Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Carmarthen Town AFC have unveiled plans for an exciting community project based around a new 3G all-weather football pitch at Richmond Park. The installation of the 3G pitch will be the catalyst for a wide-ranging community programme based around the Welsh Premier League club. “The club’s intention is to help create a wider community benefit by helping and supporting people to reach their full potential,” said Project Manager and Club Director Jeff Thomas. Mr Thomas said the club was forging a number of key partnerships to progress the 3G project. The cost of the 3G pitch will be in the region of £560,000, with the club currently looking at filling a shortfall of £150,000 for the scheme. Mr Thomas said: “We have always been recognised locally as a great community club, keen to get involved in helping the wider community. Our focus has always been much more than just our ground at Richmond Park. “Our 3G plan includes a community programme with particular emphasis on socially and econo...

Carmarthen Town AFC have released their full fixture programme for Phase 2 of the Dafabet Welsh Premier League campaign. After the mid-season break, the Old Gold return to league action this Saturday with an away fixture at Gap Connah's Quay, 2.30pm. Club chairman Chris Edwards said he was delighted with the side’s achievements so far this season. “It was crucially important for us to secure a Top 6 place and play in the top level of the Welsh Premier League this season. “There’s a very big thank to the players, the coaching staff and all the backroom team at Richmond Park for their hard work in achieving our Top 6 place. “With the pressure of relegation off and being guaranteed Welsh Premier League Football for next season, we can concentrate on aiming for a home European Qualifying game. “Although playing against the very best of the league for the remaining 10 games, we will go forward with confidence having beaten or picked up points in Phase 1 against all clubs apart from TN...

Match Report – STM Sports v Carmarthen Town (9 July 2016) By John Collyer Match reporter for Welsh Premier League side Carmarthen Town AFC STM Sports 1 Carmarthen Town 7 Carmarthen eventually overwhelmed STM Sports in this pre-season fixture but the Welsh League Division Three side played their full part in this competitive match and Town’s eventual comfortable victory was not assured until a 3 goal blitz in two minutes midway through the second-half. The opening stages of this game were played at a frantic pace on an accommodating 3G surface with Town enjoying the greater share of possession and creating most of the forward pressure, while STM were quick to respond with a series of enthusiastic counter-attacks. Yet despite their early dominance the Old Gold were initially unable to pierce the home defence and it was not until the 12th minute that their first scoring chance arose. Kyle Bassett made a strong run down the right-wing before cutting inside and playing the ball across t...

Match Report – Penybont v Carmarthen Town (5 July 2016) By John Collyer Match reporter for Welsh Premier League side Carmarthen Town AFC Penybont 3 Carmarthen Town 1 Carmarthen opened their pre-season programme against Welsh League side Penybont whose spirited performance presented a suitably stern challenge for a Town squad that comprised most of the regulars that finished last season (Luke Cummings, Craig Hanford and Ceri Morgan were unavailable for differing reasons, while Sacha Walters and Luke Prosser were of course released several weeks ago and Kieran Lewis and James Kirkwood have also left the club); in addition there were first appearances in the Old Gold colours for new signings Lee Surman, Declan Carroll, Matthew Thomas and Aidan Miller together with trialist Connor Hughes. Town began the match quite impressively as they monopolised possession and kept the home side pinned well back in their own half for long spells. Even so, in the opening stages they were unable to breach ...

Carmarthen Town Football Club is very proud to announce the appointment of Peter Price as the new Club Secretary. He will take on his new role at the end of the current season. Current secretary Gareth Jones will continue to oversee some club administrative matters, including UEFA and domestic ground licences for Richmond Park. Peter said: "I am a passionate supporter of Carmarthen Town. I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a player. The time is now right for me to give something back to the club and take on many of the responsibilities previously handled by Gareth Jones. "Gareth will continue to be a valuable mentor for my work with Carmarthen Town and I look forward to working with him - and other club officials - to make Carmarthen Town AFC an even bigger success story." Peter is well known as a former player and club captain and highly respected within footballing circles. His main role within the club for the following season will be: 1. Liaise with The Football...

With Wales’ historic UEFA Euro 2016 Championship campaign in France growing ever nearer, S4C will embark on a tour across Wales to spread the Euros excitement among supporters. And the TV tour will take in Welsh Premier League side Carmarthen Town's HQ in Richmond Park, Carmarthen. S4C will be showing live coverage of each of Wales’ group stage matches in June, but before they make the journey across the Channel, the presentation team will be touring football clubs across Wales. And with some former Wales international players in the line-up, club members are in for some frank, interesting discussions. The five events will take place at MBi Llandudno, Bangor City, Bala Town, Penrhyncoch and Carmarthen Town football clubs, where the S4C team will be talking football and kicking a ball or two. Presenter Dylan Ebenezer or the commentator Nic Parry will host the evenings, and they will be joined by ex-Wales internationals, Malcolm Allen, Iwan Roberts and Owain Tudur Jones, and sup...

Football commentator and pundit Ian Snodin, best known for being a dynamic Everton midfielder, will be the guest speaker at the Carmarthen Town AFC annual celebrity dinner at the Ivy Bush Royal Hotel, Carmarthen, on Friday, May 20. Snodin was a regular analyst on Sky Sports' coverage of the Football Conference, before taking on a similar role at Setanta Sports following a change in the broadcasting rights. He co-hosts Terrace Talk, a football magazine show, with Liverpool legend Ian St. John every Saturday at midday on Liverpool music station Radio City 96.7 and City Talk 105.9 and occasionally commentates on Everton for the same radio network. He writes a weekly column for the Liverpool Echo. Snodin is almost unique in modern football insomuch as he declined an invitation (which few receive and virtually no one declines) when he turned down the chance to join Liverpool in January 1987. Having esta...

Carmarthen Town manager Mark Aizelwood will pick from a depleted squad but is confident his young side stand every chance of making further progress in the EUROPA league play-offs grand finale to the Dafabet Welsh Premier League season. Town make the long journey north to Gap Connah’s Quay for a 3.30pm kick-off on Sunday (May 8). The Town game plan will be ‘no fears’. Aizlewood said: “Make no bones about it, for Carmarthen Town to finish in the play-off spot of seventh in the two-tier league is more difficult than TNS (The New Saints) winning the league, in my opinion. “There is no point in us moaning about the fact that we don’t have the money other, bigger, clubs, in the Welsh Premier League have. “Other clubs have bigger resources in terms of money and playing squads, but we just get on with it. “I am absolutely delighted with what Carmarthen Town’s players have achieved this season. “As a football coach, you can often go to the statistics and make them read something speci...

Carmarthen Town Football Club officials are celebrating their success in achieving two Football Association of Wales licensing awards. The club has been granted both Domestic and UEFA (European) Licences for next season, 2016/17. “Achieving the two licences is no mere tick-box exercise; a huge amount of hard work has to go into preparing the applications,” said club Chairman Jeff Thomas. “Our club general manager/secretary Gareth Jones, club licensing officer John Collyer, groundsman Jonathan Lewis and treasurer Anthony Parnell can be singled out for special praise for their significant roles within the process.” Chairman designate Chris Edwards said: “All officials, volunteers, supporters and helpers can take pride in the fact we have been granted these two licenses. “The Domestic one is key to our participation in the Welsh Premier League and the UEFA license means that we can stage European games. This has paid dividends for us in the past as we fly the flag for South andWest Wale...

Welsh Premier League side Carmarthen Town AFC have announced an innovative ground sponsorship deal at their home at Richmond Park. A three-year deal sees the ground named as the Vibrant Vapours Stadium. "It's a bold step for us," said Carmarthen Town AFC chairman Jeff Thomas. "But, in this very competitive age, we have to be bold to secure the funding we need to progress as a top class Welsh Premier League side. "Carmarthen Town has always been at the cutting edge of innovation in the Welsh Premier League. We have, arguably, the finest ground facilities in the Welsh Premier and we are currently working on an ambitious project to install a 3G all-weather pitch at the ground. "We are delighted to be able to announce that we have teamed up with Vibrant Vapours to establish new naming rights for the ground at Richmond Park. "From now on, we will be referring to our ground as The Vibrant Vapours Stadium. "Vibrant Vapours have their headquarters in Ca...

Photo gallery from Carmarthen Town AFC v TNS Welsh Premier League match. Full match report from John Collier on - http://www.carmarthentownafc.com/wpl1516_tns_h_6oct.html

Carmarthen Town AFC are appealing to all football fans and the community in the town to rally to the aid of the club in an exciting period in the team's history. The club has ambitious plans to install an all-weather 3G pitch which will be of benefit to the whole community. The plans are taking shape, but first the club plans . . .  Supporters and Community Meeting Richmond Park on MONDAY 11th May at 7pm The club continues to operate at pace with a number of ongoing initiatives gaining momentum. The principal objective is to secure a state of the art artificial pitch known as 3G for the community of Carmarthen. Some 75% of the expenditure has already been obtained leaving a shortfall of approx £120,000 and in addition to securing the additional funds work is ongoing to plan for its future use. This facility will considerably raise the profile of the whole town within West Wales. Running parallel to this is the preparation of a development plan with the concerte...

News hot off the press from Carmarthen Town AFC about the annual football festival and fete at Richmond Park - CARMARTHEN TOWN AFC ANNUAL PRIMARY SCHOOL FOOTBALL FESTIVAL & FETE Carmarthen Town will be holding their annual primary school football festival at Richmond Park on Friday 1st May. The event is made possible by the support provided by our Community Programme sponsor EMC Services and Programme Sponsor St Catherine’s Walk. The Club are very grateful to Neil Alexander and John Nash for their continuing support. We are also very grateful to the teachers of all the schools who are giving up their time to ensure their pupils have such a memorable evening. Programme sellers will be calling door to door in the build up to the event so please support it and come along on the night. The fun starts from 4pm and refreshments and stalls will be available on the night.

Howard Kendall, the greatest manager in history of Everton football club, was the guest speaker at Carmarthen Town AFC's annual sportsman's dinner held at the Ivy Bush Royal Hotel, Carmarthen. Kendall, 67, had a distinguished playing career as a footballer, captaining the England Youth side to victory in the 1964 Little World Cup Final and playing for Preston North End, Everton, Birmingham City, Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers. His managerial career took him to Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Athletic Bilboa, Manchester City, Xanthi, Notts County, Sheffield United and Ethnikos Piraeus. The football legend gave an entertaining 40-minute address followed by a question and answer session. Principal guests included the chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council Councillor Terry Davies, the Mayor of Carmarthen Town Councillor Arwel Lloyd, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards and club sponsor Einsley Harries. Other speakers included Roger Devonside, the celebrated aerob...

The New Saints 2-0 Carmarthen Town: The New Saints booked a home Welsh Cup quarter-final tie against Airbus UK Broughton with a convincing 2-0 win over Carmarthen Town at Park Hall. Mike Wilde swept the ball in from six yards to give the home side the lead in first half stoppage time after Carmarthen had failed to clear Chris Seargeant's free-kick. Man of the match Ryan Fraughan added a second for the hosts on the hour. Link to more on the headline and below - http://www.carmarthentownafc.com/hafan1.html

Revised fixtures for Carmarthen Town AFC in the second half of the Welsh Premier League programme are as follows - http://www.carmarthentownafc.com/fixtures_gemau.html Stop Press: Fixture confirmation @CarmarthenAFC Newtown v Carmarthen Monday 21st April 2014 KO 2:30pm

Cerebra, the Carmarthen based charity for children with neurological conditions and brain injury, is delighted to announce that Carmarthen Town AFC is supporting its work this season. The football club, through its EMC Services sponsored Community Programme, will be supporting the charity through a series of fundraising events. To launch the support programme, the club hosted the Cerebra Christmas raffle draw at the Richmond Park clubhouse and community centre. Representatives from the club and the charity discussed fundraising plans and the club and charity mascots (Merlin the owl from Carmarthen Town and Sir E Bear from Cerebra) drew the winning tickets. Paul Ashley-Jones, who heads up Carmarthen Town's Community Programme, said "We pride ourselves on being more than just a football club and every year our fans raise money for deserving local charities. We are delighted to support Cerebra in 2014." Elaine Collins, PR and Marketing Manager at Cerebra, said: "...

The latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC column from the Carmarthen Journal - A 'Noson Joio' fun night is being held at Carmarthen Town AFC's clubhouse next month. The poems and pints and live music night will be held at Richmond Park at 7.30pm on Friday, February 15. The evening will feature three celebrated Welsh actors - Dafydd Hywel, Sue Roderick and Dewi 'Pws' Morris. Proceeds will go towards Speaking Books Wales and the Football Community Programme at Carmarthen Town. Tickets available from - Gareth O Jones 0781 426 2656; Jeff Thomas 0781 369 7774. Weblink - http://www.carmarthentownafc.com/news_nosonjoio_chwef2013.html ------------------------------------- Fixtures (home matches in capitals) – February 2 Sat 4:15pm NEWTOWN AFC WPL Season’s ‘Second Phase’ dates to be confirmed ------------------------------------- Tote: January 8, winning numbers 3 and 25. The winner of the £300 prize was Stephanie Evans. January 15, winning numbers 3...

A Carmarthen Town supporters bus is being arranged for the WORD Cup Final between Carmarthen Town and The New Saints, Saturday, January 12, 2013. The match is being staged at Latham Park, Newtown. Bus £10, £5 under 16. Names and money to Paul Ashley-Jones @ Club Shop; Colin Payne (07809 174487); Anthony Parnell (07989 448629). http://www.carmarthentownafc.com/wordfinal_bus.html

Comedian Paul Dazely is to star at Carmarthen Town AFC clubhouse at Richmond Park, Carmarthen, on Friday, November 9. Paul describes his act as, “Comedy: the point of no return” He says that “20 years of being in bands and getting paid to do a hobby is one thing, but to entertain a crowd of people with just words is just the best kick in the world. "I mean, there`s no stress in my job for one thing, because I just take it out on the audience!” The evening starts at 7:30pm. Cost £7.50, including sausage and chips and raffle prizes. Tables of 10 are available for this fund-raising event from Peter Fearn 07863 652025 or Michelle at the clubhouse. Weblink - http://www.carmarthentownafc.com/