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| Midweek Round Up | THURSDAY 3RD JULY
2008 |
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FAW REGISTRATION OFFICE OPEN FOR BUSINESS 
AT LAST!The good folk of the FAW Registrations Office are back in business this Thursday morning as the "transfer window" slides open. Of course various media (this website included) have been reporting and commenting on transfers and potential signings, but until this moment they were not able to be lodged with Neptune Court. According to the Cymru-Alliance.com site: The FAW/Cymru Alliance League must receive the Registration Form within five (5) working days from the date stated on the Registration Form when the Player and Club Secretary signed the Registration Form. Therefore, the earliest a player and club can sign and date a Registration Form is June 30, 2008. The FAW will not accept new Registration Forms received prior to July 4, 2008. So after a period of inactivity, it all starts in earnest today. TRANSFERS, RUMOURS AND WHATEVER ELSE... Big spending Rhyl continue to rebuild after the departure of John Hulse. Now variously run by Chairman Peter Parry, chief coach Osian Jones and former Prestatyn boss Alan Bickerstaffe, the Belle Vue side have been busy. Latest on the incoming side is Airbus manager and former Wrexham midfielder Gareth Owen (aged 36) who has joined another Racecourse old boy Jamie Reed at the Black & Whites revolution. Reed was training with TNS having most recently played for Aberystwyth and Colwyn Bay. Aberystwyth meanwhile have added a second Caersws favourite - Colin Reynolds - to the recent capture of goalscorer Graham Evans. Welshpool midfielder Chris Venables has also joined up with Brian Coyne at Park Avenue. Two more departees from Welshpool are Aden Shannon and Paul Dowridge who have both linked up with GAP Connahs Quay. New Nomads boss Steve O'Shaughnessy is also thought to be chasing the signature of former Wrexham midfielder Mark McGregor. Finally news that Caernarfon Town have appointed a trio of Liverpool based amigos to run the team following SoS's untimely departure. They are Aubrey Rogers, Peter Smith and David Rowe who - by the looks of it - have no managerial experience but a background in coaching within academy structures, including at Liverpool FC. The plan apparently is to train at Runcorn - and in due course at Wrexham for the benefit of the Welsh based players. Good luck! Finally (really mean it this time) news from Caernarfon that Layton Maxwell is joining Porthmadog. |
| Midweek Round Up | THURSDAY 26th JUNE 2008 |
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RHYL'S ROBERTS SIGNING POSER 
According to all news sources
Rhyl have completed the signing former Wrexham striker Neil Roberts.The 30 year old Wrexham born and based goalscorer has signed a 3 year deal hailed by Club President Peter Parry as "the start of taking the club to the next level". Quite what that means is open to interpretation. But what is clear is that Roberts had scored some 56 league goals in 227 starts for a host of clubs including Wrexham, Doncaster, Bradford, Hull City and Wigan. He began and ended his career at Wrexham, making his debut in September 1997 as a substitute for Karl Connolly in a goalless draw against Chesterfield. Wayne Phillips and Barry Jones also featured for the home side. Eleven years later - and after The Robins (yes Robins) were relegated into the Conference, he was released by Brian Little. Reports suggest Roberts turned down Football League clubs to sign for Rhyl, to build up his coaching experience and develop a business outside football. But there is a poser in all this. Why did Roberts only play 227 games (plus close on a 100 as a sub) in eleven years? Last season he made just 18 league starts for Wrexham. In the past two years he has had an operation on one ankle and damaged ligaments in the other. There is one harsh observation that has to be made. The best - in my opinion - ex Wrexham pro to drop into the WP since Paul Roberts must be Steve Watkin. Bangor offered, Caernarfon offered more, and Watkin went to The Oval where he was to all intent and purpose an injury prone failure. And yes it was a great shame because he did look exceptional at times. So the question is to WP clubs who put ex-pros on long contracts - and three years is long at this level - do they ensure players pass a rigorous medical examination, as would be the case with League clubs? Or it all done on trust... Port Land Mel Jones? 
Reports suggest Mel Jones could
vacate his position as Bangor City academy director to take up a post as assistant
manager to Paul Whelan at Porthmadog.Jones had a brief spell in charge at Bangor and would seem a reliable second in command for Whelan who has been out of WP circles for some time. If this proves to be accurate - then best to Mel for the new season and challenges it may hold. |
| Midweek Round Up | WEDNESDAY 11th JUNE 2008 |