Cwmbran Town FC

[Interested Observer]

I know we seem to have some Cwmbran Town people on this message board, and seeing as the posts that have been put on here today have been amusing, but hardly informative, I wondered whether anyone from Cwmbran would let us know the inside track on the club at present.

I looked at the Div 3 table this morning and did a double take at it when I realised that Cwmbran were so low down, so close to the bottom 5 that are going down and have played a lot more games than most of the teams below them.

I have heard nothing but positivity coming out of Cwmbran this past few seasons and they seemed to me, from what I read, to be stabilizing and I genuinely expected to see them challenge in the top 6 of Div 3 this season.

I am not having a go at the club at all I am genuinely interested. I think a club of their history should be a great deal higher than they are and I had hoped that process would start this year, as I am sure their followers would have too.

[Counting Crows]

Yours is a question with so many answers...

I'll start with the positives: we have a thriving youth set-up and a very committed first-team management (i'm sure the rest are too but as i'm not that close to the action i haven't met them all!). Plus we have a dyed-in-the-wool CTAFC chairman who's possibly insane as she loves the club so much!! (she won't mind me saying that).

The negatives: the loss of two first-team coaches that joined at the start of the season. Things haven't been quite as good on the pitch since then, but i can't put my finger on why, general organisation perhaps... We have a new coach now so hopefully there'll be an upturn in fortunes.

More negatives: the loss of a key defender to Aberbargoed and the oft-unavailability of a key striker, plus the long-term absence of last year's Supporters' Player of the Year Steve Hughes. Our squad is a bit threadbare at the mo - we could probably do with recruiting an addtional defender, midfielder and striker.

The club is stable, it's just as with most clubs, it's takes more than 1 or 2 seasons for a competative squad to be built.

One final point: the players have to get used to playing football without the offside rule, as there isn't one in D3 and the players keep forgetting that!! ;D

Hope this helps explain the situation. It's also worth noting we have still to play a lot of clubs around us in the table, so hopefully we can take advantage of some 6 pointers.

Out of curiosity, who do you follow/support Interested Observer?

Cheers!

[shaun]

Doesnt take a lot to work out why the crows are heading for gwent county football , same people running the club that have seen them go down every single season that they have been in charge.
And yes before you go saying they have done there best we have another chairwoman in charge who promised so much but hasnt delivered a thing.
As i said a year ago step down now mrs chairwoman and take the management team with you.
If you care a hoot about this club get hold of mr griffiths and put people in charge of the club that can turn it around before you do your usual thing and walkout and blame everyone else

[Counting Crows]

Arrr...Mr Griffiths to the rescue again, eh. Some records never change.

Thing is though, wouldn't he be nuts to take the job on Shaun? I mean at the mo he's on course for a championship medal and promotion, and a place in his current club's history books.

Would he swap that for a struggling D3 side...? I'm not sure i would....

[Mr griffiths]

It would be nice if the person who wants me to rescue ctfc would contact me ! This is an invitation to that person. I don't think they're really called sean though!

[guest]

This is a Welsh League Message board isn't it ? not the Cwmbran Town Message board ?

Anyway it does make me laugh seeing these threads as a watcher of local football whether that be Cwmbran, Croesy or Cwmbran Celtic and what concerns me more than anything is the fact that at the start of the season cwmbran seemed to have a good squad of players, 2 local coaches who seemed to have the team organised and things were looking good. They had a good start to the season, with some good results, scoring goals which had been the achilles heal the previous year and then the wheels started to fall off the the bus. Firstly the first team coaches who were doing a great job, from what i saw, trying to play neat tidy football, whilst trying to create a good spirit, left the club along with several players, who from what i saw on match days were bought in to warm the benches rather than actually play, and captain Lloyd Stone left to join Aberbargoed.

I went to watch the game yesterday against UWIC and yes they won BUT UWIC had more of the ball and looked a far better side even with a lot of players missing as they are not back yet after the break.

The big question for me is where are the club going? as i see it at this moment Gwent County 1st Division and then the really big question Is that then end of Cwmbran Town if that happens? my guess would be yes.

Mr Griffiths has been talked about for some time but i agree with another post why? I know he is part of the youth set up, but why would anyone want to take this on. I think the management team and chairman should continue until the end of the season then they can stand up and say that they took a club from the Welsh Premier to closure in 5 seasons. Sorry that is a bit unfair on the manager who would have only taken them twice in 2 seasons.

Rant over!

[Counting Crows]

Jan 16, 2011 12:49:19 GMT 1 guest said:

I went to watch the game yesterday against UWIC and yes they won BUT UWIC had more of the ball and looked a far better side even with a lot of players missing as they are not back yet after the break.

Haha - sounds like a UWIC fan to me, making up excuses for not beating a mid-table team!! Yes, UWIC perhaps were the better side, but they didn't create enough chances. You can only win if you score.

I'm glad you want the current managment to stay in place though. I too am not a fan of changing the manager as often as underwear

Gareth - you have many many fans out there!!

[Bill W]

Jan 16, 2011 12:49:19 GMT 1 guest said:

This is a Welsh League Message board isn't it ? not the Cwmbran Town Message board ?

Anyway it does make me laugh seeing these threads as a watcher of local football whether that be Cwmbran, Croesy or Cwmbran Celtic and what concerns me more than anything is the fact that at the start of the season cwmbran seemed to have a good squad of players, 2 local coaches who seemed to have the team organised and things were looking good. They had a good start to the season, with some good results, scoring goals which had been the achilles heal the previous year and then the wheels started to fall off the the bus. Firstly the first team coaches who were doing a great job, from what i saw, trying to play neat tidy football, whilst trying to create a good spirit, left the club along with several players, who from what i saw on match days were bought in to warm the benches rather than actually play, and captain Lloyd Stone left to join Aberbargoed.

I went to watch the game yesterday against UWIC and yes they won BUT UWIC had more of the ball and looked a far better side even with a lot of players missing as they are not back yet after the break.

The big question for me is where are the club going? as i see it at this moment Gwent County 1st Division and then the really big question Is that then end of Cwmbran Town if that happens? my guess would be yes.

Mr Griffiths has been talked about for some time but i agree with another post why? I know he is part of the youth set up, but why would anyone want to take this on. I think the management team and chairman should continue until the end of the season then they can stand up and say that they took a club from the Welsh Premier to closure in 5 seasons. Sorry that is a bit unfair on the manager who would have only taken them twice in 2 seasons.

Rant over!

I agree entirely who do these people from Cwmbran think they are!!
As for the team being well organised and having a good start to the season the first 10 games (with said local coaches and these players who were worth keeping) they won 2. Then in the last 5 games they've won 2 also now in a result driven environment that speaks volumes.
Its also so easy to knock people anonymously as well and I'm of the opinion that if someone is willing to give up so much of their spare time as im sure Ms Purnell does, they should be helped and applauded. If you do care about Cwmbran Town and want to stop it dropping any further why don't you join the clubs committee and help out?

More fun criticising anonymously i guess??

[Counting Crows]

This thread was started by a neutral who wanted the latest info on the club, and i obliged.

I don't know why the thread has degenerated into critising us, but then i do get the impression we're a disliked club. Even our own fans want us to lose sometimes so they can be proved right on the choice of manager, coach, left-back, half-time beverage etc.

It's horrible being at games sometimes and listening to people say horrible things about their own club/personnel.

The clubs isn't bankrolled anymore, and therefore we have found our natural level - the unpaid echelons of the Welsh League.

Some people seem to think a change of manager will see us magically shoot up the divisions. It won't. Only hard work, continuiaty, and a slow progression will gain success.

If people don't want to talk about the Crows, they shouldn't start or contribute to threads.

I've tried starting other threads on this board (local players, ground criteria) but people aren't interested. And god help any threads about who might go up or down - these are deemed to be personal insults to the people who run the clubs mentioned as opposed to football banter...

[Lee Robson]

As teh head board bod I think its impora ttnat I don't censor any comments...freedom of speech an' all that....I do get a little perplexed by the anti Cwmbran Town comments ...they seem as hard working and passionate (bordering on lunacy) as the rest of us. I'm sure Ms Purnell and the gang would be delighted with some help in and around the club and counting crows is one the most thoughtful contributors on thsi and otehr boards even if I don't agree with some of what he says ...he seems a very polite young man.

Make this week the week of being postive in everything you do.... see if it makes a differecne! Kingfishers for promotion!

[Counting Crows]

Thank you Lee - i doff my cap to you my good man

Unfortunately, a couple of clubs at our level suffer from an odd 'party politics' type problem. Welshpool appear to be suffering a bit with it from what i've read too.

One party wants to run a club, and will deride the party who currently do, irrespective on on-field achievements.

For us, there is a party who wants a certain individual in charge, and they will say unhelpful things until that happens.

I personally wish everyone would join together to help out. The Cwmbran Town of 1992-2006 is a very different animal to the one that exists now...

Anyway, Lee, i'm 'sort-of' looking forward to visiting you guys next month. I say 'sort-of' because even though we get a great welcome, we're defintely second favourites to get the 3 points

[Cohen Griffiths]

Sponge Monkey? whoever that is put a name to your state ment. absolute joke to be critising MY FATHER who i know spends more time out of the house away from his own FAMILY to support Gary at Bridgend Street and Cwmbran Town Youth. The way the youth is going Cwmbran will be up there again with the talent coming through. I coach the under 7s and i know that the number of kids teams in cwmbran town has trebled over the past few years. and that is all down to one person my dad. i dont think anyone on the youth section will mind me saying that either. This site is a joke full of people who have no balls to put who they are just hide behind usernames and leave statements like that. Absolutely pathetic whoever you are and i know you wont come out and say who you are cos your a low life peice of scum. and for the record i think barry hughes does do a great job with the seniors and whoever says he should leave remember its cwmbran town NOT newcastle united. maybe by supporting him more results would be seen! Message boards like this are full of people who can talk the talk but will never walk the walk behing there username 'someone'. Get a life mate

[gary proctor]

To the gutless person that posted remarks about gareth griffiths on this website let me point out few things to you, for one he is no sponge monkey and secondly he is held in high regard at our football club, the commitment from himself is outstanding and the few years that i have known him he as always carried out his duties in a professional manner.
I dont know what club you support but ask the people of cwmbran town youth how much they rate the man and the work that is carried out for the youngsters of cwmbran town.
I know only to well the time that is needed for football and believe you me the man is worth much more than name calling on this site

[Counting Crows]

Couldn't agree more. Good posts. Unfortunately, in the 'virtual world' people can, and often do, say things ONLY because they can be anonymous.

A lot of people are just looking for a reaction...

[Lee Robson]

I have done something I never thought I'd do and removed the offensive remarks about a valued member the football community here in south Wales.

Let's keep this board to making comments about issues based on some semblance of respect for other people giving up loads of time for football in our commmunites for little or no financial reward and usually a loads of grief.

Banter is fine but on the day when Andy Gray has rightly been sacked for a complete lack of respect for a fellow football professional (and being a tosser) we should set some standards!