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

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 ...

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...

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...

Photo album from Carmarthen Town v Bangor City in the Welsh Premier League. Carmarthen secured the double over Bangor on a cold and wet afternoon . The visitors’ defender Clowes headed into his own net after just 13 minutes but The Citizens got back on level terms 10 minutes later when Chris Jones found his way through Town’s defence. Liam Thomas got the winner after 58 minutes to earn a valuable three points for The Old Gold. Match report - http://www.carmarthentownafc.com/index.html Photo gallery -

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's grant application to the Football Association of Wales for a 3G all-weather pitch to be laid at Richmond Park has been successful. The decision was communicated to the Welsh Premier League club's chairman Jeff Thomas who said: "I am delighted with the news. "The fact that we have been awarded this finance means that on completion of the project Richmond Park can now be seen as an all-year round facility which can only be of benefit to the community. "While the award is extremely generous further grant aid will be necessary to complete the project." Mr Thomas added: "We are well on our way to achieving the full amount with support having already been agreed by two other bodies and with a further grant application being considered at this time. "The club is most anxious to proceed with the pitch installation at the earliest possible time which would mean that the muddy and difficult conditions we experienced in last Saturd...

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

Town look impressive as they bounce back to winning ways | This is South Wales Carmarthen Town bounced back from two defeats to cruise to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Welsh League side Ton Pentre. Link to South Wales Evening Post story.

Supporters of Llanelli Football Club urged to attend meeting aimed at saving it following High Court hearings | This is South Wales Troubled Llanelli Football Club have issued a call to arms to supporters to help save it. Officials are pinning their latest hopes on a meeting at their Stebonheath ground tonight, 7pm at Stebonheath. Full story on this link.

The latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC column from the Carmarthen Journal - Special supporters buses will be running on Saturday for the WORD League Cup Final between Carmarthen Town and The New Saints. The match is being played at a neutral venue at Latham Park, Newtown, KO 3pm. Two buses will be leaving Priory Street, Carmarthen, at 10am. If you have not yet booked, please contact - Anthony Parnell on 07989 44 86 29 or Paul Ashley-Jones on 07775 82 08 64. Prices: Adults : £10, U16: £5.00. ------------------------------------- Fixtures (home matches in capitals) – January 12 Sat 3pm The New Saints @ Latham Park Word Cup Final 19 Sat 2:30pm NEWTOWN AFC WPL 26 Sat 2:30pm BALA TOWN WC4 ------------------------------------- Tote: November 13 draw, winning numbers 5 and 19. Winners of the £300 prize, Julie Sill, Angela Evans and Wally Gray. November 20, winning numbers 17 and 30, winners Wendy Brown, Buddy Evans and Roger Hunt. December 4 draw, winning numbers...

The latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC column from the Carmarthen Journal newspaper - A last minute winner by Carmarthen Town full back Gavin Rees gave his team a 3-2 victory over Afan Lido in the second round of the Football Association of Wales Youth Cup last Sunday. The match at Richmond Park was a full bloodied affair with the Old Gold having Ross Jones red-carded on the hour mark for a foul and also picking up six other yellow cards. Carmarthen took the lead after 18 minutes when a spectacular 30-yard free-kick from Iestyn Evans found the bottom of the visitor's net. Afan Lido equalised with a similar effort 15 minutes later and then took the lead early in the second period. Manager Peter Fearn changed his team's formation 10 minutes from time, the move paying off when Callum Jackson equalised also immediately. The Youth side then piled on the pressure and the winner, when it came, was well deserved. ------------------------------------- Fund-...

Statement issued by Llanelli AFC spokesman Nigel Richards - " Llanelli AFC can confirm that the outstanding money owed to HMRC was paid this afternoon and the subsequent winding-up order will not be actioned." See earlier post - http://sirgarblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/llanelli-football-club-vow-to-tackle.html See latest news story - http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/red/story-16813216-detail/story.html

Mark Aizlewood the manager of Carmarthen has expressed his delight at the signing of three more players to add to his squad for next season. “I am delighted to have secured the services of Matthew Rees who is one of the most experienced and talented centre backs in the league, we have fought off competition from other clubs for Mathew’s signature and he will undoubtedly be a major influence for us on and off the field of play next year. "I am also thrilled to announce the signing of Ian Hillier who is a versatile and vastly experienced player. I am usually reluctant to sign ex-pros but in Ian Hillier we have signed a player who conducts himself to the highest standards and will be a fine example for our young players. "The third of a trio of signings from Neath is Craig Hughes who I have worked with before and is a man who guarantees any team he plays for goals. Craig is a model player to have around your club and leads by example on and off the field of play. "I am ...

The Llanelli Reds have started training ahead of their UEFA Europa League exploits at the beginning of July. At their Saturday morning session at the Llandarcy Academy of Sport, Reds manager, Andy Legg, confirmed that Jason Bowen, Lloyd Grist, Lee Sunman, Chris Thomas, Ashley Evans and Chris Venables had all resigned for the forthcoming season. He also welcomed new additions to the squad in the shape of Luke Bowen, Geoff Kellaway, and Martin Rose and former Cardiff City Academy product Mamadou Diallu. Legg was also expecting Antonio Corbisiero, Ashley Morris, Ryan Batley, Martyn Giles, Craig Moses and Craig Williams to agree to terms this week. In addition, former keeper Craig Morris is also expected to return to the Welsh Premier League club. One omission to the squad is young goalkeeper, Craig Richards, who has joined Port Talbot Town. Legg is extremely disappointed at this move saying, “Craig was the No1 choice for the last 10 games of last season and was in pole position f...

The AGM of Carmarthen Town AFC football club is being held tonight (June 12) at 7:30pm at the clubhouse and community centre in Richmond Park, Carmarthen. A warm welcome is extended to all club members. Proposals for a new club executive structure will be discussed.

The latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC column from the Carmarthen Journal newspaper - A meeting of the Carmarthen Town AFC general committee at the clubhouse and community centre at Richmond Park considered proposals for a new-look management structure for the club. The new structure will see the end of the executive committee of the club and will see specific club ‘directors’ take charge of new areas of responsibility – business, financial, football, community affairs and communications. A vision group and management group is proposed to work alongside the club’s legal directors. The new proposals require a change to the club’s constitution, so will be considered at the forthcoming AGM on June 12. ------------------------------------- The annual Carmarthen Town AFC Fete will be held at Richmond Park on Saturday, July 7. ------------------------------------- The Welsh Premier League AGM will be held at The Marine Hotel, Aberystwyth, on Saturday, Jun...

Leon Jeanne joins Carmarthen - Cardiff Football - CardiffOnline - WalesOnline Former Cardiff City winger Leon Jeanne has signed for Welsh Premier League Carmarthen Town. Jeanne, 31, is one of three players snapped up from Afan Lido by Carmarthen manager Mark Aizlewood for 2012-13, along with Carl Evans and defender Anthony Finselbach. Cardiff-born Jeanne's playing career started 15 years ago at Queens Park Rangers and he later signed for the Bluebirds, but his career was disrupted by alcohol and drug problems.

Carmarthen Town’s General Manager Kevin Morris has been busy over the last few weeks. With The Old Gold’s place in the Welsh Premier League being ensured by the failure of Neath to gain a Domestic Licence and Haverfordwest County failure to get the necessary number of points, Morris has already agreed terms with a number of players for the 2012/13 season. Along with First Team Manager Mark Aizlewood and First Team coach Neil Smothers, he has already re-signed several of last season’s squad. The management team at Richmond Park named the following as the ones who had already agreed deals for next year – last season’s captain and utility player Tim Hicks, midfield player Jonathan Hood, last season’s player of the year Corey Thomas, and commanding centre back Lee Bevan. Jack Christopher, who won Sgorio's Goal of the Year award, has also put pen to paper. “The other squad members from last season have yet to meet up with the management team due to holiday commitments but will be ...