Seven Stitches and Crazy Days - An Interview with Russ Hughes.

Whenever there are discussions about the best goalkeepers to have played for Caernarfon Town, Russ Hughes is always a prominent future of those debates. John King brought Russ to the Oval in 1986 and he stayed until the 1990/91 season, during which time he firmly established himself as not only one of, if not the, best keeper in our history but also one of the best in non-league football. Russ is still an avid supporter of the club and regularly attends matches at the Oval and I am very pleased to say that I managed to meet him for the first time last January, at our Welsh Cup tie with Rhyl. I am every bit as pleased to say that we have kept in touch since then and have got together with Russ to carry out an exclusive interview for the blog.

So, here we are, an interview with a real legend of the club….

OW: Please tell us about your career in football, from your schooldays onwards.

Russ: “I started out playing football locally in Wallasey for a team called Olympic and played for them up until I was eleven or twelve years of age. Then a spell with Prenton Park Rovers and Tranmere Rovers A and B teams before signing for Tranmere Rovers full time at seventeen. I was there until  until I was twenty one and dropped down to amateur level playing at Vauxhall FC in the West Cheshire League first division. I then signed semi-pro for South Liverpool in the Northern Premier League and returned to Vauxhalls. I joined Caernarfon Town in 1986 and stayed there until 1990-91 before moving on to Stalybridge Celtic in the HFS Loans League/Football Conference for five years, then returned again to Vauxhalls and finished my career with a season at Northwich Victoria.”

OW: Have you always been a goalkeeper Russ or did you play in other positions as well?

Russ: “No, I started playing anywhere down the left being a natural left footer...wing, midfield, fullback, until the age of ten. I reverted to keeper because the goalie we had in the school team was far too small and was causing us to lose games and I just thought I could do better in that position.”

OW: Which team do you support and who is your favourite player?

Russ: “When I was a youth my favourite player was Pele, in fact that whole early seventies team were my heroes. My favourite goalkeeper has always been Gordon Banks. That save, from my other hero's goal-bound header.....incredible! I've supported Everton from an early age but follow Tranmere and Caernarfon closely too.”

OW: Who were the biggest influences on your footballing career?

Russ: “John King certainly influenced my career in many ways and Gordon West, my goalkeeper development coach at Tranmere, influenced the way I played.”

OW: How did your move to Caernarfon Town come about?

Russ: “I was playing at Vauxhalls FC at the time. I got a call from John King to ask if I was available to cover for Neil McAdam who'd suffered a knee injury and that it was for Caernarfon Town. I said I could and JK asked me to meet him for a goalkeeping training session in Birkenhead Park the next afternoon. He was happy with what he saw and told me to be ready to play the following night. I played over two hundred and fifty games during my time at Caernarfon and have been told recently that I may top the list of most games played for the club, but I’m not sure if that is true or not.

OW: Did you know any of the players when you arrived at Caernarfon?

Ray: “Obviously, as I've said earlier, I knew JK well and also Steve Craven who was at Tranmere when I was there. Phil Wilson would pop into Tranmere's physio room for treatment too so I knew of him.”

OW: What did you know of Caernarfon Town before you joined?

Russ: “I knew of the club and that JK was there. When I watched a game at South Liverpool, who i'd just signed for that day, it was versus Caernarfon.”

OW: Can you remember your first match for the Cofis?

Russ: “My first match was at short notice against Chorley away, a mid-week fixture under floodlights. If I remember correctly I had a steady game but we lost 1-0. I was beaten by a fierce shot that flew through a crowded box into the top corner off the underside of the bar. Even though we lost that game, I saw straight away that the team had potential. All JK's teams like to play the passing game and that was evident from my first match.”

OW: What do you recall of the qualifying rounds that got the team to the first round proper of the FA Cup in 1986/87?

Russ: “I recall playing lots of games in the run up to the first round proper, many of them replays. One sticks in my mind, I think it was away at Eastwood. There was a big hostile home crowd expecting an easy win and when they found their team on the losing side they were not happy at all!! We played really well. I made a save late on that would have levelled the tie, when we were 2-1 up. I went behind the goal to retrieve the ball and one of the crowd threw a handful of gravel from the terraces into my face. The karma moment was when I kicked the goal kick up field and we proceeded to score again, killing their chances of progressing. Walking off, another member of their fans spat in my face as I went down the tunnel?? Crazy day that was!”

OW: As the side progressed through the rounds, did you feel that something special was happening?

Russ: “JK's philosophy was never to look too far ahead. A won cup game would be "put in the cupboard" so to not distract from the league games and opened up when the time comes. Personally I felt we could do something special after the first round game against Stockport County. That game proved to me that although professional teams are a bit fitter the football played is the same. If we defended well, with the front line we had, we were always going to be in with a chance. The town of Caernarfon was suddenly on the map again and cameras from all channels wanted to record what was happening!”

OW: What do you remember of the three FA Cup matches against football league opposition?

Russ: “The Stockport game was tight with very few chances on either side. The back four was solid, and our midfield busy closing down, in the end I felt they just committed too many players forward in their push to get a goal. We broke out of defence one time in the second half and sent Austin Salmon into the channel to score. I didn't really feel any pressure in that game, even though we defended for most of it.

The York game at home was again very tight and cagey but this time we had a bigger crowd that gave a buzz of excitement around the Oval. Both sides defended well and neither side really got the upper hand, having the odd chance here and there. After the final whistle you could feel the atmosphere around the club had changed, the town itself had an upbeat feel to it. The replay a few days later was an immense occasion for Caernarfon Town. I remember well turning into York's ground and a hundred or so York fans ridiculing the old team coach we arrived in, bellowing smoke from the exhaust as we came to a stop (it was well past it's use-by date). Ken Jones was our coach driver. Little did we know at that point that we'd be having the last laugh later. The game itself was exciting. Again a bigger crowd, including up to three hundred Caernarfon fans who'd made the trip. They were fantastic and made plenty of noise to keep us going. We had to take quite a bit of pressure for the first part of the half. I came out of goal and plucked a cross off their forwards head and we collided in the air gashing my eyelid which needed stitching, but I was quickly patched up by sponge man Ian Humphreys so I could play on. After that I punted the ball towards Ray Woods, it evaded the fullback and put Ray in down the wing free to cross into the box and bundled over the line by Austin Salmon to make it 1-0. York's fans went silent, our fans went absolutely crazy for the rest of the half. Half time team talk by JK tells us to keep our defensive shape and keep playing our football. Second half much the same, back four at full stretch but holding out, and I had to make a few saves. Then once again we break out, Steve Craven is put through and we score again. From then on we take a barrage of attacks from York, who miss chance after chance before finally getting a goal back, then they missed a couple more. When the whistle went for full time York fans applauded us off the pitch along with our ecstatic group of fans. That moment of going to the fans to applaud their support lives with me to this day. I felt proud of what the club had achieved that night.

The Barnsley games were up another level again. Better players of a higher standard and again bigger crowds. I felt the pressure of expectation for the first time and everyone was expecting another win, literally willing us on. Barnsley were a good team with some seasoned players. We did really well as a unit to keep a clean sheet but never really tested their keeper. The replay was harsh, we played really well but couldn't pinch a goal for our efforts. We eventually conceded the goal that put us out of the competition late on in the second half, scored by Roger Wilde with a powerful header from about the penalty spot that gave me little chance of saving. Our dreams were over until  next time.”

OW: What are your thoughts on that FA Cup side Russ?

Russ: “The FA cup team was made up from players JK was familiar with from Tranmere and Northwich. Players like Ken Jones, Steve Craven, Dave Wignall, Ray Woods, Bobby Tynan, Phil Wilson and myself. Most played at a higher standard than the Northen Premier for many years before joining JK at the Oval. We had three regular welsh players, Huw Williams the tower of strength at centre half and two full backs, Glyn Griffiths (who played the whole campaign with his shin bone metal plated...he delayed the operation to have it removed so he could carry on playing out the season!? What a guy!) and Robyn Jones. And there were a few appearances made by a young Stuart Williams also.”

OW: What type of manager was John King and what made him so special?

Russ: “JK was what they refer to as a players manager, he knew how to get the best out of each player. He loved the passing game, was passionate about football and would infect you with his love for the game. He was very well respected by other managers and connected with a lot of players he could call on when needed. He was very philosophical in his thinking and had many football related sayings that would explain his feeling about the game ahead. He was a student of Bill Shankly no doubt as he a large portrait of him in his office at Prenton Park.”

OW: What made that FA Cup side so special in your eyes Russ?

Russ: “All great teams have a good atmosphere around the dressing room and training ground and the '86 team was no different. Everyone got on really well, so we ended up as a solid unit that would work hard for each other. Back four were really solid. Full backs, Glyn Griffiths, Dave Higgin's and Robyn Jones, all of them pacey and hard tacklers. Centre Backs Huw Williams, Ken Jones and Bobby Tynan, I could write a paragraph for each of them. Very strong and skillful with a ton of experience between them. Midfielders, the Dave's, Martindale and Wignall, box to box players with great passing abilities and free kicks. Wingers, Ray Woods and Phil Wilson, constant headaches for any defender, and fed the strike force of Steve Craven and Austin Salmon. The last six players I mentioned all had a goal in them which gave us many options in attack.”

OW: Were you disappointed that we didn’t draw one of the really big First Division sides in the third round?

Russ: “I wasn't disappointed because I personally felt that we had more chance to progress with the lower league teams than a big team. Barnsley to me was a good draw from the hat. Yeah a big club would have been good, but I preferred to keep my feet firmly on the ground at the time.”

OW: What are your memories from your time at the club?

Russ: “I have lots of memories and constant reminders too. I remember how packed the Oval was for the Barnsley game, inside and out, with some onlookers on roof tops. The rivalry with Bangor City, they were always hard fought matches that sometimes got out of hand. Having the legend Tommy Smith as my manager, he was a really nice guy that was nothing like his media image. Getting to the semi-final of the Welsh Cup against Cardiff City and getting to play against Alan Curtis. Being asked by Dai Davies if I was eligible to be cover goalkeeper for the Welsh national side (Sadly I wasn't). Saving a penalty from Frank Worthington who was player/manager against us at the time when the score was 2-2. We won with a last minute goal too! Hearing Caernarfon Town mentioned on the ‘Saint & Greavsie Show’. I also remember when it took over three hours from my home to get to the Oval, along the old country roads, through, rather than round, Conway. Lastly I have a scar across my eyelid, with seven stitches, from the York City game I mentioned earlier. People often ask how I got it and I wear it with pride.”

OW: What was the Oval like in the days you played on it?

Russ: “When I played the first season at the Oval it wasn't a good playing surface at all.It was what we would call a leveller, Bumpy in places, boggy in one corner. No matter how good a team was the pitch would flatten the skills level and equal the game a bit. JK insisted that the pitch be worked on, to give the lads a chance to play a passing style at home like we did at away matches on better surfaces. We had to change the way we played a bit at the Oval, be a bit more direct. It did improve gradually through the season but still not a patch on the surface that they have now. It's been good to see the improvements to the whole ground over the years.” 

OW: How often do you get down to the ground Russ?

Russ: “I've been down to see a few games over the last ten years and also played two matches with other former Town players on the Oval. “

The Reunion and thoughts on the present Caernarfon Town side. Russ travelled down to see the present side in action twice last season. The first was for the Welsh Cup tie with Rhyl and then, a few weeks later, he was present for the FA Cup side’s thirty year reunion, and saw us defeat Holywell 6-2. Russ completed a hat-trick of victorious visits to the ground just a month later when he once again kept goal for Caernarfon Town in a legends match. It was good to see that Russ had lost none of his nimble footwork and excellent handling as he kept a clean sheet against the opposition. But really, for those of us lucky enough to have seen him play for us all those years ago, a clean sheet was no surprise at all.  

OW: Did you enjoy the present team's match on the day of the reunion and what do you think of the side that has been put together?

Russ: “I always enjoy travelling down to Caernarfon to catch a game at the Oval and have been following closely what the club has been trying to achieve. You’ve built up a good base with the academy set up and this will most certainly benefit the club for the future. The club has also gathered together a good first team squad of players that want to pass the ball and play a game with the passion that the fans expect. I fully expect them to get the desired promotion to the Premier this season.”

OW: Did any of the players impress you when you saw the side last season?

Russ: “The whole team put on a fine display that day, but generally I have been impressed with players such as Nathan Craig, who has that classic left boot, Darren Thomas, who has lovely dribbling skills and can pick out the decisive pass to set up for others. Strong and solid at the back is Gareth Edwards, who marshals the defence well. Jay Gibbs also stands out as one of those that plays with the passion I spoke of earlier, constantly wants to be on the ball and moves it around the pitch quickly. Jamie Breese has pace and has an eye for goal. It’s all exciting to watch.”

OW: How did you enjoy the reunion with our FA Cup side a few months ago, and how nice was it to meet up with your former team-mates, and also Mr King's family?

Russ: “Yes it was a great evening put on by the club. I was amazed how many made the trip down for the night. I had a good catch up with the lads and was nice to have JK's family present to experience the love Caernarfon Town has for him and what he did for the club.”

OW: Did you enjoy watching the FA Cup video on the night, and did it bring back a few memories for you? 

Russ: “It was great to watch the old footage again. The video captured perfectly the atmosphere around the club and town with all the media attention our results had attracted. As for memories of the games I took part in, they are still as fresh as the day they happened.”

OW: You returned to the ground a few weeks after the reunion to take part in a legends match, how did it feel to be back in goal for Caernarfon Town at the Oval? 

Russ: “I really enjoyed the game and playing with some of my old team mates.... Stu Clinch and Stu Williams, Alan Schuey, it was always going to be fun.”

OW: And how did it feel to keep another clean sheet for the Cofis?

Russ: “I did have a good back four to help me out, but yeah, it’s always good not to concede a goal especially when you're playing in a ‘Legends’ side.”

Huge thanks to Russ for answering all these questions, which just goes to prove that not only was he a great goalkeeper for Caernarfon Town but he is also a great guy and a real ambassador for the club. 

*Thanks to Richard Birch for the photographs of Russ in his playing days with Caernarfon Town. 

Resignation, Fighting Back and Long Live the King.

November was full of shocks, surprises and challenges on and off the field for Caernarfon Town and I think it’s safe to say that the club dealt with it, got on with it and thrived.

I’ll get straight down to the business end and say that Iwan’s decision to leave the club for Llandudno stung me but was not totally unexpected. When he told me he was going I felt a mixture of disappointment and frustration, mostly because he and the club had come a long way together in two and a half years and, as far as I could see, we were on the cusp of something special. Our former manager has already shared his reasons on why he left and I can certainly understand them, although I would like to think that he could one day have achieved all his managerial goals at the Oval.

Once his decision was announced, immediately after our 4-1 Welsh Cup victory over Berriew, social media was inevitably fairly bouncing along with the news and it was good to see the excellent reaction from Caernarfon supporters who were quick to thank him for everything he had done for the club. The reaction was a no brainer really as Iwan was a very popular figure with all the club’s stakeholders and his track record at the helm speaks for itself. In two seasons he led us to the Cymru Alliance League title (and runners-up), two league cup triumphs and a first Welsh Cup semi-final in twenty nine years. Impressive by any standards but particularly so when taking into account that this was his first management job in the game.  

When I met Iwan for a photoshoot to announce his appointment as Lee Dixon’s successor I remember him telling me how nervous he was at taking on such a big job but he of course he proved more than up to it and not only brought success on the field but transformed the professionalism at the club, which has in turn helped drive us forward. The title and cup successes have of course been wonderful but equally as important is the ‘One Club’ ethos he brought to the Oval. It has become synonymous with Caernarfon Town Football Club because it’s not just a soundbite, it actually means something, to us as a club and also to the community.

Darren Thomas bagged another brace against Berriew.

I read a disappointing comment on social media from a Cymru Alliance manager who suggested Iwan should have shown more loyalty to us and stayed on to see us reach the top tier. The loyalty aspect of the comment was not something I can agree with because, in my opinion he showed his loyalty tenfold during the course of his tenure and especially after we were denied promotion due to matters that were beyond his control. I am certain that other clubs would have been only too willing to snap him up during the summer of 2016 but he decided to stay on and that’s what I would call loyalty.

A more interesting comment I read, and something I am much more inclined to agree with, was that moving from Caernarfon to Llandudno is akin to moving from Aston Villa to Watford. The comparison is clear: Watford are in the EPL but Villa are a bigger club with more potential IF they can get things right on and off the field. Sounds familiar and about right to me and it’s now up to everyone at our club to make sure that we get everything in place to reach the top tier and start making some noise once we’re there. We’ve already shown over the past three years that the team is more than a match for most Welsh Premier League sides and the goal now is to get up there and go for it!

Iwan after last season's league cup final.

Iwan has been brilliant for Caernarfon Town in every way and, as the club’s media officer, it has been an absolute joy getting to know and to work with him. From that first photoshoot to our final post-match interview against Berriew it’s been plain sailing all the way and we’ve had lots of fun as well. I honestly believe he’s going to be a huge success at his new club but I’ve already told him he’d better get all his victories and successes as soon as possible because once we’re in the top tier no one at Caernarfon Town Football Club will be looking to just make up the numbers!

Finally on this matter, I have to say I was less than enamoured with how Llandudno went about releasing the news, or rather their attempt to bully us into an announcement on their terms. In short, they contacted me five minutes before they were planning to publish their announcement which, as far as I am concerned, was unfair on our supporters and us as a club. I had understood that Caernarfon Town Football Club would be making the announcement later in the evening and so to be told by Llandudno’s media officer that they were going to break the news in five minutes time was unacceptable. I obviously made my views clear and thankfully sense and decency prevailed and we managed to co-ordinate the announcement but the matter has certainly put my guard up where Llandudno is concerned. We may not be in the top tier yet but we like to try and act as professional as possible, which is what we’d expect from all clubs, especially those in the WPL.     

Ain't Nobody Like Sean Eardley.....

So, our 4-1 victory over Berriew, where Darren Thomas continued his fine recent form with a brace, in Iwan’s last match meant we were through to the third round of the Welsh Cup, were top of the league and now looking for a new manager! Two words immediately came to mine, and from what I know, all the other Board members’ thoughts as well: Sean Eardley. Eards joined us as assistant manager during the summer and, although he’s only been at the Oval for a few months, he’s made a big impact at the club. Highly-respected in the North Wales football scene after a successful time with Alan Morgan at Llandudno, Eards has an infectious personality and a real spark about him. 

As a Liverpool supporter of a certain age I have always believed that promoting from within is the best way to go but of course it does not always guarantee success. For every Bob Paisley there is a Ray Harford, John Carver and Craig Shakespeare but I believe the key to ensuring it works is to do it when the team is in a strong position. When Liverpool experienced such huge success in the seventies and eighties and promoted from within, they were on top and doing well. And this is why I firmly believe Sean will be a huge success as manager of Caernarfon Town. We’ve got a very good squad that to me is a match for everyone in the Welsh pyramid and when you have someone of Sean’s experience and enthusiasm taking over of the reigns, I believe there’s an excellent chance he will continue the success we’ve enjoyed in recent seasons.

Richard Davies

Whilst we all wanted Sean to take on the job we still needed to ask if he wanted it so we met with him and Richard Davies and were delighted that he was indeed up for the challenge and would love a crack at taking us up to the Welsh Premier League. Richard was to step up as his assistant with Mike Innes coming in as coach and from what I have heard from the players and supporters, everyone felt as excited as we were with the news.

It seems to me that Richard often gets overlooked by people outside the club but he has been a highly successful manager himself with Penrhyn and is another well-respected figure in the area who brings a lot to the set up. Mike of course has been with us for a few years and it’s great to see him join the management team after a spell out following an operation. So, just two days after Iwan’s resignation we were in a position to announce his successor and, as expected, the news was very well received by the club’s stakeholders.

Sean, Richard and Mike’s first challenge as our new management team was a trip to second-placed Airbus UK for a meeting of the league’s top two sides up to that point. We all know that the Wingmakers have had a decent run in the Welsh Premier League, and were in fact runners up for two successive seasons recently, with many people seeing them as favourites for promotion this year. They were just two points behind us before the match and after twenty minutes it seemed inevitable that they’d overtake us as they raced into an early three-goal lead.

So impressive had the hosts been that when Fosu-Mensah put them three goals ahead I feared an embarrassing scoreline was on the cards. They were excellent during the first quarter of the match but Town dug deep and found a way to stem the tide. Then, slowly but surely, we started getting a foothold in the match and had gained parity, possession-wise at least, when he half time whistle sounded. I’m sure that Sean would have wished for better circumstances for his first half-time talk but whatever he said worked because the team was transformed after the break.

Gaz Edwards

The introduction of Gareth Edwards and Jay Gibbs for the restart had a massive impact on proceedings as Gaz stopped the supply to dangerman Fosu-Mensah whilst Jay produced an amazing forty five minutes in the number ten role to drag the team back into contention. Having already gone close to pulling a goal back on a number of occasions, once Gaz scored in the sixty third minute there was a real feeling that we could go on and salvage a point.

Darren Thomas set Danny Brookwell up to further reduce the deficit and the highlight of the afternoon arrived in the closing minutes when Jay Gibbs produced a stunning free-kick from all of thirty yards that flew through a crowded penalty area and past Airbus stopper Coughlin, much to the delight of the travelling Cofi  Army. It was a top drawer goal from Jay to cap off one of the best halves of football I’ve seen from a Caernarfon side and the midfielder can quite rightly claim to have been the catalyst for it. We very nearly found time for a winner too when Darren Thomas danced through the Airbus defence but stubbed his foot as he was about to strike with just Coughlin to beat. For once Messi could not quite manage to find the net, but at least it showed that he’s human!

Jay Gibbs.

So, a thrilling fightback by the Cofis that showed the determination that runs through the side and I cannot think of many, if any, other teams in the league who could have secured a point after such a tough opening twenty five minutes or so. It goes without saying that we were all thrilled to get a point but it was interesting to see that the players seemed disappointed to not have won all three.

In fact, I also found out that there were one or two members of the Airbus fraternity who were just as disappointed as our players. Whilst waiting for Sean for our first post-match interview I was approached by one of the host directors who offered me some advice on how to behave at football matches. I won’t bore you with the finer details of our conversation but I gathered that he had not been too pleased with me celebrating Jay’s equaliser in front of the Airbus supporters, who I was walking past at the time. I don’t really expect, or require, life-lessons at football matches and we agreed to disagree, although I’m still not sure what the finer points of his advice were. Nothing could dampen my excitement at the side’s thrilling fightback however and, just as I was carrying out an interview with Jay for the club’s youtube channel, we were plunged into darkness as the stadium lights were switched off. Of course it was pure bad timing as we had to stop the interview in in mid flow but It’s much more fun to imagine that it was one final show of mock defiance from a disappointed member of the Airbus board!

Things would not get any easier for our new management team as our next opponents were our old friends from Halkyn Road. Holywell may not have been in the top tier for a few years but they’re certainly one of the most respected sides in North Wales. There are never any easy matches against them, especially under the guidance of John Haseldin and regular readers of this blog will be aware that I have taken part in some banter with the Wellmen’s manager in the past. Whilst it’s also true that Caernarfon Town supporters enjoy a ‘special’ relationship with him, there can be no doubt that he has done a great job with the club. We may have a great record over Holywell in recent seasons but not many clubs can say that and their visit to the Oval promised to be another thriller for the spectators.

Preparing for the Holywell match.

A good start to proceedings was required and the Cofis got one, racing to a two goal lead, courtesy of goals from Rhys Roberts and Clive Williams. We eventually ran out 4-2 winners with Rhys grabbing a second and Jay Gibbs wrapping up the points from the penalty spot but the Wellmen made the Cofis work hard for the points, with former Town striker Steve Lewis a handful all afternoon. It made me smile to hear him complaining with the referee after the match, and later on social media, that he should have had more decisions go his way because that’s exactly the kind of thing he’d say after a defeat when he played for us.

Rhys Roberts netted twice against Holywell. 

An interesting point about our goals on the day is that three of them came through headers directly from set-pieces, which is quite rare for us. I believe the players have been working on this aspect of play since the summer and it paid off against Holywell, who struggled with deliveries to their far post. Rhys Roberts was man of the match and quite right too. His two goals were invaluable on the day, but also his contribution at the back, where he partnered Gareth Edwards, was very impressive. Rhys was in and out of the side earlier in the campaign but has now cemented his place in the starting line-up and although he seems a quiet individual, he is quite obviously a leader and, as far as I’m concerned, no team can ever have enough of those.

As an added bonus to the afternoon, we heard that Airbus had lost at Denbigh and so our lead at the top of the league had extended to five points, although it’s worth noting that Denbigh have suddenly, and very quietly, climbed the table in recent weeks and are presently in second position.

The players enjoyed two weeks off after the victory over Holywell and I’m sure would have been counting the hours, or minutes, to our next match, a Welsh  Cup encounter with Welsh Premier League side Barry Town United, in front of the Sgorio cameras. This competition was very good to the club last season as we reached the semi-finals stage and enjoyed impressive victories over top tier outfits Carmarthen and Rhyl before eventually bowing out to Bala in a thriller at the Corbett Sports Stadium.

The Sgorio cameras at the Barry Town Cup tie.  

The Rhyl and Bala matches had been broadcasted live by Sgorio and had given the club plenty of exposure, and given the players a platform to show that they belong amongst the elite in Wales. Our tie with Barry was the standout fixture of the round and we were delighted that Sgorio had picked it as the live match of the weekend.

I was disappointed to learn that Jay Gibbs and Darren Thomas would be unavailable for the tie but still felt the squad had enough to win. It was never going to be easy but with the players of the calibre of Nathan Craig and Gareth Evans returning to the side it proved that Sean had quality options for the big match and that, despite the absence of two influential players, the starting eleven looked more than capable of getting the result we wanted.

There can be no doubt that the television cameras adds something to match day at the Oval, probably because we rarely have them at our ground, and the feeling I had as kick off approached was one of expectancy and not a little apprehension. It was good to see Iwan Williams at the match in his role as a guest analyst for Sgorio, and whilst I found it odd that he wasn’t wearing his Caernarfon Town tracksuit, I was not surprised to hear his positive comments about the team and club when I watched the coverage later that night.

Celebrating Breesey's opener.

The action got off to a frantic start and the visitors felt hard done by when Kayne Mclaggon stumbled in the penalty area in the second minute but the referee waved away his penalty shout. Jamie Breese showed Mclaggon how it should be done ninety seconds later when he took possession of a Brookwell pass on the edge of the penalty area and skipped past a defender before firing past Mike Lewis in front of the Rondo Stand. The Cofi Army loves Breesey, as do I, and in addition to putting us ahead, I thought he had one of his best matches in a Caernarfon shirt on the day. His first touch was excellent and, as always, he put in a hefty shift, constantly occupying the thoughts of the vistors’ backline with his intelligent running and impressive workrate. The goal gave the Cofis the belief to go toe to toe with Barry and we went on to dominate the first half, forcing visiting stopper Lewis into numerous saves, most notably to deny Nathan Craig and Gareth Edwards. When Nathan Craig secured a deserved second goal, it was one of the best I’ve ever seen anywhere, never mind at the Oval. I know everyone who is reading this will have already seen the goal and so won’t need reminding how special it was but, just to remind you, here’s the link to Sgorio’s video of the magical moment:  https://twitter.com/sgorio/status/937344995266195456 

Sean and Nathan taking a breather against Barry Town Utd.

It was a stunning strike by Nathan and something he is always capable of. I believe Nathan is one of the best players in Wales and we are lucky enough to see him score this type of goal for us on a regular basis so it was great that the cameras were there to share this one around the country. Our captain will always attract attention from those with an interest in the Welsh pyramid system because he is a special talent and has a real pedigree in the game and goals like this will just add to his already massive reputation.

Barry seemed to improve in the second half but Caernarfon were still on top and, although we didn’t manage to find the target after the break, I don’t think anyone could argue with the 2-0 scoreline. I was quite near the dugout at the end of the match and Sean and Richard were kicking every ball with the players as they saw the match out, and how good must it have been for our new manager to hear the Cofi Army giving their new chant of ‘Ain’t Nobody Like Sean Eardley’ an airing?

Sean enjoys the final moments of his side's impressive victory

in the televised Welsh Cup tie.

Nathan Craig was named man of the match by television commentator Malcolm Allen whilst Kevin Roberts was the supporters pick but, in all honesty, everyone wearing a Caernarfon shirt on the day could have had a legitimate claim for the accolade. Barry are a good side and are a perfect example of a Welsh Premier League outfit; Big and Strong but maybe a little uncomfortable on a real football pitch. That’s not being disrespectful to them, just an opinion that the FAW’s preference for teams to play on synthetic surfaces is having an adverse effect on them when they revert back to grass pitches. Something that stood out on the day for me was how well Barry manager Gavin Chesterfield spoke on camera after the match and, unlike Rhyl’s manager last season after we beat them, he refused to blame the referee or anyone else for their defeat, making it clear that the Cofis deserved victory. A class act.

As I carried out my post-match interview with our new manager I was reminded of a famous old saying: ‘The King is Dead, long live the King’.

The new King at the Oval is Sean Eardley, and he’s already proving that he knows how to rule.

James Bond, Cofi Messi and the Serial Whistleblower.

Visits to Guilsfield are always tough, from the long and winding roads I’ve mentioned in the past, to taking on a home side that can turn over allcomers on their day. Despite the Cofis having enjoyed an impressive unbeaten run of ten matches, which included six successive victories leading up to our trip to Powys, I still felt that a point against the Guils would be a good one and, as things unfolded at the Community Centre Ground, I cannot say I was disappointed with the 2-2 draw the teams played out.

Caernarfon began the match well enough and, having peppered Gresford’s goal in the opening exchanges, Jay Gibbs put us ahead courtesy of a free-kick that took a deflection off the wall on its way into the net. At that time I half-expected Town to push on and possibly increase our lead before the break but it did not pan out this way and, in fact, there were signs that the Guils were in the mood to cause an upset. I liked their midfield duo of Andy Ford and Chris Cathrall but thought that the former was lucky to stay on the pitch after a high challenge on Darren Thomas midway through the first period.

I enjoy seeing players tackling, and one of the things I have come to dislike about the game today is the referees’ overuse of their whistles, most of them finding a reason to stop play whenever two players of opposing teams are within five feet of each other. Andy Harms is a fine example of this type of official but, on this occasion, he decided to keep his whistle dry, so to speak, which was surprising as the tackle was reckless in my opinion. The referee’s decision was not the reason Caernarfon seemed to lose their way slightly for the remainder of the half, but it’s worth mentioning that Mr Harms had another one of his inconsistent afternoons at Guilsfield, with a number of decisions being made that puzzled both sets of players, and supporters.

It was in huge contrast to the refereeing display we had seen seven days earlier when we played Lex at the Oval, when Cheryl Foster had once again impressed with her common sense approach to the action. Maybe she can give Mr Harms a few pointers?

Yet another stoppage by the referee....

Alex Ramsay came to Caernarfon’s rescue on a number of occasions as the hosts took control of the match, whilst Brookwell and Breese went close to doubling our lead. A quickfire Asa Hamilton double midway through the second period put the hosts ahead and from that point on, the Cofis struggled to get back on level terms. A late substitution by Iwan saw Kevin Roberts enter the fray and this seemed to do the trick for Town as he provided some impetus in midfield and a decent period of pressure paid off when Jay Gibbs headed in the equaliser. There was still time for a winner and whilst Town was the only team looking to get it, Guilsfield deservedly held on for a share of the spoils. Whilst hanging around after the final whistle for post-match interviews I could sense that the Town players were frustrated but, taking all things into consideration, a draw against the Guils on their own ground is a decent enough return.

The biggest disappointment as far as I was concerned was the performance of my satnav, which has definitely had better afternoons! I’m slightly embarrassed to confess to using it for a trip I’ve made on many occasions but did so in the hope that it might find an alternative, and faster, route than the usual journey from hell. To be fair, it did its job and got me to the ground, and did indeed take me on an alternate route, but only after a trip through Bala, a seemingly endless barrage of villages and a massive near-miss incident on the way down a dirt track that felt steeper than the drop James Bond faced in that opening scene in Goldeneye! 

Another tough trip awaited us seven days later as we travelled the short distance to Porthmadog, where Craig Papyrnik and his players awaited us for a second battle of the season at ‘Y Traeth’. We had inflicted a league defeat on Port earlier in the season courtesy of a late Darren Thomas strike and so their players will have been delighted to have an early opportunity to avenge that reverse.

The sprinklers were not required in Porthmadog.

The weather in the days leading up to the league cup tie had not been good, and the forecast was even worse, with heavy showers and very strong winds promised for the Saturday. It seemed to me  there was more than a decent chance the tie would be called off due to the conditions and I must have checked Port’s twitter feed every twenty seconds after waking up that morning. Despite my misgivings the referee’s call that the match could be played was the correct one and, during a decent first time showing by the Cofis, I was more than pleased with the decision. Despite the poor weather, Caernarfon were on top for most of the half and created a number of goalscoring opportunities, none of which they could put away. Predictably, we were made to pay for it with an improved second half showing from the hosts, who clinched the tie by scoring twice in three minutes after the break. The opener came immediately after Jamie Breese’s exit through injury and whilst I did not think Port were that much better than us, they deserved to win and it was good to see Cai Jones playing so well for them, the former Town striker enjoying a deeper role than usual and pulling the strings for the hosts.

The defeat meant an end to Caernarfon’s eleven match unbeaten run but what was particularly disappointing was that it marked the end of our two year hold on the League Cup. Of course the management staff has made absolutely clear on more than one occasion that the team’s only priority this season is to win the league and thus gain promotion, but it still doesn’t ease the disappointment of getting knocked out of a cup, especially when you’re the holders. Iwan had been unavailable for the match and so I carried out my usual post match interview with his assistant, Sean Eardley and was pleased that he pulled no punches when discussing the afternoon’s action. I always tend to ignore post match interviews on the television because the managers and players are afraid to say anything that may stray from the usual party lines but I believe we’re lucky at Caernarfon that the management team is honest and happy to discuss things in a straightforward way. It’s what the supporters want to hear and if they’re not being honest with their appraisals then what’s the point?

Sean Eardley was honest in his appraisal after the Port match. 

Yet another away cup tie awaited the team three days later and, as if recent trips to Guilsfield and Porthmadog had not been tough enough, this time the hosts were Welsh Champions The New Saints. The competition was the Nathaniel MG Cup and a semi-final berth awaited the victors. I was extremely disappointed to have to miss the match due to work commitments and was reliant on club president John Watkins to keep me abreast of the latest developments via text. I feared the worst when his first message arrived four minutes into the match and we were already a goal down and although I’ve seen plenty of Caernarfon Town sides capitulate against TNS over the years I still felt this current squad of players would dig deep and give the champions a run for their money.

This is exactly what they did and, having enjoyed parity with the hosts for the majority of the match, it took a late second goal to finally secure the holders’ passage to the next round. I arrived home from work with around twenty minutes of the match remaining and put on TNS radio in the hope of listening to the final stages. Unfortunately, despite hooking up immediately to the channel, I heard very little action being described and even less mention of Caernarfon Town and any of our players. Of course, I understand that any club’s radio station will always concentrate on its own team but I would have appreciated hearing a bit more about how we were playing, and not just the hosts. I have met the commentator, TNS media man, Stewart Bloor, and read his excellent blog regularly but recall mentioning after a friendly between the sides two years ago that he did not give Caernarfon the credit they deserved in his commentary that day and whilst I understand it can’t be an easy job, I hope that he might be able to give us at least a few mentions when we next play them, hopefully some time next season!

Despite the lack of information garnered through the radio I have been reliably informed that Caernarfon were impressive and matched up well to their hosts, showing what the Cofi Army already know, that we have a side capable of playing in the Welsh Premier League. I believe all our players are technically gifted and it would suit us to play on artificial pitches, as proved when we deservedly defeated Llandudno on their own ground earlier this season. As a traditionalist I can’t say that I agree with the FAW’s preference for these plastic pitches but, from a purely business point of view, it does make a lot of sense. The pros are many, from requiring less maintenance to providing an excellent training facility and a probable income stream, it ticks many boxes and I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before most clubs in the top two tiers will have 3G/4G pitches at their grounds.
After a challenging run of matches on the road we were back at the Oval for our next test, a tough-looking encounter with Gresford. Followers of the league will know that their manager, Steve Halliwell, has done a superb job since taking over at Clappers Lane early last season. He stepped into the post after Eddie Maurice Jones left the club for Denbigh last November and turned the side from a bottom half outfit to one that ended the season third in the league. They may have lost their opening four league matches of this campaign but arrived at the Oval full of confidence on the back of an undefeated seven match run, five of which they had won.

As an added point of interest, I had found out during the week that Darren Thomas was just one netbuster away from securing his hundredth goal for the club and I knew he would be all out to reach the milestone in front of the Oval faithful. I cannot pretend to be a font of all Caernarfon Town knowledge and must thank the club’s historian, and a lifelong supporter, Ian Garland for providing me with Darren’s goals tally. Ian co-authored the ‘Canaries Sing Again’ book in the eighties and is always ready to help with any and all information regarding the Cofis. He was a massive help to me when I wrote Oval Ways three years ago and a great friend to the club, so it was thanks to his record keeping skills that we knew how close Darren was to reaching his ton.

Breesey celebrates his second goal against Gresford.

After an exciting start to the match that saw both sides set a blistering pace, Nathan Craig put Town ahead with his thirteenth goal of the season and from that point onwards Caernarfon bossed the action, racing into a five goal lead before the hour mark and eventually winning by six goals to two. Nathan was voted man of the match and quite rightly so, completing yet another brace for the club when he slotted home from the penalty spot in the second period and Jamie Breese matched his captain’s efforts with a brace of his own. However, Darren Thomas was the star of the show for me as he notched up his hundredth goal for us with a classy strike to put us five ahead. Typically, Darren  was not content with just reaching his fantastic milestone and insisted on having the final word when he popped up at the far post late on to meet a Chris Williams cross and begin his quest for a second century of goals for the Cofis.

Readers of this blog will already know what I think of Darren, and the moniker ‘Cofi Messi’ sums him up perfectly. He is, without doubt, one of the finest footballers to have played for us in the last four decades and when club legends such as Ray Woods and Russ Hughes mention him as a stand-out player after watching us in action last season, then you know there’s something special about him. Incidentally, another former Town player Derek Highdale was also singing Darren’s praises earlier this year and he was a pretty decent ‘number ten’ himself.

The Cofi Messi celebrates his 100th goal for Caernarfon Town.

I’ve seen hundreds of Caernarfon Town matches over the years, both in the English non-league system and the Welsh Pyramid and I can’t remember too many players like Darren, if any at all. His pace, movement, trickery and his eye for goal make him unique and I can imagine he must be an absolute nightmare for opposing defences! If I could point out any weakness with Darren it is that he has thus far refused a post-match interview with me but, fingers crossed, we’ll get one done before long!

So there we have it, a mixed bag for the Cofis that began with a decent away draw and elimination from two cups but ended with Messi’s hundredth goal as we reclaimed top spot in the Cymru  Alliance League.

Next time up I’ll be giving my thoughts on the Welsh Cup, a shock resignation, new manager and a barnstormer at Airbus. Oval Ways and Exciting Days….

Six of the Best!

After last week’s sidestep of posting an exclusive interview with Caernarfon Town legend Ray Woods I’m back on normal blog duty this time around and, such has been my recent lack of activity on here that there’s a decent amount of football to write about!

First of all, however, I need to say how nice it is to know that Andrew Howard, head of competitions at the FAW, reads this blog. In my last regular blog I mentioned how unfair it is that Welsh Premier League clubs receive £28,000 to help fund their Academies whilst clubs outside the top tier receive no financial support from the governing body, even those with full Academy status, such as Caernarfon Town. Mr Howard was kind enough to refer me to an old UEFA article that makes clear  the ‘current principle for youth grants’ as he puts it and, having read the said piece, the only point worth making is that the policy clearly states ‘in principle, the money should be shared equally between all top division clubs concerned in each league or association.’ Obviously, the word here is ‘principle’ and there is no reference to the funds being given ‘exclusively’ to our ‘Top Twelve’ clubs,  although I see that when a member of the Cofi Army mentions this on twitter, the exchange of tweets seems to have come to an abrupt end. It’s good that one of the FAW’s luminaries is so ready to comment on issues raised by grass-roots supporters such as I but if he isn’t prepared to enter into a meaningful discussion about such matters that so obviously confound the governing body’s remit to improve the game at all levels (and not just the top tier) then I’d rather he didn’t bother. To be honest, it just raises more questions. 

Chris Williams and Jamie Breese celebrate with Messi.

Anyway, back to the football that’s been played! The Cofis had just earned a point at Rhyl when I last signed off a normal blog entry and, although the point had seemed more like a defeat than anything else when considering the circumstances that led to the draw (have a look back through this link if you need a reminder of what I’m talking about http://ovalways.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/ ) there was a sense that the frustration of that afternoon would spur the team on to greater things. Iwan had hinted at this in the post-match interview we did at the Corbett Sports Stadium and victories in all six matches since then suggest that he was right!

The players had the perfect opportunity to bounce back from what they probably perceived as a wasted opportunity at Rhyl when Flint Town United came to the Oval seven days later. There have been rumours every summer since we got promoted into the Cymru Alliance League that the Cae y Castell outfit would be spending big money to return to the Welsh Premier League and whether that’s true or not I haven’t got a clue but what I do know is that they always have a good side and so it promised to be an ideal challenge for the Cofis to prove their credentials. The encounter proved just as tough as everyone had predicted and it took a very good performance from Caernarfon, and Darren Thomas in particular, to secure the points. The Cofi Messi netted both goals as he produced a virtuoso display against the Silkmen and such has been his form thus far this season that I believe he’s in the form of his life, certainly in a yellow and green kit. Sports Journalist Dave Jones recently tweeted that he thinks Darren is the best player he’s seen in this league and this in itself says a hell of a lot about his talents and if our number continues this form for the remainder of the season we have some very special moments to look forward to! 

Nathan Craig with the match ball after his hat-trick.

We were back at the Oval four days later for a rare midweek match and Llandudno Junction were the unlucky visitors this time, as they faced high winds, torrential rain and a wrecking ball called Nathan Craig! Junction have struggled this season after an unexpected late promotion from the Welsh Alliance and it is to their credit that they refused the temptation to put eleven men behind the ball from the start, manager Iain Bennett obviously giving his charges the freedom to play football and look for the victory. This probably played into Caernarfon’s hands a bit and once Darren Thomas scored after a fourth minute error from the visitors’ stopper, Gwydion Owen, it soon became evident that Junction had a long evening in front of them. This point was made absolutely clear two minutes later when Nathan stepped up to thunder his free kick around the defensive wall and past Owen. When Clive Williams added a third on twenty five minutes the game was up for the visitors and the one-sided contest ended with a not too flattering scoreline of 8-1 for the Cofis, which included two penalties for Nathan to complete a dead-ball hat-trick, a second goal for Thomas and strikes from Jamie Breese and Gareth Evans. Although the weather had been pretty atrocious, it was hoped that the football on display pleased the club’s special guest at the match, Mike Plotnikoff, CEO and Co-Founder and Director of our main club sponsors, Lite Access Technologies. It was Mike’s first visit to the ground and we managed to get him to the dressing  room to meet all the player before kick-off, which I think he enjoyed! Hopefully it won’t be the last time we see him at the Oval, especially of he manages to inspire the players to such a great performance! 

CEO of 'Lite Access', Mike Plotnikoff (right)

Another home match awaited us seven days later and a good Ruthin side gave the Cofis a stern test, although the 3-0 scoreline was still a fair reflection of the action. Chris Williams’ side had made a decent start to their campaign and in Llyr Morris had the league’s leading scorer in their line-up. They had recently defeated Rhyl on their own ground and obviously have something going for them,  so it was no surprise to read Iwan’s notes in the match programme where he made it clear that the players would have to be at their best to achieve success on the night. Nathan Craig binned any early nerves, however, when he put us ahead courtesy of another of his trademark strikes as he netted expertly from a free-kick. Ruthin looked dangerous on the break and, despite failing to score, I can  see how Morris has made his mark this season, looking very sharp and full of running throughout the ninety minutes. Caernarfon were too good for the visitors however and a goal before half-time from Jamie Breese was followed by a second half strike from Nathan, who this time scored from the penalty spot. 

Jamie celebrates one of his four goals against FC Queens Park

It’s safe to say that the side was playing some great football by now and things got better against FC Queens Park. The highlight of the 7-0 victory, and there were many to choose from, was seeing Jamie Breese bagging four goals and, after a frustrating time in front of the onion bag at the beginning of the campaign, he seemed much more like his old self against a defence that had no answer to his pace and movement. Everyone who has seen Caernarfon Town play under Iwan Williams will know that Breesey has been a major factor in our successes over the past two years and, having finished as the side’s top scorer in both of his seasons with us it’s safe to say that he’s up there as one of the best strikers in the Welsh Pyramid season. Jamie had not been as prolific as usual earlier on this season and Iwan took him out of the firing line for a week or two, although it’s important to point out that the striker still made plenty of impact off the bench whenever he was named amongst the replacements. The break seems to have worked because our number nine has returned to the starting line up with a vengeance and has found the net nine times in the last five matches. Jamie is a really nice guy, quite quiet and, just to paraphrase our manager Iwan, he is as committed as they come. Despite living in mid-Wales, Jamie has been travelling to each training session and his hard work and effort has paid off as he has played his way back into form and looks as deadly as ever in front of goal. Welcome back Breesey! Messi, Nathan and Danny Brookwell also got on the scoresheet against Queens Park and, just to put a nice sheen on the victory, the three points put us top of the Cymru Alliance League for the first time this year!

Jamie Breese with the match ball after his man of the match performance against FC Queens Park.

The side has recently had a break from the rigours of league action with two cup matches, the first being a trip to the New Stadium where Holyhead Hotspur awaited us in the second round of the Nathaniel MG Cup. The Harbourmen are a good side and defeated us at the Oval in August, going on to enjoy an early stint at the top of the table although they have slipped down to fifth recently, though they have two matches in hand on us and second-placed Airbus. The first thing I noticed when I arrived at the ground is that the usually strong wind we always seem to attract on our visits there was hardly in evidence and, in my opinion, this would help us more than the hosts. Campbell Harrison’s side play a more direct style of football than the Cofis and I have seen them use this to great effect against us in the past, last season being a prime example when they beat us 3-1 in the league. This time, however, I felt Caernarfon looked stronger than Hotspur and Nathan Craig’s superb twenty seventh opener gave us a lead that we never looked like giving up, in my opinion. As always, Holyhead threw everything and the kitchen sink at us later on but, for all their efforts, they forced just one save out of Alex Ramsay, whilst two late goals by Breese and Messi gave us a deserved victory. To cap off a fine evening for Town, assistant manager Sean Eardley treated the Cofi Army to a ‘Klinsmann Dive’ celebration, which went down with not only us, but a Hotspur official who could not help from smiling as he saw it! The players have been rewarded for their impressive  victory with a trip to Welsh champions The New Saints in the third round and, whilst we would all have loved a home draw against them, I know that Iwan and the players will be looking forward immensely to the challenge. 

Jay Gibbs was on the score sheet against Lex Glyndwr.

On Saturday, the Cofis began their quest for another run in the Welsh Cup and, despite going down to an early goal against Lex Glyndwr, the side turned on the style after a slow start to win the tie by five goals to one. Goals by Nathan Craig, Clive Williams, Jay Gibbs and a brace from Jamie Breese proved more than enough to see us advance to the second round, although it must be said that Ricky Evans’ side were a tough outfit and gave as good as they got in a closely fought first half. If you’d like to see them, videos of the goals scored by Nathan and Clive have been posted on the club’s official youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqqqH3BdIKk

The draw for the second round of the Welsh Cup has been made today and we’ve been lucky enough to have been handed another home draw, with Berriew due to make the trip from mid-Wales to the Oval on Saturday, November 4^th. If I’m right, the last time the sides met was in this same competition back in September 2012, a match we won by four goals to three. It was a memorable day, not just as a result of the victory and an impressive Paul Roberts hat-trick but more so because Paul’s first goal was celebrated by a streaker running onto the pitch with just a cardboard box on his head! I’m not sure if those present have fully recovered from that bizarre scene that unfolded before our eyes but hopefully we won’t be treated to a repeat performance at the Oval next month!

Come on Town!