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!

Ray Woods. Interview with a Legend.

Where legendary Caernarfon Town players are concerned Ray Woods is up there amongst the footballing Gods. Cofi supporters of a certain age will need no introduction to Ray and in fact I’m sure that even today’s younger generation have probably heard tales of how he used to rule our right wing, terrorising defenders with his trademark zig-zagging runs and generally causing havoc to all comers who fancied their chances on our patch.  

In a time where moustaches and permed hair ruled football fields across the country, Ray was a cut above most of the players you’d see in non-league football grounds and, far from being the typical troubadour you’ll see in the professional game these days, he was the real deal. Quick, tough and tricky, Ray became a vital member of John King’s squad that put us on the footballing map by reaching the third round proper of the FA Cup in 1986/87.

Ray visited the Oval during the 2016/17 pre-season schedule and I was delighted to finally get to meet him. I have already written an account of this in a previous blog so won’t repeat the details here but suffice to say it was a thrill to chat to him about his time with the Canaries. He promised me that day to answer a few questions for the blog and, of course, he has been true to his word.

A small part of this interview has been published in the special booklet I produced for Alex Philp for the FA Cup team’s reunion last March (which is still available in the club shop) but most of it is new, including Ray’s thoughts on the reunion and the present Caernarfon Town side.       

So, here it is, my interview with a real Caernarfon Town legend, who also just happens to be my favourite ever Town player….

Can you give us a brief breakdown of your career in the game Ray, from the very beginning right through to the time you hung up your playing boots?

Early Days….

I began at Fender middle school where I played two years above my age and then Woodchurch High school. I played for Birkenhead, Wirral and Merseyside representative teams and between the age of eleven and fifteen I played for Shaftesbury Boys Club on a Sunday. At fourteen, I was scouted to play for Prenton Park Rovers, who were Tranmere Rovers’ youth team and signed apprentice forms for Tranmere at sixteen. I made my debut for Tranmere at seventeen against Bristol Rovers. 

I signed professional forms a year later and made around eighteen appearances before leaving the club at twenty. I played Sunday League football for the Victoria Lodge where I played alongside players such as Ian Woan and Mark Carter, who had good professional careers later on, and others were Ian Cockbain, Russ Hughes, Bobby Tynan and Mark Palios, who is chairman of at Tranmere these days. The manager was Barry Mitchell, who became a good friend and massive influence on my career. On Saturdays I played for Runcorn and then Mark Palios took me to Bangor before I moved on to Northwich Victoria and played with Steve Craven who became a good friend of mine.

Initially I said no….

Steve Craven left to play for John King at Caernarfon and John, who knew my mother well, asked her if I would be interested in a project he was building in Wales.

Initially, I said no but then John came to work on Council Sport Initiative AT4 giving sport to people out of work, which I was working on as a coach. John persuaded me to leave Northwich and join Caernarfon, who were rock bottom of the Northen Premier League, many points adrift from safety. The rest there is history!

Colne Dynamoes….

I was bought by Colne Dynamoes but didn't fit into their playing style and, whilst keeping my hand in playing for local Birkenhead team Heswall and the Victoria Lodge, I was spotted by Brian Hamilton, my old Tranmere Rovers, whom I didn't get on with, but he was by then General Manager at Wigan Athletic. He told their manager, Ray Mathias about me and Ray, who was my old coach at Prenton  Park, came and watched me play on Sunday for the Vicky Lodge. After the game he asked me to sign for Wigan but there was an issue with Colne Dynamoes about my registration contract. It got sorted and I signed for Wigan on the agreement that Bryan Hamilton had nothing to do with the first team training. I made a couple of substitute appearances and after two months Ray Mathias was sacked and Bryan Hamilton took over. I thought my professional career had finished before it got started due to my relationship with Bryan from from days gone by but he put me in the starting line-up straight away which was a big shock!

PFA and Lilleshall….

I made seven appearances up to the end of the season and looked forward to pre-season but in a friendly match against Heswall I tore my adductor muscle which kept me out for over a year. The PFA helped fund my rehab at Lilleshall and I was there for nearly four months. I was sure Wigan would release me but Bryan signed me on a month to month contract to see if I could get back playing again. At Lilleshall I not only got the injury fixed but also used their faculties to get fitter than I'd ever been!

Wigan’s Number 7.

I started pre-season in 90/91 flying and went to Russia with the squad where I had a reaction to my groin after one of the games. Nigel Adkins put me in an ice-bath and I recovered well after we got back and so started the season as Wigan's No.7. After twenty matches I'd won ten man of the match  awards and was attracting interest from a string of clubs, including Sunderland, Celtic and Milwall.

After one of our matches was postponed I was phoned and asked to go into the Club. I wondered what was wrong and if I'd done something wrong but when I got there Bryan and the club secretary put a new contract in front of me.  I asked why as I'd already signed three new contracts since my good form began and Bryan then told me they had received five bids for me but only one matched  their £250K valuation of me and that was from first division club Coventry City, who we had just played on the television in the F.A. Cup over a replay and I had been man of the match on both occasions.

Coventry and England ‘B’.

I met with Terry Butcher and Mick Mills that night and agreed to go down to their training ground, taking my friend Barry Mitchell with me and we agreed a three and a half year deal after negotiations. A week later I took my mother with me and had my first training session with the likes of Kevin Gallagher and Cyrill Regis, completed my medical and then signed my contract at the Press Conference on Midlands television. I played my first match in a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace and went on to make over twenty appearances, attracting interest from the then England boss Graham Taylor,  who had watched me as we beat Luton 5-0 and wanted me for the next England 'B' call up.

Shrewsbury….

Unfortunately, my groin problems returned after a game against Arsenal and this time it was to keep me out injured for nearly two years, after having a stomach repair and a tenotomy which was the same injury I had had at Wigan but on the other leg. This effectively killed my career at Coventry and after a number of changes in management, all of whom had not seen me play. I was released and signed a two year contract with Shrewsbury, a team I'd joined on loan earlier and helped win promotion.

In the second year of my contract I produced some of my best form for years but fell out with our boss Fred Davis after a game with Liverpool in the F.A. Cup so left when my contract was up and joined Wayne Clarke at Telford before finishing my career at Worcester City, where I became Youth Academy Manager for nine years.

Question and Answer Session:

OW: What was your favourite position as a footballer?

Ray: “I have played in a number of positions but always classed myself as a right winger.”

OW: Who was your favourite player whilst growing up and who do you support?

Ray: “I have always supported Liverpool and my favourite players were Roger Hunt and then Graeme Souness, who I got to play against later in my career.”

OW: Who was the biggest influence on your footballing career?

Ray: “Barry Mitchell and Bryan Hamilton”.

Oval Days with Caernarfon Town.

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

Ray: “That it was in Wales!”

OW: Do you recall your first match for Caernarfon and what were your first impressions of the club?

Ray: “It was against Southport away. They won the league that year and we were miles behind anyone in the league. We were 2-0 down at half-time and I was expecting a rollicking off John, which is what I'd been used to from previous managers, but John was calm and upbeat and said we were ‘As good as them but just need to prove it to ourselves’. He asked us to go out and win the second half, no matter what the end result was. We went out and battered them second half and went 2-3 up before they got a late equaliser but that was the start of the run that kept us up and led to better things. Impressions of the Club were it was smaller than I was used to but homely and friendly and the feeling that it was a nice place to play.”

Ray (back row, third from left) lines up at the Oval with his FA Cup team-mates. Photo by Richard Birch.

THE FA Cup run.

OW: Do you recall anything of the qualifying rounds before the first round proper?

Ray: “I don't really recall the games other than the last one at Chester Le Street. We were leading 2-1 with a few minutes left and I gave the ball away and they went and scored. Kenny Jones came running up to me and said he'd kill me if we lost this game. He then proceeded to pick the ball up forty yards out and put it in the top corner for us to win 3-2.”

OW: As the team started getting into the latter stages of the qualifying rounds, did you start to believe that you could possibly make a real impact on the competition?

Ray: “We were doing really well in the League and carried the form on from the middle of rhe previous season. We had very good players and you knew we could achieve good things as a group. We had good team spirit and believed we could give anyone a game on our day but we also had consistency which was important.”

OW: Can you please recall your memories of the matches in the first, second and third round:

Stockport at home: 1-0.

Ray: “I remember the crowd and the brilliant atmosphere they created. I knew Clive Evans, who played for Stockport, very well as I cleaned his boots as an apprentice at Tranmere Rovers.”

The matches with York, 0-0 at the Oval and 2-1 away. 

Ray: “I remember setting up Austin's goal in the replay by a deflected cross and being part of a great team move for Cravo's second. I recall the reaction to beating York, who in that year had knocked Arsenal out of the League Cup, being one of shock by professional in the game and everybody else but we thoroughly deserved it on the night and it was no fluke.”

The matches with Barnsley, 0-0 at the Oval and 0-1 away.

Ray: “The only thing I remember is it wasn't a great game but we had Phil Wilson's chance in the last few minutes to win the game but ‘50p head Wizza’ missed a sitter to put us into the fourth round.”

OW: Looking back at that run, did you feel disappointed at the time not to have been drawn to face one of the First Division sides in the third round?

Ray: “I never felt disappointed with the draw as it was still a good second division team managed by a legend, Alan Clarke and a team we could give a good game to.” 

From left to right: Russ Hughes, Ray and Dave Martindale celebrate Town's victory over York. Photo by Richard Birch.

The FA Cup Squad in Ray’s own words…..

Russ Hughes - Reliable and agile but too many teeth in that head of his.

Dave Higgins – Nut job but strong and a great defender.

Glynn Jones - Quiet, reliable and steady but looked like Me Bean.

Robyn Jones - Intelligent and solid like a bulldog.

Ken Jones - Old and scary but team's rock.

Huw Williams - Strong and steady.

Dave Martindale – ‘Del Boy’ with talent who would try to sell dodgy gear to supporters out of a van at half-time.

Dave Wignall - What a passer and would have been brilliant if he could run.

Bobby Tynan – ‘Mr Crocked Knee’ would have to ice after every game but what a player he was and had everything to be top player.

Phil Wilson - My wife has a brown leather distressed looking handbag that's wrinkled with age and that’s Wizza for you but what an engine and heart.

Steve Craven - Sometimes you'd have to wake him up on the pitch when he was having a snooze as he was so laid-back but what talent with immense ability.

Austin Salmon - Worked on the trainlines and had the touch of a train but also the impact of a train at times. So strong and powerful and with an eye for goal.

Stuart Clynch - Little ‘Billy Whizz’ had great technique once you got the splinters out of his backside from sitting in the bench so much. 

Ian Cockbain - As a footballer Ian was a great cricketer. Shirley Temple look-a-like he liked a lollypop or two but was a good impact sub who loved coming on for me so he could gloat about it.

OW: Obviously, those were special days at the club, and the FA Cup team is still regarded by many supporters as the best we’ve had. How good do you think was that squad Mr King put together?

Ray: “It was a very good non-league squad and possibly could and should have got promotion to the Conference if we had not have had so many Cup games to add to a tough league. We had strength, pace, ability, maturity and fight in all the right positions due to Kingy's good eye for spotting players.”

Thoughts on Mr King….

OW: What are your thoughts on Mr King? How good was he as a manager and what made him so special?

Ray: “John and I worked together as I've already mentioned and sometimes out relationship was strained as I was quite head-strong and argued with him when I shouldn't. I don't think John was a particularly great coach on the training pitch but he had a focus on how his team should play and what each player should do within that formation that was unshakable. I feel he was a brilliant manager of players because he made you feel you could achieve great things for him and you wanted to do so.

He was eccentric in the way he put across his philosophies and I remember Ian Muir, at Tranmere, telling me he thought he was a crack-pot with his boat and rowing analogy for the season ahead, until he bought into it, saw it worked and that he was a great man-manager.”

OW: Do you have one special memory of Mr King?

Ray: “This is bitter-sweet for me as I was very disappointed John didn't take me with him when he left for my hometown Club at Tranmere and I felt I'd done enough for him to warrant the chance to go with Dave Higgins and Dave Martindale. I won player of the year in our most successful year and wanted to break back into professional football but he didn't take me with him.

Many years later we were on a panel for a Question and Answer session at the Victoria Lodge with people like Jim Harvey and Ian Muir and my overall feeling was that I'd proved him wrong and reached the top of English Football League on my own. However, I do think he taught me great lessons and I thank him for that.

Commando Style….

OW: Do you have a story or memory from your time at the club that stands out and is suitable to share with us?

Ray: “Ian Cockbain started a home game for us and after about fifteen minutes you could see him running off the pitch and into the changing room. He came back a bit later and at the end of the game he told us he'd had a bad stomach and needed the toilet urgently. As he's telling us this I'm looking for my underwear and I can't find it and Coey starts laughing and hands me a pair of my underpants that he used as he had to change his own. Obviously, I threw them away and went home 'commando' style!”

OW: In addition to the cup run, the team also finished third in the Northern Premier League. How good an achievement was that?

Ray: “I think we played over sixty five games that season in all competitions and possibly would have won the league without the Cup games but it was still a great achievement to finish in the top three of a tough league.”

OW: What did you think of the Oval as a ground?

Ray: “The Oval has a large slope on the pitch but always felt great to play on for me and I felt at home there. The ground now looks fantastic, having recently visited, and is really set up for the next level.”

OW: What was your professional job at the time you played for us Ray and what do you do these days?

Ray: “I worked with John King for Wirral Council's AT4 Sports project as a football coach. Now I run my own football company in schools and holiday clubs called 'Nutz4 Soccer'.”

OW: Is there anything else you’d like to add about your time with Caernarfon Town?

Ray: “For me, this represented the real start of my career in football and I will always have a great deal of affection for the club. The one down side was not being presented with the 'Player of the Year' trophy that I won that FA Cup run year. Steven Craven had won it the season before and was presented with it at the last home game of the season and I remember thinking I wanted that.

However, at the end of the season we were so pre-occupied with John's and a few of the lads’ departures to Tranmere and also a trip to Spain, which the club had authorized, that I didn't actually receive the trophy.”

The Reunion of the FA Cup side….

On March 18^th 2017, the FA Cup side returned to the Oval for a special reunion to celebrate that special time for the club and Ray and his former team-mates enjoyed the present side’s victory over Holywell before enjoying an evening at the social club, where they and the supporters were treated to the premiere showing of ‘All the King’s Men’ a dvd release consisting of highlights and interviews from that memorable cup run. Ray was also finally presented with his player of the year award for the 1986/87, with Steve Craven also receiving his Top Goalscorer award. I asked Ray for his thoughts on this special day:

   

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

Ray: “The re-union was a brilliant occasion for the former players and the appreciation we felt was overwhelming.

It was great to see some old friends again and remember/relive happy memories. People like Stu Clynch, Steve Craven and Russ Hughes whom I had good friendships with but as often happens in football, drifted apart and others like Dave Wignall, Ken Jones, Bobby Tynan whom I have a lot of respect for but never thought our paths would cross again.

It was great seeing Marion King looking so well and lovely catching up with John’s daughters, Jackie and Jane, as I used to attend the same school as them and they seemed happy and content with life. We all massively appreciated the effort the Club and the people of Caernarfon went to for bringing us all back together for this celebration.”

Ray finally receives his award from Richard Morris Jones.

OW: How happy were you to finally receive your Player of the Year award for the 1986/87 season?

Ray: “On a personal note, it was fantastic to receive the Player of the Year Award from all those years ago and it sits pride of place in my living room. I understood that there was a lot going on at the Club after the cup year with many changes as John left for Tranmere and so what a brilliant gesture to make by marking both Steve Craven (Top Goalscorer) and my achievement with such wonderful trophies. It will be remembered with gratitude by myself and I`m sure Steve forever.”

OW: Did watching the FA Cup video on the night bring back a few memories for you?  

Ray: “Seeing the Cup Video Highlights was a memorable part of the evening and even brought back some long forgotten memories. The time taken to source the content and then to put it together in such a professional manner was outstanding and everyone involved should be very proud with the outcome.”

The FA Cup side with Mrs King. 

OW: And finally Ray, what do you think of the side Iwan has put together and did anyone particularly impress you on the day, as we beat Holywell 6-2?

Ray: “The current team put on a great display. I enjoyed the way they built from the back and played through the thirds of the pitch with everybody looking comfortable in possession. On the day it was a mismatch and the team scored some great goals both collective and individual. Darren (the Cofi Messi) stood out on the day and his strike was pure quality. I would have been happy to play with him in our FA Cup team but as a team they look strong and organised and Iwan should be proud of the legacy that he is building.”

My heartfelt thanks to Ray for taking the time to do this, and for being so honest with his answers. A class act on and off the pitch!