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Gary Dawes – poacher turned gamekeeper at Hakin United
Gary Dawes can easily lay claim to being the most successful captain in the history of Pembrokeshire Football since his decade when he led Hakin United as an aggressive midfield ball-winner produced a record-breaking haul of medals.
These included seven division one winners’ medals, three runners-up spots, five Senior Cup successes and two West Wales Intermediate Cup winners’ trophies, plus two two wins in the WR Nedin Cup Final, the competition between the league winners of the Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Leagues.
Not content with that little haul of silverware, the man known to all as ‘Dawesy’ took his team to the West Wales Senior Cup Final, when they lost to a full Swansea City team on the Vetch Field, just missed out on a third West Wales Intermediate Cup victory and were runners up in a Senior Cup Final.
Now 39 years young, Gary has retired from playing for Hakin and is charged with another challenge as he is in his second season as first-team manager of the Vikings and readily admits that he would love to take his talented young side to further silverware. He is in line for that after runners-up medals in the league last season and current top spot in the table, plus a last eight place in the Senior Cup.
“Like all managers,” he says, “I would love the club to win both and at some time enjoy winning the West Wales Cup because there is no greater thrill. It would be nice to say I won all three as player and manager but in the meanwhile we’ll focus on the rest of this season first.”
And focus they will because Gary is the perfect example of poacher turned gamekeeper since he is very much aware of the need to concentrate on the football and is full of praise for his young charges.
“We’ve got Kristan Bennett and Paul Jones at the veteran stage and then Steve Mathias and Adam Davies with lots of experience – whilst the rest are almost kids and are doing remarkably well,” he said, “when they lost recently at home to Goodwick after beating them easily in a cup match at Phoenix Park the previous week I just went home, rather than bawl them out, and they knew what I thought of their performance without any shouting!”
Gary started out playing rugby
What his protégées might not know about Gary is the fact that he started out as a rugby player with Milford, rather than a footballer, playing from the Dolphins’ age groups right through to the first team as No 8 alongside Alan McClelland and Nigel Gough before he was banned and was approached by Mile Dello to have a game of football with a Quarterdeck side that included Dom Giannuzzi, Brian Axford and Blondie Armstrong.
Vikings success story began
He really enjoyed being involved and was voted as ‘Player of the Year’ before eventually moving to Hakin United to play alongside Johnny Kinsella, Steve Naden and Co in the first team. He captained the team in 1993 under Chris Tansey and so started a wonderful run of seven successive league championships where Tansey’s calm approach, linked with Gary’s on-field drive, saw the Vikings become the top local team for the next decade.
“Tansey was brilliant,” says Gary, “he used to tell me to win the ball and then pass it to Paul Chapman or Shaun Mills because they knew how to use it! Winning every piece of silverware was great but the first time we became champions was special, after Pennar Robins looked hot favourites but lost in midweek at St Ishmaels and then we beat them on the Saturday to snatch the title!
Hakin won five Senior Cup finals and lost once, to Goodwick, but made amends in midweek as they travelled to the Vetch Field for the West Wales Intermediate Cup and came back from a 1-0 deficit to beat West End with a goal from Paul Jones and then a Kristan Bennett header. They also beat Ragged School at the same venue but missed out on a splendid hat-trick when West End gained revenge, and lost 6-0 to a full Swansea City team at the Vetch Field in the West Wales Senior Cup – but at least had the consolation of knowing that very few junior clubs have ever reached the final.
County honours for Dawesy
Gary was also honoured to play for Pembrokeshire with Goodwick’s Alun Davies, Steve Summers and Brian Morris amongst others like Paul Jones, but he would unhesitatingly nominate a final appearance in the WR Nedin Cup as the best team performance when Hakin slammed top Swansea side Ragged School 8-2 in the final. They also beat the same team 3-1 at the Bridge Meadow to complete a Nedin Cup double. The players involved around Gary at that time were Bomber Morgan as goalkeeper, Nigel Armstrong, Kristan Bennett, Karl Rhead and Adam Collins as a superb back four, Paul Chapman, Shaun Mills, Ade Haworth and Steve Mathias in midfield, plus Paul Jones and Michael Cooper as expert finishers.
“It was a heck of a side,” he says, “and I was glad to be part of it. Tansey and Daisy Picton were also involved and we relished every challenge as we always stuck together.” Also a great support to Gary have been his family since dad Roy was a Hakin regular and mum Carol, sister Marie and brothers Martin and Andrew still follow Hakin football. The family connection is continued because wife Tara, plus children Lauren, Limara and Joe are always there for him and keep him going when things get tough.
Enjoyed playing second string
When Gary finally stepped down from the first team as a 37 year old he had a season for the seconds with Paddy Wheeler in charge and enjoyed it but then Colin Fawcett, who Gary also rated as a manager, asked him to take over as manager of the first team from him and after committee agreement took over the reins. He admits that it wasn’t easy at the start but says he was lucky to have Malcolm Jones as the calming influence as assistant manager.
Ask Gary about managers and as well as Messrs Tansey and Fawcett he would nominate Chrissie Lloyd (Pennar) and his old school pal and Goodwick manager Bernie Armstrong as another. He also has strong opinions about referees and really enjoyed playing when Danny Thomas and Shinner Cook were involved – and lists the Boswell Boys as officials he rates today because they have played the game and talk to players.
His top opponents he would list as Steve Jenkins, James Morgans and Bernie Armstrong at Goodwick, Peter and Tony Jones at Merlins Bridge, plus Duggie Bowen and Mark Ashman as the best keepers he encountered amongst the opposition.
“Mickie Ellis always led me a dance and I spent 15 years trying to catch him, without success” says Gary with a chuckle!
“Everyone knows I have always been ‘chopsy’” he says, “but I am gradually learning when it is good to stay quiet and Malcolm has been a big help to me. I think we make a good team, especially with Daisy Picton still involved. Hakin United are buzzing again and I am just pleased to have a challenge with my 40th birthday fast approaching!”
