When Haverfordwest County bowed out of the Welsh Cup against Trethomas Bluebirds of the Ardal South East League it caused a few shock waves in this county and in the tiny village of Trethomas because they play in the Ardal South East League, the third tier of football in Wales.
It naturally caused great excitement but it is fair to say that for two of their players there were slightly mixed emotions because they are Pembrokeshire born and bred, and used to play at The Bridge Meadow Stadium in their younger days.
Adam Raymond hails from Goodwick and is their assistant manager to Mark Dunford and Bobby Briers is from the Kilgetty area and puts his wealth of experience to good effect since he was a more than useful player too when he played for Haverfordwest County.
Now a Bluebird of a different variry
PembrokeshireSport.co.uk bumped into Adam this week and he told us just a little more about his footballing journey which has led to him playing for a team which not so long ago was playing in the Gwent County League but last season came fourth out of 16 in this higher tier on the 4G pitch at the CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach, near Caerphilly.
Adam lives with his wife Emma and sons Lloyd (4) and Sion (1) in Creigiau, which was previously a village in the Pontypridd area but now regarded as a being a satellite village for Cardiff – and he is the head teacher of Pencoed Primary School, near Bridgend.
Experience gained – and great Goodwick successes
He had previously played for Haverfordwest County and made about 75 appearances in different spells at youth and senior levels alongside the likes of Lee Kendall, Wyn Thomas, Dean Rossiter, Lee Hudgell, Dylan Blain and Bobby Briers, plus other spells at Newcastle Emlyn and Ton Pentre when he was training to be a teacher.
“I started out with Deryn Brace as manager, followed by Derek Brazil and then Wayne Jones and rated them all – and after that I was part of a very strong Goodwick United team which won the coveted treble of League, Senior Cup and West Wales Cup as we beat Morriston Olympic at the Liberty Stadium.
“Two years later we were back at The Liberty to beat Penlan in the final and I was really honoured to be captain that day of a great crowd of lads.”
Trethomas discovered in a chance meeting
Before that he lived in Caerphilly but as a very committed Goodwick United player he used to travel home every weekend to play but then his father Graham sadly passed away and he decided he couldn’t justify all that travel.
“It was at this time that I bumped into Bobby Briers in Caerphilly and he asked me about my footballing plans and mentioned he was playing at Trethomas – and to be honest I had never heard of them but decided to take a look at them at nearby Ystrad Mynach.
“I liked what I saw and so decided to give it a chance but it wasn’t long before I sustained a badly-broken left leg and was told I might never kick a ball again.
Battling back from serious injury
“But then Covid came along and when I had recuperated enough I started to do a lot of running and eventually completed a marathon in Tenby where I raised money in memory of my dad and an old friend Luke Harding.
“It certainly worked because in March 2020 I returned to football action with Trethomas Bluebirds and became assistant manager, although these days (now I’m 35) I tend to come on as a substitute.
“But it seems to work because I managed four goals in my first three games and I was credited with the assist for the winner when Levi Rees grabbed his second goal in the dying seconds of the game as I touched on a long throw by Bobby Briers.
A memorable day of cup football
“It had been a hard-fought game and when Jack Wilson scored a good goal for them I couldn’t help but think it could be all over but we stuck at our task and Lee Jenkins was sent off for them and Levi equalised.
“There had been a big build-up once the draw was announced and I was interviewed by Ryan Evans on his excellent Bluebirds’ podcast to set the scene – and there was a big crowd at the ground for the match.
“Haverfordwest were obviously shattered to lose because they had dominated possession but we defended well - but I have to say they were brilliant and stayed for a pint afterwards, despite losing.
Looking forward to the future
“We are looking now to improve our league position and since then we beat Goytre 2-0 as the start of that process. We are also going to be busy in cup action because we play Penydarren, from Merthyr, in the next round of the Welsh Cup and Cardiff Airport in the third round of the FAW Trophy, and will be defending the Ardal League Cup we won last year at Caldicot.
“I really am enjoying my time with Trethomas Bluebirds but I’m still a Pembrokeshire boy at heart and the first results I look at every Saturday are Goodwick United (who won 3-2 at Hakin United this weekend) and Haverfordwest County!"
