Unfinished Business. The Big Interview with Gareth Edwards.

Gareth Edwards joined Caernarfon Town during the Summer of 2014 and has been a mainstay of the first team ever since. The big centre half has been one of the side's most consistent performers over the past three seasons although, if truth be told, things did not start too well for him at the Oval! 

Gaz arrived at the club having captained Cefn Druids to the Cymru  Alliance League title the previous season and, whilst I did not know too much about him, the heady reputation he enjoyed meant that expectations were high. His first pre-season with us was not the best but, following a slow start, the big man has proved to be even better than I had heard he was! 

Strong in the tackle and incomparable in the air, Gaz is a top quality centre half and, just as importantly, a top quality person. I am really pleased that he agreed to take part in this exclusive interview for the blog and am sure you will enjoy reading about the Big Man's footballing career, from his early years right up to today, with no holds barred!  

Over to you Gaz.... 

Oval Ways: Can you tell us about your playing career up to the time you signed for Caernarfon please Gareth?

Gareth: “I started playing from an early age at Boughton Heath FC and then was selected to represent Chester Schoolboys along with playing for my school teams. I played football for my college whilst studying sport and then for my university whilst studying my degree in sports science. Following university I went to the States to coach for the MLS teams San Jose Earthquakes, and Chicago Fire. On my return I played in the West Cheshire league for Upton AA then moved into the Welsh pyramid with Buckley Town for three years, Cefn Druids for three years and I’m now in my third season at Caernarfon. ”

OW: How long were you in the States? What’s the standard like and is there really an interest in the game over there? 

Gareth: “I had an amazing time in the States, met some amazing people and was fortunate enough to see some amazing places. I first went out in 2004 to San Francisco and then spent the rest of my time in Chicago, from 2005 to 2007. There is a misconception that people in the States don't have a clue about football (soccer) but everyone I met in the game over there was just as passionate about the beautiful game as we are here and equally knowledgeable about the sport, it really is growing from strength to strength. The game over the pond is a lot more fitness orientated and what some of them lack in technical ability they certainly make up for in terms of speed, agility and endurance.”

OW: Have you always played at centre half?

"I'll leave the dribbling up field to Clive!"

Gareth: “I have always been a defender for as long as I can remember. I do like to wander up field from time to time in training and during 5-a-sides but you won't often see me dribbling up field in a game. I'll leave that to Clive (Williams)!”

OW: Who has been the biggest influence on your footballing career?

Gareth: “My biggest influences in football would have to be my parents. Like many parents they sacrificed their time, money and many, many car rides to support me. Their support throughout an early age was brilliant and it's great to see them coming up to Caernarfon to watch me still.”

OW: Which professional team do you support?

Gareth: “The team that I've supported all my life is Liverpool FC for my sins. I also follow my local team Chester City and used to watch their games home and away growing up. I've got a good feeling now that Klopp is at the helm and dare I say, it could be our year?”

OW: Who was your favourite footballer whilst growing up, and why?

Gareth: “My favourite player growing up was Paul Gascoigne. One of my earliest footballing memories was of him at the Italia 90 World Cup and his ability to turn any game on its head with one piece of skill was unbelievable. I then followed him at Lazio when Channel 4 used to show the live games on a Sunday afternoon. It's really sad to see how Gazza is at the minute and I hope he beats his demons.”

OW: Who is your favourite footballer now, and why?

Gareth: “It's difficult to choose one particular player that is my favourite. We are blessed to be born in the same generation as two greats in Messi & Ronaldo, they've taken the game to a new level. Firminho has really impressed me recently with his high pressing game, he would be a nightmare to play against!!”

OW: Who’s been your most difficult opponent over the years, and given you the most problems as a defender?

Gareth: “Ha, ha! Probably as much as it pains me to say there are a couple of lads on our team who have given me nightmares over the years. Daz Thomas on his day is unplayable, his ability to glide past you at pace with the ball is sometimes enough to make you retire. Breesy was also a handful, although a different type of player. His work rate and positional sense made him a difficult opponent, he has a real strikers instinct. There have been plenty over the years believe me!!”

OW: What would you say is your biggest strength as a footballer?

Gareth: “I want to say my speed, awareness and keen eye for goal but I think everyone would laugh me out of the Oval!! I'd have to say my aerial ability when defending has to be my strongest asset and positional sense again when defending. My ability to read the game as I've got older has improved like I think it does with most people who play the game. I used to get a few more goals than I do now, I'm not sure if that's down to the gaffers’ set pieces or the oppositions ability to block my runs better now! That's something I'm looking to improve on each week so I can help contribute to the attacking play.”

Gaz celebrates his goal at Flint this season. 

OW: Which team do you enjoy playing against the most?

Gareth: “The teams I enjoy playing against now are the ones closest to home, ha ha! No, it would be wrong for me to single any particular team out as on their day any one team in the Huws Gray Alliance can beat another. Over the years I've played in it, the league has gone from strength to strength with some quality players and managers. I've been lucky to play for some great clubs with hardworking volunteers and supporters who keep them afloat. It's a strong league and you have to respect all of the teams in it otherwise you will be in for a hiding.”

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

Gareth: “I'd just captained Druids to the league and NEWFA Cup double and gained promotion into the Welsh Premier. However there were issues which the management team were unable to resolve and they subsequently left the club, along with many of the players, therefore I felt the time was right for a fresh challenge.Caernarfon’s gaffer at the time, Lee Dixon. had contacted me on a few occasions asking me to come and have a look, so I did and never really looked back.”

OW: What did you know of the club before you arrived?

Gareth: “I knew a little about Caernarfon Town before I signed as I'd played in the league for a number of years. It was sad to see the demise of the club from a Welsh Premier team to dropping down the leagues and having to practically start again as such. However you started to hear rumblings that they were moving up the leagues and winning cups again and you just knew they would become a force again with the support they have, and they did!! I was privileged to get an opportunity to play in front of a fiercely loyal set of supporters who follow their home team, which was an opportunity I couldn't turn down!”

OW: Did you know Iwan before he got the managers job and what were your thoughts when he got the post?

Gareth: “Yes I knew Iwan as an opponent as we have played each other on countless occasions. In fact he once got me sent off when he was at Llandudno and I was at Buckley!! It was a provoked attack/foot stamping incident that ensured I had an early bath. I must admit I was shocked when I heard he was in the running for the job, however when hearing what he had done behind the scenes at the other clubs he had been at then it was a no brainer. The club deserves a lot of respect for bringing him in and putting their faith in a young local lad looking to make his start in management. It would have been an easier decision to go elsewhere but the club had a vision and it paid off last season.”

OW: What have been the main differences between the two managers you've played under at Caernarfon?

Gareth: “I've got respect for all the managers I've played under, it takes a great deal of time, commitment and selflessness to be a manager, especially in the lower leagues and it can often be a thankless task. Everyone has different qualities that they bring to the table. When I arrived ‘Dicko’ had been on the crest of a wave having had some great success, it was clear there was a good vibe in the changing rooms and his man management of players was superb. Iwan then came in the following season with a fresh approach and brought a lot of professionalism and energy to the club but also could relate to the players, having only just made the step into management.  It was important that the senior players amongst us helped with Iwan's transition into management which I felt we did, however he has gone on to a new level now. His application to the job and his commitment is second to none.”

OW: How enjoyable was last season for you as a player and did the side's dominance and success  surprise to you?

Gareth: “Last season was one of my best in football without doubt. When I first arrived at the club it took me a while to settle, I had missed pre-season due to my stag do and then some more due to getting married and then our honeymoon so it was a slow start. But the gaffer and the supporters stuck by me and I started to really enjoy my football, so to end 2015 being voted the Clwb Caneris supporters player of the year was a huge honour and I wondered if it was going to get better, and  thankfully it did! Last season, straight from the start, there was a feeling that something was going to happen for us after doing so well against the Welsh Premier teams in pre-season and the cups and this was coupled with the great signings the gaffer had made. We made a slow start in the league but by Christmas it felt like it was ours to lose. Thankfully we kept going and took the lot!”

OW: How did you feel when it was announced that the club had failed in its bid for the domestic licence, and therefore would miss promotion?

Gareth: “It felt a bit like Deja vu after what had happened at Druids, and for me it was two league titles and no Welsh Premier League carrot at the end of it. It was a gut wrenching feeling that you can't describe, after the time and effort the players and staff had put it all season, the highs and the lows, the travelling, the cold dark training sessions, and then to find out it was all for nothing was incredibly disappointing. We were in this little bubble of players and staff and all we were hearing was rumours, therefore when it was announced we felt cheated. I'll never forget the meeting in the clubhouse after the game shortly after it was announced, it really struck home how many people it had affected. All the supporters, volunteers and people of Caernarfon who paid their hard earned money through the turnstiles were devastated, so we were all in it together. Mistakes are mistakes, football is football, as long as the lessons are learned then I have no doubt the club will go from strength to strength. There is unfinished business at Caernarfon Town Football Club which is fuelling everything we do as players and the management.”

OW: Despite the disappointing news, the team continued to win and marched on to the double. How hard was it to keep going and how proud are you of what you achieved?

Gareth: “It was a bitter pill to swallow but it wasn't difficult. As a player you go out to win football matches no matter what the circumstances are. You have a duty to do so to your teammates and the supporters, we had a job to do. We were set targets at the beginning of the season to win the league and cup and that's what we had to do. We're in an extremely privileged position to get paid for what we do but also to have the support that we do, so it wasn't difficult for us. It just feels like a setback, it still does now, and we will get it right. The way we did it at Druids just showed the mental toughness, strength and quality we have in the squad. Now that was a memorable day!!”

OW: Cefn Druids had been our main title challengers all season and yet we beat them 7-0 at their own ground to win the league. How good a performance and victory was that Gareth, and how did it feel for you against your old team?

Gareth: “That was one of the best performances from a team I've been involved in. Given the circumstances that it was to win the league for us or Druids would be back in with a shout if we lost, there was a significant amount of pressure on us. To go to our nearest rivals and beat them 7-0 was more than we could have wished for but no less then we deserved. Getting ready to go out for the warm up all we could hear was all of our supporters in the clubhouse singing and chanting and I have no doubt that spurred us to the performance we put in. From the first minute we were at it and there was only ever going to be one winner. Obviously it has a little more meaning for me as it was my former club but that didn't come into it on the day, we had a job to do and we did it, in some style also!”

The team walking off the pitch after their 7-0 victory over Cefn Druids to clinch the Cymru Alliance League title. 

OW: You’ve had two and a half very successful seasons at the Oval thus far with many highlights to look back on but what’s been your own favourite moment at the club?

Gareth: “Having the success we have had it's very difficult to pick just one, however on a personal level to get an award by the supporters meant a lot to me so I would have to say that personally. On a team perspective winning the league by a long shot!”

OW: What have been the stand-out matches you’ve been involved in as a Caernarfon Town player?

Gareth: There are four that stand out above all the others.

Caernarfon Town 2-3 The New Saints. Welsh Cup, 2014/15 season. What a game this was, the supporters came out in droves, so much so that the wall collapsed!! A Daz Thomas wonder strike put us two up and I still maintain to this day that the break after the wall came down ruined our flow, we'd lost the momentum we had created and couldn't quite regain our stride. The support we had and the ovation they gave us in the clubhouse after the game showed that win, lose or draw the cofi army will get behind you if the effort is there. On that day we just came up short against the best team in Wales, but the 100% effort was there.

Prestatyn Town 1-2 Caernarfon Town. 2015/16. I felt that this was the turning point to our season last year and the catalyst to us going on to win the league. It was a dogged performance which showed our character, coming from behind away from home at our rivals it was an important win for us.

Cefn Druids 0-7 Caernarfon Town. 2015/16. We'd only found out a week earlier to this fixture that even if we had won the league we would not get promoted therefore to put the performance we did  was a credit to the lads. As discussed earlier this was a great day for the players, supporters and everyone associated with the club. To win the league in the fashion we did means that this game is definitely amongst my favourites!

Bangor City 0-1 Caernarfon Town. Word Cup, 2015/16. An amazing result for the players and the fans who came in their numbers. On the day we only had nine fit players with two of us carrying niggles into the game! To go to your nearest rivals, who are a league above, and win the game under the circumstances made it so much sweeter. A great performances from the lads and one for the club to remember.

OW: Having won the double last season it’s probably safe to say that most teams will have been gunning for Caernarfon Town this time around. After a stuttering start, the team’s form has improved greatly in recent weeks but can you give a reason why the team started slightly slower than expected?     

Gareth in his first season at the Oval. 

Gareth: “I think there are several factors that contributed to a slow start. There is no doubt about it that as players we hadn't hit the heights we were hitting last season both individually and collectively. When you win a league you need consistency and things to go your way at certain points in games, and I don't feel like we were getting the rub of the green, although I'm a big believer in you earning your own luck. Conceding two late goals at Denbigh knocked us back and an early defeat to Prestatyn put us on the back foot instantly. Over the past few seasons we have had an excellent defensive record, however we have been a little unsettled in that department having had several different goalkeepers, injuries to Graham Austin and Chrissy Williams, suspensions and players missing games, which haven’t helped our cause. The midfield personnel has changed significantly since we kicked off the season and up top the goals were not going in as frequently as they had been with players struggling with form. There can be no doubt about it that psychologically not gaining promotion and playing in the Welsh Premier League which we deserved affected us all and this is another factor I believe impacted on our early form. I think the management team and the players have been on a huge learning journey this season which will only make us stronger in the future. The team is much stronger now than it was when we started the season and there is the right balance between youth and experience. There is no doubt in my mind that there are exciting things to come in the future.”

You mentioned the supporters earlier and I was wondering if you had been aware of how large the club’s fanbase is before joining us? 

Gareth: “No I wasn't aware of how big it was, or how much the people of Caernarfon love their hometown club. It's more than just a football team it's a family. The one club ethos the gaffer has brought to the football club has brought the club closer together since I've been here, the fans have more of a say in what happens at their club and that transparency will only help strengthen the club and develop young local lads to play for their hometown team. I always knew Caernarfon had a fan base but didn't realise the depth of this until we played The New Saints in the Welsh Cup when it felt the whole town came out to support us. Also, away at Druids last season and the crowd we had this season against Port just shows how big the Cofi Army is. Having said that the Cofi faithful follow us everywhere, whether that be Goytre, Rhayader or Penrhyncoch, they are there with their flags and support. I hope the town comes out in force again for our Welsh Cup match against Rhyl at the end of the month, I have no doubt they can act as our 12th man!!”

OW: You’ve mentioned that you believe there are exciting times ahead for the club. How far do you think the team, and club can go in the near future?

Gareth: “I think it would be foolish to look too far ahead, as last season proved anything can happen. In the short term we've gained consistency, in the long term this club needs promotion. Mistakes this year have set us back but the sole aim is to get this club back into the Welsh Prem as quick as possible. If the gaffer holds on to the lads we've got then we will learn from our mistakes and become better and stronger. We still believe we can get something out of this season but it's out of our hands, not how we would like it. When I look at the character and quality of the dressing room then I have the utmost belief that this club will be back where it belongs in the not too distant future. The management team believe in us and we believe in them so with that little bit more consistency and continuity we will achieve our goals.”

OW: From what I’ve seen of you over the past three seasons, you seem quite a placid character, a gentle giant. This, however, does not quite equate with you being named recently as one of the team’s main dressing room jokers. Who is the real Gareth Edwards?

Gareth: “I think most of the boys will agree with me when I say I'm the funniest, most handsome, brightest and most skilful players they've played with throughout their career, and I can't argue with them really!! I like a laugh and a joke but I'm the first one to get serious or demand quality on and off the pitch. I'd like to think I'm a leader both on and off the field but I'll leave that to the lads to decide. I'm an outgoing person who loves to socialise however my family and friends come before anything. I'm fiercely loyal and try and do everything with a smile on my face, which is not always easy when you play football with Kevin Roberts!”

OW: I understand that you’re a stickler for fines in the dressing room and I was wondering if you think the club should introduce one for players who spoil post-match interviews between the media officer and manager?

Gareth: “Ha, ha, apologies for that disruption Paul!! I was only jealous, I think it's because you do all the interviews in Welsh and I can't understand when the gaffer is slagging me off on camera!”

OW: Has Graham Austin got the loudest, and scariest, voice in football, ever?

Gareth: “Aussie has, and you wouldn't mess with him! We've missed his leadership qualities both on  and off the pitch, he really is a true captain. The fact that he still comes to most of the games having not played one all season is true testament to his leadership ability. I've taken over the collection of fines though, that was one thing he was shocking at!!”

OW: Who are the other main dressing room jokers and who’s got the worst dress sense and music sense?

Gareth: “The gaffer far and away has the worst music taste! However to be fair to him not many others step up to the plate to select or play music, so unfortunately we're stuck in Iwan's 90's rave time warp! For the dressing room jokers you need not look any further than my main man, car share and room-mate Joseph Williams, just ask him about the story of the premier inn bed cover! Kev Roberts also likes to get involved in the changing room banter but he and Aussie are the standouts for worst dressed. Kev owns a pair of stonewashed jeans last worn by Bros and Aussie is the only man I know who goes on a night out to a club in a woolly hoody! Shocking attire.”

OW: What is your professional job Gareth?

Gareth: “I am a qualified PE teacher and have been teaching now for eight years. I am currently head of department in an FE College.”

OW: I understand that there’s a new arrival on the way. When is the baby due and I am guessing he or she is going to be a Caernarfon Town supporter?

Gareth: “Yes my wife and I are expecting our first child on 18th February, which is a Saturday so I'm hoping it will not come on the due date!! We're excited for it and are ready to welcome a mini Caernarfon fan into the world. The CTFC ladies have a good set up so when she's ready I'll be getting her involved!!”

OW: In closing, do you have a message for the Cofi Army?

Gareth: “On a personal level I'd like to thank the supporters for welcoming me to the club and making me feel like one if their own, I've had an amazing three seasons here and long may it continue. Their hard work and dedication is something we genuinely appreciate as a team and the support they give us through thick and thin is brilliant. All I will say is the best is yet to come and as players and management we will get this club back to where it belongs.”

Massive thanks to Gaz for taking the time to answer all my questions and to be so honest with his answers.