Rhayader Town will play in the high profile Cymru Alliance next season. The decision to accept promotion from the Spar Mid Wales League was rubber stamped at the club’s annual meeting on Monday.
Rhayader only reformed again in the 2007-2008 season after 12 months with no team on the Weirglodd and immediately announced their return by completing a Mid Wales League (South) league and cup double.
Their first campaign back in the Spar Mid Wales League saw Rhayader consolidate with a creditable sixth place finish and Dylan McPhee’s side were again Radnorshire’s top team last season, finishing second to Penparcau to gain promotion to a league which will be strengthened with the relegation of no fewer than six teams from the Welsh Premier.
At the meeting, Graham Watkins was voted chairman with Keith Bethell remaining as vice chairman. McPhee continues as secretary while new joint treasurers are Adrian Pearce and Matt Morgan.
The club are on the look out for a new reserve team manager to carry on the good work done by Paul Jones last season. Anyone interested should contact McPhee on 07971 304436.
Central defender Michael Watkins was named player’s player of the year as Llandrindod Wells celebrated a season which saw them them capture the prestigious Emrys Morgan Cup for the first time.
The Spa men ended runners up to Builth Wells in the Watson Associates Mid Wales League (South) and reached the Pip Samuel (Electrical) Mid Wales (South) League Cup final where again they had to settle for runners-up to Builth.
Captain Gareth Jones was manager Nigel Thomas’ player of the year, Will Green collected the supporters’ player of the year award and Paul Bishop was top goalscorer.
Bishop shared the Mid Wales League (South) top scorer trophy with Talgarth Town’s Rob McNamara.
Marco Parry was players’ player of the year in the colts side, Ashley Thomas won manager Carl Tabberer’s award and Brian Hammond was the colts’ top scorer.
The youth team, under the guidance of Phil Parry, finished runners up in the Herefordshire FA Floodlit Youth League and won the Central Wales FA Youth Cup. Players’ player was Will Bayle, Will Cleaton was Phil Parry’s choice and Tom Bayle was the top scorer.
Builth Wells have been named Watson Associates Mid Wales League (South) team of the month for May. Sean Hackett’s team won all their five league games to seal the title and lifted the Pip Samuel (Electrical) Mid Wales (South) League Cup with a 3-0 victory over Llandrindod.
They get a new match ball to be presented at the league’s annual meeting at Llandrindod Wells FC on June 28.
Former Rhayader Town wingback Paul Keddle will play for Newtown in next season’s Welsh Premier Super 12. Keddle’s former Merthyr team mates Lee Hartshorn and Matthew Driscoll also move to Newtown from the Martyrs while former Wales under-18 striker Chris Hartland is another of Darren Ryan’s new signings. Ross Stephens is off to Prestatyn Town – his sixth Welsh Premier club in as many years – while Craig Williams has signed for Aberystwyth Town. The Seasiders have lost last season’s top scorer Luke Bowen, who has returned to Port Talbot, but have signed former Northern Ireland under-21 midfielder Connal Murtagh who was on loan at Park Avenue from TNS last term.
Shane Sutton is set to return to Newtown after a season with Presteigne in the Spar Mid Wales League. The former Wales under-17 international defender was Spar Mid Wales League player of the month for October and collected both manager’s and supporters’ player of the year at Presteigne’s presentation. Presteigne finished seventh in the Spar Mid Wales League.
Sion James picked up the major awards at Aberystwyth Town’s presentation. The defender was both players’ and supporters’ player of the year.