What a Bloody shame that our top LOW sides are going bust, neath went a few months ago and now LLanelli looks like it dont have much time left to exist.....I am of an opinion that with our millions we can and should have offered some sort of a financial help to at least give them a chance to get themselves sorted out, After all we have a lot of supporters from the llanelli and neath areas who would support their towns as well as swansea city...I find it a shame to lose the best of the best we have in south wales and i wish we would have helped neath in some way and now its to late for them but its not to late to help LLanelli......We top welsh sides need the neaths and llanelli's of this world to succeed and to see another about to go down the pan is sad...
I am sorry to say but I don't know enough about the benefit of the LOW leagues to understand what it actually brings - honestly happy to be enlightened though..... However, with my ignorant view on it - I've always thought the LOW a waste of time and won't miss it if it does go..
I can't help but wonder if the Swans playing in the Premier League has played a part on this with people watching the Swans instead of Neath and now the Turks. Don't want to see them go to the wall but if we help where does it stop ? Do we help Cardiff too because they're in the ****?
It's a crying shame that this has happened and I feel bad about it because I remember all the happy years I spent playing in the league. In an ideal world, clubs like Neath and Llanelli should be supported to some degree by the Swans because there is no doubt that our success has impacted on their gates. If there are any spare funds they could do far worse than look to offer some help. People in these areas are after all part of our community.
Aswan, I played for a number of teams but I have a strong association with Pontardawe Athletic (Town now) which was mainly because of my friendship with Ivor Allchurch. Although much younger than him, I had stopped playing by the time that he became player/manager there, because of injury. I still trained, though. On an earlier stint, I was there at the same time that the late Norman Lawson was player manager. He was also a friend and left the club when the then local council reneged on several promises they had made to improve the ground and facilities of the club. Many, many happy memories one of which was one freezing day at the Dingle (?) playing a friendly against Morriston. Being a friendly, Ivor agreed that I could have a run out. When I came off, I stood next to Harry Griffiths who was watching the game. Ivor performed a bit of magic and Harry laughed out loud digging me in the ribs with his elbow. "Look at that," he said, "Golden Bollocks" has still got hasn't he! He's still as good as anyone in the lower leagues." He wasn't wrong!
As some of you might know, My son played through the Reds academy for three seasons, and had a great time at Stebo, but they had no chance breaking into the first team as Andy Legg, is only interested in pro's coming down from the English league, and the cost of paying such ones has taken it's toll, same issue with Neath, but to a much greater extent. If they had developed the talent coming through and some that were released from Swansea academy then they would not have had the financial issues they now have! At one stage back about 18 months ago, they had some real talent in their academy, but some of these have now gone to the States, Australia, and Canada, with one or two to Yeovil........................
Phil, bad policy to ignore the chance to develop young talent. I suppose clubs have reaped what they sowed but it's still a shame though. Perhaps other clubs will take note and cut their cloth accordingly.
