A Town Called Barry's Football Team

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I have mentioned before that I have seen Barry Town play through the years in its various guises. But yesterday (Thursday) was the first time this season I could go. In fact had not realised that the match was on until late in the afternoon and as we live near there I thought, why not? For the first time in decades I was going to watch a game at Jenner Park

This was the stand I watched The Game In

And The Other Side

Jenner Park has, as you might notice, a running track around it. Essentially for Welsh League football it has two impressive (and well filled) stands on two sides and essentially nothing by the goals (unless you include the burger bar and the newly refurbished clubhouse).

The other thing you will notice, now I presume that Barry Town had reached the Welsh Premier League, that there was a space for journalists with their laptops to report on the game

Realised as I got there that rather like the first time I saw Sully Sports FC I was underdressed. Though wearing a jumper I should have worn a jacket as well. It was that cold. There was though a fat guy in glasses wearing a red t-shirt, whilst thankfully he did not decide to go the full Newcastle I could nonetheless use him as a distraction if pulled up on my pneumonia enticing effort.

Barry Town's opponents were Carmarthen Town. Now Carmarthen is, for those who don't know a very strong Welsh speaking area, and yet when both teams entered the pitch the Barry Town song turned out to be "Yma O Hyd" a Welsh Language ballad which is very popular amongst Welsh speakers but I've never heard it before out of any context "Cymru". The fact that Barry Town, of South Wales uses it as "their tune" was both surprising as it was impressive.

And so the match begins

I then heard the sound of the Barry Town horn blasting from the other stand. So irritating when watching a game in Bridgend when they were playing but somehow comforting here. Traditional.

Then disaster. A fan dropped his Thermos. He wouldn't open the flask afterwards so that we would all know whether his drink was mixed with glass but he covered himself with a headscarf for the rest of the game.

Barry Town made most of the pressure early on. There was a cross which missed a Barry Boot by a hairs length in front of the goal. The coaching staff seemed to have done their homework realising like atheists Carmarthen didn't like crosses. So after fifteen minutes they scored. It was Barry's number seven. More about him later.



After Barry scored Carmarthen in their Argentinian style strip, became less messy and closer to Messi a few minutes after going down they equalised. The goal was scored by Jordan Wood, but it was the Barry defence who parted like the red sea as his shot went along the ground.

Soon after that a Carmarthen Town player raced down from their side of the pitch to another passing Barry's players along the way. Were the West Walians so inspired by their Argentinian strip that they were going to score a goal Maradona style? Well no. Still it was an impressive effort and deserved a score.

Floodlights worked

As a quick aside can I say again that there are few things that make me feel old than match officials who are younger than you. And in this case, not only are they younger but mock you further with trendy hairstyles.

On the half hour number seven of Barry Town scores again. That man's luck was so in he must have played for Shamrock Rovers.

This second goal seemed to have flustered the West Walians. After an overhit pass a Carmathen Town fan shouted "Calm Your Wellie". A phrase I shall use from now on pretending it's my own.

The first half then ended 2-1 to the home team. To be honest the first half hour of the second half didn't match to the previous forty five minutes. Then Barry Town scored a third goal. The number ten after two attempts putting the ball into the net.

And lucky number seven? He provided the cross.

The third goal seemed to have changed the Carmathen Town players. All of a sudden they seemed to have thought that they were not playing on a football pitch but an MMA cage judging by the tackles they threw in. In one particular case three west Walians bundled a Barry man to the floor. No foul according to the referee.

"You're a blind idiot" screamed one fan to the official. He of course should apologise for the remark. The referee was not a blind idiot......just an idiot.

Still it didn't stop Barry being the winners over the West Walians. It was an enjoyable evening and next time I come along (probably Tuesday week) I'll try to be better dressed.

Thank you Barry Town United AFC.....

....it was fun

Until the next time.

Time For Football,Time To Be Sully Again

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well it's Wednesday around six and I'm at the Sully Sports FC pitch to watch their match against the Cardiff Corinthians.

I remember seeing the Corinthians years before, in a match against Penybont FC (or as it was pre merger with Bridgend Town FC Bryntirion AFC).The capital side were fighting relegation, which they were eventually unsuccessful in, and in this particular game they were in the first half constantly under pressure yet by the break it was still goaless. Come second half they had a free kick just outside the box. The guy curled it into the net. Football can do that. Unfortunately the pressure told and they lost by three, possibly four to one.

I'd learnt from my first experience visiting the ground a few weeks back. Firstly it didn't matter that it was the end of August, the sky was blue and the sun shining. The pitch is by the sea so you wear a jumper.

The second was that if you want to make sure you watch all the game get your food before not at half time. So first thing I did was to go to the stall.

"What would you like?" asked the lady

"Small portion of chips....and a coke"

"Regular or diet?"

"Well as I'm having chips....... diet"

And she smiled. Having got the joke.

We chatted. I'd explained that I was here as I'd recently moved into the area and saw that it was on. "Ah" she said. "Someone rang up a few weeks back and asked how much was it to get in for the game against Pentwyn"

Pencoed actually was the thought in my head......that person being me.

Chips were nice

As I walked towards the ground I saw the Corinthians training. That moment it was where they raise a leg and move it in a circular direction apparently so that they could as instructed "feel the groin". A rare moment where this could be done in public without a police response.

The Corries in training

Of course as it was just my second visit to the ground not all mysteries were solved. I still don't know the answer to the question as I was eating my chips ready for the game to begin....

What is this?

Oh and of course as always I'm claim to be the first person to read a Bruce Chatwin book during the break in a Welsh football game.



There was a notable bright sun for most of the game to the right of where I was spectating which might affect the players. Assumed then that Sully won the toss as they weren't facing it first half.

Yes everybody Wales has sun

As I was awaiting for the kick off the manager and his enforcer number two were walking behind me. All I could hear the enforcer say was that someone had quit. Few things more intriguing than catching half a conversation.

For the Cardiff management team though there was no ambiguity.

"Two minutes to get blowing!!!" Whatever that means.

So the match began.

For a moment you can avoid the match and just look at the sea

It wasn't that long (about six minutes) when there was a goal. The Sully number 7 got the ball bypassed the defender and scored. The Cardiff management seemed to blame the defending, but there seemed to be skill in that goal as well. Anyway one nil Sully.

The Management

For most of the half the teams were relatively equal. Cardiff hit the post once. It seemed that by the break it was going to be Sully in the lead. Then however a Corries player got pushed in the box. Referee immediately awarded a penalty. The man by me was unimpressed and shouted at the manager that it didn't need much pressure for the Cardiff player to fall down. The manager, angry at the notion his team could be full of wussies responded by saying the felled player was "powerful". Of course implying the Sully player that tackled his man was more stronger.

It was "Zak " who had to take the penalty. He was under pressure. Not just from his team but by the boy being held by his relative nearby. Dad was playing for Cardiff so he knew what team to support.

"Score a goal Zak"

"Score a goal Zak".

Don't know whether Zak could hear him. Probably best not. For he would then know the weight of a child's hope and innocence rested on his shoulders. The reality of a cruel world would have been faced by one so young.

"Score a goal Zak"

Zak versus the Sully goalkeeper aka the man in radioactive orange.

"Score a goal Zak"

Thankfully for those of us who believe in childhood hope Zak scored. Of course it was not enough.

"Score a goal Dad"

"Score a goal Dad"

Dad didn't score. No one for the rest of the half did. As it happened it didn't matter. There was always the second half for him to score and besides, the boy was off with his Nan to the swings.

Kids. Fickle huh?

1-1 then. The team most clearly agitated at half time was Sully. The enforcer number two demanded an all out attack in the first ten minutes. Words like "Smash" and "bang" were used. It was as if they were planning a bank robbery.

As it happens in the second half  this attack didn't happen. Basically everything seemed equal until about the last twenty minutes. It was then that the Sully bank raid happened. Attack after attack was thwarted or the final shot was just not there. The Cardiff management were getting more frenzied.



Incidentally I learnt that a jumper was of no use. It was getting colder. Knee buckingly colder. Coat next time.



With about seven or so minutes to go the ball fell to the Sully number 10 just outside the Corries box. He shot. I think it was deflected. It didn't matter. It was a goal. 2-1 Sully.

That was how it finished. To be fair because of that last twenty minutes Sully deserved the victory.

I left feeling cold, in need of a cup of tea but having enjoyed a good game.

Until the next time.

No Football On This Blog For A While, Time To Be Very Sully

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I am conscious that it's been a while since football has made an appearance in this blog. There's a number of reasons for that, working most Saturdays, house hunting and the lack where we live at the moment of a decent internet signal on the TV for BT Sport have all conspired to reduce my footy watching for a while.

However where I live now I'm conscious of a number of football teams that play relatively nearby. Of those that I'm aware of there's Barry Town United AFC, Dinas Powys FC, Ely Rangers FC and Cardiff City. Neither have I forgotten Newport County AFC, Penybont FC and the team I've decided to follow as much as possible Ton Pentre FC. There seemed to be more opportunities to spectate now.

For this Wednesday however in the early evening for a six fifteen kick off I was off to see the nearest team to where we're renting at the moment, Sully Sports FC. Part of the South Wales Alliance Premier League, as I'm sure you knew already. The ground is a tolerable walking distance from where we live, but the journey the journey is awkward so I drove there.

So then part of the Vale of Glamorgan, no hint of my previous seventeen years in the Bridgend area, if it wasn't for their opponents, Pencoed Athletic FC, and I think you can guess where they're from.

To reach the ground you go through the car park, down the path where it's advised that children are welcome but not dogs (fine by me). Everything I should also mention was free.

You then approach the stand but cannot help looking at the pitch first. Or rather beyond it.

The Sea,The Sea

I mentioned to a few people in conversation that this must be the only ground in Britain where the ball boys are also lifeguards. They don't get the joke.

It's then I'm conscious that I've underdressed. The skies were blue when I'd left but now are black. I'm wearing a short sleeve shirt. It's cold, windy and I'm an idiot.

Anyway to the stand....past the container.




At the stand found I had company.

I'd no idea whatsoever

Someone on Twitter told me that it was a Horcrux. Google tells me that it comes from Harry Potter which regular readers will know I've never read out of principle (It's for kids! I'm fifty three). So I'm still none the wiser.

I brought What If? by Randall Munroe to read during the break. But as you will see as I go on I didn't have time to look it. So all I'll claim is to be the first person to have brought a copy of a Randall Monroe book to a Welsh football game. No I'll go further I'll claim to be the first person to have brought a science book to a Welsh football game.

History In The Making

So there was I, a man in a short sleeved shirt in unshort sleeved shirt weather. Only now do I realise how I looked like the weird oddball that evening.

About to Start

So the match, along with my ninety minutes plus of double pneumonia began.

It wasn't long before a man I'd assumed to be the Pencoed Athletic manager was shouting at a player for "quicker communication". He being blessed with never having the need to use a microphone to be heard. Indeed the entire three man management team seemed very emotional. Constantly waving their hands to show where the ball should've gone. Except that is when the instruction was to "open this way" when oddly enough the hand gestures were conspicuous by their absence.

The Sully management team consisted of a small man and his bodyguard type assistant who was the one mainly shouting out orders. Given that he'd the look of a man who would have been the maniac cop in any TV series interrogation of the bad guy I'm sure the Sully team carried out the orders as well as possible.

The Management....Sully are in Red

With about ten minutes of the first half to go. The Sully number ten had noticed that the Pencoed goalkeeper was out of his line and lobbed a ball over him. It was dramatic. It was a goal. It was one nil Sully.

A Few Stills From The Game....Yes I was That Close

Grey clouds Up There

More Goalmouth Action

And it stayed like that until five minutes before half time. Where if I understood it right from the Pencoed fans by me Ash crossed and Dunc connected to score. Could have been the other way round. Forgot that. And as to how, a shot or a header .....no idea....the Pencoed Management team were in the way.

One all is how it stayed at the end of the first half. It all seemed very fair to me. Sully seemed like the team with the skill but Pencoed were the more physical. It made predicting the outcome difficult.

For me though at that moment it didn't matter. I was cold I was hungry I wanted chips.

Now to explain the place to get the chips was a stall by the car park. From there the only view of the match was what was now the Sully goal. I'd expected the break to be fifteen minutes so imagine my shock as the lady was frying the chips when I saw the radioactive orange sight of the Sully goalkeeper. The second half was starting without me.

So there I was. Walking back to the pitch. Chips in hand.

Nice Chips At That

Passing through instruments of sporting torture.



And was just ready to see the ball go into the Sully net. Two-One Pencoed.

From that moment there was a clear change in Pencoed. Winning seemed to make them more relaxed. They were now matching Sully in the skill department. There was I could recall a piece of skill that produced a round of applause from the Pencoed management.

They were happy.

Behind the Sully Goal and The Man In Radioactive Orange

View from seaside of the pitch

The Sully side of the pitch....where most of the second half action was

Final Few Minutes 

With about ten minutes to go Pencoed scored a third. One on one with the radioactive goalie the player elegantly slotted the ball passed him. The best goal of the game.

Party time amongst the Pencoed posse began in earnest. One of the Pencoed management fell over. No one cared. Shots hit the bar. They knew they had won and were playing with the happy abandon of the school playground.

Sully however were deflated and you could see it. Their management hardly said anything after the third goal. They knew it was pointless.

Three one Pencoed was how the match finished. They deserved their victory.

So thankyou Sully Sports FC and Pencoed Athletic FC. For the neutral like me it was an enjoyable game to watch.

I'll just make sure next time I'm in Sully I dress a whole lot better.

Until the next time.