Special Football Feature:

 

 
Haverfordwest County has recently lost one of its longest-serving players and a consistent goal scorer because front runner Ben Fawcett is taking on a new challenge after jetting out to Australia, where he will play as a semi-professional player for a team called Moreland City, who compete out of  Melbourne in one of the grade leagues, writes Bill Carne.
 
In his time at the Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium he became a hugely popular regular with the supporters, who readily recognised his proven ability to score vital goals alongside being a marvellous team player who ran his heart out to create spaces for others, and showing plenty of courage as he used his 5 feet 9 inch to battle against centre halves perhaps six inches taller than him but never allowing them to settle, even in aerial duels..
 

A typical finish and high praise from manager Tony

 
And in typical ‘Fawcey’  style, he ended on a very high note as he came on against old rivals Llanelli on as a sub at the Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium and grabbed the final goal in a 3-0 win – and the crowd went wild.
 
He scored plenty of other goals too, perhaps none more so than the one he scored at the Cardiff City Stadium in the club’s European campaign. He was also selected for the Wales C squad in 2021/22 to play against England in Caernarvon and was delighted by a 4-1 win – but sadly he didn’t get on the field and stayed on the bench as striker Will Evans scored a hat-trick and was promptly signed by Newport County!
 
Small wonder then that Bluebirds’ manager Tony Pennock told PembrokeshireSport.co.uk
“In the three and a half years I have been with Ben Fawcett he has been a pleasure to work with because he never gives less that 100% and is an example to those around him. In his first season he had to battle back from illness and showed great resolve to reclaim his place and show other local youngsters that there is a place in Welsh Premier League football if they really work hard enough for it.
Since then, he has really looked after himself and when injured he has worked with our medical staff to ensure a speedy return to action.
We will all miss him in the squad but wish him every success because he deserves it!”







 

Formative years spent with The Vikings

 
It is fair to say that Ben’s formative footballing years centred on Hakin United, where he was coached by his father Colin and Daisy Picton, and there were eight of that squad in the county schools’ team, coached by Angie Nicholas, where they shared the Tom Yeoman’s Shield with Flintshire in their first season and at 12, in the Academy Squad, they beat a team from the Connah’s Quay in the final at Newtown by 2-0. The goals were  scored by Ben and another Viking in Jack Wilson, who has regularly played alongside Ben with Haverfordwest County.
 
Hakin United regularly won silverware through the junior age groups but in their final year hopes of another league and cup double foundered early on when they lost 1-0 to Pennar Robins in the first round of the cup – but it was the kick up the backside they needed because they went unbeaten for all but the last game, when they drew – and so remarkably had just one defeat in their five years together, scoring a massive 287 goals and conceding just 11!
 
And then the Young Vikings still managed a double because they won the West Wales Cup Final, reaching the final with 22 goals for and none against  as they played every tie away – and then beat a Dafen side who were also unbeaten all season in a penalty shoot-out, where Ben volunteered to take the first spot kick, followed by Camron Thomas, Jack Wilson and Alexander Mason as keeper Jack Ackerman made a vital save to give them the silverware!
 

International success from college says

 
From school, Ben went to Pembrokeshire College, where he immediately impressed with his footballing ability as he grabbed goals galore – and eventually gained international recognition when he played a season for the Welsh Schoolboys and then Welsh Colleges, so he has been capped for his country a combined total of ten times.
“It was great to be selected for both,” admitted Ben, “and it was made even more special because my mum and dad, Karen and Colin, were there to share the moment - and I am very proud to have been awarded my Welsh cap at both levels.”
 
The head of the college’s football academy, Steve Briers, told PembrokeshireSport.co.uk
“We were lucky to have Ben playing for two years in our academy, where it was evident from the outset that he was very a talented striker who joined other quality players from Hakin United, like Jack Wilson, Cameron Thomas, Jake Merry and Jay Power, and helped us to second place in the Academies’ League, playing against other colleges across South Wales.
 
As well as being a top player, though, we could see his technical ability to analyse play and with a tactical awareness for someone so young - so he joined our coaching staff and we went one step further, winning all our games, except a drawn final match, to take the title.

Ben also played a full season with Hakin United and helped The Vikings win the league and Senior Cup double, scoring in the final and arguably becoming the first 17-year-old ever to win the coveted ‘Man of the Match’ title, which allowed him to take the match ball back to the family home in Hakin.

 

Family matters . . .

 

That Ben should be such an accomplished player at such an early age should come as no surprise because he hails from the Fawcett family which has served Pembrokeshire Football so long.


He started out kicking a ball in the back garden with older brother Liam, a very good footballer now in Egypt as a teacher and dad Colin, who played Welsh League for Milford United and Pembroke Borough, as well as winning trophies galore as a player and manager at Hakin United.


And finally, there’s mum Karen, they all agree has been the ‘best chauffeur in the world’ who has always loved watching her three fellers play after first meeting Colin at a football match.

 
So, it was appropriate that Ben jetted out from Heathrow with Colin and Karen recently waving him off at Heathrow Airport on his ‘great adventure’ where he will be playing for Moreland City.



 

And finally . . .

 



He leaves behind a team which clearly appreciated his involvement and when we spoke to some of them, they were quick to say how much they will miss him – and we include two of his closest colleagues below:
 
Jack Wilson (Haverfordwest County player)
 
“Ben and I have been team mates since we were eight and were always trying to outscore each other as juniors before we came to The Bridge Meadow Stadium and played together here, other than recently when I have been out injured. We have also been the best of pals and he will be my best man at my wedding so I could pay him no higher compliment than that. I don’t want him to get big-headed so I’ll just finish by saying he is going to be missed because he is always totally committed and certainly knows how to find the onion net!”
 
Gregg Walters (Haverfordwest County Player)
 
I’ve always regarded Ben as a top player because, like me, he would run himself into the ground and battle for every ball, which the supporters really loved about him. We have both also shown other local players that if a player has talent and commitment, he can play for Haverfordwest County in the Welsh Premier League.

It had become a bit of a tradition that we always sat next to each other in the changing rooms and he was definitely the lead man in the ‘Munchkins Bunch’.”
 
We could pay Ben Fawcett no higher compliment and we wish him every success in the future, and we look forward to providing updates on his progress via Karen and Colin!