Merthyr hoping to rebuild after embarrassing defeat
MERTHYR Town manager Gavin Williams was putting a new team together this week after an exodus of players led to an embarrassing and record 13-1 defeat on Saturday.
Financial woes saw many of the first team, possibly as many as eight, none of whom are on contract, leave after they were told of a big wages cut. So the club looked to their under-19s side to play at Chesham in the Evo-Stik South Premier.
This week there were hopes that four or five players may decide to stay although the situation has been unclear.
But former West Ham and Ipswich midfielder Williams acted quickly to sign a new goalkeeper after former Swansea and Kilmarnock man Oliver Davies was reported to be among those quitting The LoadLok Community Stadium, Penydarren Park.
Cameron Clarke has returned to The Martyrs after a spell with Cinderford Town who have recently recruited another former Merthyr keeper, Joe Perry.
Clarke has also been with Cardiff City, Hereford and Bristol Rovers and was Merthyr’s hero in February of last year when he saved a penalty to win 5-3 on spot-kicks against Paulton Rovers and reach the final of the Red Insure Cup.
“Gavin Williams explained everything to me but playing football for money means nothing to me. I just want to be out there playing games. No doubt it’s going to be really tough times there at the moment but I would love to help them fix all the problems by winning games and doing things right on the pitch.
“A lot of the players have left so I’ve heard but I have also been told and heard that there are some lads staying also.
“Merthyr is a great club to play for with the games I played going back to last season and I really enjoyed it.”
He appealed to the fans to get behind the players and management.
But it was 15-year-old goalkeeper Ed Hewitson who earned the plaudits in the Evo Stik match at Chesham despite the 13goal thrashing. But for him, the score could have been worse. He was applauded off the field in a sporting gesture from home fans and players and voted Man of the Match.
Merthyr fielded nine youngsters, a coach Dom Mahoney and communty development officer Elliott Evans, with manager Williams and coach Ashley Thomas both coming on from the bench.
A public meeting was held at the stadium on Monday to seek a way forward out of the cash crisis through board and fans discussions.
Much-travelled striker Stuart Fleetwod, based in Gloucester, had offered to play at Chesham without pay. But the club said in a statement on Friday: “Just to clarify there has been a lot said today. No player refused to play with players offering to play for free. But the club stated the manager thought it was not fair on them. Their time, effort and commitment has always been to the club and they deserve nothing but praise.”
The statement also said: “With regret, due to the current financial situation at the club, the board have had to look at making significant savings both on and off the pitch. This will, hopefully, allow us to survive in the short term and rebuild going forward.
“Cashflow at the club has become extremely tight due to lack of home games since October. All avenues of expenditure are being re-evaluated to protect the club going forward.”
By Sunday, some of the Merthyr fans, who were meeting at a local pub to detail fundraising ideas had raised more than £5,000 through donations on justgiving online after pointing out the club’s immediate debts.
Williams thanked the players for their contributions to the success on the field.
He was confident he would be able to field a competitive team, on the much reduced wage bill, and was in discussions with players willing to stay.
But midfielder Elliot Richards, born in New Tredegar, ex-Bristol Rovers and Weston-superMare, was quick to seal a move to Hereford, who come to Merthyr on Boxing Day. Exeter, Tranmere and Cheltenham are among his other sides. While with Cheltenham in 2015, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer but after six months was given the all-clear. Aged 26, he has played for Wales under-19s and under-21s. He was linked with a move to Gloucester City in the summer.
Williams said: “He’s a very good player, a central midfielder and one of the best players in the league. I rate him that highly.”
Anthony Hughes, vicechairman, was one of four directors to leave. Three of them said there were personal reasons for their quitting the board. They were Lee Rossiter, Robert Parker, secretary, and Jamie Mack, who, however, stays as football secretary. This left seven on the board.
Hughes said: “Not that any blame can be attached to the 11 players that proudly donned the white shirts of The Martyrs.
“The 16 and 17-yearolds that were sent to Chesham knew they were lambs to the slaughter before they boarded the team coach.”
He added that meetings this week would decide “the future of this proud club.”
He is a former club secretary and is on the Southern League management committee and on the English FA Council.
Merthyr reached the semi-finals of the playoffs last term
On Saturday they play their only home game this month – Dorchester (3pm). The Dorset outfit, in 19th place, had a surprise home win over playoff chasing Kettering Town at home at the weekend.
It was their fifth league win this season, with four draws and nine defeats. They have netted 29 goals but leaked 43, the most in their division except for bottom sides Gosport and Dunstable.
Merthyr’s hammering at Chesham saw them fall to 13th place, 10 points below a play-off spot.
But with re-organisation meaning only one team will be relegated this season, Merthyr should not face a problem – if they can re-group the playing side. They are 22 points better off than bottom club Gosport who beat Dunstable on Saturday for their first league success this campaign.
And on Tuesday, November 28, Merthyr have a tough trip to Tiverton Town, who were promoted last season, and won 2-1 at home to Stratford Town at the weekend. This left them in sixth spot, just outside the play-offs. Merthyr had been aiming again for the latter but after the problems arose, survival was the priority.
CHESHAM UNITED .... 13 MERTHYR TOWN ......... 1
CHESHAM took their unbeaten run to 11 games and took them to eighth in the table with their biggest win for 80 years.
But the Buckinghamshire players and loyal fans had sympathy for Merthyr’s plight and gave them an ovation at the end as the team of teenagers did their best in difficult circumstaces.
It was 1-0 on two minutes as Matt Bevans scored a penalty. There were three more goals by 15 minutes, from Kieran Murphy, Joe Iaciofano and Lewis Toomey in a one-sided encounter.
It was an incredible 9-0 at the break, with further goals from Toomet, for his hat-trick, Murphy and Iaciofano and Benji Crilley.
Toomey came off at half-time for Shane Bush and he made it 10-0 on 60 minutes.
Gavin Williams and Ashley Thomas came on for Merthyr before Iacofano got his hat-trick with David Hutton making it 12 before Iacofano grabbed his fourth goal.
The Martyrs improved in the second half and on 83 minutes even got a goal. Jacob Flower burst through to net and be greeted with wild celebrations from his team-mates and travelling fans.
A sad day for Merthyr but the team held their heads high and will go down in history.
So for the record, the team was: Ed Hewison, Dominic Mahoney (a coach), Daniel Dima, Harrison Lewis, Liam Martin, Elliott Evans (the club’s communiuty development officer), Adam Vine, Sean Montgomery, Ammar Nazrali, Marcus Hogbakken, Jacob Flower. Subs Gavin Williams and Ashley Thomas.