Liam Cullen has really started to make a name for himself in the world of football with Swansea City and added to his considerable reputation in the recently televised Victory Shield match between the under 16 starlets of Wales and Scotland.
Despite being only 14 and still having another season at this level, Liam had already played eight times for Wales and came off the bench at half time to score a stunning goal around the 70th minute that had the Sky Sports pundits raving about its quality.
“A sensational finish,” was how one commentator described it whilst another said it was “a delightful and perfect chip.”
Welsh goal scoring ace Ian Rush was again watching closely and reporters also noted his age because Liam was the youngest player on the pitch but looked perfectly at home from the moment he stepped on the playing surface at Park Avenue in Aberystwyth.
Swansea City regular
Liam is a regular with Swansea City at under 16 level and also plays for the under 18 team when he’s needed by Ray Pennock, the former Haverfordwest County player who does such a good job of looking after the Swans’ youngsters. Four of their under 16 squad were selected in the Welsh squad but all four were on the bench for the first half, when the Scots led by 1-0 – and Liam was the first to come on straight after the interval.
He almost made a dream start with an early chance from his first touch but then equalised with ten minutes to go before Tyler Roberts (West Brom) added Wales’ second. It looked as if Wales would win but Scotland levelled matters in the minutes added on by the referee so that Liam and Co had to settle for a 2-all draw.
Delight for family and Kilgetty crowd
His goal was met with absolute delight be the Kilgetty contingent that were cheering him on, including parents Louise and Brian, who runs the Kilgetty Sports Association clubhouse, sister Jodie, granddad Tom Cullen and grandparents Graham and Rose Jenkins, who made a day of it in Aberystwyth. No one would have appreciated Liam’s superb strike more than Graham because for many years he was rightly regarded as the top goal scorer in Pembrokeshire.
Family members Jonathan and Wendy Williams were on holiday in Spain but managed to watch it on Sky Television and were texting at regular intervals to express their delight. Others in attendance from the family in a mini-bus were Nia and Anne-Marie, plus Kilgetty supporters Alan Hurst, Gareth Gwyther, Vaughan James, Jake and Micky Marsh, Richard Merriman, Stuart and Kieran.
Natural flair rewarded
Liam has a natural flair for football with an instinctive nose for goals from either foot or headers but he also has a natural power linked to a lovely touch, a vision to keep play flowing alongside a real work ethic that is paying dividends. He doesn’t mind all the travel to training sessions with Swansea City (he’s been there since he was eight!) and prior to the Welsh games he joins Osian Roberts, the technical director of the Welsh Football Trust, and the rest of the squad on a Sunday for a series of training sessions at the new Dragon Park facility.
They all stayed at the halls of residence at the Sport Wales headquarters next to the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff before travelling to away matches in midweek in readiness for the floodlit matches that usually take place on Thursday or Friday evenings. It was the eighth time that Liam has represented Wales at under 16 level this season, with previous caps gained against Poland (2), France (2), Belgium and Switzerland (both at Jenner Park, Barry) and England at Kidderminster.
More caps likely – and a Swans’ scholarship awarded
His ninth cap is sure to follow on Thursday, 21st November at The Book People Stadium, the home of Bangor City, starting at 7.35pm, when the visitors will be Northern Ireland. The match is part of the Victory Shield competition and will be televised on Sky Sports.
Looking ahead to his footballing future, Swansea City have already confirmed a footballing scholarship when Liam reaches 16 as the next rung in the ladder towards a career as a football professional and there is no doubt that if he can maintain his current rate of progress the sky is the limit.
He and his parents have received loads of congratulatory messages on Facebook and Pembrokeshiresport.co.uk would like to add our congratulations on his wonderful goal and uplifting performance.