Our January 2017 ‘Star of the Month’ is Brian Hawkins, the Hon Secretary of the Manderwood Pembrokeshire Football League who is held in high respect across South Wales for his work in helping to run a league which is looked up to by other football organisations.
 
“It is not always the easiest job in the world,” admitted Brian, “because sometimes we have to take decisions that by their very nature, won’t be universally popular but have to be made fairly and openly as we can.”
 

Played football – and then went on to be a top referee

 
Brian started out in football when he came here as a schoolboy from the Rhondda Valley and played full back at Milford United and as striker with Haverfordwest County 2nds but then took up refereeing and officiated at every cup final in our county, including the 1997/98 Senior Cup Final, with Dai Barker and Cyril Jones as his assistants, where Narberth beat Saundersfoot Sports by 2-1 after extra time.
 
He went on to referee in the Welsh League and then the Welsh Premier League (and is still the only Pembrokeshire ref to take charge at this level in as far-flung places as Connah’s Quay, Caernarvon, Aberystwyth, Cwmbran and Carmarthen.
 
“I reffed for four years in the Welsh Premier but after driving to North Wales for an end of season local derby between Caersws and Newtown I got home at 2am, had work the next day and decided it was time to step down!”
 

Taking over the reins of Pembrokeshire Football

 
It was then, in 2005 that Brian took over the reins of the local league’s running and did a solid, no-nonsense decade in a tough role before making the decision to step down to spend more time with his family – but within a few weeks was back in harness, initially for a short time alongside the tireless Micky Phillips, and they are still in action!
 
We hope that our special award, only the second of its kind, shows our genuine appreciation for all that Brian Hawkins has done for Pembrokeshire Football as a real ‘Star’ of our county’s sporting scene!