This week it was a pleasure to be able to chat to Des Shanklin, the doyen of football administrators in this county, who was president of the Welsh FA from 2000 to 2003, had been its treasurer for a number of years before that, and travelled the world with the Welsh team, whose players held him in huge regard.
This admiration was never more evident than when former Wales’ manager Chris Coleman came to speak at a function with Haverfordwest County in the Merlin Theatre at Pembrokeshire College and made a detour to Pembroke so that he could visit Des at home.So well-known ‘up the line!’
And whenever sports editor Gordon Thomas and I ventured to matches outside the county, especially in the Welsh Premier or Welsh League, the first thing that club officials would want to know is ‘How’s Des Shanklin?’
Des gave yeoman service to Pembroke Borough in his heyday and is still president at Haverfordwest County but sadly isn’t well enough to attend games in the suite named in honour of him.
But Des remains interested in all things football and whilst chatting to the great man he asked us to pass on his yuletide best wished to all his sporting friends, something we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk are delighted to do!