Friendlies, Kev Bach and the Right Track....

When Town manager Iwan Williams announced the side’s pre-season fixtures it was pretty obvious that July would be a very busy month and so it’s proved, with the squad playing no less than eight matches in the twenty days following my last blog.

Going back over the years I’ve supported Caernarfon I’ve not really been a great supporter of  friendlies, mainly because there are no league points or another cup round at stake. In fact, up to six years ago I had rarely made much of an effort to watch any but, due to my added involvement with the club I’ve only missed one in the past six summers, and I certainly see the warm-ups in a completely different light these days.

Some of this has been due to the quality of opposition we’ve faced, the past two years especially, and I also appreciate much more how important the matches are to improve the players’  fitness and  help new additions settle into the squad and the club.

Incidentally, for whatever reason we’ve had difficulties in the past in attracting quality opposition for our pre-season matches and, as a supporter, I couldn’t see why. We had an excellent ground and a decent team that would test most opposition and yet, despite our best efforts, not many clubs would even reply to our requests, let alone agree to visit us. Our match secretary, Geraint Jones, did everything he could to attract top teams but it was a struggle.

Thankfully, this has changed since Iwan arrived and he has managed to arrange a number of high profile fixtures with quality opposition. Last year the team was tested with matches against Welsh Premier League sides Rhyl, Airbus and The New Saints in addition to a handful of local derbies, whilst this time around the manager has been able to attract four top tier teams, an English National league side and more derbies. It would take more than one blog to look at each match in depth so I’ve decided it would be best to concentrate on the highlights and one or two matters that deserve to be mentioned.    

Salford City were first to visit the Oval and they were a very good oufit. Despite the wintery weather,  more than five hundred people walked through the turnstiles to see us take on the side that is part- owned by five former Manchester United players and, despite the result, I thought the Canaries did well. Having enjoyed just two training sessions prior to the match there was a difference in the sharpness of the teams and I think this was a major factor in the result. Having said this, it was certainly a good marker for Iwan and the management team and a really good workout for the players.  

Kevin Roberts.

It was a bittersweet day for many supporters as, although the match marked the start of preparations for the new campaign, it also heralded the end of Kevin Roberts’ career with Caernarfon. The midfielder has enjoyed four excellent seasons at the club and has become a firm favourite with the supporters as a result of his all-action displays in midfield, punctuated by weekly bone crushing tackles in the heat of combat for anyone who tried to get the better of the team! Lee Dixon brought Kevin to the club and he has become synonymous with the club’s recent renaissance, which has seen him help the side win seven trophies in that time. A really nice guy, he will be missed by the supporters and team-mates I’m sure and my only hope is that he may decide to help the club in some capacity in the future. He’s told me that he’s out of football for good and is contemplating joining the egg-chasers at Bethesda Rugby Club. Scrum or fly half would be his position I assume although, knowing Kev he’d probably love having a go in the front three in the scrum! On a serious note, what a great player's he's been for us! Diolch yn fawr Kev Bach!

One final comment on this match is how impressively Corrig McGonigle took his opportunity to get on the scoresheet. The ball was travelling away from goal when he quickly swivelled around it and struck into the net from a tight angle and in that moment I could see why he scored over a hundred goals last season. He is definitely a finisher!

Llanfairpwll (5-0) and Glantraeth (6-2) followed during the week and a number of the reserve side were given an opportunity to shine, which they did courtesy of some fine football on the way to two comfortable victories. Over the course of the two fixtures eleven goals were scored and two conceded and I’m sure that the youngsters who played will have enjoyed lining up alongside some of the more established first team players such as Nathan Craig, Jay Gibbs, Jamie Breese and Clive Williams. I was particularly pleased for young striker Aaron Davies Thomas, who scored in both matches and his smile whilst walking out of the Oval after the match proved just how much it meant to him.

Cofi Messi.

Welsh Premier League side Aberystwyth Town were next up and the step up in quality from the midweek matches was fairly obvious as we found ourselves two down at half time, although there was very little to choose between the sides before the break. The second period saw the Cofis put the Seasiders under the cosh for long periods but they could only manage a single goal from  Jamie Breese to show for their efforts. Aber are managed by former Town assistant manager Matthew Bishop and it was good to see ‘the Bish’ back at the ground. The Cofis performed really well and I thought Darren Thomas was the best player on the pitch on the day. I’m not sure if he felt he had something to prove his former club but he certainly put their defence under a lot of pressure, running at their defence with his unique box of tricks.

I was in two minds about making the trip to Llangefni as the sun was out at its brightest and the temperature was pretty high. It seems to me that most people complain all year around about the  weather and how badly everybody wants to see the sun but I can guarantee you that you won’t hear me saying it! With no hair on top and freckles all around, the sun is not my friend and so it was very much a last minute decision to head over the Britannia Bridge for the match. I was accompanied by the former Chairman of Vice, who is happily regaining his health after illness, although his recent cruise around the Baltics had hardly helped him, judging from his less than complimentary overview of the trip!

I didn’t enjoy following the action as much as usual in the hot and sticky conditions and felt sorry for players of both teams for having to play in that heat. However, things improved after half time and cooled down a bit and I was glad I’d made the effort to attend as the winning goal, from Darren Thomas, was well worth it, the Cofi Messi finishing with a first time volley from twelve yards after a deep cross from Toby Jones.

I also have to mention how good Llangefni’s ground looks these days. I haven’t been there for a few years and was immediately struck by the improvements they’ve made.  Whereas it had looked quite run down on my last visit, it now looks nice and clean, with excellent facilities. Great stuff and I hope they enjoy a successful season and manage to challenge for promotion back into the Cymru Alliance League.

Not one to shirk a challenge, Iwan had asked another Welsh Premier League side, Bala Town, to pay us a visit and four days after the Llangefni encounter, the players lined up against Colin Caton’s men. I’m sure I won’t need to remind you that the Cofis knocked the Lakesiders out of last season’s Word Cup but since then they’ve gone from strength to strength, finishing as runners up in the Welsh Premier League, just seven points behind TNS and earning themselves a slot in the Europa League qualifying round in the process. They had enjoyed just two weeks off after the end of last term before preparing for their matches with AIK of Sweden and, just like Salford, they looked a tad sharper than the Canaries on the day. The 0-5 scoreline was flattering because we had a number of opportunities to score but their goalkeeper was in marvellous form, making a number of excellent saves, the best to keep out a Nathan Craig free-kick from finding the top right corner of his net.

Despite the strength of the opposition it was good to see Iwan give some of the younger players a run-out in the second half, and I thought Sam Ashworth was particularly impressive. Still just sixteen years of age, he is a real footballer who loves a tackle and I’m sure he’s at the right club to progress

Sam Ashworth. 

further. Like Corrig McGonigle, Sam was with Bangor City last season but it’s always been very difficult for local players to make the breakthrough there, especially under the stewardship of Neville Powell. I imagine that the situation this will only get worse there too for local footballers now that the new owners at Nantporth have taken over. Time will tell, of course, but early indications are that there will be an increasing volume of traffic heading down from the Wirral area over the coming years. Bala are a very strong side and I can see why they pushed TNS so hard last season. The differences between the side were the fitness levels, which were marginal but made such a difference, and their lethality in attack, when they punished three loose balls in midfield by finding the net. 

Llanberis proved resilient opponents in midweek and they even sneaked in front when Guto Llywelyn found the target with an excellent free kick. Iwan had selected a very strong side and, despite the early setback, they responded in kind, dominating most of the match and eventually securing a six-two victory. I spoke with the Darans’ assistant manager Geraint Jones after the match and he told me that Town’s pace and movement had given them real problems, especially in the second period when his players had started to tire. I’m sure there’s a chance this could be a continuing theme throughout the course of the new season, as Iwan certainly has a few flyers in his squad who can prove very difficult to play against.

I’m writing this almost immediately after the side’s latest match, which saw us take on Welsh Champions The New Saints. I don’t think I need to say too much about Craig Harrison’s team as they have become the benchmark for all teams trying to become the best in the country. Craig brought a strong side to the ground last night and I must say they were excellent. Town did well in the first half, entering the break just a goal down but the substitutions made immediately after the restart made a huge difference as the fresh legs gave them the impetus to run away from us and eventually end up 5-0 winners. Despite the scoreline I thought Town competed well and, if truth be told, these friendlies are all about recapturing match fitness and bedding in new players, and I’m sure that, with the amount of running the Cofis did, the former is certainly within reach now!

As hard as it may be to believe, I heard someone saying at the TNS match that the team must have regressed because we defeated them last summer! I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what I was thinking when I heard this but it goes to show that some people do actually look at these fixtures in different ways. I know that I certainly see these matches very differently to how I used to!

Alex Lynch. 

A quick mention to our goalkeeper for the match, Alex Lynch, who helped us out due to a temporary goalkeeping shortage at the Oval. Alex is a former Welsh Under 17 international who starred for Wycombe Wanderers in their Division Two play off penalty shoot-out victory at Wembley last May and very kindly agreed to put the gloves on for us last night. He had an excellent game, and I'm sure it won't be long before he's back in the football league. Thanks and good luck Alex. 

I think it’s brilliant that Iwan wants the players to face the very best opposition and that, just as importantly, he is not afraid to put every one of his squad onto the pitch, no matter what the score, and how strong the other side is. Yes, there is a place for local derbies too, especially now that we have a reserve side but these matches are all about fitness and gelling as a team. I would imagine that playing against strong teams will achieve this much more than by putting ten goals past every side. Of course, it’s always nice to win matches but it’s not the be all and end all at this time of year. 

Mike Jones

It hasn’t all been about what happens on the field since the last blog, because there has been lots going on off it too. The dressing rooms have been given a makeover, the ground  will now be known as the Roberts Oval for the next year, we have new main kit sponsors to be announced soon, new home and away kits, and we’ve even had Nathan Craig cutting the grass in the absence of our groundsman, Wyn Owen, who was on a well-deserved holiday with his family.

Iwan has been keeping me busy by ensuring I’m always keeping the supporters up to date on the club’s website and social media presence and, just as I was about to start writing this blog today, I was able to announce that former Prestatyn goalkeeper Mike Jones has signed for the club. I’m not sure how many hours the manager sleeps but it can’t be much!

Cory Williams.

Finally, I am thrilled that Cory Williams has returned to the Oval for his second spell with us. Cory's an excellent striker and I think he'll be a great success in this team, where I'm sure he'll link up well with the other forwards we have. He's also a really nice guy, comes from Caernarfon, and is without doubt another great addition to the squad!
It’s all go in and around the club but one thing’s for certain as we approach the new season, we’re moving in the right direction….      

New Arrivals, Departures and Effigies.

The 2015/16 season ended for Caernarfon Town on Saturday, 14th May and, as I reported in the last blog, the team signed off in style by clinching the Huws Gray Cymru Alliance League double with victory over Flint Town Utd in the league cup final at Conwy. 

It hardly seems possible that seven weeks have gone by since that sunny and very enjoyable afternoon at the Morfa Ground and yet here we are, just days away from the team’s first pre-season friendly in preparation for the 2016/17 campaign. 

The end of a footballing campaign usually signals a slowing down of the work that goes on at a football club but anyone thinking that this close season has been a time of rest and cigars for the Canaries would be very much mistaken. Far from it in fact and, having been part of the club’s committee for over six years I can honestly say it’s been the busiest time I can recall. I’ll add a caveat here by saying that my main job at the club is press officer and therefore I can only really go by the work that comes my way and I’ve never been so busy! 

Ever since Grahame Austin carried out the final act of last season by lifting the league cup on May 14th, there have been meetings, introductions, announcements, changes in personnel, both on the pitch and off it and of course the usual copious amounts of rumours that always do the rounds at this time of year. Some of these rumours may have had a grain of truth, but all the ones I’ve heard have been way off the mark! 

Modelled on our captain?

As always, I’m slightly behind schedule with the blog and, with the team back in action this Saturday I think it’s about time to catch up and, in so doing, provide a quick overview of what’s been going at the Oval in recent weeks. Before carrying on I must mention that the team’s recent success has seen a surge in interest in the Canaries and it seems that one local entrepreneur has even taken to introduce a range of modelling garden ornaments based around our captain, Grahame Austin. There’s one item that stood out so much in a local gardening centre that I thought it deserved to be shared with you here (left). 

The first big news of the summer was actually announced days prior to the end of the last campaign and, if truth be known, it was probably one of the most positive press releases the club has issued in a long time. Town manager Iwan Williams had made no secret of the fact that he wanted a reserve side and this had become a priority for the club. The reasons behind the importance of a reserve team is obvious so I won’t go over them here but, when he joined us last summer, we simply couldn’t re-introduce the team, for a variety of reasons. This is no longer the case, however, and I have to say that I’ve been especially impressed with the way our manager has gone about the task, beginning with the initial announcement. 

In the initial press release Iwan made it clear that the re-introduction of the reserves was being done to not only to give local young players an opportunity to represent the club but to also become a part of the first team squad: “I’m delighted that I will now not only have a squad of seventeen players to choose from but will have thirty plus, as I’ve always stressed that if you’re good enough and committed then you will get your opportunity.” From a personal point of view, I love watching local players donning the yellow shirt so his words were music to my ears and, judging from the feedback I’ve heard I’m not alone in feeling this way. 

Of course, the question of who would be coaching the team was a matter that needed clarifying and we didn’t have to wait long for the answer as Iwan confirmed that the second team will be training with the first and that his management staff will be strengthened by the arrival of former Penrhyndeudraeth manager Richard Davies, who will also be assisting with the development of the reserves. I believe that bringing Richard to the Oval is a real coup for us as he is highly thought of in local football circles after enjoying a very successful spell at Penrhyn. I’ve only met him once and he seems a really nice guy and, from what I’ve heard, he will be brilliant for us. The only downside with Richard is that he’s a big Everton supporter so we’ll have to mark his card pretty soon on that one, although I’m sure Iwan will have something to say about that, as he’s also a ‘blue’. 

The manager didn’t stop there, however, and he soon announced a trial match for the reserves, which would give all local players the opportunity to join us. There were over thirty players showing their talents at Treborth Playing fields and a number of them have signed for the club, including James Phillips, who the manager is expecting great things of. James played for the reserves under Bryn Williams in recent years and also made a handful of appearances for the first team. I was disappointed when he left because he’s an excellent footballer, with great touch and lots of pace. He’s also a really nice person so it’s great to see him back, and I’m sure he’ll flourish in our present set-up. 

Iwan with our new striker Corrig McGonigle.

In addition to James, there have been three other new additions to the first team squad in recent weeks, all of whom should make a decent impact on the side. Corrig McGonigle was the first summer signing and, although I didn’t know too much about him before he signed, I’ve heard and read plenty about our new striker since!

Corrig scored over a hundred goals last season, in the colours of Pentraeth, Bangor City Youths, Coleg Menai and Welsh Colleges and his netfinding prowess saw him win the prestigious Bob Brodie Trophy for being Anglesey’s top scorer in senior football. Just as impressive is that he won the award by establishing a new goalscoring record in the competition, with sixty four strikes. Daily Post reporter Dave Jones has stated that Corrig is a great signing for the Cofis and that will do for me! This is a link to Dave’s article on the young goalscorer from April of this year: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/corrig-mcgonigle-record-breaking-goal-11257765

Michael Johnston was next to put pen to paper and I definitely know more about him, due mainly to his excellent track record in the Welsh Premier League with Bangor City. Michael won the WPL title and three Welsh Cups whilst with the Citizens and, as a former Tranmere Rovers player and Welsh Under 17’s, 19’s and 23 international he is obviously a class operator who will strengthen the squad. 

Paul Pritchard. 

The latest new signing is goalkeeper Carl Jones, who joins us from Holyhead Hotspur. When Paul Pritchard said he was leaving the club there really was only one replacement I wanted, and it was Carl. I’ve seen him play against us on a number of occasions in recent seasons and he has always been excellent, so I was thrilled when Iwan told me who our new number one would be. Although Carl is still only in his early twenties he already has plenty of experience behind him and I’m sure that Mike Innes will help him develop even further in the future. I’ve mentioned Carl in the blog previously as one of the league’s best goalkeepers and I firmly believe this. He is a real shot-stopper and excellent on crosses and will, I’m sure, be a great success at the Oval. 

We’ve also had departures from the Oval recently, with Paul Pritchard, Kevin Lloyd and Rob Jones all having left, and seeing players leave the club is always the worst part of supporting a team. We can all cope with defeats and setbacks because the next match is only just around the corner but, in most cases, once a player leaves a club, they don’t tend to return so we’ll probably only get to see the guys again when they play against us for other teams, if at all. 

For me, Pritch is the best keeper we’ve had at the Oval in the thirty plus years I’ve followed the club. Russ Hughes, a member of John King’s famous FA Cup team, will always be a favourite of mine but, whilst he was only with the club for a few months, Paul has played for us for six seasons in total and, during that time, he’s been outstanding. He has improved with age and has been a star during his time with us, particularly during his second stint. What a keeper! 

Kevin, Cofi through and through

Kevin Lloyd has returned to Llanrug United and, although a Cofi through and through and desperate to play for the team, he was honest enough to admit that he can’t provide the commitment Iwan needs going forward. Kev phoned me recently and asked me to share a message with everyone, and I hope he won’t mind me saying this, but he sounded close to tears when we spoke. Another who has improved with age. 

Finally, Rob Jones has also left, and whilst he doesn’t have as much history with the club as Pritch and Kev, there can’t be any doubting his commitment to the cause last season. He signed in the days following his virtuoso performance against us for Conwy last September and proved a vital cog in midfield as we won the double. A real gentleman off the field but, according to one local referee I spoke with recently, an absolute handful on it! 

Good luck to all three double winners at their new clubs.

Rob Jones. 

One of the longest, and most arduous treks we have to make as Caernarfon Town supporters is down to Caersws and, although I always enjoy my visits to the actual ground itself, I cannot say the same about the journey there. Therefore, having already volunteered to attend the league’s AGM on behalf of the club, I was less than enamoured to learn it was to be held there in early June. Thankfully, I had fellow Board member Marc Roberts to share the journey with and, against all initial expectations, I had a pretty great day! As a club I think it’s fair to say we haven’t been the best at attending such events and so the league committee would probably have been suspicious at our plan to have no less than five attendees there. The traffic on the way down the A470 was horrendous on the day which held us back by a few minutes and I had to smile when our secretary, Geraint, phoned to say that the league officials were enquiring as to our whereabouts! To be fair, they had reason to be slightly worried as, without Iwan and Nathan Craig in attendance most of the trophies to be handed out would have been left gathering dust! 

Iwan and Nathan pose with their awards at the AGM.

The meeting itself was surprisingly short and it was great to see Iws and Nathan receiving a host of awards. Nathan deservedly won the league’s player of the season and Iwan was full value for his manager of the year award, whilst there were also awards for winning the league and cup. The only negative on the day was one representative of a fellow Cymru Alliance league club flaunting the Domestic Licence certificate in front of me, which I thought was crass and uncalled for.I want to make clear that the individual was not my friend, Mark McKean from Cefn Druids, so I’m sure you can work out from which club he was from!

The fifth Caernarfon Town representative on the day was Terry, who likes to be known these

days as ‘Terry Ten Clubs’ owing to the number of clubs he’s helped out over the years. Having seen him at many grounds across North Wales over the past two seasons and the warm welcome he receives everywhere I know he is very popular amongst officials at other clubs and it seems that his popularity has now extended to the Little Chef restaurant chain, where they have seemingly started placing effigies of him in their dining area. We found one sitting by itself in the ‘Chef’ at Dolgellau (photo, left) and to be fair I think it’s a decent likeness…. 

Matters off the pitch have continued to move apace after a hectic final three weeks to the last campaign. There have been departures from the committee and, thankfully, additions and we’ve been holding regular meetings throughout the close season. It’s not for me to announce official news on my blog but I’m sure that all the changes to the make-up of the committee will be confirmed in due course and I can guarantee everyone that we’re all doing our very best to take the club forward. 

It’s no secret that Iwan asked for certain assurances before committing himself to another campaign with us and we’ve been working hard to ensure that we’re providing everything he needs to take us onto the next level. We know we’ve got the right man in charge of playing matters and we’ve got to match him off the field as well. This is obviously an ongoing matter but a lot has already been done, with more to follow.

Before signing off I feel it's important to thank the supporters and Canaries club members who have been working so hard at the Oval over the last weeks. Things have not been easy due to the recent changes at the club and I would dread to think where we'd be without those who have been helping the committee and it shows how committed everyone is to push the club forward. The same can be said for the groundsman, Wyn Owen, who looks after our pitch so well. I took a photo of the pitch three weeks ago, and it looked amazing even then. (Photo, right.) The club's motto is Un Clwb and how true it is!   

And so that is my very brief overview of what’s been going on at Caernarfon Town since our last competitive match, back in May. The football may have stopped but the Cofis haven’t and I can’t wait to see the team back on the Oval turf this weekend. The visit of Salford City to our ground this Saturday is an exciting prospect and it will be great to see the players again after a very short break. New opposition, new players and a new season. I can’t wait!

Cofi Army!