‘I won’t sit back and ignore my old club’

From Page 56

health; 2), that he hands the club over to a supporters group; 3), that he brings in other investors with whom he is in discussions.

Meantime, the group of volunteers who have been helping to run the club have said they are unable to fulfil their roles.

It is a mess that is going to take some clearing up, with or without Cuddy, but Davies says the situation isn’t being helped by the vitriol that is being directed at Neath’s owner by some on social media.

“I am not going to sit back and listen to people abuse someone who’s put a lot of money into the club over the years,” said the 21-cap international, a star for Neath when they won the Heineken League in 1995-96.

“There are two sides to every story and just because some people speak out loudly it doesn’t mean to say they are right.

“You speak as you find and Mike Cuddy has always been fair with me.

“I have no wish to be dragged into the politics of the club, but I hate bullies and I think what we are seeing here is the bullying of someone who has worked hard for Neath RFC over the years.

“He is not in the best of health and so is probably in no shape to argue back, but some people wouldn’t want to hear what he would say, anyway – it’s reached that stage.

“I’m a Neath boy and it hasn’t been easy to watch all this.

“I know people blame Mike Cuddy.

“I also know some feel it would be better if the club effectively became no more in the coming weeks and then had to start afresh – maybe at the bottom of the Welsh league structure, depending on how the WRU view the situation.

“It seems unbelievable, but I get the impression some people would rather Neath dropped eight or nine divisions if it meant Mike Cuddy leaving the club. They seem to think that’s better than playing out their fixtures and falling into the championship and building from there.

“I don’t buy it and I want to know who are these nameless people sending out tweets asking someone not to help out.

“There are probably loads of other players who would say Cuddy has been decent to them over the years.

“I think it’s brilliant that a core of the current squad have stayed put during a difficult time.

“That shows loyalty, something Neath has always been about.

“They could have walked away amid all the rows and difficulties, but they are playing for the shirt and that is something they should be hugely proud of.”