Garw turn to youth
Powell will be youngest ever manager
GARW Football Club have turned to youth in appointing the youngest manager in their 75-year history, writes Tony Poole.
The Highadmit South Wales Premier Division club last week confirmed 21-year-old Dylan Powell as the new Blandy boss.
He’s the son of Pencoed Athletic manager Mark Powell, resulting in extra spice going in to the mix next winter when Garw and Pencoed go head-to-head in eagerly anticipated league derby clashes.
Vetz snooker baron Kevin Day had no hesitation in making young Powell the youngest Garw manager in history, and he’ll be assisted by long-standing friend Curtis Williams.
The pair were both previously involved in coaching at Pencoed while they also played together for the club at U18 level.
Technical input will again come from experienced Blandy campaigner Dai Samuel, who has wished the Pencoed youngsters the best of luck.
And last week Dylan Powell’s father, Mark, confirmed that he was on board for another season with the Highadmit South Wales Alliance champions.
The remainder of the Pencoed management team also remains intact with Craig Hopkins and Brian Lamont also agreeing to remain on board during exciting developments at the club.
Though Pencoed are unlikely to figure in the new FAW Tier Three Ardal (Areas) next season, work is well underway on a new ground at Woodlands Park in Hendre.
This is one of the main reasons for Powell and his management colleagues agreeing to remain at the club.
They have already re-signed three big players in ex-Penybont star Adam Carpenter, loyal servant Lewis Butler and Ashley Beckett.
More players from last season are set to again put pen to paper while manager Powell is hoping to bring in some new faces in order to freshen up the Pencoed squad a bit.
It has, however, emerged that two clubs each from next season’s Tier Four - comprising South Wales Alliance Premier, Gwent County Premier and new West Wales Premier - will all be promoted provided criteria is met.
That means the bottom three clubs in the two Southern Divisions of Tier Three will all be relegated.
The composure of teams in the four Tier Three divisions (two South, two North) is set to be announced by the FAW this Friday along with a decision on whether there’ll be ups and downs from Tier Four downwards.