West End

[austinpowers]

Last years champs seem to be struggling at the start of this season. Last year they won the league and reserve division while this year they can't win a game between them. Anyone know if there's a reason? Have they lost players or management?

[gladstone]

Any side that wins the Welsh league and hasn't got what it takes to apply for or to do the needful to get promoted to the WPL has got to have serious issues somewhere. Sadly this problem is not confined to West End.

[dannyg]

When I was at the Welsh League dinner I was sat with the Pontardawe crowd.They told me that a lot of the West End players had already decided to move on to other clubs like Garden Village. So while they were celebrating as West End players their souls had moved on to pastures new. So no surprise that West End are struggling. But as people have mentioned previously on this board, there is very little loyalty in the Welsh League.

[dannyg]

In many ways a lot of the Welsh League is like a travelling circus. A manager comes in and brings in a load of his own players. After a little while the manager leaves and the players move out with him. Some players will go to a different club but most will follow the manager to the next town/club. That's why the Welsh League is so precarious. Managers and players will leave en bloc and clubs are left to pick up the pieces. In some cases the club is so badly raped that they are unable to carry on and consequently fold. How many clubs have had this happen over the last 20 years? I bet if you looked at league tables from 20 years ago you'll find a lot of teams are no longer around. Sad but true!

[tripefaceboogie]

Dannyg you are spot on mate that has always been the case friendships are forged with managers players become contented and understand what the manager wants of them.
i remember Kevin Richards at ton pentre having a really good allegiance with his players they would run thro brick walls for him also Rob Cooke at Goytre United gained massive respect and friendship from his players.
i totally understand where your coming from there is loyalty sadly it tends to lend it self to managers and not the club you will see it the professional game as well.

[richthekeeper]

Dannyg - surely the problem lies with the fact that most of the clubs you mention are bankrolled by one person whose usual purpose is to feed his own ego.

Ponty are a classic (but by no means unique) example of what happens to a club when someone comes in and spends big money on the team in order to achieve success. See also Grange Quins. When those money men get bored of their toy and move on, good people like those on this forum have to pick up the pieces.

The truth is the majority of payments to players in the Welsh League are totally unsustainable and until this situation changes the league will never improve. Ton Pentre being a good example of a community run club who raise their own money through their facilities and use this to pay their players.

[Deleted]

Aug 28, 2013 9:56:26 GMT 1 richthekeeper said:

Dannyg - surely the problem lies with the fact that most of the clubs you mention are bankrolled by one person whose usual purpose is to feed his own ego.

Ponty are a classic (but by no means unique) example of what happens to a club when someone comes in and spends big money on the team in order to achieve success. See also Grange Quins. When those money men get bored of their toy and move on, good people like those on this forum have to pick up the pieces.

The truth is the majority of payments to players in the Welsh League are totally unsustainable and until this situation changes the league will never improve. Ton Pentre being a good example of a community run club who raise their own money through their facilities and use this to pay their players.

Hallelujah.

[tripefaceboogie]

Players have been paid for twenty years in the welsh league and will continue to get paid and if people believe its all down to egos and individuals that's fine ,but in reality there have beem committees ,senior management structures, who simply want to see their team at the top of the league.
That's all my old mate Mr O halloran wanted many years ago 
fact except it

[Counting Crows]

Aug 28, 2013 11:41:58 GMT 1 tripefaceboogie said:

Players have been paid for twenty years in the welsh league and will continue to get paid and if people believe its all down to egos and individuals that's fine ,but in reality there have beem committees ,senior management structures, who simply want to see their team at the top of the league.
That's all my old mate Mr O halloran wanted many years ago 
fact except it

Mr O'Halloran is the perfect example though surely? Put money into a club, racked-up debt, left. Hence the whole Lovering situation. I'm not sure having good intentions makes any difference. The net result is the same.

If more clubs could be run like Ton, Barry (now) etc. then there'd be fewer clubs getting into difficulties. As a Crows fan, I'd much prefer my club knock about in the Gwent league and progress at a natural pace than risk its existance (again) by letting one man/company shoulder the financial responsibilities of running a club in order to magically win promtion after promotion.

Sustainability is the key thing surely?

[rocky]

Would just to clear up, Neil O'Halloran passed away.
The club fell into the wrong hands after that - namely Mr Fashanu and then Lovering.

I think most supporters would happily stand by and reap the rewards of someone pumping money into a club and buying success - look at Man City and Chelsea, and closer to home, Cardiff City. The issues arise when people assume control of a club pretending they have money to pour in, and then leave them high and dry - as with Barry Town, Portsmouth and I'm sure many others.

Systems need to be put into place to stop that happening - IE fan owned clubs, clubs run by committees not 1 individual, and better checks and support (non financially) from the FAW.

[Deleted]

So realistically the successful teams have no real identity as the layers bump around as in the case of West End. Success is short lived and a false economy in this league.
It's not Goytre or Ponty that win the league for the village, it's a few cars full of Cardiffians in it for themselves. A quick squash back at the club after the game to sniff out their envelope and then gone again
It happened at Llwydcoed and Llangeinor when the local lads got them into the Welsh League only to be replaced by coin chasers who in turn done a bunk when they felt bored with their latest club they'd had tattooed on their arm. The clubs plummeted and struggled for years after.nit will happen to other clubs, who as have been stated by others as paying unsustainably

[Deleted]

Stated above should have been players, and Goytre united as they are one of the victims of their own indulgence of paying players

[tripefaceboogie]

This guy seems to have a hate campaign I have never heard so much rubbish .
and I understand his fan club is getting bigger

[Deleted]

How the hell is commenting on a forum tantamount to a hate campaign? I have opinions like anyone else and like to express them.
Some people may agree with what I say some might not. You seem to be in a minority probably because one of my dislikes is mercenaries who will lick a club dry without giving two hoots about them. Raw nerve maybe.

[Counting Crows]

Apologies Rocky for getting that a bit wrong. I'd completely forgotten about Fashanu too!

I agree with the rest of your post.