A tough schedule and Cofis devastating at the Rock.

I’ll be honest and admit that last week’s blog was the toughest thing I have had to write but failing to address such a difficult time for the club was not an option and before carrying on I want to make it clear that I hope I did not offend anyone when discussing the domestic licence failure. I know that the club’s Board is already working hard with Iwan and the Canaries Club to put into place a structure to move us forward and it’s exciting to see how things are progressing behind the scenes. With a bit of luck there will be a number of positive press statements coming from the Oval over the next weeks that will prove this, and hopefully help us kick-start the next phase in the club’s resurrection.    

Having finished the last blog by mentioning how impressively Iwan and the squad had played in defeating Llanfair United just two days after receiving the disappointing licence news I can’t wait now to turn my attention to the players’ unstoppable march to a league and cup double, although it will take a second blog to cover the final three matches of the campaign. 

The Cofis had three more league matches, and up to two cup encounters to play following the 6-1 victory over Llanfair and, on paper, it looked a tough schedule. The powers that be at the Cymru Alliance League had, for some reason, decided that the final sequence of matches would start with encounters against Prestatyn, Cefn Druids and Holywell in the space of six days which I thought was a bit much when considering that both the league title and league cup were at stake. All three outfits are strong, physical sides that had already given Town tough matches earlier in the season, so the schedule promised to be another big test of the players physical and mental strength but, as ever, their response was magnificent.  

First up was the league cup semi-final at home to Prestatyn. In my opinion, the Seasiders have been the best side to have visited the Oval all season and it’s been a mystery to me why they've been languishing in mid-table for most of the campaign. They were superb when defeating us on their last visit to the ground back in August but a lot of football has been played since then and, in all honesty, this encounter was a very different affair to that earlier clash. Although Caernarfon were made to work hard for the 2-0 verdict, I still thought the side was comfortable for large periods of the game and had a gear up the sleeve if ever it was needed. The victory was secured with goals from Jay Gibbs and Jamie Breese and if ever one player has improved over the course of a season, it’s Jay. I know I'm repeating what I've already said in earlier blogs but the midfielder has been outstanding this season and especially so since January. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the team’s run of sixteen successive victories at the end of the campaign has coincided with his impressive form and in addition to his all-round game, he’s also proved to be something of a free-kick specialist, finding the net on numerous occasions with his set piece efforts over the past months.

Jay Gibbs added another superb free kick goal against Prestatyn to his ever expanding list of netfinders.

The team has scored many spectacular goals this season and I decided a few weeks ago to introduce an award for the ‘Goal of the Season’. Just a few days before the Prestatyn tie I had asked supporters, through social media platforms, to vote for their goal of the season and whilst everyone who supports the Canaries will know that Nathan Craig was the recipient of the award, I don’t think it will come as a surprise that Jay featured in the list of goalscorers more than once and, on the way out of the ground after the Prestatyn tie I received a number of nominations for his strike that night, a cracking free-kick from twenty five yards that is still doing the rounds on youtube and facebook which you shoudl seek out if you haven’t already done so. Incidentally, Jamie Breese’s goal to seal our berth in the final was pretty good too!

Iwan finalising his team before the Druids match.

Next up was a trip up the A55 for a match that I'm sure most followers of the Cymru Alliance League would have been looking forward to immensely. Cefn Druids had been clinging on to the Cofis’ coattails at the top of the table for most of the season and, although Denbigh Town had enjoyed a superb late run of form to temporarily overtake Huw Griffiths’ side, I think it had always looked likely from early on in the campaign that Caernarfon and Druids would be battling for the title. The team travelled to ‘The Rock’ in great form and full of confidence whilst the hosts still harboured slim hopes of pipping us for the league following a number of good results in recent weeks.

The cliff face at the Rock was ready for Jamie Breese.    

The Cofi Army was out in force and arrived at the ground in great voice, some heading to the clubhouse for refreshmnents and a singalong. The official crowd for the match was four hundred and four and I’m sure that more than three quarters of those will have been hoping for a Town victory. I don’t usually visit clubhouses when on the team’s travels but decided to do so on the day and was pleased I did because the atmosphere inside was brilliant, and I’m sure it would have made the players all feel ten feet tall as they prepared for the match. I spoke with Nathan Craig a few days later and he told me that the team could hear the Cofi Army singing before kick-off and this had given them an extra boost as they attempted to win the league on the day.

A victory for Town would see us clinch the title whilst a draw would have prolonged Druids’ slim hopes but, as we now know, the Cofis proved much too strong for our nearest rivals and overpowered them on the way to an exciting 7-0 victory. Being totally honest, I would have settled for a draw before the match as Druids had seemed such a dogged side throughout the season, toughing out narrow victories and showing plenty of mettle on the way. They had not been high-scorers by any stretch of the imagination but everyone I have spoken with during the season had suggested they’re a strong, well-drilled outfit who like to play a less expansive game than Caernarfon. Unfortunately for them, however, this type of game was not enough against the Canaries and, from the moment Clive Williams put us ahead in the third minute the hosts struggled to cope with Town’s gameplan. 

The players and supporters celebrate at The Rock.

I had arrived early at the Rock in the hope of catching a word with Iwan and he was the first person I saw when approaching the clubhouse. He was as relaxed as I have seen him before a match which was unexpected given the importance of the encounter but, of course, he knows his players well and must have felt confident that they’d get the job done. Which they did, in style! Incidentally, someone must have arrived very early that morning because he or she had already been climbing on the cliff face that dominates one side of the ground, and left a message for our striker, Jamie Breese on it! (see photo.) 

It was a pretty devastating performance by the players and my only disappointment about the day is that the incident involving one of Cefn Druids’ players that has since appeared via video on social media seemed to take precedence in the media over Caernarfon’s impressive victory and title win. There’s really no need for me to discuss the matter further as the video clip can be seen by everyone and people can make up their own minds. Predictably, I received phone calls the following day from media sources I have never spoken to before who wanted to hear the club’s official take on the matter but there really was nothing for us to say, so I declined. Isn't it a pity that those who phoned me could not have shown even a little interest in the actual match? Before bidding farewell for now I just have to mention the magnanimous way in which Druids manager Huw Griffths accepted defeat at the end of the match, ensuring that his staff and players formed a ‘guard of honour’ for the Cofis as the title winners walked back to the dressing room. That could not have been easy but it was classy stuff from the manager and further proof that there are still some people in the game that know how to behave with other teams.

Before heading for home I popped into the clubhouse and am so pleased I did because I managed to get Jamie Breese to pose in front of a unique flag that is exclusive to the Cofis. I think the shot below says it all! 

So, the league title had been won, in emphatic style, and the Canaries had just three more matches to play before the final whistle of the season. Amongst other things I’ll be taking a look at these fixtures next time around, beginning with an encounter with our old friends from Halkyn  Road….

Heartbreak, a double header and bouncing back.

First of all, an apology is in order for not adding any entries to the blog over the last three weeks. It’s not that I didn’t want to but, to be honest, it’s been a hard time for everyone at Caernarfon Town Football Club, be it management, players, supporters and committee members and I just couldn’t bear to write about something that so ruthlessly took the winds out of our sails, albeit I’m sure not on a permanent basis.

I was as heartbroken as everyone else involved with the Cofis when the FAW announced they had turned down our appeal for the Domestic Licence, thus resulting in our superb team being unable to take its rightful place in the Welsh Premier League next season.

It’s still very hard to write about the matter but the club’s committee, of which I am a member, takes full and collective responsibility for failing to ensure that the criteria was met. We had thought that everything had been submitted to a high enough standard and therefore, at the time of the announcement, I was livid and held thoughts of writing a piece on the shortfalls of the FAW. Thankfully I thought better of it and am glad that I did because there’s no getting away from the fact that we failed as a committee in our efforts to get the licence.

I can be as bullish as anyone when things go well for the club but that’s easy to do and so I must also put my hand up and admit to getting things wrong and this time we did. I feel guilty about not doing more to help in the effort to get the licence, and will always feel that I’ve personally let down the players and supporters but I also am absolutely determined that it won’t happen again and will double my efforts as a committee member to ensure that everything is in place to secure promotion when we next win the league, which will hopefully be next season!

Daily Post reporter Dave Jones has recently written about how impressed he has been by the team’s response to the massive disappointment they had felt and he is right, the players have been magnificent and have shown to everyone that they are, by far, the best team in the Huws Gray Cymru Alliance League. Over the next week or two, my aim is to show just how impressive they’ve been in recent weeks by looking back at the team’s final matches of the campaign, beginning with the double header against Llanfair United.

The stand, the snack bar and the dressing rooms (top left)
at Llanfair Utd's Mount Field.

We had originally been scheduled to travel to Llanfair Caereinion in December but, with most of the team and a number of supporters having already arrived at the ground back then, the match had been called off, rather late in the day, due to a waterlogged pitch. The late call, whilst undoubtedly the right one judging by photos of the pitch, had been frustrating to say the least, especially when taking into consideration the 140 mile round trip it takes to get there from the Caernarfon area. On that day I had been travelling in the Chairman of Vice’s chameleon car (thus called due to having turned from its original silver colour to a robust blue after we’d received news of the postponement!) and it wasn’t a pretty sight as we vented our disappointment on a flask of coffee during a pit stop, or something called very similar! Anyhow, with this at the back of my mind, I had been hoping for decent weather in the days leading up to our rescheduled visit and, despite a snowfall on the morning of the match, the pitch was thankfully passed fit to play. Backed by a coach full of supporters, the team coped well with the wet and heavy pitch to win by a comfortable 3-0 margin.

It was my first visit to the Mount Field and it certainly has a unique charm. The first thing that struck me was the rather impressive stand that dominates the otherwise Spartan ground. It holds over a hundred spectators and has been built on what I think is called a ridge that slopes to the pitch itself. The view from the dressing room area, beside and slightly behind the stand, is pretty good, and more than a par with other grounds I’ve visited this season, which I hope the photo (left) proves. The other charming aspect of the set-up were the friendly ladies serving food and drinks in the snack bar, who were kind and helpful and kept smiling throughout, despite the score. Despite, or maybe because of, the hosts’ precarious position at the wrong end of the league table, the match proved a tough one for the Canaries. Llanfair were still fighting to avoid relegation at the time and battled well, giving it a real go against the league leaders, with the excellent James Davies proving a real threat up front. Despite this, however, Town showed plenty of battling qualities of their own to get the best of not only the opposition but also the pitch, which was definitely not conducive to good football. The players coped well, however, and the vocal Cofi Army were rewarded for making the long trip to Powys with another victory by their favourites. 

Nathan Craig during the Llanfair Utd match.

The undoubted highlights of the match were the goals, from Nathan Craig’s sublime free kick from twenty five yards, to Jamie Breese’s reflex header at the far post and then, finally, to Darren Thomas’ excellent run on the way to setting up Jamie’s second netfinder, and Town’s third. It’s hard not to wax lyrical about the goals at this point but, for fear of using too many superlatives, I’ll just use one word to describe them all – Class.   

The biggest disappointment of the day was getting mud-splashed after taking up a viewing position in front of the Main Stand for the final ten minutes. Oh, and hearing from a trusted source that  Cefn Druids had scored a last minute equaliser at Holywell to keep alive their title hopes! To be fair, it did not come as a huge surprise because Druids have made it a habit to score late on in matches, although we were all surprised it had not been a penalty this time!  

So, an enjoyable afternoon and another crucial victory for Town. Having done my utmost to clear the mud off my clothes I headed for home and, dreading the long, and winding road ahead (a nod to my friend Phil Roberts, who is a big Beatles fan!), I was given a real tonic whilst driving through Llanfair Caereinion, hearing the Cofi Army singing loudly somewhere, with the words Jamie and Breese prominent in their efforts!

The flags were out at the Mount Field.

We received the devastating news about the licence during the following week but, just two days after the FAW’s announcement, the players somehow still managed to put on another excellent performance to complete the double over Llanfair, scoring a 6-1 victory at the Oval. Those of us who have seen the team play under Iwan will be aware that he has instilled a steely determination in the side and every setback during the season has seen a positive response from the players. I think it’s fair to say that the licence news was rather more than a setback and yet the squad put on another fine performance, one that took them to within touching distance of the league title.

I’ll be honest and say that, for the first time since the days of David Rowe, I was dreading my visit to the ground, although for very different reasons to the dread I felt watching Rowe's side!

As it happened, the very first person I saw in the Oval car park upon arrival was Iwan and I felt rather awkward and embarrassed. Thankfully, Iwan is a gentleman and I’ll never forget how kind he was with me. I already held him in high esteem and those few minutes confirmed why. It also made me even more determined to make amends for the licence failure!
The players and supporters were also extremely kind and, whilst everyone had questions that needed answering, which would happen in an open meeting after the match, we all got together to support the team, and they responded in style!

Whilst Llanfair had proved tough opposition at their own ground, the superior playing conditions at the Oval was much more suited to Town’s technically gifted footballers and, from the moment Jamie Breese popped up with the opener in the fifteenth minute, nodding in from close range, the result was never in doubt. What happened immediately following the goal was the stand-out moment of the afternoon as Jamie and his team-mates headed towards the dugout where they celebrated with Iwan (left). Brilliant scenes and the perfect way of showing how close the players are to the manager and his staff. 

The runner-up for best celebration of the day was Paul Pritchard’s jump for joy after seeing Chris Gethin’s penalty sail high and wide of its target late in the match. Paul needed one more clean sheet to break his own league record (achieved in 2014/15) of fifteen shut-outs in a season. Unfortunately for Pritch, James Davies stopped him from achieving the feat in the final minute of the match but there were three matches still left to reach the target and he would eventually get to do it in style just seven days later.

Paul Pritchard was made to wait for his record breaking
clean sheet. 

Following the match, members of the club’s committee met with the players, management staff and Canaries Supporters club to discuss reasons for the Domestic Licence failure and, whilst I would not have been surprised in the least if we’d been criticised and berated, everyone showed a lot of class and understanding and, although undoubtedly disappointed and frustrated with the situation, they were very fair with us. The meeting had not been easy for anyone in that room but it was absolutely right to hold it. Questions needed to be answered and the passion and commitment of everyone present spoke volumes about why Caernarfon Town is a special club.

Kevin Lloyd takes on his marker against Llanfair Utd. 

Iwan’s motto since arriving at the Oval has been ‘One Club’ and what happened in the meeting epitomised this.

We’ve had subsequent meetings as a committee and it seems there will be a number of changes at the club over the next few weeks, which I am sure will see us striding on to greater things. We need to get things right as a matter of urgency and are determined to do so. It’s the least we can do for Iwan, the squad and supporters.         

Next time out, I'll be looking back at how the team reached the League Cup final, how the league was won in emphatic style, and how old adversaries can sometimes surprise us....                     

John King, The Two Twenty Crew and the Holy Dean....

There’s only one place I can start this time around, being the recent passing of former Caernarfon Town manager John King.

John King in front of Caernarfon Castle. Photo by Richard Birch. 

The sad news instantly brought back memories of those glorious days thirty years ago when our legendary manager transformed the Canaries into the best amateur side in Wales, and one of the of finest in Britain. When North Wales’ finest sports reporter, Dave Jones, mentioned he was looking for someone to share a few memories of Mr King, I immediately put my name forward, and am so pleased I took the plunge! The following is what I told Dave and, standing by every word I said, I’m happy to reproduce them here, in tribute to a special figure in the club’s history:

“Most Caernarfon Town supporters I know feel that the team Mr King put together at the Oval is the best to have represented the club, and I would agree that it’s certainly the strongest I’ve seen since in my thrity three years on the terraces. 

The team was struggling in the old Northern Premier League when Mr King arrived and he transformed us, in a very short time, from also-rans to one of the best non-league sides in the English non-league system.

Reaching the third round of the FA Cup in 1986/87 was an extraordinary achievement when one thinks that Caernarfon defeated two football league sides in the opening two matches  before narrowly losing out to Second Division (now known as The Championship) Barnsley in the replay at their ‘Oakwell’ ground. There were three thousand people at the Oval for the first match with Barnsley and the atmosphere was electric. I remember Mr King saying that Barnsley manager Allan Clarke was sweating on the touchline during the match in fear of defeat, and I’m sure he was right! The club has had some great times since then, of course, but I doubt that anything could ever match the excitement of that Cup  run.

Caernarfon had such a good side under Mr King that we as supporters fancied our chances against anyone and the FA Cup ties were no different. The players he brought to the club were excellent, one or two of whom had played in the football league, such as Steve Craven and some who then made a name for themselves in the Professional game. Ray Woods played on the right wing for us and appeared for Coventry City in the Premier League a few years later, whilst Dave Higgins and Dave Martindale followed Mr King to Tranmere.

Whilst the cup run was undoubtedly the highlight of his tenure at Caernarfon, it is often overlooked that he also led the team to third position in the Northern Premier League, which was no mean feat in itself.

John King will always be associated with Tranmere Rovers Football Club due to his long history with them, and rightly so, but he also enjoys, and desrves, legendary status at Caernarfon Town Football Club.

One lasting memory I have of those halcyon days for the club was seeing a photograph in the local newspaper of Mr King standing in front of Caernarfon Castle under the headline ‘King of the Castle’ and this is how I will always remember him.”

I was very proud that Dave decided to use my words in the Daily Post and Caernarfon and Denbigh and, making it even better, was that he also included the photo of Mr King that I rememebered, with the manager standing in front of Caernarfo Castle. The shot had been taken by Richard Birch, who helped so much with my Oval  Ways book and Richard has been kind enough to let me use it here.

Like everyone else who was lucky enough to have witnessed that wonderful Canaries side, I have a number memories of that FA Cup run, from the massive crowds at the Oval with the Two Twenty Crew in full voice, watching former Liverpool captain Emlyn Hughes predicting on national television that we’d beat Barnsley, to the Police escort to Oakwell where we danced the Cofi Conga on the terraces.

Magical days, provided by a magical man..... 

Nathan Craig was on the mark against Flint Town United. 

Waiting to Pounce.

I'm sure I was not alone in feeling rather nervous whilst awaiting the FAW's announcement on the Domestic Licence applications last thursday. As we now know, the game's governing body refused Caernarfon's application although the club have made it clear that we'll be appealing the decision and  are confident of success. I won't pretend to know everything about the requirements of the Licence but do know that many people from within the club, including the chairman, manager, committee members and supporters have worked extremely hard to meet the required criteria. That we failed at the first attempt is disappointing of course but, despite the very few who have found it impossible not to try and criticise the club, all of whom have no links whatsoever to the club I should add, I know that the outstanding issue is being dealt with and will be sorted out in time for the appeal date of April 21st. It's an edgy, but exciting time to be a Caernarfon Town supporter, but we WILL get there!

Chris Williams (left) and the Cofi Messi.

The most disappointing aspect of the news was the rather predictable handful of people who were obviously waiting to pounce on the news and took to social media in an attempt to gloat. All rather sad, and we'll just have to see if the same people appear again in a few day’s time!

The Holy Dean of Haselwell.

Back on the pitch, it’s been a mixed bag since the last blog, although this is due only to the weather and not to what the team has been doing on it.

I don’t think anyone had expected the Holywell match to have been called off last week but the constant rain for much of the preceding twenty four hours put paid to everyone’s hopes of another classic encounter between the two sides. I’ve mentioned more than once in the past that the Wellmen are a very good side and always make it tough for the Cofis, but we have a decent record against them in recent years so it’s a match most of us look forward to.

It was rather disappointing to read a few social media messages from our old friend, the Holy Dean of Hasselwell who decided to share a few photos of the Oval pitch on his account, and seemed to suggest that the match should have been played.

Quite apart from the futility of someone making the trip to the Oval just to take photos and try to prove a point (when I could have sent him a few photos myself), maybe he forgot that clubs do not make decisions to postpone matches, referees do. He should know that every club is at the hands of the officials in such scenarios and the inspection was an early one due to the travelling Holywell would have had to do. Having travelled most of the way to Llanfair Utd earlier this year only to be told the match had been cancelled an hour before kick-off, I certainly think it’s a pretty sound idea to carry out an early inspection. So, a bit disappointing,  but hardly surprising, going by past experience of the Dean and whilst he really should have known better, at least he apologised the following day for any offence caused by his remarks. I’m sure it’s not the first, or last time, he’ll need do this.

Jay Gibbs (right, next to referee) strikes his latest perfect free-kick as he nets against Flint  Town United on saturday.  

Thankfully, Saturday’s match with Flint Town United went ahead as planned and it was an entertaining affair, where we were treated to six goals, plenty of attacking football, an extremely rare Chris Williams goal and, incredibly, a mistake from Caernarfon’s number one, Paul Pritchard!

Breesy heading towards the Cofi Army
after his goal.

When the Cofis defeated Flint at their own ground in September I thought the hosts were a very good side and the Canaries had been made to work hard for the victory. It’s been a surprise, therefore, to see them languishing in mid-table for most of the campaign and whilst they played quite well again on Saturday I thought Caernarfon had another gear in hand if required.

The match got off to a decent start with Flint showing plenty of attacking intent but, from the moment Chris Williams went on his brilliant run past three defenders and coolly slotted the ball into the net, Caernarfon were quite comfortable in victory. Man of the match Jay Gibbs struck another perfect free-kick, the ball thundering over the defensive wall and into the onion bag from all of thirty yards. I know there’s a video clip of the goal on the club’s official twitter account and I’d recommend you having a look if you haven’t done so already, it's brilliant! I’m publishing the above photo, showing the ball heading towards its target, just to show how far Jay was from goal! Town’s other goals were scored by Nathan Craig from the penalty spot and Jamie Breese, who ran onto a Gibbs pass before expertly finishing past the Flint keeper.

All in all, it was another fine performance from the team and, whilst I had been feeling nervous about the match since tea-time on Friday, the players obviously didn’t feel the same way and were impressive as they set about their business.

Messi celebrates Jamie's goal in front of the linesman, who
is wearing a rather striking pair of shorts!

Having originally intended to omit all mention of Paul Pritchard’s mistake for Flint’s second goal, I have now reconsidered, although it is only to say that the Cat is allowed one mistake every four years, which is how long it’s taken for him to make one! On a serious note though, Paul has been in magnificent form again this season, and is on the brink of setting a new league record for the number of clean sheets in a season. He is currently just one behind the record he set last year of fifteen clean sheets. 

The Cofis have just five league fixtures remaining and, still sitting top of the league, it would be easy to be over confident of success at this stage. However, I know that Iwan, his management team and all the players are aware that there is still a lot of football to play and there’s another huge test awaiting the side at Llanfair on Saturday.

I’ve heard that a busload of Cofi supporters will be making the trip to the Mount Field, so there’s going to be a wonderful atmosphere at the ground.

Come on the Town!        

Winning Ugly, late arrivals and the Cofi Army.

The last regular blog I wrote was posted a few days after Caernarfon Town’s emphatic home victory over Mold, in which Jamie Breese found the net four times. Since then, I have posted an exclusive interview with Jamie, which has proved the most popular item I’ve published on the blog thus far, with nearly eight hundred ‘hits’, whilst the team has continued its winning ways by gaining two more  important league victories, achieved in very different, but equally impressive ways.

Conwy Borough were first to test the Cofis and, to be perfectly honest, it proved rather more  comfortable than I had expected. Although the Tangerines have been firmly established in the bottom half of the table for most of the season, they had defeated Porthmadog and Caersws in recent weeks, whilst only narrowly losing to Cefn Druids, Gresford and Flint, all three of whom are amongst the league’s stronger sides, and so they were expected to prove tough opposition.

Jay Gibbs.

It didn’t quite work out that way on the day as the Cofis set about their task from the first kick and  won the match in the first half, during which they scored three times without reply. Conwy improved immensely after the break but Caernarfon looked solid at the back, and managed to add another two goals before the final whistle. Danny Brookwell was named the supporters’ man of the match and I would certainly agree that he was excellent, but Town’s stand-out performer for me was Jay Gibbs, who ran the show from midfield, being supported well by Rob Jones and Nathan Craig. I have always rated Jay as a quality footballer and believe that, during the past four or five weeks, he’s been playing his best football in a Caernarfon Town shirt. His performance in the first half at Y Morfa was sensational and I totally agree with the supporter who told me at half time that ‘Gibbs played like a magician in that half!” I’m really pleased that Jay is playing so well because there have been suggestions in the past, from those outside Caernarfon Town FC, that he can be a bit temperamental but I see him more as a winner, plain and simple. He’s not slow at showing his frustrations on the field and that’s one of the things I like about him. He’s now finding the perfect balance in his game and must be amongst the best midfielders outside the Welsh Premier League. Hopefully, he can soon show everyone that he can be just as good in the top tier!

The team meant business from the off at Conwy. 

I always enjoy visiting Conwy’s home and must say that Y Morfa looked in fine fettle. Whilst I can’t comment on the pitch itself, the surroundings seemed to have improved since last season. I’m not sure if they’ve carried out much work there in the past year but the stadium looked tidier and, of course, they have an excellent clubhouse inside the ground itself, which I’m sure came in handy for the travelling Cofis! Talking of the Cofi Army, a fair number of Town supporters made the short trip up the A55 for the match, and I’m sure it must make a difference to the players when they see such great backing from the terraces. 

Impressive support for the Cofis at Y Morfa. 

The Tangerines were captained by former Caernarfon player Leigh Craven and he had an impressive game, although I was disappointed that another former Town player, Moses Barnett, was injured and took no part in the action. I was pleased, however, to have been able to catch a few words with both before the match and they were just as friendly as ever.

Before moving on, I really must mention that, in addition to seeing the team play so well, I was also able to take home a late contender for the most ridiculous comment of the season. Trying to show his disgust at one of the referee’s decisions, the youngest looking player on the pitch, playing for the hosts, asked the referee, in no uncertain terms, how old he was! The point he was trying to make is that the man in the middle looked quite young, but the player himself was obviously oblivious to the fact he that he himself would struggle to get into a ‘12’ certificate film in the cinema. His badly chosen barb was met by a blank from the ref and howls of laughter from the stands! And well deserved it was too!

'Pritch', the Cofis Number One. 

The only downside of the day was seeing Paul Pritchard lying on the floor in agony after challenging for the ball. ‘The Cat’ is the best goalkeeper in the league in my opinion and I feared the worst when I saw Nathan Craig putting on the spare keeper’s shirt. The match was pretty much over at that point and so I couldn’t see a way back for Conwy but, thinking of the weeks ahead and the enormous prize at stake at the end of the season, it would not be an ideal scenario to lose our first choice keeper for the run-in. Thankfully, Paul managed to continue until the end of the match and seemed back to normal for our visit to Gresford on Saturday.

Of course, Paul’s well-being was typically put to one side by Caernarfon’s chairman in Gresford on Saturday when Arfon wasted no time in castigating the keeper for daring to show he had got hurt! Thankfully, I can’t remember exactly what he told Pritch but it would have been along the lines of ‘that kind of thing never happened when I used to play”. In all seriousness though, it was good to see our number one had made a full recovery.

Where the Canaries had won the match in Conwy in great style, the encounter with Gresford was a very different affair. The Colliers had been on a great run of form in recent weeks, winning nine of their last twelve fixtures, including their last six matches. It was never going to be a ‘gimme’ for the Cofis and so it proved, as they were made to dig deep for victory.

Not the best of conditions at Gresford....

I criticised Gresford for showing little attacking intent during their visit to the Oval earlier this season and, although Town manager Iwan Williams has recently said he thought they were excellent that day I will stand by my original opinion, which was that they looked to waste as much time as possible from the very first minute at the Oval and were more than a little frustrating to watch. Their keeper, Jonathan Hill-Dunt explained to me, on Twitter, that their performance had been all about game management and so it was quite good seeing him asking the referee on Saturday to speed things up, especially after his team went a goal down! To be fair though, he’s an excellent keeper and always partakes in a bit of banter with the Caernarfon supporters. 

The match itself was a real battle, the wet conditions making it hard for the teams to play much football, although both sets of players did their best to do just this. I thought the encounter had all the hallmarks of being a goalless draw from the very beginning but, just as we entered the final twenty minutes, Darren Thomas popped up with a stunning free kick that gave Hill-Dunt little chance. I was standing with the chairman at the time and I’d just told him that it would take something special to beat the home stopper from such a long range out and I’m pleased to say that the Cofi Messi came up with the goods. The goal celebration was nearly as good as the strike itself, as Messi and his teammates headed for the manager on the touchline. Great stuff, and a fine way to clinch all three points.

Job done by the Cofis.

Someone told me afterwards there had been a handful of late arrivals at the ground and that they’d walked out as soon as the ball hit the net and whilst I have no idea who they were, I’m sure they would have appreciated the quality of Darren’s strike. 

Iwan at the final whistle. 

It was my first visit to Gresford’s Clappers Lane ground and I enjoyed it immensely, not just because we won but because of the manner of the victory. Town are the league’s top scorers and have won many fixtures this season by a wide margin, but there haven’t been many matches that have been won by the odd-goal. The popular term used when teams have had to really tough out a result is ‘winning ugly’ and it was really good to see the Cofis manage one this time around. We all know the target this season and this was the type of match that title chasing teams have to win to give themselves a real chance of success. Before finishing, I must mention the large number of Caernarfon supporters who were in attendance and, as always, in fine voice. Due to the bad weather, the small, solitary stand was pretty full and it made for a great atmosphere. Iwan mentioned the impressive support again in his post-match comments and how right he is. On performances so far this season, the team deserves to be part of the Welsh Premier League, and the same can be said for the Cofi Army. 

Another difficult test lies ahead for Caernarfon when Holywell visit the Oval this Saturday. Having lost recently to the Canaries in the League Cup, the Wellmen will be looking to avenge the defeat, but Iwan and his players have shown time again this term that they’re up for every challenge, so it promises to be another cracker between two good sides. I have a feeling that the Cofi Army will be required again this weekend…. 

Being Jamie Breese.

I will confess to not knowing too much about Jamie Breese when he signed for the Canaries last summer. 

I was aware that he had ended the 2014/15 season as top scorer in the Huws Gray Alliance League, with twenty eight goals in thirty matches, and so it obviously seemed a good move by the Iwan Williams to bring him to the Oval. 

Topping year-end scoring charts is an impressive achievement in itself but to do so whilst playing for a team that finished fourth from bottom of the table was rather special and so I, like many other supporters I spoke with at the time, was looking forward to seeing our new striker in action during pre-season.

Of course, Jamie starred in the pre-season friendlies and the rest, as they say, is history. Or history being made would be more apt, as our number nine has continued his goalscoring escapades with the Canaries and presently sits top of the goalscoring table, having found the back of the net eighteen times so far this season. 

I’ve been lucky enough to have seen all bar two of the sides matches this season and can safely say that Jamie is up there with the best Caernarfon centre forwards I’ve seen in thirty years of following the side. Before this season I would have named Eifion Williams as the best striker I’ve seen in the yellow shirt but Jamie is certainly getting close to him and if stays with us for a few seasons, I’m sure he has every chance of surpassing Eifion’s goalscoring feats. 

So, whilst I know how good a footballer Jamie is, I still didn’t know too much about him and, as he seems quite a reserved person I decided to rectify this by asking if he fancied taking part in an interview for the blog. Thankfully, Jamie agreed and has gone the extra mile with his answers, giving lengthy and interesting replies to everything I put to him. 

So, a massive thank you to Jamie for taking the time to do this, and for answering everything so honestly and with no complaints. 

The Interview.

Which teams have you played for, from school days to this season?

“I started my career at around the age of five playing for my local side Montgomery town. I spent around four seasons playing there playing, but at that age it’s like bees around honey and goals were abundant. I took part in the Ian Rush Tournament most years for a Mid Wales side. 

At the age of nine I managed to get myself scouted by Everton and Tranmere. The Everton trial never came to anything but I managed to impress at Tranmere and signed straight after the training session. I was at the club for three years which was a great experience for me and I learned a lot, but came to end at around the age of twelve due to having a new manager and the term I like to use "If your face fits you'll do well". Unfortunately for me no matter how many goals I scored or how well I played I was never going to be in his plans. However, it’s nice to see that three players out of my team, Tom Ince, Scott Wotton and Max Power have now gone onto become professionals. 

After leaving Tranmere I had a twelve month spell of having six month trials at Shrewsbury and Wrexham. Again nothing came of this. By this time I was in high school and just wanted to get back to enjoying football again after having some knock backs. I spent one season playing for Llanfair Caereinion who are now currently in the Cymru Alliance. Some of the players are still in that team that I played with all those years ago. They have a great manager in Rhys "Swarv" and hopefully they can manage to stay up this year. 

I moved from Llanfair to play for Waterloo. This was a team where all my school friends were playing and I had two great seasons there winning many trophies. By now I was old enough to sign for a youth team so I signed on with Newtown. I made my way through the system and up to the first team at around the age of 17-18. The manager at the time was Darren Ryan and he liked the way I played. I had one full season of playing in the Welsh Premier before he left. Andy Cale came in and I knew after a couple of games of just sitting on the bench and not playing that it wasn't going to work out for me under him. I managed to go on loan to Welshpool for the remainder of the season just to get some game time. 

In the summer of 2011 I signed for my previous club Llanidloes Town. They were playing in the Mid Wales division one league at the time and we just missed top spot the first season but managed to clinch it in the second. The club had two years in the Cymru Alliance and were unlucky to go down last year due to five teams going down. 

Being top goalscorer and player of the season helped me a lot in staying in this league. I didn't really want to go back down in the pyramid so when I got the phone call from Iwan I was excited to hear what he had to say. Once I knew he was interested there wasn't any other club I wanted play for. Caernarfon have always been such a big club and have a lot of history. I let him stew for a couple of weeks though!”

Have you always played as a striker?

“Yes I have always played the striker role since I can remember. It can be a tough role when you’re on a "Strikers Run" of not being able to hit a barn door, but there is no better feeling from my point of view than scoring for your team, especially if it’s a "Worldie" or a last minute winner.”

Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

“My parents have to be the biggest influence throughout my career. They both gave up a lot to give me the chance of making it as a footballer. My Dad mainly as Mum was always a bad omen, I’d either get injured or have a bad game when she came to watch so she decided to stay away!! Dad spent a lot of his time driving me all around the country to play in games and attend training when I was younger, especially when I was at Tranmere when we would be travelling up to Liverpool at least twice a week. Looking back now that is a massive commitment when you have a full time job and also the cost involved. I could probably count the games he has missed since I started my career on one hand, so I have massive respect for the both of them for that.”

Which professional team do you support?

“I support Liverpool FC. My old man brought me up supporting them from an early age. Although the club have had some good times over the years (mostly before I came along!) the current team can be somewhat frustrating to watchat times. They need to buy a few players in the summer and have a good pre-season. You can see what Klopp is trying to do at the club and hopefully next year we can be back challenging for at least a champions league spot.”

Who was your favourite player when growing up?

“There were some great strikers playing when I was growing up. You had the likes of Ronaldo, Raul and Shevchenko but for me the player who I looked up to is a bit more recent than that. Fernando Torres during his spell at Liverpool. I've lost count the amount of times I have watched his goals on Youtube for the club! His movement off the ball was class and everything he hit went in. One goal always stands out for me and it was the one against Blackburn at home. He took the ball on the chest on the right hand side of the box with his back towards goal, and somehow smashed it back across the keeper into the top corner. You asked yourself how that was even possible! Although he hasn't been as good since leaving the club, in my eyes he still is a top class player and personally I think he should have stayed at Liverpool instead of moving to Chelsea.”

What did you know about Caernarfon Town before you joined and had you played against us in the past?

“To be honest I didn't really know too much about the club before I signed, I just knew that they used to be in the Welsh Premier a few years ago. I have only ever played Caernarfon five times if I can remember correctly. The first time was when I was playing for Newtown. And it was that long ago I can’t remember anything about the game. The other times were over the past two years while I was playing for Llanidloes Town. We managed to get a draw at home but all the others resulted in a loss.”

How did your move to Caernarfon come about and did you know Iwan before you joined us? 

“Iwan messaged me through twitter basically asking me what my plans were for the season and was I interested in doing a bit of travelling. He told me his exact plans for the squad, and how I would fit into his system. I liked what he had to say straight away and I knew this was the right move for me. I didn't really know Iwan that much before I joined. I had played against him a few times but that was about it.”

Did you know any of the players in the squad? 

“No I didn't know any of the players within the squad before I signed. I knew who the players were as I had played against pretty much all of them over the previous two seasons. That didn't bother me at all, as you soon get to know everyone after the first training session.”

You seemed to settle down quickly at the Oval. Was it as easy as it looked to us from the terraces and if so, why? 

“I have to say a massive thank you to everyone connected with the club for that. They were all very welcoming and supportive which helped me settle down very quickly. It felt like I had been at the club for years and think I can say that for all the other lads who signed in the summer as well.”

I know that Iwan is determined to ensure the team is always well prepared for matches  and was wondering how the training was like last summer, and how has it been during the season?  

“That's one thing I have been very impressed with. He is very organised and knows exactly what he wants to focus on in training to get us ready for the next game. The very first training session in the summer I turned up to, the pitch was just full of cones. You just knew you were going to be dying by the end of it, and I wasn't wrong either! Saying that it felt good to get the cobwebs off. I try to get up to as many sessions I can especially with living so far away. The sessions are enjoyable and all the lads can have a good crack, but at the same time they are short, sharp and intense drills with a purpose for the upcoming game.”

From where I stand, the players all seem to get along well together and look to be a very close outfit. Would you agree with this and, if so, why do you think you’re such a close unit?

“Yes I would definitely agree with that. We are a very close team on and off the pitch. There is some great banter at training and in the dressing room leading up to games. Jay Gibbs and Joe Williams are the main culprits with ‘Weetabix head’ (Grahame Austin) being their target!! I think you can see that team bonding being taken onto the pitch as well. Although some performances haven't been up to the standard we would like, everyone pulls together to grind out wins. That all comes down to the gaffer’s philosophy of this "togetherness" that he wanted from the start of the season. You can bet your house on him saying it every weekend in his team talks. The lads give him some serious stick for it, but what he is saying is right.  We are all in this together and are all aiming at getting this club back to where it belongs.”

You mentioned earlier that you were already aware that Caernarfon Town was a big club but has it lived up to that reputation? 

“Very much so. The following that the club enjoys has to be the biggest I've ever played for. We are getting gate numbers higher than most clubs currently playing within the Welsh Premier and as a player you dream of playing in games in front of loads of supporters.”

What do you think of the Caernarfon Town supporters and have they surprised you with how much passion they have for the team?

“The fans have been absolutely unbelievable all season. They are that "twelfth man" and have helped us through many games. Even when things aren't going our way or we aren't playing well they never get on the teams back. I remember the conversation Iwan had with me about the supporters before I agreed to sign. I think his exact words were "The supporters are nuts, they absolutely love it" and I think it’s fair to say he wasn't wrong. The passion that they have for the club is unbelievable. We as players really appreciate their support and hopefully we can re-pay them by going on to win the league and league cup.”

What have been the highlights of your time at the Oval thus far?

“If I were to pick out a highlight this season it would have to be the game against Bangor in the Word Cup. It was a game you dream of playing in, a big rivalry in front of over 1000 fans. The night couldn't have gone any better either, with us winning the game and me getting the goal that clinched it. The scenes after the final whistle were like nothing I had ever seen before and it showed how much it really meant to the fans.”

Have there been any big disappointments so far this season?

“I think one disappointment this season has to be the Welsh Cup. Iwan had targeted the Cup as one he wanted to do really well in. We had many chances in the first half to put the tie out of reach but we were unable to convert our chances. Second half we never really got going and before we knew it we were 3-0 down. Although we got two goals back and slowly started to find our rhythm there wasn’t enough time left to get the goals we needed to get through.”

After a slightly slow start to the campaign, the team has been on an impressive run of form. What do you think has contributed to this?  

“It wasn't the best start to the season by any means especially after the good pre-season we had. After the draw against Holywell and then the loss at home against Prestatyn we knew we had to get a win at Denbigh and thankfully we did. You could see the relief in the changing room at getting the first three points on the board. It settled the team down and we just kicked on from there really.”

Which of the teams you’ve faced has impressed you the most this season, and which defence has been the hardest to play against?

“I’d have to say Guilsfield and Holywell have impressed me this season. They are teams like us who like to get the ball down and pass it around. We played Holywell in the very first game of the season and they did that really well and we were lucky to come out of the game with a draw. The same with Guislfield at home, when we couldn't get anywhere near them in the second half and we lost the game 3-1. Cefn Druids have a good defensive line up and it was a frustrating game for me at home, as I didn't have many chances at goal. We play them again in a couple weeks time so I’ll be looking to get myself on the score sheet this time.”

You’ve played against Caernarfon’s defence for Llanidloes and I was wondering what you remember about coming up against our back four. Is it as hard as it looks? 

“When you’re playing against the top defensive sides in the league you know your afternoon isn't going to be an easy one and more so when you’re playing against the defence who have conceded less goals than anyone else! Our defence has been superb again this season with only conceding seventeen goals. As a striker I'm glad they’re on my team this year and not the other way around!”

Summer football or are you a traditionalist?

“I am a traditionalist. It’s nice to have free weekends during the summer months when the weather is nice. Saying that though it does get very frustrating when games get called off due to waterlogged or frozen pitches.”

Everyone connected with the club would love to win the Huws Gray League and get promotion. Has this been the team’s main target all season?

“Yes it certainly has. Before I even signed, Iwan made it very clear that his main objective was to win the league and gain promotion. This was one of the reasons why I wanted to sign as we both wanted to achieve the same goal of getting back to the Welsh Premier.”

You’ve mentioned the many setbacks you’ve had along the way so would it mean to you to get back into the Welsh Premier League with Caernarfon?

“It would mean a lot to me to get back up to the Welsh Premier. Looking back I think I was a bit too young when I was at Newtown. I went away and got some good experience, especially these last three seasons in the Cymru Alliance and I think I'm now ready to give it another shot. As for Cearnarfon, we all know how much it would mean to everyone connected with the club to get back up to the Prem. We have seven massive games left and I'm confident we can achieve this and get the club back to where it belongs.” 

Woolly hats seem to be fashionable amongst the Cofis players this season, and in his Oval Ways interview Iwan poked some fun at the headgear being used by the players, including your snapbacks. What do you think Jamie, and does Iwan, as he has also hinted, possess superior fashionable sense to everyone else in the squad? 

“Fashionable??? Hahahahaha, I don't know what planet he is on sometimes! The lads give him some fair stick for the clobber he owns. We have a team night out coming up and it will be interesting to see what the "fashion king" rolls up in.”

Who’s got the best and worst music taste in the dressing room?

“The worst has to be Iwan!! I really don't know where he gets his music from, some of the remixes he pulls out are shocking, and the amount of stick he gets is hilarious. Saying that he sent a message in the ‘whatsapp’ group requesting a song from everyone as we complained too much about his "top tunes". There were some shockers there but I have to make a special mention about Pritch's song. He chose the Champions League song as it reminded him of the ten second appearance he made in the tournament a few years ago. I'm glad I wasn't him when that one came on in the dressing room!! As for good music I can’t really say as Iwan always hogs the speakers.”

Who’s your favourite singer/ group?

“I don't really have a favourite group or singer. I like a bit of house music so I’ll listen to any DJ that puts some good tunes out there.”

Who’s your favourite actor/actress?

“I’d have to say Mark Whalberg or Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. My DVD rack has got a few of their films on it.”

What’s your favourite film?

“I wouldn't say I have a favourite film. I do quite like all seven Fast and Furious films and they’re ones I could watch again and again. My misses hates them, so whenever they are on the TV I always try and sneak it on.”

According to the chairman, Arfon, he had some wise words for you before the Mold match which he believes was the real reason you scored four goals! What’s your take on this story? 

“I can’t disagree with him there. He just pointed out to me that the ball needs to go between the white sticks. I took his advice on board and took it out onto the pitch with me. It worked, so I have now asked him for the same chat before every game until the end of the season! 

On the subject of the chairman I would like to thank him for everything he has done for me personally, and the team this season. Even though I have only been at the club a year I know how hard he has worked over the last six years to get this club back to where it currently is. I know all the lads are determined to give him the perfect send off and it will be sad to see him go, but I wish his all the best in his retirement and hopefully we’ll see him at a few games next year.”

Did you see the photos of Gaz, Rob and Joe eating McDonalds after a training session recently? You’d never do that would you, Jamie?

“I did see the photo, and I must confess I have done that once this season. I do try and look after my body after training sessions and games. I usually have a protein shake, a pint of water and something decent to eat. That healthy mindset only lasts until I get home though, especially at weekends!” 

How did it feel to score four against Mold, and had you ever scored that amount, or more, in a senior match previously?

“It felt really good to get one goal let alone four, especially after not getting on the scoresheet for the three previous games. I scored four goals last season against Penycae at home for Llanidloes so I’ve equalled my record for most goals in a senior match.”

You’re a big favourite with all the supporters Jamie, and I was wondering if you have a message for the Cofi Army?

“I would just like to say again a massive thank you to all the fans, firstly for the welcome  they gave me and also for their continued support over the season. #CofiArmy.”