had been expected. 

Welcome to Halkyn Road.

The first thing I noticed when walking through the old entrance is that the club has built a fence to properly enclose the pitch and added a new turnstile block. It is certainly a massive improvement from the old entrance and, just to finish the job off properly, there was even a Welsh speaker operating the turnstile itself. Surprising, but impressive! Incidentally, I took a quick look at the old turnstile near the main stand and was pleased to see that, although closed on the day, it is still there, and still proudly sports the club’s motto ‘Refuse To Lose’.

Another addition to the ground from three seasons ago was a very smart looking clubhouse, which my mate Bob told me serves 

My son Iwan at the new turnstile block. 

a decent pint of Worthingtons. I’ll take his word for that but my son  Iwan and I can certainly vouch for the cheeseburgers they serve! Someone told me at the match that Holywell paid for the clubhouse with money they received from their Welsh Cup run two season ago and whilst I have no idea as to how accurate this is, I do know that it’s been an excellent addition to Halkyn Road.

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of attending your teams first match of the season. The hopes, fears and a nervous tension are unique to the opening day of a new campaign and Saturday was no different. In fact, the feeling was probably more intense this year as Caernarfon are under a new manager and, although the team has done well in pre-season, there are a number of new faces in the squad, and so they’re all still gelling as a team.

However, as we travelled up the A55 the mood amongst us was one of quiet confidence that the team could get a positive result and, after a very good first half performance, I felt we could go on to  win the match. I’m sure there’s a cliché about former strikers finding the net against their old sides and the Cofi Army must have been thinking along these lines when they saw that former Town striker Steve Lewis was in Haseldin’s starting line-up. ‘The Beast’ received some criticism when he arrived at the Oval last season, mainly because he did not look in the best of condition, fitness-wise, but he proved before the end of the term that he has plenty to offer as a frontman, and is a real handful for any defence.    

Holywell started well but the Canaries had improved after a slow start and were the dominant force for the majority of the half. Michael Platt made a number of good saves during the first forty five to keep the Wellmen level, and they could also thank the linesman for spotting an infringement in the box when Nathan Craig put the ball in the net in the eight minute. I’m not sure what he actually saw, but, judging from my photo, assume it was an offside verdict against Jamie Breese?

Nathan found the net with this effort, but his 'goal' was disallowed for an infringement.  

The Oval Ways Man of the Match was 'Pritch'.

To be fair to Holywell, they were excellent in the second period and created a number of decent opportunities, although nothing special enough to beat Town’s number one, and my man of the match, Paul Pritchard. I’ve been saying for the past three years that ‘Pritch’ is the best keeper outside the Welsh Premier League and probably on a par with the best in the top tier too. He was in inspiring form all afternoon and, together with an impressive never say die attitude from the whole team, Town came away from the match with a deserved point.

I’ve read a few messages on Social Media from people of a Holywell Town persuasion who feel their team deserved to win but I would point out that the Canaries were much the better side in the first period and could have been two or three goals ahead at half time. Platt also made a superb save to stop Toby Jones scoring a late winner, whilst Jay Gibbs too had a decent opportunity for the Cofis before the final whistle. Taking the match as a whole, I’m sure both managers felt their team could have won, but I believe the draw was a fair result.

Toby Jones' late effort is pushed wide by home
Holywell stopper Michael Platt

It’s impossible to make any predictions after the first match of the season but things that I learnt on Saturday were that Caernarfon can play fast, decisive football in patches (as showed in the first period, during which Jamie McDaid was outstanding) and. despite Hollywell’s motto, they are not the only team to ‘Refuse To Lose, as the Cofis showed in the second half.

Finally, whilst pre-season friendlies serve a purpose and help teams prepare for the new term, Saturday’s thriller at Halkyn Road showed that the real thing is finally back. I can’t wait for the next instalment this Saturday as Town host Prestatyn and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be another cracker!

Come on the Town!

   

This Can Be Our Year!

Nathan Craig has enjoyed an impressive pre-season in midfield. 

The Canaries have played four friendly fixtures since the last blog, all of which have been encouraging to varying degrees. The victories over Llangefni and Gwalchmai were probably to be expected, and although both teams are from lower leagues, they still provided tough opposition, especially in the first half of our encounters.

From a personal point of view, when Iwan had announced his pre-season fixture list I had been particularly pleased to see that Gwalchmai were amongst our opponents, as I wanted to meet up with their manager Paul Owen. Those who have read my book ‘Oval Ways’ will know that I mention Paul in it a few times, making a few observations about his touchline antics during our past matches with his team. I had thought long and hard before deciding to include my comments as I did not want to offend Paul but, since then, he has been in touch to say that he enjoyed the book and had taken no offence.

With Gwalchmai's Paul Owen, a great sport!

Thankfully, Paul was true to his word, and whilst at the Oval we had a laugh and some banter about my observations. He’s a good sport, a nice guy, and agreed to pose for a photo. Thankfully he decided not to throw the punch!

The team’s performance in the 3-2 win over The New Saints was probably the best I have seen in pre-season, and the victory was thoroughly deserved. As expected, TNS enjoyed plenty of possession but the Canaries worked extremely hard to stop them from settling down, and it was brilliant to see us looking so dangerous going forward. Jamie Breese showed his predatory qualities with a fine finish on the night whilst Jamie McDaid continued his fine scoring run from last season and I don’t think anyone could have argued with the final score.

Jamie Breese scored against The New Saints
and is looking the business for Caernarfon.

I spoke with The New Saints’ Press Officer, Stewart Bloor, before the match and he was telling me about the club’s recent European escapades. He relayed a few stories from the trip to Videoton and had me imagining how fantastic it would be if Caernarfon could one day manage to make it on to foreign soil for a

competitive match. It would certainly be an interesting affair with a travelling Cofi Army! Something else Stewart mentioned is that, as the Saints’ Press Officer and Radio commentator, he genuinely feels he is ‘living the dream’. Trying to do my bit for Caernarfon Town, I can certainly resonate with that!   

Incidentally, it was good to see our former manager Lee Dixon back at the Oval on the night. He was taking part as Stewart’s guest on TNS Radio and, having listened to the broadcast a few days ago, the old Gaffer did a decent job too, although he seemed to talk more about local eateries than the football! Seriously, the commentary was excellent and worth a listen and, just in case the listener was not aware, Stewart reminds us regularly that the New Saints had made a number of changes to their usual line-up for the match! Not that he was making excuses, of course!! Here’s the link: http://www.tnsfc.co.uk/tnsradio/

Town completed their pre-season preparations at Airbus UK Broughton on Saturday and, despite the 0-2 defeat, the players again shone against Welsh Premier League opposition. To be honest, I thought Caernarfon were the better side in the first period, and could have been two goals up had it not been for excellent saves by James Coates in the home goal. Airbus were on top in the second half but even so, we had opportunities to score and all in all, it was an excellent showing against a top side. It is also worth noting that the Canaries were without Joe Williams, Gareth Edwards and Jay Gibbs on the day, which proves how strong the squad is. Former Town midfielder Jordan Barrow lined up for the home side and played well, but for me the outstanding performer of the day was Nathan Craig, who continued his impressive pre-season form with another excellent display in centre midfield.

This was my first visit to the Hollingsworth Group Stadium and I was impressed. Bathed in sunshine, the 3G pitch looked immaculate, as did the ground, its three stands and facilities in excellent condition. The club staff were very friendly and I was really pleased to have made the trip with my son, Iwan. Just as importantly, I also dropped my wife off at the nearby Retail Park and am therefore also in her good books, which should come in handy when the league season kicks off!     

So, things are looking good for Caernarfon Town. Pre-season has been good, Iwan has settled well at the club and all the new players seem to be quality additions. I always tend to err on the side of caution at the start of every season but I just can’t this time around as I believe we’re in with a great chance of winning the Cymru Alliance League. Having declared this I will look foolish if we’re not crowned champions in April, but the simple truth is I believe that, this time next year, the Cofis could very well be looking forward to a return to the Welsh Premier League.

Of course, other teams will also fancy their chances, with Cefn Druids and Prestatyn obviously looking to bounce immediately back into the WPL after last season’s relegation, and you’d expect Porthmadog and Guilsfield to be targeting an improvement from their solid campaigns last time around. It will also be interesting to see how old friends at Holywell Town fare in their first season in the second tier following promotion from the Welsh Alliance.

Iwan looks on during Saturday's match at Airbus. 

We face the Wellmen in our season opener on Saturday, and I’m sure their manager John Hasseldin will give us a warm welcome! As many of you will know, when Caernarfon won the third tier in 2012/13 we had a fierce rivalry with Holywell and they pushed us hard in the league, but I always felt we were the stronger side and proved it by not only winning the Cymru Alliance, but by also  knocking them out of the FAW Trophy at the semi-final stage and defeating them in the Cookson Cup final. I haven’t seen them since those days so have no idea if they’ve improved as a team but do know that we certainly have, and whilst it will be a opener at Halkyn Road, I’m sure the Canaries are more than ready and able to rise to the occasion.

So, my final thought on the eve of the season is that whatever the strengths and expectations of our rivals, I am quietly confident that Caernarfon Town’s squad is good enough to finish off the job that the current committee started five years ago, which is to get the club back into the Welsh Premier League, and to do so with a team and ground to be proud of. I'm convinced this

can be OUR YEAR!

Pob lwc I Iwan, y tim hyfforddi ac y chwaraewyr I gyd! Amdani!!    

       

Best Summer Signing, Barnsley and Jamie Breese....

The trip down to Rhayader on April 4^th for the final match of last season seems a long time ago and it’s hard to believe that I had to wait 101 days to watch the team in action again. But that’s exactly what happened and an unbelievably long off-season came to an end for me last Tuesday when I went to the Oval to watch the Canaries host Llanberis in their first home friendly of the Summer.

In that time, of course, there have been a number of changes to the squad, most of which I have mentioned in the blog and so, if anyone’s been paying attention, you’ll already know that Darren  Thomas, Ywain Gwynedd, Steve Lewis and Dave Morley have left, whilst a number of players have been drafted into to the squad by the new Gaffer, Iwan Williams.

Having missed the first pre-season friendly at Rhyl I had been looking forward to seeing some of the new guys in action and from what I’ve seen, each one looks impressive.  Jamie Breese has probably been the highest profile signing and, having been top scorer in last season’s Cymru Alliance League I think it’s fair to say there is a fair amount of pressure on him to find the net regularly for us. Some players struggle to settle in when they move to a new club but our new striker seems to have hit the ground running. Jamie has been on target six times in his first four matches and so the signs are encouraging that he will chip in with more than his fair share of goals next season.  

Jamie Breese (right) celebrating his goal against  Llanberis.

I suppose it’s a little unfair to concentrate on Jamie and, in the two matches I've seen, it seems that all the new players have quality but, as is the norm in football, goalscorers get the lion’s share of the limelight and our new number nine has certainly made a massive impression at this early stage. As with most of Town’s supporters I was disappointed that Darren Thomas left us and have been worrying at how it will affect the team but with Jamie McDaid and Toby Jones teaming up with Breese up front, and Gareth Jones Evans supporting them, I am confident that the frontline is full of goals and so, if the defence can get anywhere near the form they showed last season, the signs are positive that Caernarfon can go one better than last time and finally get back onto the top

Gareth Jones Evans. 

table of Welsh football. It’s early days, but we all have to dream, don’t we?

As expected, the two recent home friendlies against local opponents proved tough tests for the Cofis  but I’m sure that this is what Iwan would have wanted at this stage of pre-season. Both Llanberis and Llanrug Utd are good sides and were bound to provide stiff opposition so it was great that the team came through the matches without injuries and, although it doesn’t really matter, with victories. I mentioned in the last blog that Llanberis had started their pre-season training early with the first three weeks seeing them work extensively on their fitness. This was apparent at the Oval as they looked strong at the end of the match, something that their assistant manager Geraint Jones told me he was particularly pleased with. Town deserved the victory as we dominated possession but the Darans definitely impressed me with their workrate.

This week’s match with Llanrug was very different in that I think they possibly try and play more football than the Darans, and so it gave the Town players a bit more space to play the quick passing style Iwan is keen to implement. It was nice to see two former Town captains back at the Oval, with Dylan Owen looking to pull the strings in midfield for Llanrug and Neil Thomas trying to sniff a goal up front.  It’s always good to see Dylan back at the ground and it was typical of him to try to score from the kick off! I’m not too sure that Remy would have been able to save his audacious effort if it had been on target and although he didn't find the net, Dylan showed he still has plenty of talent on offer. He is still a Caernarfon supporter and it was pleasing to hear him say after the match that we’ve got a really strong team this season. It was also good to see Neil back and the ‘fox in the box’ was still putting himself about up front, and proving a handful for Town’s defence. Everyone who has followed Town in recent years will know all about Neil’s impact at the Oval in his one season with us, when he led the side to the memorable treble in Lee Dixon’s first campaign in 2012/13 and it was interesting to see him lining up against us.

Not the Cofi Messi!

Town’s chairman Arfon Jones is known as being a smooth talker when needed but, when I called into the Oval on Monday night, I believed for a few fleeting seconds that he had surpassed himself when I thought I saw Darren Thomas back at the ground and, even more impressively, that he was actually working on the pitch itself! Alas, upon closer inspection, I saw that it was not the Cofi Messi but the chairman himself cutting the grass in the temporary absence of our groundsman Wyn Owen and, whilst I know Iwan has made some excellent signings for the club since arriving, seeing Arfon working on his own at the Oval confirmed yet again that he has been Caernarfon’s best signing of the Summer.

Whilst at the ground on Monday I took a few photos of the Hendre End stand to share on here and was reminded of a rather interesting time I experienced near the turnstiles at that end during the famous FA Cup match with Barnsley in January 1987. In those days, with crowd trouble rife at football grounds across Britain, segregation of the supporters was imperative and so the club had had to erect what can only be described as a ‘cage’ for the away fans. I knew the club’s treasurer at the time and a friend and I offered to sell programmes on the day for which in return we gained free entry to the match. An hour before kick off we made our way into the zinc hut that called itself a ‘temporary programme stall’ in the corner next to the turnstile. 

Site of the VERY temporary programme stall....

Unfortunately, and unbeknown to us, the club had failed to mention that the Barnsley supporters had no access to the toilets and, well tanked up, they started using the back, and top of the ‘temporary programme stall’ as their WC. They also started kicking and tearing it apart at the front and, with ashen faces and sweat-filled mullets (it was the eighties!) we quickly made a dash for the exit, onto the pitch and into the relative safety  of the Cofi supporters. A memorable, if frightening few minutes for the eighteen year-old me and whilst I can smile about it now, it wasn’t so funny at the time!

Now a quick word about our cancelled 

Clive Williams during the match with Llanrug.
Former Town captain Neil Thomas is in the background.  

friendly at Llandudno. When it was announced that we had to pull out of the match due to a large number of players being unavailable because of holidays, work commitments etc most people could see that it was the correct decision. It was quite simple really – we didn’t have enough players available to play, and to make the most of the match. As invariably happens, of course, some people are not slow to start criticising other clubs and so it came as no surprise when one or two decided to have a go at us, mostly questioning why Caernarfon couldn’t field a time when we pay so much wages. These ‘keyboard warriors’ must obviously be  unaware that the club does not pay anyone during the close season and, just as importantly, how would they know what the team budget is? Says it all really.

Finally, I am really pleased to say that Oval Ways will be sponsoring Clive Williams for the upcoming season. When it was announced that the club was offering the opportunity to sponsor each player for the new campaign, I had absolutely no hesitation in linking the name to Clive. He has been with the club for three seasons, is someone I believe could easily play in the Welsh Premier League and, just as importantly, he is a genuinely nice person. Sponsoring Clive is brilliant and I am sure that he will have a very successful 2015/16 season.

I’m not too sure what Instagram is but Oval Ways is now on it and I will do my best to share a few nice Caernarfon Town photos on there. If you fancy having a look from time, the name is ovalwayscaernarfontownfc

Come on the Town!

Paul. 

   

Just a Friendly but....

Pre-match at Rhyl.
Photo by Iwan Williams. 

I don’t get to see any football for months and then, typically, I need to be in two places on the same night to watch two of my favourite teams! This is what happened to me last Friday, when I was faced with the choice of heading to Belle Vue to watch the Cofis play their first pre-season fixture against Rhyl or accompanying my youngest son, Iwan, to Llanberis for the Eco’r Wyddfa tournament. I love Caernarfon Town, but love my son more, and so it was that I spent the evening at the foot of Snowdon, helping Haydn Jones coach Waunfawr’s Under 11’s team. Some of you may already be aware that Haydn also happens to be Caernarfon’s Head of Academy and therefore you will not be surprised to hear that  it was not strictly a Caernarfon Town-free evening for me!

As normally happens whenever I have to miss a match, the ever reliable John Watkins proved an invaluable source of information as he kept me regularly updated on what was happening in Sunny Rhyl, and I don’t mind telling you that I was delighted with his messages, although slightly surprised. To be honest, I had not been expecting a 3-0 victory against the Welsh Premier League side! 

With Caernarfon's Head of Academy, Haydn Jones(far left)
and Waunfawr's Under 11's team.

I understand that it was a friendly, and every team uses pre-season fixtures to build fitness and try out new players and formations but no one ever wants to lose a match of any kind, and therefore you can be sure that Gareth Owen and his players will not have been too pleased about the defeat, especially in front of their own supporters and against lower-league opposition.

Obviously, I cannot pass judgement on how well the team played but, from what I have heard, and also what I have read on social media, Iwan’s philosophy of playing a high-tempo style of football was well - implemented by his players. This augers well for the future as the team did not start training together until Saturday, 4^th July and so it suggests that the

Nathan  Craig during the first pre-season training session.

players have enough about them to quickly take on board the managers’ instructions. Iwan himself alluded to this when commenting on the match: “The amount of detail I’ve given the players and the way they delivered it tonight was tremendous.”

I have spoken briefly with two of the players this weekend and they had both really enjoyed the match, whilst also saying that they are looking forward to completing the tough looking training programme that lies ahead before the new season begins. The style the team will be playing next season will need fit players and the new Gaffer and his first team coach, Alun Wynstanley, have put together a programme that will ensure the team is ready for the big kick off.

Photo by Iwan Williams. 

There is plenty of action to be seen before then, however, beginning with the visit to Llanberis to the Oval on Tuesday, 14^th July. This will be a different test for the Cofis as it is a local derby and the Darans will be very keen to put on a good display. Llanberis are a decent side and will definitely provide a physical challenge for Caernarfon. Past matches between the sides have always been close and I expect the same this week. One thing is for sure, the visitors will be a fit group as they have been training for a few weeks and, from what  I have heard, most of this has been done without a football! I know their assistant manager, Geraing Jones, and he will have been working hard on the players’ fitness so I’m sure we’re in for an exciting match on Tuesday. 

Photo by Iwan Williams. 

I wonder if Marc Lloyd Williams will turn up in the Darans team? He has often stated how much he enjoys playing against the Canaries so I suppose it’s a possibility, although I imagne it will depend on whether or not the television cameras are there….

The Cymru Alliance League 2015/16 fixtures were finally announced last week and, not surprisingly, it created one or two talking points amongst supporters. The first match is always highly anticipated and an interesting trip to Holywell awaits the Canaries on the opening day. Town supporters will know all about the tight matches we had with the Wellemn during our treble season of 2012/13, and I’m sure it’s going to be no different in August.

Haseldin has done a great job at Halkyn  Road and his team were tremendous in winning promotion last term. Holywell will be confident of a good showing and Haseldin will have them up for it but Caernarfon have improved a lot in the last three years and the team has nothing to fear. I can’t wait for the match, and will look forward to seeing if they still have those ‘Refuse To Lose’ posters that were up at the ground during our treble year.

The other matter that raised its head when looking at the fixture list was that we have again been given an away match on the Saturday closest to Christmas day. Although I can think of worse places to go than Conwy on December 27^th, it’s disappointing that we have to travel for the third successive year for our Christmas fixture. A twenty minute drive up the A55 is not a massive hardship but it would have been nice to have been given a home seasonal match this year, for the first time since 2011.

It was great to hear that former Town player Jordan Barrow (left)played his part in Airbus UK's impressive 2-2 draw at AK Lokomotiva last week. Caernarfon supporters will already know how good Jordan is following his spell with us in 2013/14 and although his side crashed out of the Europa League, it was still an excellent achievement by the Welsh Premier League outfit.

So, it's all systems go for Tuesday's friendly with Llanberis and, following a lot of hard work carried out over the last three months, those who have not been to the Oval for a while will be impressed by what they see. I am biased, of course, but the old ground is looking brilliant!  

Paul. 

Moving On As Messi Leaves.

The news that most, if not all, Caernarfon Town supporters had been fearing was finally confirmed last week when we heard that Darren Thomas had signed for Aberystwyth Town.

Darren Thomas - The Cofi Messi. 

Rumours had been rife since the end of last season that the Welsh Premier League side were keen to add the playmaker to their squad and why wouldn’t they? We all know how good Darren is, and Seasiders manager Ian Hughes also does, having worked with him at Llangefni a few years ago. On Aberystwyth’s website, Hughes said that Darren has been the best player in the Cymru Alliance League for the past three years and I wouldn’t argue with that. Some of the goals he has scored for Caernarfon these past three years have been breathtaking, none more so than the one he scored against The New Saints in front of the television cameras last season. In addition to his goalscoring prowess, Darren is also very good at bringing other players into the game and the greatest compliment I can give him is that I think he would have walked into John King’s classy side in the mid-Eighties. And I can’t name many Caernarfon players of the last thirty years who would have done that.

Unfounded Rumour.

Whilst on the subject of Darren’s goal against TNS, it was of course a contender for Sgorio’s Goal of the Season and a compilation of the shortlist was shown during the half-time break at Wales’ recent match against Belgium. Seeing the goal shown on the big screens at Cardiff City Stadium was brilliant and although the rumour that Gareth Bale saw it on the way to the dressing room and stopped to applaud are unfounded, I would not be surprised if he did! 

There's a Fire in my  Heart. 

The Super Furry Animals at Cardiff City Stadium.

Tribute to  Gareth 'Cwm' Jones. 

And what a night that was in Cardiff, when our national side took a huge step closer to reaching Euro 2016, courtesy of a gutsy display that was on a par with anything I’ve seen from Wales since I started watching football. I was lucky enough to be at the famous victory at the Arms Park over World Champions Germany in 1991, and again when Italy were put in their place at the Millennium Stadium in 2002 and, as enjoyable as they both were, the victory over Belgium was better. I know we’ve seen it all before, when the team gets so close to a major championship before imploding but this time seems different somehow. 'There’s a Fire in my Heart' sang The Super Furry Animals pitchside before the match and all the players obviously felt the same. 

What a performance, what a team. 

Gareth 'Cwm' Jones. 

Before returning to Caernarfon related issues, I have to mention something that was included in the Wales - Belgium matchday programme. I did not look at it until we returned home and was really pleased that I did, as I saw a really nice tribute to a friend of mine who lived in Caernarfon, and who sadly passed away unexpectedly a few weeks ago. Gareth  Jones, or Gareth 'Cwm' as most knew him, was a massive supporter of the national side and it was very touching to read the words about him in the supporters section of the programme. A very nice touch and a fitting tribute to a great guy. Cysga'n dawel Gareth.   

Last Opportunity?

Back to Caernarfon now and whilst disappointed Darren has left the Oval, it is understandable why he has decided to do so now. At twenty eight years of age, he may have felt this is his last opportunity to make a real go of it in the Welsh Premier League and although it would have been great to see him play in the top tier with Caernarfon, there are no guarantees that this will happen in the near future. It’s going to be interesting seeing how he does next term but one thing’s for sure, the Aberystwyth supporters are in for a treat! And who knows, we may yet see Darren playing for Caernarfon in the top division one day?

A Stronger Outfit and Possible Line-Up?

Cofis' Number One, Paul Pritchard. 

Although I will miss seeing the Cofi Messi playing at the Oval next season, I have every confidence that the manager has sufficiently strengthened the squad and that the side will mount a serious title challenge next season. Iwan has been steadily tweaking his squad in recent weeks and I honestly feel we look a stronger outfit today than we did this time last year.

Recent news that Grahame Austin, Clive Williams, Paul Pritchard and Gareth Edwards have committed to another campaign with the club means that the manager will have the mainstays of the league’s best defence in 2014/15 and so we should expect more of the same from them. Clive will be like a new signing for us after his injuries last season and if he can recapture his form of 2013/14 then he should be one of the best players in the league. Having him in his squad should give Iwan some flexibility as he can play

in numerous positions and will be invaluable if we are going for the league.

Gareth Edwards is set for a Second Season with the Cofis.

Iwan has bolstered the midfield by bringing Jay Gibbs back from Holyhead, and I also have a feeling that we may see Nathan Craig taking a more central role in the team, where he can influence the game much more than when playing at left back, whilst Kevin Roberts will again be showing his teeth, and studs, in the engine room.

It is probably in the front positions where Iwan has made the biggest changes, bringing in Jamie Breese, Toby Jones and Gareth Jones Evans, whilst also retaining the services of Jamie McDaid, which I believe has been one of his most important signings thus far. Of the three new signings up front, Gareth is the one I know the least about but from what I have heard about him, he is very quick and poses a big threat going forward and it seems he is another exciting prospect for us.

Therefore, from all the information we have to hand regarding signed players, the match day squad could potentially line-up for its first match of 2015/16 like this (inc one sub only at this time, given number of outfield players signed ):

Paul Pritchard, Clive Williams, Gareth Edwards, Grahame Austin, Joe Williams, Kevin Roberts, Nathan Craig, Jay Gibbs, Jamie McDaid, Gareth Jones-Evans, Jamie Breese, Toby Jones.

Of course, I have absolutely no idea what plans Iwan has for the side, but this looks a strong team to me and I would be pretty happy to see this line-up for the season’s opener. Solid at the back, guile and bite in the middle, and lots of pace, and goals up front! Sounds an ideal combination but I’m no expert and we’ll just have to wait and see how the manager sees things. The more old-fashioned, or realistic, of us will always be cautious and say that football matches are not won on paper but it goes without saying that the more quality players you have in the side, the more chance you have of winning matches, and I think we’ve got a fair quota of quality performers in the squad to win many more matches than we lose.

Hendre End.

A quick update on the ongoing ground improvements now, and I can tell you that the Oval is looking stunning these days! Having finally secured new yellow and green seats for the Hendre End, the  Stand looks very impressive, and it has massively improved the overall look of the ground itself. In fact, due to the hard work of Arfon, Dylan, Ken and Mike MTech and his team, the Stand looks like a new build and I’m sure that supporters will be impressed with it. These photos of the Hendre End  were taken by Arfon. There is still more to do at the ground and work will continue for the remainder of the close-season period.  

Interesting times indeed at the Oval and although we have had to say goodbye to the Cofi Messi, the squad that Iwan is putting together is looking pretty strong. I can’t wait for the pre-season friendlies to begin!

Finally, I received a very nice, if unexpected, message from Eirian of Palas Prints (10 Palace Street, Caernarfon) two weeks ago, who asked for more copies of the Oval Ways and Treble Days book. Eirian has been kind enough to sell Oval Ways at her bookshop and I was delighted that her stock had run out! Being that I self-financed the book and with all the profit being shared out between the Caernarfon Town Academy and Waunfawr Primary School, I am totally reliant on self-publicising it and therefore am indebted to Eirian for giving me somewhere to sell Oval Ways. I am sure that my numerous tweets and facebook messages about the book have seemed too much at times but around two hundred and thirty copies have been sold thus far and so it’s important that I thank everyone who has helped me raise money for two great causes, both by selling and buying the book.

I am also pleased to say that Oval Ways can now be bought online through the Palas Prints website, and here’s the link should you decide you’d like to buy a copy https://palasprint.com/siopa/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=oval+ways

Diolch

Paul. 

New Signings, Jay Gibbs and Anglesey's WPL side?

The last month has been pretty good for Caernarfon Town, both on and off the pitch, and if it’s an indication of things to come, I believe we’re in for some exciting times.

Jamie Breese.

Firstly, the new manager has been making his mark in the transfer market, has brought four excellent players into the club, in Joe Williams, Toby Jones, Jamie Breese and Jay Gibbs.  

Goals.

We all know how good Jay is but what of the three ‘new’ players?

Joe and Toby were members of Llandudno’s Cymru Alliance League winning side last season and therefore know what will be required at the Oval, where there is always pressure to do well. I will not pretend to know too much about Joe, but have been told he can play in defence and midfield  and his versatility to the team will be prove invaluable. He is said to be a ferocious tackler so I have already booked a front row ticket for his ‘Extreme Tackling Contest’ with Kevin Roberts!

Toby I have definitely heard of, and seen a few times, and I think he is a great signing. From the records I have seen, he scored ten goals in twenty seven appearances for the champions last term  and has previously played for both Neath and Airbus UK in the Welsh Premier League so is obviously a talented footballer who has played and scored at the very highest level in Wales.

Caernarfon's Wing Wizard, Jamie McDaid. 

And talking of goals, Iwan has also signed last season’s top scorer in the Cymru Alliance, Jamie Breese, from Llanidloes Town. Like Toby, Jamie is a true goalscorer and must be some player to have topped the scoring charts playing for a team that finished pretty low in the league. I know the Daffs were a decent side, but would hope that Jamie will enjoy many more opportunities whilst playing for the Canaries and therefore stands a decent chance of getting near the top of the scoring charts again next season.  Encouragingly, judging from the messages I received from two prominent people in North Wales football this week, he could be a major signing for us.

Wing Wizard.

The side did not have lots of goals in it last season and, with the exception of Jamie McDaid, who found the Onion Bag on twenty two occasions, we did not really have a prolific goalscorer in the side. To be fair, Steve Lewis would have scored a fair number if he’d played all season and of course Darren Thomas always had a goal in him (usually from the top drawer!) but most good sides possess goals throughout the team and I certainly think that this is true, especially now that Jamie McDaid has also committed to the club for 2015/16. I have mentioned this more than once in previous blogs and make no apologies for doing so again, but Bangor’s loss is most certainly our gain where Jamie is concerned. The management at Nantporth may not have truly appreciated Jamie but everyone at Caernarfon certainly does.

Jay Gibbs showing a referee
how to kick the ball properly. 

Welcome Back Jay.

One of the perks of being the club’s press officer is that I often get to hear quite quickly when new players join us and it’s always exciting to read the managers’ latest messages regarding the latest additions to his squad. This was particularly true when I received news that Jay Gibbs had decided to re-join Caernarfon. As Cofi supporters will already know, Jay has signed for us twice before, and so we already know how good he is. To use a footballing idiom, I was gutted when Jay left the club last season and am therefore delighted he’s back with us. I thought he played really well in midfield for us under Lee Dixon last term and feel sure that he will be a big player for us under Iwan Williams too. Judging by his facebook account, Jay is delighted to be back at the Oval too as he tweeted last week: ‘So happy to be back in the best club in Wales @CaernarfonTown thanks @iwanwilliams9 #gaffer’. 

Grahame Austin.

So, we already know four of the players that will be lining up for us next season, with the three new players joining Jay Gibbs, Nathan Craig and Jamie McDaid, and you can also add Grahame Austin to that number as he will again be leading the team out. I know that Iwan already knows most, if not all, of his squad and so it remains to be seen who he will be adding to the eight players already mentioned, and indeed how many of last season’s team remains, although I’m sure there will be a few. One thing is for sure, the eight we already know about are all excellent and it’s already looking promising for next season.

Ground Improvements Gathering Pace.

Off the field, ground improvements have continued at the Oval and, although my manual skills are limited to painting exterior walls these days, I have recently enjoyed two Saturday mornings at the ground with members of both the committee and the Canaries Club, where we’ve been giving the old ground a lick of paint, and generally sprucing the place up a bit. However, the work being carried out does not stop there, and last week saw the arrival of over 400 lovely looking yellow and green seats for the Hendre End Stand. Arfon, Dylan and Ken have already started bolting them in, and, having been to the Oval tonight, they’re already looking good! 

This, of course, is just part of the summer’s improvements as the club goes all out to gain the FAW Domestic Licence. In much the same way that I am looking forward to seeing the team in its first pre-season match, I am also looking forward to seeing the Oval in all its glory for the start of the new campaign. It’s going to look superb!

And just a word here to thank those from the Canaries Club who have given up their time to help us with the painting on Saturday mornings. Iwan has spoken of bringing the one club ethos to Caernarfon Town and the supporters are showing what can be done when we all pull together. The Cofi Army is a force to be reckoned with these days and who knows what we can achieve as a club in the future?

Anglesey's WPL Side?

Before finishing, wasn’t it exciting to hear that we have been given an away tie at Nantporth in the first round of the Word Cup? As soon as the draw was announced, I received a message from a friend who asked if I’d heard we had been drawn to play Anglesey’s Welsh  Premier League side, the inference being that many of the Citizens supporters live on Anglesey and not in Bangor itself. I couldn’t possibly comment on that, of course, and can only hope that, unlike when we last played there, this time there will be

proper segregation and decent police presence, and also that refreshments will be made available to supporters of both teams.

Thankfully, the Word Cup is run by the FAW and not the North Wales Coast FA, so we're in with a chance....

Paul.

Nathan Craig on Torquay, Centre Midfield and Jamie McDaid.

Having taken a short hiatus, the blog returns with an exclusive interview with Nathan Craig.

Very recently, I had the good fortune of sitting down with Nathan in the hope of putting together an article for the Official Caernarfon Town website and, as always, he was happy to help, and answered  a host of questions relating to both his work as Head of the club’s Football in the Community project and his thoughts on the 2014/15 season.

The first part of the interview concentrated on the excellent Football in the Community work Nathan carries out and the feedback on the official facebook site was very positive.

(Here's a link to the article: http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/caernarfontown/News/view/887191)

I am therefore really pleased to publish the second part of the interview in which Nathan talks about last season, and football in general. Enjoy!

Question: What are your general thoughts on the 2014/15 season?

Nathan: My overall feeling is being gutted at finishing second in the league. I expected us to be challenging for the title and was pleased that we did but, looking back now, I feel that an indifferent run of form in January cost us the league. Those disappointing results meant we were then playing catch-up and we couldn’t quite manage to peg Llandudno back.

Q: What were your highlights of the season?

Nathan: The TNS match was special. To push the Welsh champions so close was a fantastic achievement and showed we are a good team that is capable of playing in the Welsh Premier League. The attitude we had before the match in the dressing room gave us the confidence to go out and take them on. We felt that there was no pressure on us and so were able to play our own game.  The day itself was very special for the club and the supporters. From the team breakfast at the Castle public house in Town to the brilliant supporters who created such a wonderful atmosphere and of course the television cameras being at the ground also added to the day. It was also nice to score on the day!

From a personal point of view, I was really pleased and proud to play every match, week in and week out, apart from a short period out after being sent off at the start of the season. Another personal highlight was scoring against Llandudno at the Oval as it was such a big match.

Q: Are there any low points to the season?

Nathan: Not winning the league, and also hearing that Lee was leaving. I was shocked when I heard the news he was stepping down. He was very god to me, and always sure that he game me confidence to play my game and he has done an excellent job at the club, winning all those cups and a league title. I wish him all the best in the future.

Q: Who did you vote for as your Caernarfon Town Player of the Season?

Nathan: I voted for Jamie McDaid because he finished top scorer, even though he missed six matches due to injury, and also didn’t join us until a month into the term. If Jamie had played in every match, we might be looking forward to the Welsh Premier League next season! I also had Grahame Austin and Paul Pritchard but decided on Jamie because you have to score goals to win matches.

Q: Which was the best team you played against in the league?

Nathan: That would be Guilsfield. They were compact and well-organised and very hard to break down. We beat them three times in four matches but never by more than one goal which proves how good they are. To think they are a village side and probably have limited resources I think they were the Cymru Alliance Team of the Year!

Q: Who was the best player you played against last season?

Nathan: Danny Barton. I remember watching Danny playing when I was very young and he’s still playing and scoring at a high level. He uses his body well and still knows where the goal is!

Not content on settling just on last season, I decided to ask Nathan about about his thoughts on a host of other football related matters, including his time at Torquay, his favourite position on the field and Caernarfon’s new manager.

Q: Everyone at the club is delighted you’re with us but from a personal point of view I definitely believe you are good enough for the professional game and the football league. What happened during your time at Torquay Nathan?

Nathan: The first season at Torquay went really well under Martin Ling and I was playing regularly. There were rumours at the time that a few clubs from higher leagues were looking at me. Unfortunately, Martin fell ill and left the club and the new manager, Alan Knill, brought his own players with him and once he arrived I was given very few opportunities in the team. Therefore, being given the chance to come back to Caernarfon was brilliant for me!

Q: I have often heard supporters asking why you were played mainly at left back last season, and would like to know where you think your best position is?

Nathan: Centre midfield is my favourite position as I would hopefully be able to dictate the play and get my team-mates playing football on the ground.  ! I am also comfortable playing Centre-Half, left back and left-wing but am more than happy to play wherever the manager wants me to.

Q: What are your thoughts on the new manager?

Nathan: I am really positive about the future for the team under Iwan. I have spoken a few times with him already and am very excited with his plans. He has already told me that we will be training hard and I can’t wait for pre-season to begin!

Q: Iwan has already announced that you will be his vice captain next season. How do you feel about this?

Nathan standing in the Hendre End at the Oval, where
he caried out ball boy duties as a youngster.

Nathan: I am honoured to be vice captain. I still remember being a ball boy at the Oval at the Hendre End so it’s brilliant for me to be playing for the team, and now to be the vice captain too!

Q: Have you seen any changes at the club since coming back last summer, compared to when you played for us four years ago?

Nathan: There has been a lot of improvement at the ground in recent years and the hard work has made the Oval look really good. I know there has been a lot of hard work behind the scenes, and the club is run much more professionally now. I also feel that the people of Caernarfon seem much more interested in the team these days and that’s good for the community as a whole.   

Q: Hopes for the 2015/16 season?

Nathan: Promotion! Caernarfon Town Football Club needs to be back in the Welsh Premier League and I want to be a part of the team that takes us there!

Q: You have just signed a new contract with the club. Does this mean you’re a Cofi for the rest of your career?

Nathan: You can never tell what is around the corner in football but I love it here, this is my club and I’ll always be a Cofi!

A massive thank you to Nathan for answering all the questions and for doing so in a very honest and forthright manner. It goes without saying that Torquay’s loss is very much our gain and I can’t wait to see where Iwan plays him in the team next season!

I’m hoping that this is the first of a series of interviews I’ll be publishing on the blog over the next few weeks so wish me luck as I contact a few people I believe will be able to provide something of  interest to Caernarfon Town supporters.