PHOTOS:
Gwion Howell
Gwion (back row fourth left) with his Haverfordwest County Youth colleagues
Spotlight and Football Sections:
Gwion Howell has scored 12 goals in seven starts for Haverfordwest County’s youth team in their quest to do really well in this season’s McWhirter League competition, a tally which includes hat-tricks in a 9-0 win over West End and then again against Afan Lido, as he helped the Young Bluebirds claw their way back to a 4-3 win and he scored two late goals to ensure they maintained their 100% league record.
Gwion has also showed his versatility by also slotting into the heart of the defence as they won their top of the table clash against Aberdare Town at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium – and has also played a holding role in midfield as proof of his willingness to play anywhere for the good of the team.
High praise from youth coach Steve . . . and senior team manager Wayne
Small wonder then that Steve Batty, the erstwhile youth team coach with Haverfordwest County, rates Gwion so highly.
“He is a great example to aspiring players because he never misses a training session,” Steve told us, “despite having one of the furthest to travel since he lives in Moylegrove.
“Gwion is ever-ready to listen to what we have to tell him, trains as hard as anyone in the squad and has very high skill levels, as well as a natural nose for goals.”
High praise indeed from Steve, which is echoed by club manager Wayne Jones and his assistant, Sean Cresser.
“We already have noted Gwion as a player of immense potential who will serve us well in the future,” said Wayne, “and we have already given him a couple of chances to get a flavour of the levels of football needed to play in the Welsh League and hopefully the Welsh Premier at some time.”
Gwion made his senior debut for the Bluebirds at Ynys Park, the home of Ton Pentre AFC, playing for the first 60 minutes in a narrow 1-0 win on a narrow pitch. He also came on as sub at Caldicot but on this occasion they lost 1-0.
Other sports
Outside of his football, Gwion also enjoys playing cricket with Llechryd, where he is a wicketkeeper/batsman with the first XI.
He’s been playing since he was 12 and had a season with the county team for his age group but found it hard to travel to matches and coaching after so much football.
He scored more than his share of runs last campaign and had a few victims with the gloves, as well as a top season’s score of 65 not out.
He was also coached in Tennis at Fishguard by John Deason but again there was a lot of travel and football inevitably came first.
Ceredigion start
Gwion’s start in football came when he was eight and played for the junior team at Maesglas before switching to Penparc the following season, both clubs participating in the Ceredigion League set-up. There were no competitive league games at the start but Penparc showed their quality as they entered the well-known Aberaeron tournament and won it at the first attempt.
Experience gained at Clarbie and Narberth
Then he joined a strong Clarbeston Road junior team coached by Nigel Davies (Fishguard) and vied with their counterparts from Tenby as the top teams in their age group. Clarbie won the under 13 cup and followed up a year later by winning the league title.
From there Gwion widened his experience at under 16 level by playing for Narberth Juniors and also playing for the first team when coach Peter Fearn included him in the team playing in division one of the Pembrokeshire League towards the end of the season.
Special footballing French trip with school
By then Gwion had also played for Ysgol y Preseli in years seven and eight in the ‘Mondial Pupilles’ tournament in Brittany, where Crymych have their twin town, and widened his experience since the Crymych youngsters, who were looked after by Gethin Vobe and Eifion Roberts, took on the likes of Marseilles and Moscow Dynamo.
Gwion’s footballing skills also earned him a trial with the Cardiff City Development Centre, in Carmarthen, where Dave Reason was the coach, and he scored three goals against the Cardiff City junior team situated in Treforest.
Cardiff City bound – with great family support
He later had another spell with Cardiff City where he was expected to train three times a week in Treforest as well as travelling to play teams like Manchester United and Reading, who were then in the Premier League.
“It was a great experience,” Gwion said, “and my parents, Diane and Roger, were amazing because they had to taxi me everywhere. My older brothers Llifon (30) and Rhodri (23) also gave me every encouragement.”
Good move to the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium
But nothing came of his time there and so Gwion decided to join the Academy at Haverfordwest County and hasn’t looked back since then.
He is clearly a key player with the Bluebirds’ McWhirter League side and last year played for them in the McWhirter Cup Final against West End at Afon Lido, which he lists as a major disappointment after they lost 3-2.
His play this season at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium was recently rewarded with selection for a trial with the Welsh Under 18 academies team held at Port Talbot, alongside team mates in Dan Evans, Mark Davies and Lloyd Hughes, plus players from Welsh Premier clubs of the calibre of the New Saints and Airbus.
“I was pleased with the way that things went for an hour but then I over stretched and strained a tendon in my hip flexor and had to go off,” Gwion told us, “but I hope I did enough in that time to catch the selectors’ eyes.”
Looking forward
Ask Gwion about ambitions and he admits that, like a lot of other aspiring youngsters, he would love to be a professional footballer but knows that only the elite few ever make the break through – so that is why he is also pursuing an academic career at Ysgol y Preseli, where he is taking A Levels in Business Studies and PE.
“I eventually hope to take a degree in Sports Science or Sports Coaching at Cardiff Metropolitan University and perhaps I can further my own footballing experience by playing for the team there because they have a reputation of turning out good footballers.”
“But in the meanwhile I’ll just carry on enjoying my football with a great crowd of lads at Haverfordwest County and trying to improve my play as much as I can.”
We wish this talented but modest young footballer much further success and 12 goals in seven matches this campaign would appear to indicate that Gwion Howell isn’t doing too badly so far, thank you very much!