Search the site

  

Grab my RSS feed | (What's this?)

Tag cloud...

Sponsored links

Recent comments

Recent Posts

Feeds

Categories

Useful links

Archives

Sponsored links

May 2007 Archives

What's your best Seagulls XI?

Posted by Tim Channon on May 25, 2007 10:18 AM

NEIL COVERLEY won both the Players and Supporters Player of the Year at Colwyn Bay Football Club's annual presentations last weekend, but would he be in your best Seagulls team of the last 20 years?
Having followed the Seagulls through many highs and lows over that time, I've put together a team from the players who have stood out for me over that time.
Goalkeeper was one of the toughest positions. Keith Williams was an outstanding keeper when I first started covering the Bay in the 1980s and he was very highly rated in North Wales at the time. Since then there have been some notable candidates including former Everton keeper Colin D'Arcy, Trevor Ball, who helped the side win a treble in 1992, and more recently the popular Matt Parry, but in the end I've gone for Richie Roberts who gave the club years of stirling service during their 10 years in the Unibond Premier Division, helping to their highest ever league position of sixth in 1994 and voted Player of the Year on several occasions.
At right back is Darren Tinson, who was probably the classiest defender Colwyn Bay have had in my time. He went on to play in the Football League with Macclesfield before joining Nigel Clough at Burton Albion, playing against Manchester United in the FA Cup last year.
My central defenders (sorry Covs) are Bryn A Jones and Colin Caton - two big men who could dominate in defence and score key goals from set pieces. I've gone for Dave Fuller at left back against competition from the likes of Steve Mann, Neil Rigby and John Boardman from the current squad.
My midfield in a 4-4-2 formation sees Marc Limbert on the right, Dave Brett and Peter Donnelly in the middle and Craig Lawton on the left.
Donnelly is probably the best midfield player the Bay have had. His surging runs through the middle and power shooting from distance is something that stands out in my memory above everything else. Dave Brett was a tenacious ball winner and a dynamic force in the centre, while Marc Limbert was an out and out matchwinner down the right with his runs, accurate crosses and power shooting, and was never replaced adequately until the arrival of John Lawless at the back end of last season. Craig Lawton was another class player, having honed his skills in Manchester United's youth side along side the likes of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.
The front two is also a difficult choice when you think of all the strikers who have done well over the years, with Mark Willscroft, Steve Jones, Alan Nicholas, James McIlvogue and Deiniol Graham among the names that come to mind. But I've gone for Stef Rush and Graham Roberts.
Rush gave the Bay seven year's loyal service and scored some very important goals - a matchwinner in a North West Counties final played at Atherton Colleries sticks out in my memory. He also played in the Welsh Cup against Swansea City when the Swans were riding high alongside the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United under the managership of John Toshack in the old First Division.
Graham 'Percy' Roberts was another fantastic club man who was much sort after by bigger clubs. A goal he scored against Wrexham in the FA Cup is one that comes easily to mind.
On the subs bench I've gone for Mark Price, another outstanding defender from the 1990s, energetic Timmy Williams in midifield and the pacey Mark Willsicroft up front.
So my top team is: Richie Roberts, Darren Tinson, Dave Fuller, Bryan A Jones, Colin Caton, Peter Donnelly, Marc Limbert, Dave Brett, Stef Rush, Graham Roberts, Craig Lawton. Subs: Mark Price, Timmy Williams, Mark Williscroft.
I'd be interested to hear your favourite line-ups.

Sporting ladies in the spotlight

Posted by Tim Channon on May 23, 2007 4:04 PM

THE ladies get the spotlight in this week's North Wales Weekly News sports pages (May 24).
There's report on Colwyn Bay Ladies football team who reached the final of the North Wales Cup to be played at Prestatyn Town's ground next Sunday (May 27, 1pm kick off) with a 11-1 semi-final win over Corwen, and 17-year-old Natalie Heap, who is flying the flag for women as the only female playing in the North Wales Cricket League, took four wickets for eight runs to help Conwy 2nds go top of Division Five.
There is also a picture of Nant Conwy Ladies rugby team who are champions of the Women's Welsh Rugby Union North Division One, plus news of Wales Ladies bowls team who started the defence of their British Women's County title against South Yorkshire.
There is the usual comprehensive bowls round-up with results and tables of all the local leagues, plus cricket reports, a report on the Professional Squash tournament at Le Sport in Rhos-on-Sea and the popular Junior Sports page features a league and cup double for Conwy United Under-17s, plus pictures of trophy winning Penhryn Bay Under-11s, Mochdre Snow Leopards Under-13 girls team and Colwyn Bay Lions Under-14s.

LLANDUDNO DUO TO CARRY ON

Posted by Tim Channon on May 18, 2007 11:56 AM

LLANDUDNO Football Club are to continue with the management duo of James Cornish and Deiniol Graham for next season following a meeting with the committee this week.
The team, who at one stage were strong contenders for promotion to the Welsh Premier, fell away badly in the latter part of the season, but chairman Ronnie Hughes said: "I have confidence in the joint managers and I'm sure they can turn things round.
"The team was doing well up to Christmas, but they were hit hard by injuries and suspensions andwere not helped by having no reserve side as the managers were often struggling to find replacements."
The club hope to remedy that next season by applying to run a reserve team in the Clwyd League under the managership of Victor Weldrick.
A report on the managment duo's hopes and plans for next season will appear in next Thursday's Weekly News.

TOSHACK BOOST FOR LLANDUDNO TEENAGER

Posted by Tim Channon on May 16, 2007 4:42 PM

LLANDUDNO teenager Neal Eardley is the surprise inclusion in John Toshack's Wales squad for the forthcoming friendly against New Zealand at Wrexham and Euro qualifying clash with the Czech Republic at Cardiff on June 2.
But he could miss the chance of his first cap against the Kiwis next week if he can help Oldham Athletic reach the League One Play-off finals at Wembley.
The 18-year-old talks about his exciting dilemma in this week's Weekly News.
There is also a report on Mochdre boxer Aaron Thomas's latest victory against Surinder Sekhon to complete a hat-trick of wins since turning professional, plus a comprehensive round-up of local cricket team reports and crown green bowls results and league tables.

MORGAN JOINS POWELL AT CITY

Posted by Tim Channon on May 16, 2007 1:52 PM

ALAN MORGAN is to join Neville Powell at Bangor City after turning down the chance to become new manager of Connah's Quay.
Morgan told Nomads today that he does not feel ready to step into management again and feels a move to Bangor as assistant manager will enable to gain more experience.
Powell has replaced Steve Bleasdale in the Farrar Road hot seat and was keen for Morgan to join him, with the two having worked well together at Nomads since last July.
.

History made in Clwyd Open

Posted by Tim Channon on May 16, 2007 1:34 PM

A BOY of 13 became the youngest ever winner of a Welsh Order Merit golfing event, when
Rhys Pugh from the Vale of Glamorgan club won the 72-hole Clwyd Open played over the Wrexham and Prestatyn courses.
His four-round total of 297 beat defending champion Stuart Runcie of Abergele by one stroke, and his win beat the previous record held by clubmate Zac Gould, who won the St David's Gold Cross at Harlech when 16.
Old Colwyn's James Brute finished third and joins Stuart and Adam Runcie and Prestatyn's Jason Shefflebotham as the only North Walians in the top 12 of the Order of Merit.
Local golf club results are printed every week in the North Wales Weekly News.

FA Cup Final Day at Llanelian Road

Posted by Tim Channon on May 11, 2007 3:25 PM

A FUNDRAISING match between Colwyn Bay Football Club staff and a supporters team is the highlight of an FA Cup Final special day at Llanelian Road this Saturday (May 19) which will be attended by manager Gary Finley and the senior team players.
The game kicks off at noon and is followed by the presentation of the first team end-of-season awards and the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester United on the big screen in the clubhouse. Food and drink is available on what should be a fun day.
The staff team, which will be managed by former youth team coach and club stalwart Glyn 'Jabbas' Jones, is expected to include sponsor Richie Rhodes in goal, under-13 coaches Mark Hodgson and Mark Williams, directors Phil Jackson and Grant McIndoe, vice-chairman Andy Owens, kit manager Peter Owens, Raise the Roof fundraiser Arthur Holden, programme editor David Jones, steward Neil Brampton and Mark Williams from programme printers Powlsons Limited.
Groundsman Elfed Morris will manage the supporters team, which is made up of volunteers who have made a donation to club funds to play.

Game off

Posted by Tim Channon on May 11, 2007 11:32 AM

The Welsh Counties rugby union Final match between North Wales and Pembroke at Denbigh tomorrow (May 12) has been cancelled after Pembroke pulled out on Thursday night.

This page contains an archive of all entries posted to Sporting Scene in the May 2007. They are listed from oldest to newest.

June 2007 is the next archive.

Many more can be found on the home page or by looking through the archives.