Where are they now?

Emrys is still flying the

Pembrokeshire Flag in Scotland

Mention the surname ‘Inker’ and many Pembrokeshire sportsmen would immediately think of the late Mike, the goal-scoring machine who played for Neyland in the Pembrokeshire League, helping them gain promotion to the first division. Mike also played for Pembroke Boro in the Welsh League and was a member of the Haverfordwest County team that lost in the Senior Cup final. Mike's goal scoring exploits - along with Jeff Button and Peter Burton - remain folklore in Neyland.
But Mike’s brother Emrys, also a committee man and playing member with Neyland, has gone on to carve out a name for himself in the world of corporate public relations, mainly in Scotland, where he now lives and works. Indeed, Emrys has met a host of top sportsmen in his various jobs, but in particular with Scotch whisky-maker Edrington Group, makers of The Famous Grouse, where he is now corporate affairs director.

Youth sport for Emrys

Emrys was born and brought up in Mastle Bridge and played rugby for Haverfordwest Grammar School (wing or full-back). During his school days, and along with Arthur Arran and Tex McKean, he was responsible for starting a junior football team in Neyland. The team was very nomadic as it never had a permanent pitch, playing at several different locations around the town (the youth club - changing in Mrs Marion Charles's garage; Honeyborough roundabout; and a field opposite the old Commercial pub before moving to the Athletic Club). The team played in the Under 15's league and fought out top spot with Frankie Donovan's Pembroke Boro team.

Real characters – and own goals a speciality

When he moved into senior football, Emrys helped Neyland gain promotion from the third to the first division. Other key players, besides brother Mike, Jeff and Peter, included Simon James, Spike Lampard, Dai Rees, Billy Caldwell, Dai Wright and Kenny Arran. Active committee members included Tony Organ and Brian Arran while Emrys's late father, Frank, carried out numerous fundraising activities and looked after the practical arrangements. Steve Thomas was a great help as well. Emrys is probably best remembered for some spectacular own goals from his position at full-back (two against Goodwick) and there was no such thing as a goalless draw when he was playing!

Sports writing

But Emrys was finding it increasingly difficult to combine playing with his reporting duties, mainly with the now defunct West Wales Guardian (under Llewellyn Thomas of Hook) and the Western Telegraph (Vernon Scott was their main football writer). This saw him report on the Pembrokeshire teams in the Welsh League, for not only his own paper, but also writing stories for Sunday papers. He also covered rugby matches at Neyland, Quins and Pembroke and built up a good "contacts" book, working closely with Joe Vernon and then Eddie Oliver (Pembrokeshire League), Des Shanklin (Boro), Osmond John of Llangwm (WRU representative), Glyn Cook (Pembroke RFC). Emrys recalls that his first "scoop" for the Telegraph was a story about Ian Walsh signing for Malcolm Allison's Crystal Palace.

Change of roles . . .

Emrys then left journalism to take up an appointment as assistant county information officer with Dyfed County Council at Carmarthen before moving on to become press officer with the Welsh Development Agency. It was during this time that he interviewed Gareth Edwards on two occasions about an environmental improvement scheme in Gareth's home village of Gwaun-cae-Gurwen. Emrys said:
"To me, he is the greatest player ever to wear a Welsh jersey and it was interesting to see how his mum had turned one room in the family home into a shrine with jerseys, caps and numerous trophies. Gareth was a captain on ‘Question of Sport’ then so to get so much time with him was a real privilege." Emrys also interviewed John Toshack when a new Welsh kit was unveiled at Cardiff Castle.

And countries . . .

Emrys moved to Scotland in 1981 to work for the Scottish Development Agency and then Weir Group, Scotland's biggest engineering company. During this time, Emrys met a number of leading sportsmen. He was a guest of Days, the car people, at Stradey Park when the Scarlets played the All Blacks and attended the pre-match dinner, where he sat next to Ray Gravelle ("what a character, full of fun and amusing stories"). Emrys also arranged with Sir Alex Ferguson for two Manchester United players, Remi Moses and Norman Whiteside, to present a cheque on Weir's behalf to Booths Hall children’s hospital in Manchester and also met Ferguson, Matt Busby and Martin Edwards (chairman) at a lunch at Old Trafford. Another memorable occasion was organising a send-off by workers at Weir's for Scottish football legend Ally McCoist before the World Cup (Ally's dad worked for Weir's for over 40 years; another famous ex-employee was cyclist Robert Millar).

Now a ‘Grouse’ man

Nine years ago, Emrys moved to Edrington Group, where he was responsible for brand PR, including shirt sponsorship of the Scotland international rugby side (at 17 years one of the longest sponsorships in international sport). This has involved working closely with former and present players, such as Gavin Hastings, Rob Wainwright, Andy Nicol, Chris Patterson and Chris Cusiter. Emrys's communications team also went to Australia for the Rugby World Cup in 2003 - working with Ben Cohen (England) and Simon Taylor. These days, The Famous Grouse is the official "spirit of Scottish rugby" and Emrys's team helps with entertaining at hospitality boxes at Murrayfield and marquees in the grounds (one year he literally bumped into Seymour Edwards from Neyland).

Famous brand – and famous people

The Famous Grouse has also sponsored the 19th Hole at The Open Golf (John Parrott broadcast live from the Grouse marquee for BBC Grandstand on one occasion) and horse racing at numerous tracks (Emrys has made presentations to Venetia Williams, Harvey Smith and Timmy Murphy and met AP McCoy).
The Famous Grouse worked alongside legendary commentator Bill McLaren to produce a special bottle in his name and Emrys has produced special one-off bottles for Freddy Flintoff, Bob Champion, Matt Dawson, Rangers’ manager Walter Smith, Red Rum (signed by Ginger McCain and Brian Fletcher and auctioned for charity at Peter Bowen's open day this month) and one to commemorate the 110th anniversary of Neyland AFC (won by Jimmy Button, who works in Scotland these days and now in the care of Tony Organ).

Live sport watcher

Emrys watches a lot of live sport and his future calendar includes World cup winners’ Spain at Hampden, New Zealand and South Africa at Murrayfield and Scotland's home Six-Nations games, which he will attend with son Anthony, a microbiologist living in Edinburgh. A season ticket holder at Blackburn Rovers (wife Janet hails from Lancashire), Emrys is a keen hill walker and he has done half of Scotland 284 Munros (mountains over 3000 feet), and walked in the Alps and Dolomites. An experienced traveller, Emrys's day job involves lobbying the media and politicians and in recent times he has met former PM Gordon Brown, new chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne and Prince Charles.

Still a Neyland boy at heart!

Proud of his roots, Emrys regularly visits "home" to see relatives (his brother William, who played rugby and football for Neyland and the Quins, still lives in Johnston) and acquaintances such as horse trainer Peter Bowen and Gwilym Morris, of Woodstock, owner of Mr Ed. He also supports a number of good causes in his home county, including the restoration of St Tudwal's Church at Llanstadwell.
Although a keen sportsman, Emrys will best be remembered for the achievement of his ambitions in newspapers and PR, and for becoming one of the top corporate public relations practitioners in Scotland. But, most importantly, he is still very much a "Neyland" boy at heart!