Llanrhaeadr lose first team coach

Llanrhaeadr first team coach Jamie Davies has kicked off the local ‘silly season’ with a sensational move to join a new management set-up at local rivals Llansantffraid Village.

Davies joins veteran manager Ray Jones at the ambitious club which has targeted promotion to the Huws Gray Alliance within two seasons. While the exact roles of Jones and Davies will be announced at next week’s AGM, it is expected that the former will move upstairs to oversee both the first team and reserves. Paul Lewis also joins the management team.

“It was important to capture these two lads (Davies and Lewis) but the exact make-up of the management team will be revealed next week,” said Jones (below) who has been manager of Llansantffraid Village since it re-formed four years ago in the amateur league division two.

“We have come to a watershed as a club. We finished fifth in Spar division one this season and at the end of the day we have got to ask ourselves ‘do we want to become a Cymru Alliance club?’ The decision has been made that we do and these two lads will make a big difference.”

Davies said last night that he was “gutted” to be leaving Llanrhaeadr and a statement on the Llanrhaeadr web site read: “The club can confirm that coach Jamie Davies has left the club. He has taken a new post as manager of local rivals Llansantffraid Village. We would like to thank Jamie for all his efforts over the last two years, when we as a club enjoyed great success. We wish him and his family all the best in his new role.”

The ‘silly season’ is the name given to football’s off season when frantic behind the scenes activity sees managers and players switch clubs.

Meanwhile, the Spar League has been told by a senior Huws Gray Alliance official that it is "doubtful" that the league will appeal against the Football Association of Wales verdict to overrule their earlier decision to block Llanrhaeadr's promotion due to them not having enough covered spectator areas.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------