Cambrian & Clydach Vale B.G.C vs Ammanford AFC

Saturday 2nd March 2024 2:30pm

Official Matchday Programme 2023-24

chairmans WELCOME

ceri jones

Good afternoon and welcome to the M&P for what seems like a first traditional Saturday afternoon fixture for what seems like a long time. In my last column I highlighted that a top six berth was very much in sight for the lads, and sure enough as we take on an in form Ammanford this afternoon we sit in sixth after a good period of form. The double header against Abergavenny Town returned maximum points and those back to back wins has afforded us a real platform now for the rest of the campaign.

Our opposition today, Ammanford Town, have themselves been on a fine vein of form and now find themselves right in the mix at the top of the Cymru South. Ammanford’s elevated league position demonstrates that a run of favourable results in this division can result very quickly in a transformed league position.

Today’s occassion is also significant for other reasons; we are hosting our valued partners to share with them our future vision for the club and how we see our activities integrating with the Cambrian Village Trust to create a single holistic organisation; at its pinnacle will be a hub for health, economic and social wellbeing for RCT.

These are really exciting times, and we were delighted recently to host a full day strategy workshop here with the support of the FAW. The workshop was full of healthy debate and challenge and ultimately it helped us visualise our future vision, mission and goals - and it is these outcomes that we want to share with our partners and stakeholders at this afternoon’s fixture. You can also read more about our “A Vision United 2024-2030” on the next page. It has been a busy few months but I’m delighted to report that we have now appointed to ten of the eleven new board positions at the club - the new Board will be introduced in due course, but I’m delighted with the calibre of the

leadership that we have at the club who will help deliver our exciting new vision. We do feel there is room for everyone to join our journey to help us achieve our vision, please get in touch if you would like to learn more about our plans and aspirations.

While we continue to develop our vision, the football success continues on the field. With the Mens first team now motoring, our Womens first team are on a monumental roll. Now into two semi finals, the ladies also won their top of the table clash last Sunday against title rivals Penydarren BGC Women. As first seasons go, it is turning into a spectacular success, but this is only just the start of our story in the female game; there is much more to come as we open up significant opportunities for girls and women to join our club as players, coaches and leaders. Recently we also celebrated a fantastic win for our Disability division, with our first team winning the Abergavenny tournament and with our second team finishing runners up - a brilliant achievement.

Enjoy today’s action and let’s hope it will be another positive result for the club.

CAMBRIAN & CLYDACH VALE B.G.C

CAMBRIAN & CLYDACH VALE B.G.C

OUR HISTORY

Cambrian & Clydach Vale BGC is a football cub nestled in the heart of the Rhondda Valley in small village called Clydach Vale. Formed in 2001, we have grown exponentially since that time and have become arguably the biggest and best football cub in RCT.

Within a decade we have had numerous successes including winning the Welsh League Division 1 title in 2011/2012, our highest accolade to date. Another huge milestone for the club happened within the decade also, with our Academy being formed in 2008 after the devolution of RCT Schools/Council Football. The Academy was set up with a sole purpose, to provide elite opportunities for young players within RCT. Starting with 1 team, the present day we have grown to 11 teams from u7 to u16s with the brand #CamArmy renowned within football circles all over Wales. Since the Academy’s inception, over 40 players have gone on to professional clubs in that time and over 20 players have since graduated and played senior football in the Welsh League for the club. Our model for player development is second to none and we are the only affiliated FAW Academy in RCT.

Through our innovative thinking, we became the first club in RCT to have an artificial 3G pitch in 2013, which has helped propel our brand of football to new levels. We have also been loyal to our roots, keeping grassroots teams playing in the local leagues through our link with the ever-present Boys & Girls club.

Cambrian United was formed in 1965, taking its name from the local colliery. After success in the Rhondda & District League, the club was elected to the South Wales Corinthian League in 1972.

They won the second division championship at the first attempt and followed up the following season by winning the Corinthian Cup with a 5-2 extra time victory over Cardiff Corries.

In season 1977-78 the side were runners up in the first division losing out on goal difference to near neighbours Ton and Gelli. In 1980, the club joined with the very successful Clydach Vale Boys and Girls Club seniors, but the merger was a spectacular failure and almost led to the club losing its Amateur League status after several poor seasons during the decade.

The 1990’s saw the rebuilding process begin and the second division title was won for the second time in 1992. in 1994, manager Neil Foulkes joined the club and celebrated by winning the Corinthian cup a season later. In 1996-97, the club had a terrific year winning the FAW Trophy by defeating Rhyl Detta 2-1 at Jenner Park and won a second successive Corinthian Cup beating Cardiff Civil Service 4-2. In addition, they were league runners up to Ely Rangers.

There then followed a run of four more runners up spots in six years and another Corinthian Cup triumph, this time by 4-1 margin against Llantwit Fardre, before the Championship was finally won in 2004/5. In 2000, the club had remerged with the Boys and Girls Club.

The club is also very active off the pitch working closely with the local Village Trust to develop facilities in the area, two full time soccer coaches are employed to work with local schools and major improvements have taken place at the ground. An all-weather, floodlit AstroTurf area has been built at a cost of

CAMBRIAN & CLYDACH VALE B.G.C

OUR HISTORY

£116,000 and a clubhouse facility opened in October 2005 after the club and the Trust successfully generated the £130,000 required. Floodlighting on the ground was completed at the start of August 2007.

The Club entered the Welsh League for the first time in season 2005/06 and a very successful year ended with the Third Division Championship being won after close rivals West End had been deducted three Points.

Season 2006/7 turned out to be even more memorable as promotion was gained to the top division of the Welsh League with second placed finish behind champions Garw, in addition the Youth side won the MacWhirter Cup defeating Pontardawe Town 5-2 in the final as well as finishing runners up in their division.

In the 2007/8 season, the clubs first ever in Division One began with an incredible 5 straight wins and although the small squad could not sustain this long term, a creditable ninth place was achieved.

The club also embarked on a new venture, taking over and forming the new RCT UEFA Academy programme.

This part of the club has gone from strength to strength over the past few seasons and the club now runs age groups from 7 through to 19 at elite level.

A major change also took place on the Management Committee in 2008, with former England Manager Terry Venables agreeing to become chairman of the club. Terry was already Patron of the highly successful Cambrian

Village Trust and has close links with Clydach Vale, where his mother was born. Last season after challenging for the title over the last few seasons Cambrian & Clydach became champions of the Welsh League for the first time in its history.

CLUB HONOURS

Welsh League Division 1 Winners

2011-2012

Welsh League Division 3 Winners

2005-2006

South Wales Amateur League Winners

2004-2005

FAW Nathaniel MG Cup Runners-Up

2018-2019

TODAY’S OPPONENTS

AMMANFORD AFC

A BRIEF HISTORY

Ammanford AFC was formed in the early 20th century, playing its trade in the Ammanford and District League at Rice Road. The first recorded fixture to date was in 1908/09, when Ammanford Town played a friendly against a Rhondda touring team.

In the 1920’s, Ammanford Thursdays played at Caemawr, Betws, before the first Betws soccer club called Betws Blackbirds played on Rice Road with their dressing rooms and headquarters at The Coopers Hotel, Betws during the 1930’s.

The committee at that time had the foresight to purchase the playing field and for land to build a club house for £750. It wasn’t until 1949 when Ammanford entered the Welsh Football League, then under the name of Betws.

In 1957/58, we finished runners up to Llanelli, before being crowned champions of Division 2 (West) and promoted to Division 1 in 1958/59. We also won the Division 2 cup, beating Division 2 (East) champions Tredomen.

On Saturday 22nd August 1959 the club played its opening First Division Welsh League fixture at home against Cardiff City Reserves and won 2-1. At the request of the Welsh Football League, we changed our name to Ammanford Town in 1960.

It didn’t take long to stamp our authority on the Welsh League circuit, employing former Liverpool player Roy Saunders to take over the helm in the early 1960’s.

This was followed with the clubhouse being built at Rice Road in 1963. In 1964, at a cost of £4,000, a 450 seater stand and new changing

TODAY’S OPPONENTS

AMMANFORD AFC

rooms were built at Rice Road to help take the club to the next level.

From 1966/67 to 67/68 we finished Runners-up to Cardiff City Reserves in consecutive seasons. Our main cup achievement came in 1983/84, where we reached the Final of Welsh Football League Cup, losing to Lake United in the final. In 1992, we amalgamated with Ammanford Athletic to become Ammanford AFC.

Unfortunately, in April 2003, a fire destroyed the stand and changing rooms at Rice Road, the start of the demise of the Rice Road ground. Therefore, in 2006 we moved to our new ground ‘The Rec’.

Dimensions of the new pitch were 101 x 63 metres. Despite being relegated in 2013/14 due to a Welsh Pyramid restructure, we went on a 15 match win streak to gain promotion back to

Welsh League Division Two in 2014/15. We remained in this division for three years before gaining promotion to Welsh League Division One for the 2018/19 season.

LATEST RESULTS

CAMBRIAN WOMEN’S TEAM

SOPHIE DANDO

Our season has finally begun, and what a start we have made. We were accepted straight into the South Wales Women’s & Girls League Division 1, and won our opening league fixtures. The rigmarole and effort that goes into setting up a new team and getting players to buy into a new set up and ethos has well been worth it.

The women hit the ground running winning both opening league fixtures, both with very healthy score lines against Gurnos FC (6-1) and Fairwater Women (5-0). We aim to continue this success but recognise we are a new team, a working progress and there are some established and competitive teams in the league. We bowed out of the Bute Energy FAW Cup in the qualifying round, losing to Adran South (Tier 2) team Coed Duon WFC.

Despite the difference in leagues, we took the lead twice through Tayla Gould and Danielle Goodenough going in at half time looking very positive. Coed Duon’s experience and pedigree

however led them to convincingly claw the game back in the 2nd half, and sees them progress to the next round. We will take may positives from the gamewhich will put is in good stead going into future fixtures.

We look forward to welcoming Tredegar Town to the M&P 3G on 10th March. Look out for youngster Kiera Llewelyn, local winger Danielle Goodenough and Holly Gould who has recently returned to football – all have picked up a player of the match award in our opening fixtures after very impressive outings.

Recently some of our players have stepped up as coaches to deliver in Cambrian Village Trust’s first ever girl’s only football camps in the School Holidays. The camps saw around 25 girls, aged 5-11 years old, attend each day!

This is the first step in engaging girls to play and develop their football at Cambrian & Clydach. We must thank everyone at the Club, the

CAMBRIAN WOMEN’S TEAM

SOPHIE DANDO

Academy and Cambrian Village Trust for embracing and supporting the women’s team to get off the ground. We’re all very excited to help grow girl’s and women’s section at the club, and hopefully emulate the success already seen in the Academy and Men’s structure.

UPCOMING WOMEN’S FIXTURES

Port Talbot Town Ladies (Away) - LEAGUE

3rd March 2024, Kick off - 2:00pm

Tredegar Town Women (Home) - LEAGUE

10th March 2024, Kick off - 2:00pm

Porth Harlequins Ladies (Home) - LEAGUE

17th March 2024, Kick off - 2:00pm

Cardiff City Women FC U19 (Away) - CUP

24th March 2024, Kick off - 2:00pm

Follow @CCBGCWomen on Twitter

FOOTBALL V HOMOPHOBIA SUPPORT

FEBRUARY MONTH OF ACTION

Cambrian & Clydach Vale BGC supported the Football v Homophobia Month of Action in February by designating a number of homes games throughout the club to help support the campaign.

Football is another opportunity to express ourselves. Football is for EVERYONE.

CAMBRIAN ACADEMY

GARETH EVANS

As another season begins, we are pleased to have gained Category B status following the new and thorough audit process which has been put in place by the FAW. The past year was a stressful one; having to manage the day to day running of the 22/23 season programme whilst also ensuring that all requirements were complete and in place for the end of season audit. However, it was all worth it when the news come through that we had passed the Category B audit requirements for the upcoming season.

As many know in Welsh football, five academies had their status as an academy revoked with three being from the South: Taffs Well, Risca United and Cwmbran Celtic. Whilst others were provided with a Category C status which means they can only run certain age groups which have been presented by the FAW for the forthcoming season. As mentioned in our end of season awards evenings, we are over the moon to have ensured that we can offer Welsh Academy football for all age groups from Under 8s to 19s who will participate in the 23/24 FAW Games Programme.

A special thanks must be given to Mark Morgans, Ryan Wilkinson, Kelly Simkiss and Brendan Hopkins for their work in passing the audit and all the coaches from the 22/23 season for their commitment not only on the pitch, but the off-field tasks required by them to aid in our academy status being achieved. Truly a team effort!

The 2022/23 season was another good season on reflection, especially following the FAW introducing the club 1rule for all players from the Under 12s age group and above.

Our Under 12s to 16’s all competed well in their league campaigns with 4 out of 5 finishing in the top 4 places within a 13/14 team league depending on the age group. Our Under 16s finished the league season unbeaten before suffering a 2-0 loss at the hands of Briton Ferry in the South playoff. Ferry went on to be crowned Welsh Champions. Our Under 14s also made the South playoff finishing second and were minutes away from reaching the national final. However, unbeaten Pontardawe drew level late on before winning via a penalty shootout. These were also crowned FAW national champions.

The foundation phase ages once more performed excellently throughout the season with some great fixtures to challenge the players vs pro clubs teams and we look forward to continuing these opportunities into this coming season too. The number of festivals and tournaments that were organised and delivered by Swansea City was a great addition to the games programme and was great to see us consistently entering two teams per age group, so all gained the opportunity.

A huge addition to the academy over the last year is our new Infantry Division. A great pat on the back to Mark Morgan who has created and delivered this part of the academy and the growth in a year has been phenomenal. Our members have increased, a bespoke curriculum, increased games programme (especially for the coming 23/24 season) and a number of players now attending proacademies at the pro clubs in South Wales. We have no doubt that this will be huge in the short / medium term for the academy and the long term for the clubs first team.

CAMBRIAN ACADEMY

GARETH EVANS

Thanks to restrictions being released and normality resuming, we are able to bring our European Tours back to the academy. The 8-14s travelled to Juliana Malden at the end of may whilst the 15 and 16 age groups travelled to the Easter Open tournament, both destinations in Holland. Both trips were excellently attended and the performances on the pitch by all the age groups was pleasing to see.

More importantly the behaviour off the pitch by the players were a credit to the academy, club and their parents. The 12s and 15s won their respective tournaments, 14s and 16s come second and a mixed 12/13s team went unbeaten.

We are already looking forward to the 2024 Tour where we will return to the Easter Open in Holland with the 12-16 age groups and the 8-11s with travel to Belgium this time around.

As always there is a turnover of coaches from season to season and I personally would like to thank: Owen Davies, Richard Johns, Grant Blacker, Phil Thomas, Dan Crozier and Jason Davies for all their work with the players and academy last season and seasons previous.

As they leave new coaches come in and I would like to give a huge #CamArmy welcome to: Miles John, Paul Jones, Liam Davies, John Noble and Karl Jones.

Finally, it will be great turn out from all within the academy today to support the first team.

WHO ARE WE?? #CamArmy

CAMBRIAN infantry

MARK MORGANS

What a start it’s been for the Infantry programme! Started in March 2022, the sessions have gone from strength to strength and have become a huge part of our development pathway. We started the journey with a mixture of 2016 and 2017 players and signed around 25 players to start with us with just a few coaches.

Fast forward to today ......... 16 months later. We have over 60 players ranging from 2016 to 2019 (after we decided to align the U7s from the Academy pathway into the Infantry pathway instead) and over 12 members of staff. We secured funding from Sport Wales with the huge help from Scott Woodford from Sport RCT who saw the enormous potential in our project, and this allowed us to grow the programme with extra sessions and a “coach of the future programme” where we can fund CPD and guide/ mentor our current academy players who want to further their career aspirations in football coaching. To date, we have had 6 academy players take up this opportunity.

The experiences and opportunities the children have had has been exceptional! The obvious highlight, they have played Manchester City at the Etihad Campus. Other key experiences, they have played in numerous competitions and festivals and also have played Swansea City, Cardiff City, Bristol Rovers within the time since our inception. We currently have 26 players in pre-academy programmes at both Welsh clubs! This is over a third of our player base. INCREDIBLE!

Socially, the programme is extremely important to us also. We have had 2 football presentations, a visit from Santa Clause and

numerous times supporting the senior team with our players being mascot for games, including today’s game which the children are extremely excited for. We have also given over 100 star of the week certificates and medals to date.

Why is the programme so successful? Firstly, it’s a unique spin on coaching. We use simple and effective techniques which make the children robust and resilient beyond their years through intense physical sessions that include wrestling, core and stability exercises, as well as speed / endurance races. We teach them winning isn’t important, but wanting to win is! So nearly everything is competitive. Technically, the sessions are all about them with each player having a football and working on core movement skills to beat players and also protect the ball. We don’t promote passing within our sessions, just skills, skills and more skills with lots of positive reinforcement. We play lots of 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 games with lots of ball rolling time.

The real key to the programme is we look at bio banding and relative age effect. This may sound gobbledgook to you so I’ll explain it in simple terms. We don’t have U5/U6s etc, we have year of birth sessions. Each child grows and matures at different rates ... so we look at this and group the sessions in accordance with size and strength thus they can get success (bio banding) so some of our current U6s have trained with our U8s and in reverse, we break down the stigma and that it’s ok to “train and play down an age”. My own son is the perfect example of this being born in August (late in school year) he is physically underdeveloped compared to the other boys in his school year thus doesn’t

CAMBRIAN infantry

MARK MORGANS

compete and get success within his “age category” so he trains with the 2017/18s and therefore grows in confidence and has lots of success especially with the skills we teach. If you go and watch grassroots U6s per example up and down the country, the best player or strongest team, I can guarantee will be September / October / November born, and the June / July / August born children will be ignored somewhat in their development. This is relative age effect where the older players in the category are favoured over younger players due to natural advantages in physical development.

So what’s next for the Infantry?? We held a free open day for new football stars to come and show us what they can do. This was our 4th free open day where we have engaged with the community to offer football to players starting their journey. The Infantry then start their sessions in line with the school year in September and they have an unreal programme coming up including trips away to Newport County, Bristol City, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City and much more to come.

Strategy wise, we will also look to expand the programme into key territories with the RCT area including the Cynon and Taff valleys as well as community turn up and play sessions within the heart of the Rhondda, school based sessions as well as birthday parties and soccer camps. Watch this space!

Finally, the Infantry falls in line with our Academy philosophy, the 2 pillars of success. Which is can we get a player signed by a pro club, and if not can a player represent our first team. We could absolutely smash the record of players signed by a pro club within a season in a few years time, smash through the 100 signed players relatively quickly and finally in 10 years time, see the first Infantry player represent the first team. It seems a long way away, but I can summarise the importance of the Infantry to the club and its continuous success in one simple and effective quote: “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit”. Please show your support and come and see the future of the #CamArmy.

BE PART OF THE BLOOD, SWEAT

CAMBRIAN & CLYDACH SQUAD

PLAYER SPONSORS 2023 - 2024

Sponsored by:

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Sponsored by:

Jacob CROSS

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Daniel SPENCER

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Kyle JONES

Taylor JONES

Morgan DAVIES

David VINCENT

Jay WOODFORD

Cameron STRINATI

David THOMAS

Cameron KEETCH

Tim PARKER

Ceri MORGAN

CAMBRIAN & CLYDACH SQUAD

PLAYER SPONSORS 2023 - 2024

Sponsored by:

Sponsored by:

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Liam REED

Jacob JONES

Liam EASON

Danny WOOLFENDEN

Mervyn BENNETT

Munyaradzi MABWE

Efan FLETCHER

Kai CROSSLEY

Keiron COLES

Bailey WILLIS

Kane DRAPER

CARTREF

CHWARAEON CYMRU HOME OF WELSH SPORT

GEMAU RHAGBROFOL UEFA EURO 2024

CYNGHRAIR CENHEDLOEDD UEFA

CYMRU DAN 21

CYMRU PREMIER JD

CWPAN CYMRU JD

CYNGHREIRIAU ADRAN GENERO A MWY

UEFA EURO 2024 QUALIFIERS

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE

WALES UNDER 21’S

JD CYMRU PREMIER

JD WELSH CUP

GENERO ADRAN LEAGUES AND MORE LIVE

1 in 4 referees in Wales have experienced physical abuse during their career.

Cambrian & Clydach Vale B.G.C. are supporting the FAW #PAWBValues campaign to help stop this. Together we can play our part in respecting every member of the Welsh football family. Visit www.pawb.cymru for more information.

CAMBRIAN & CLYDACH VALE

Manager: Gareth Evans

Morgan DAVIES

David VINCENT

Jacob CROSS

Daniel SPENCER

Kyle JONES

Taylor JONES

Jay WOODFORD

Cameron STRINATI

David THOMAS

Cameron KEETCH

Tim PARKER

Ceri MORGAN

Liam REED

Jacob JONES

Danny WOOLFENDEN

Keiron COLES

Liam EASON

Mervyn BENNETT

Munyaradzi MABWE

Efan FLETCHER

Kai CROSSLEY

Bailey WILLIS

Kane DRAPER

AMMANFORD AFC

Manager: Gruff Harrison

Jack LANSDOWN

Josh HUTCHINGS

Luke MARTIN

Adam JOHN

Adam MORGAN

Adam ORME

Callum THOMAS

Craig DAVIES

Ellis WILLIAMS

Euros GRIFFITHS

Harry HUDDART

Lewis REED

Lewis ROCKE

Liam SAMUEL

Luke HARRIS

Mark JONES

Mathew FISHER

Morgan CLARKE

Nich ARNOLD

Osian DILLON

Rhys FISHER

Tom PRATT

Tristan JENKINS

Wyn THOMAS

TODAY’S OFFICIALS

Referee: Daniel Richardson

1st Assistant Referee: Kevin Bungay

2nd Assistant Referee: Matthew Deschoolmeester

Please visit our social media channels from one hour before kick-off for today’s starting line-ups. THANKS