Local derbies, Paul Daniels and Mariah Carey

I don’t know about you but December, for me, always feels as if we’ve been transported back to  the eighties or nineties. Everyone is full of joie de vivre, people act like school children in their works Christmas parties, Shakin’ Stevens, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Wham make their annual re-appearances in the official singles charts and Mariah Carey can’t stop singing about how all she wants for Christmas is youuuuuuuuuuuuuu……

And football supporters are usually expected to make big sacrifices to watch their team play over the festive season. Thankfully, Gwyn Derfel is usually quite understanding and will try and ensure teams play their nearest opponents twice over the period, which for Caernarfon Town these days means Bala. I’ll never call our matches against the Lakesiders a local derby for the simple reason that it’s not but please don’t take my word for it; a quick glance at the definition of the term ‘local derby’ in the Cambridge dictionary should be ample proof to convince any doubters: 'a sports competition, especially a game of football, between two teams from the same city or area’. Certainly no boxes ticked there and when you add that the teams speak totally different languages on the field then it’s a no brainer isn’t it? And if, for some reason, you’re not familiar with the sides then I can confidently proclaim that the only Welsh you’ll hear in these matches is from Caernarfon players.

As we now know, all fixtures over the festive season have been postponed to a later date and this is a matter I’ll get back to later on.       

So, having complimented the powers that be at the head table of the Cymru Premier League for their common sense, I’ll now raise one or two matters that have confused me in recent weeks. The first was the rumour on social media that the FAW wants to reduce the Cymru Premier League to ten teams and make it a professional competition. Interesting stuff and, in my opinion, impossible. Many people have been saying for a number of years that the league needs to be increased, not reduced, the main reason being the monotony of playing sides four times a season and, in some cases, more. Talking as a supporter I would much rather see us play Colwyn Bay, Llandudno and Rhyl twice a year than the likes of Connahs Quay Nomads and Haverfordwest four times.

I know that some people see things differently, and I’ll be as honest as I can here without pointing fingers, but I have a suspicion that a few of the other clubs in the league would disagree with me, as they’ll see less clubs in the top flight giving them an opportunity for a bigger slice of the financial pie that is currently on offer. After all, these same clubs obviously don't rely on their match day income if their attendances are anything to go by.  

My belief is that seeing more ‘locally based’ teams visit our ground once a season would increase interest and gates, and therefore raise the league’s profile, and advertising opportunities? That’s my theory anyway but, as we have all come to realise over the years, whilst clubs are always asked for opinions on such matters the decisions will always be out of the layman’s hands.

As for the notion of making the league professional, I can’t see it getting out of the starting blocks. When you consider that the only club to go fully professional in recent years in the top tier has been TNS, a unit backed by a millionaire businessman who qualify for European competition every season (and reap the lucrative rewards for doing so), who in their right minds could think that other clubs can afford to employ staff, and players on a full-time basis? Or has the definition of professional changed? I can only imagine what the cost of having thirty or even more full-time staff would be for a club but I’m pretty sure that 99.9% of clubs playing in the Welsh set up couldn’t afford it. Caernarfon Town is lucky to have the highest home attendances average every season in the top tier and there is no way that we could afford it, never mind most of the other clubs in the CPL, who are lucky to hit three figures for most of their matches.   

I’m sure there will be plenty of discussions, debates and rumours in the coming months as to the future of the Welsh game and my one hope is that the FAW’s new Chief Executive, Noel Mooney, shows more interest from the top tier to grassroots, than his predecessor. Some believed that Jonathan Ford concentrated more on the national side than the clubs that are the beating hearts of their community and the country and, from what I know, and have seen, I would agree with that summation.

On the field, it’s been a pretty frustrating time of late for the Cofis. We had just defeated Haverfordwest away when I wrote the last blog and we’ve played three matches since then, all of which we could, and probably should, have won in my opinion. I’m as biased as the next supporter but doubt that spectators who saw our defeat to Penybont and draw with Aberystwyth, both at the Oval, would disagree that Caernarfon were the best side in both matches. Possession and goalscoring opportunities wise, we always had the upper hand over our opponents but a combination of profligacy in front of goal and individual mistakes at the back meant that we gained just one point out of six. The aim at the start of each season is a top six berth at the end of the first phase and we’re still in with a shout, but those two results have made it much more difficult for us this time around and it will take a good run of form, and results, to get us to where we want to be.

From where I watched both matches, the players gave their all for the cause and whilst things did not pan out the way we wanted them to in both fixtures, no one was more disappointed and frustrated  with the results than Huw and his staff and squad. I’m lucky enough to be able to see our manager immediately after every match and I know that he was hurting as much as I was, and that’s something I respect as a supporter. I think frustration has been a familiar feeling amongst us all this season because, when we play as we can, I think we can beat every team in the league. We certainly have the players for it, and I think it’s worth mentioning that the radical change in our style of play this season, where we play from the back, will sometimes see us giving the ball away in compromising situations, which has definitely happened over the last four months and cost us a few points. However, when we get it right, the team looks classy and exciting and I’m hoping we persevere with this style.

Thankfully, we got back to winning ways in our last match, a 4-3 victory over title chasing Flint at Cae y Castell. First of all, I’ll own up and say that I was not there so the reports I have had of the match are by club President John Watkins and members of the Board. A particularly difficult session on the dialysis unit the day before the match meant that I was not up to going and I’m obviously that I wasn’t there! Any win at Flint is a great result but this one felt especially so, as they have been in excellent form all season and are challenging for Europe. When they defeated us at the Oval a few weeks ago, some of their board members and supporters gave Rob Hughes a hard time and I’m more than pleased that he scored on the night! Aaron Simpson’s red card seemed extremely harsh and, as I’ve already

mentioned in a recent blog, after a promising start to the season the CPL’s match officials have reverted to their usual tricks of late and started brandishing more cards than Paul Daniels during his seventies heyday! Oddly enough, the match referee decided not to take action against a player who could have broken Dion Donohue’s leg very early in the match? This inconsistency might be something that Mr Mooney can look into, if he really is serious about improving the league?

This week, Sgorio announced their team of the season so far, and it was great to see Rob Hughes included. Everyone who has seen Rob this term will know that he's a real talent and when he's on his game there can't be many better players than him in the league. A real nuisance when he plays for the other team but brilliant when he plays for your own side and I'm sure there's more to come from him! I was very surprised that Dion Donohue didn't make the cut as he's been fantastic for us so far and I'm not sure that the two they've picked as centre halves have played better but it's all subjective isn't it. And I won't ever question why Darren Thomas is not in the line up as he always seems to get overlooked when such lists are made.    

And finally, a word about the FAW’s decision to postpone the league over the Christmas period. On the evening of our match at Flint, all CPL clubs met online with members of the FAW and discussed the possibility of rescheduling our festive fixtures. Having spoken with our board members, we agreed that it would be preferable to reschedule the matches than playing them behind closed doors, or in front of fifty spectators. Seven other top tier clubs were of the same opinion and, at an FAW meeting the following day, the decision was taken to take a two week break from all action.

In my opinion, it was the correct decision and will hopefully ensure that when the matches are played, supporters will be able to attend. The overriding factor, as far as our club was concerned, is that we don’t want to play any more matches without the Cofi Army. We had enough of it last season and it’s not fair on anyone, the supporters, the players and the clubs. And let’s not be naïve and think that financial consideration were not discussed – our home festive match is worth twice as much in takings as most of our other individual fixtures at the Oval, and whilst the rescheduled date will not be as good, at least everyone will get some money in. With Mr Drakeford’s ceiling of fifty attending presently, this would not be enough to cover our season ticket holders.

So, it remains to be seen when attendance restrictions will be lifted and it goes without saying that we all hope it’s as soon as possible. Until then, I’d like to wish everyone who is of a Caernarfon Town persuasion and who has popped into the blog over the past few weeks a very happy, and healthy New Year!  

Paul. 

#UnClwb