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.

   

Breaking With Tradition.

The club broke with tradition two weeks ago when we held the end of season Presentation Evening in the Board Room and, having initially had my reservations about it I must say it worked out really well. Visitors to this blog will already be aware that we have recently refurbished the room and, for a number of reasons, the committee felt we should hold a low-key event to celebrate last season’s award winners.

It so happened that the Oval was also hosting the Bob Owen Memorial Shield Final on the same night and therefore it made for an interesting, and busy, evening as it meant we could all watch some football in addition to catching up with the squad. Incidentally, Llanberis Reserves edged Aberffraw in a 4-3 thriller to secure the trophy and, from a personal point of view, I was really pleased for the Darans. I know one or two who are involved with their team and it was good to see them win the trophy.

Anyway, onto the presentations and winners. First up was the Players’ Player of the Year Award and this went to Grahame Austin. The captain has enjoyed another excellent season at the heart of the team’s defence and, just to re-affirm that it’s not just his team-mates that appreciate his qualities, the committee also voted him our Player of the Year. I had voted for Darren Thomas, mainly due to the fact that he is one of those players who always seems to make things happen in a match. A real playmaker with an eye for goal, Darren scored some memorable strikes last season and, of course, the one he blasted past The New Saints’ Paul Harrison in the Welsh Cup in November will forever be amongst the best goals seen at the Oval, or anywhere. That’s not to take anything away from Grahame though and to be fair, I would definitely have voted for him if there was an award for the Most Intimidating Voice in the Team! Seriously….

Lee 'Bigging Up' Kevin Roberts.

The outgoing manager also presented an award for his player of the season and Lee decided the recipient would be Kevin Roberts. This came as no surprise as Kevin had another fine campaign in midfield and, I think it’s fair to say, his all action style and obvious commitment to the cause have made him one of the supporters’ favourite players. I am sure Kevin would have been thrilled with the manager’s recognition but maybe not so thrilled at the way Lee introduced him: “When he came to us three years ago, he could hardly kick the ball straight, but we’ve worked with him, and look at him now!” Hardly ‘bigging’ Kev up, but it was typical Dicko (phot, left).

Jamie receives his Top Scorer Award from Arfon.

Jamie McDaid was presented with the Top Scorer trophy and I was delighted for him. I don’t believe Jamie was given a fair chance at Bangor when he was with them and it’s great that he has made such an impressive return to the Oval.  It goes to show that local players have enough ability to thrive at a high level of the game in Wales when they are given a real opportunity and Bangor’s loss has been  our gain. I hope last season was the first of many for Jamie with us and I truly believe he has all the tools to become a big player in the Welsh

Premier League, which I am convinced he will one day prove with us. And am I the only one who sometimes thinks of how that Welsh Cup match with TNS could have panned out if Jamie had been on the field?

Paul Pritchard. In my opinion, the best
goalkeeper in the league. 

Finally, Paul Pritchard was also given an award in recognition of him setting a new league record of fifteen clean sheets in one season. Paul is, in my opinion, the best goalkeeper in the league, and fully deserved the recognition for such a fantastic achievement.

Although I really enjoyed the evening, it was also a rather bittersweet occasion as it signalled the end of the Lee Dixon era at the Oval. As a supporter of the Cofis I will always be grateful to him for bringing so many good times to the club, and putting us back on the footballing map. Five trophies in three seasons is an impressive record and probably more than we could have hoped for when he was appointed in 2012. I have no idea if Lee will return to manage in the future but I hope he does. He has a huge network of contacts in the game that reach beyond Gwynedd and will undoubtedly succeed wherever he goes. The only thing I hope is that he stays clear of that team in blue that is so well supported by the residents of Anglesey, as if he dies eventually go there, we may be in trouble!

The Oval hosted its final match of the season last Saturday when Menai Bridge faced Llanllyfni in the Meditel Gwynedd Cup Final. I enjoyed the first half but missed the second as I conducted an interview for the Caernarfon Town website with Nathan Craig. I’m not sure Nathan will have enjoyed missing the second half of the match as a result of answering my questions, but do hope that supporters will have enjoyed reading about his first year in charge of the club’s Football in the Community initiative. Here’s the link for those who may have missed it: http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/caernarfontown/News/view/887191

I’ll be posting the second part of his interview on the website soon, with the third part being an

Sky would call Nathan a 'Marquee Signing' for the Cofis,
and they'd be right.

exclusive for the blog, and both will include Nathan’s thoughts on last season.

Talking of Nathan, I’m sure I wasn’t the only supporter to be thrilled that Nathan has signed a new contract to stay at the club. Because of his excellent work with the Football in the Community project, it is sometimes easy to forget that he is also a quality footballer. People may, or may not, have agreed with Lee Dixon playing Nathan as left back last season but one thing that can’t be denied is that he had an excellent campaign and looked comfortable in whichever position he played. In my opinion, he is amongst the top players outside the professional game in Wales and to have secured his services so early in the summer is a huge boost to the Canaries. It also shows how much faith he has in the manager, which is another positive sign.   

Unsung Hero.

The Oval looking impressive after the final match of the 2014/15 season. 

It’s been a peculiar end to the campaign with matches still being played at the ground five weeks after Town’s final home encounter of the season. However, what has become apparent to me is that the Oval seems to have finally recaptured some of the magic of bygone years in that teams have enjoyed and appreciated playing their finals on Caernarfon’s ground.  I remember visiting the ground with my father nearly forty years ago when the team my grandfather was chairman of, Mountain Rangers, faced Llanfairpwll in a Junior Cup final. I was heartbroken when my Taid’s team lost by a solitary goal, but the Oval made a huge impression on me then, and I hope the youngsters who visited during the three recent finals will have been as impressed as I was.

Wyn Owen deserves great credit for his hard work on the pitch.

I have spoken with a few players and staff of teams that played in the finals and every one of them has been complimentary about the pitch, and the ground itself. Some had not been to the Oval for many years and were impressed by what they saw, and I really hope that representatives of the Gwynedd will decide that Caernarfon Town’s ground is THE venue to play their showpiece finals in the future.  

Whilst on the subject of the pitch, the club is lucky to have a groundsman who takes real pride in the quality of the playing surface and it is great credit to Wyn Owen that the pitch was in such excellent condition at the end of the season. I try to get to most away matches with the first team and can safely say that there are many, many clubs in the Cymru Alliance League, and indeed Welsh Premier League, who would love a pitch like ours. Thanks Wyn, an Unsung Hero at the Oval.  

Goal of the Season.

Those on Twitter and Facebook will probably know that Malcolm Allen will be announcing the winner of Sgorio’s Goal of the Season this Sunday on the S4C programme CLWB. It goes without saying that Darren Thomas’ unforgettable netfinder against The New Saints in November is amongst the contenders and wouldn’t it be fantastic of Malcolm announces the Cofi Messi’s goal as the winner? Obviously I‘m biased but, when you consider the opposition, and where Darren was when he took possession of the ball inside the centre circle before starting his run, then he must surely be amongst the favourites?  Here’s the link to the contenders, including Darren’s strike:  http://www.s4c.cymru/sgorio/e_/2015/gol-y-tymor/

Pre-Season Fixtures.

Arfon closes the dressing rooms after the final match. 

We received a list of our pre-season fixtures earlier this week from the manager, Iwan Williams, and was impressed to say the least. There will be three matches against Welsh Premier League opposition, including one against the Champions, The New Saints, a few local derbies and a trip to Barry Town. Iwan will use the trip to South Wales as a team-bonding exercise, and has already booked the squad to train at the FAWales Headquarters, Dragon Park, Newport. The schedule has a  different look to those of recent pre-seasons and it will be interesting to see how it all pans out. Nine matches have been pencilled in, with training sessions also being held in between and so we can be sure that the players will be fit and ready for the opening match of the season in August. Here’s the schedule, and the manager’s thoughts on how he put it together: http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/caernarfontown/News/view/887377

Ground Improvements Continue.

Work continues on the ground, with the new perimeter wall, terracing and disabled area progressing well. 

The Oval looked good last season but will look even better at the start of the next campaign, with lots going on now, and over the summer months. Committee members and supporters will be embarking on a concentrated effort to carry out the work from next Saturday, 23^rd May and therefore if you fancy joining in, please turn up on the day, and on following Saturdays to give us a hand. 

I have been informed that the Chairman may thank everyone by supplying cups of tea and coffee, and may even stretch to letting some of us sit in his new car(left), but we’ll see….

  

      

One Club, Living Within Its Means.

When I wrote my last blog, all of three weeks ago, we had just announced the identity of the new manager and it was still big news in local footballing circles. I am pleased to see that the initial positive response to the appointment has continued and Iwan himself has certainly made a good start to his tenure at the Oval.

Iwan will ensure a 'One Club' Philosophy 
at the Oval.

He very kindly agreed to answer a few questions for me recently in which he shared his thoughts on succeeding Lee Dixon and also his philosophy on the game. It was an odd feeling putting the questions together as I had only ever previously done this for Lee in the past.  I knew how important it was to give Iwan a platform to share his plans and found it quite difficult thinking of how best to do this. There was no need to worry however, as the new manager was more than up to the task of making the most of my limited interviewing skills. I was really pleased that he had decided to answer everything in great detail and in fact he came across in exactly the same way as he had when applying for the post. During his initial interview with the committee Iwan had spoken passionately about building ‘one club’, where the first team, the Academy, Football in the Community and the supporters become equal parts of Caernarfon Town Football Club. He had printed an impressive presentation of his plans to develop the club and how he will be going about doing this. Throughout that initial conversation, the idea of building that ‘one club’ mentality shone through and fit in perfectly with what the committee has always tried to do.

Iwan  (top, third from left)attended
an Academy session recently.

I know that Iwan will do his very best to foster this philosophy and believe he will be successful in achieving his goal. The signs are very encouraging as he has already visited the Football in the Community soccer schools and Academy sessions (photo, left) and I was also pleased to see him at the recent Gwyrfai League junior football tournament at the Oval. Furthermore he will also be taking part in a question and answer session with the Canaries Club on Tuesday, 5^th May at Caernarfon Football Club. The meeting is open to members and non-members alike so if you want to ask the new boss a question, or just want to hear what he has to say, head over to the club for a 7pm kick off.  For those of you who want to know more about the Canaries Club, please visit their website at: http://clwbcanariesclub.wix.com/clwb-canaries-club

It has already been four weeks since the last match of the Canaries’ 2014/15 season and, despite the lack of action on the field in this time, there has been plenty going on at the club. As already mentioned, we held the Gwyrfai League tournament three weeks ago and it was wonderful to see so many youngsters playing football on the Oval for the whole weekend.

The Saturday saw the under 7’s and 9’s age groups play, and there were five small pitches set up on the main pitch, with matches being played all day. I have been to a few similar events in the past and they have always over-run, sometimes by two or three hours! Therefore, it was with trepidation that I agreed to referee some of the matches but to be fair to the organiser, Barry Evans, everything ran  smoothly and ended on time, which must be a first for junior football, not just in this area, but everywhere!

The football was excellent and I enjoyed the refereeing but, as always, there was the obligatory ‘prowler’, who coaches his team by shouting at them whilst walking on the pitch throughout the match, and there was also one coach who wanted to have a running argument with me as he thought I had mistakenly awarded a throw-in to the opposing side (I kid you not!). And here’s me thinking FAW guidelines state that junior football is non-competitive and should be about the development of the players above all else?

Waunfawr Under 11's were thrilled to meet Nathan Craig
at the Gwyrfai Junior tournament..

Anyway, the weekend was a great success and I know that the team I help coach (of sorts!), Waunfawr Under 11’s, had a wonderful time on the Sunday. We may not have won our matches, but the boys really enjoyed themselves, which is all that matters. They were thrilled to have the opportunity to play on the Oval and one of their highlights was meeting Nathan Craig on the day (photo, left).

In fact, they had so enjoyed it that Nathan agreed to pop over to run a training session for them this week. Those who have come across Nathan will know that he is a great guy, very friendly and unassuming, and it will come as no surprise to you that all the youngsters enjoyed his session on Wednesday evening. The work he does for the Football in the Community Project is such an important part of what we as a club are all about and, judging by what I saw this week, we could not wish for a better person to be working with the community on our behalf.

Work will be continuing at the Oval during the summer, with lots going on at the Hendre End. The rebuilding of the perimeter wall that collapsed during the Welsh Cup encounter with The New Saints in November is a priority and seats in the stand will be replaced by new, more colour co-ordinated seats, whilst the terracing between the dugouts and Hendre End will be rebuilt and strengthened. Hopefully, the work will be completed before the start of next season and I can’t wait to see how the ground will look on the day of the big kick off! 

As always at this time of year, the rumour mill is going into overdrive, with all sorts of

names being mentioned as being on their way to the Oval this Summer. Only the manager can confirm whether any of the names being mentioned around town will actually end up playing in the yellow shirt next season but one player I know will not be lining up again for us is Ywain Gwynedd.

I had heard that Ywain was thinking of hanging up his boots at the end of the season but had hoped that it was just another of those aforementioned rumours going around. However, when I read his message on facebook that he was retiring from the game I was, to use footballing parlance ‘gutted’. Yws arrived at the Oval as

one of Steve Smith’s first signings in 2010 and during the past five years he has been a major part of the club’s resurgence on the field. I said many times last season that the team performed better when Ywain was in it and I stand by that. His never say die attitude on the pitch, together with impressive fitness levels, gave the team real energy and he could always be relied upon to score goals on a regular basis. Two such netfinders from last season were amongst my highlights of the year. The first was his late winner at Flint, when he rose at the far post to meet a corner and headed into the roof of the net. The match had seemed destined to end in a draw until Yws entered the fray from the bench and he certainly made the difference on the day. The second memorable goal from last term was the one he scored against Llandudno at the Oval, his extraordinary bicycle kick from just inside the penalty area sailing over the keeper and into an empty net. It was so typical of Ywain, popping up with a goal in an important match, and he is certainly going to be missed next season. Incidentally, Yws has agreed to answer a few questions for the blog and so you can expect a feature on the Cofi Keegan soon!

Ywain Gwynedd scores the winner at Flint
this season.

In regards to non-Caernarfon Town related news, I was surprised that Bangor City had originally been refused a Domestic Licence by the FAW due to an unpaid tax bill of £27,000. Of course they have successfully appealed against this and to be honest I expected nothing less. I am also pretty sure the FAW would have had everything crossed that the problem could be solved too as the Citizens are the biggest draw in the Welsh Premier League and their relegation could have proved disastrous to the league. Exactly how they managed to get into so much financial difficulties puzzles me and I can only think that the purse strings may be tightened somewhat as a result of their near-miss.

Thankfully, there are no such problems at Caernarfon and I hope there never will be. Sustainability is a key word at the Oval and, having been close to folding five years ago, the committee will ensure that the club continues to live within its’ means.  

I’ll be back with another blog in the next few days, when I’ll be taking a look at Caernarfon Town’s end of season presentation night, which was held at the Lynne Jones Room at the Oval on Friday, 1^st May.

I may also be casting an eye over a local reporter’s Cymru Alliance team of the season, and asking why he only picked three Town players in it….