Island league welcomes new arrivals
THE Anglesey Football League is set to increase in membership to 11 clubs for the 2018/19 season.
Although Llangoed and District Reserves have resigned, three new names were accepted at the league’s annual meeting last Friday – Cemaes Bay, Cefni FC and Holyhead Hotspur Reserves.
Last season’s champions, Mynydd Tigers, could also remain in the tier-six league pending an appeal.
This means the line-up for the new season will be: Arriva, Bryngwran Bulls, Bodorgan, Cemaes Bay, Cefni FC, Caergybi, Holyhead Hotspurs Res, Llandegfan, Pentraeth Res, Valley, Mynydd Tigers – subject to appeal.
For Cemaes, a return to the Anglesey League represents the latest chapter in a topsy-turvy history for a club which has experienced many highs and lows.
Between 1995-98, Bay spent three seasons in the top-flight League of Wales, and they remain one of only two Anglesey clubs to reach this level.
Within the past quarter-century, Cemaes have also lifted the Cymru Alliance and Welsh Alliance titles, but by 2008-09 they had slumped back into the Anglesey League.
However, the club battled its way up to Welsh Alliance level again, only to be forced to resign from Division Two midway through last season due to a lack of players.
Cefni FC are a new side from the Llangefni area, while Holyhead Hotspur Reserves were in the Welsh Alliance Reserves Division last season and will be managed by much-respected club stalwart Mike Kelly.
At the AGM, the league handed out the following awards for the 2017/18 season Alwyn Rowlands Player of the Season – James Ryan (Bryngwran Bulls); Carwyn Jones Top Scorer – Gary Jo Owen (Caergybi); Keeper of the Season – Lee Heywood (Llangoed Reserves); Dennis Bryant Manager of the Season – Mark Hughes (Mynydd Tigers); Secretary of the Year – Col Smith (Caergybi); Ray Finn Referee of the Season – Heinz Broering; Bill Abbott Assistant Referee of the Year – Carwyn Jones; John Williams Most Sporting award - Llandegfan FC League chairman Dennis Bryant celebrated 20 years in the role, while Emma Wink stepped down as general secretary to be replaced by Richard Williams.