Over the last three decades it has always been a pleasure to bump into Glyndwr Evans whenever Aberaeron Rugby Club are in Pembrokeshire and I happen to be at the match – and for a long while on most Saturdays during the season I would chat by phone to Mr Evans because he was the long-serving Hon Secretary of the Mid Wales’ team and doubled up as their press officer.
 

Still involved in unofficial roles

 
In fact, Glyndwr has been with Aberaeron from the start of the club in 1977 and took over the Sec’s role in in October of that year and remained in office until 2018, when he had reached 70, and handed the reins over to Arwel Evans, who Glyndwr says is doing a ‘cracking job’.
 
He might have handed over that particular office but he is still heavily involved at the club in other unofficial roles because he lives within walking distance of the ground and enjoys working on the ground in the week.
 
“There is nothing like sitting on a tractor,” admits Glyndwr with a chuckle, “it is totally relaxing!”
 

Played football and took part in athletics – and what little rugby there was!

 
Glyndwr originally hails from the village of Cribyn and as a youngster used to regularly play on the wing in the many summer football competitions that took place in the area.
 
“Rugby was always my first love, though, when I was in Lampeter Secondary School but I also did a fair bit of running in the 100 and 200 yards as it was then – and in the relay at the County School Championships.
 
“Sadly, there were only three clubs in Cardigan, Lampeter and Aberystwyth in the area and no youth rugby in the area and so I drifted out of the game since I had started work, other than a few games with Lampeter Saints, the club’s second team.
 

Family matters . . . and the birth of the club

 
“I married my wife Doreen in 1973 and she has been a wonderful support for me in my love of rugby and we have two daughters in Yvonne, who had her Welsh vest as a middle distance and cross-country runner, and Ffion, who played tennis at county level – and we now have six grandchildren who keep us busy.”
 
“We lived in Aberaeron from the start and it was in 1976 that I joined some friends in a minibus to watch Wales play in Cardiff and after a few pints we all agreed that Aberaeron should have its own rugby club – and we organised a meeting in the town’s memorial hall a little later.
 
“There had previously been an annual Aberaeron Sevens Tournament that had been popular in the town although sadly nothing came of the meeting – but a year later local teacher Alan Pascoe tried again and Aberaeron Rugby Club was formulated from there.
 

Started with nothing – but soon up and running

 
“We used the school pitch in the middle of the town and the local sport club, which in the main catered for tennis and bowls in the summer, became our headquarters.
 
“We started out with nothing but sold memberships, which was well supported by the townsfolk and we acquired our blue strip and played our first game against an Aberaeron Exiles’ team made up of students and people returning home to play, which was well supported.
 
“Then we played our first official game at Newcastle Emlyn, who were also a relatively new team and we won – with Huw Rees, who had retired from the game at Lampeter ten years before, leading us for the next three years alongside the likes of Will Thomas, from the local chip shop, and Haydn Jenkins.”
 
Glyndwr had joined the Fire Service in in 1977 and was a member of the club’s committee from the start - and after three months became the Hon Secretary – and Jack Thomas, from the ‘Cost Cutter’ store, became the first sponsor and is still supporting the club nowadays!
 

Joined the Llanelli & District Junior Union . . .

 
Aberaeron enjoyed a good first season but lost nine players at the start of the next campaign through work commitments or moving out of the area.
 
The club needed more fixtures and despite the amount of travelling joined District F in the Llanelli Junior Union League – and within a period of time progressed to the top echelon.
 
 “In 1988, we opened the ground with a match against Llanelli and others followed against Cardigan County and the Llanelli & District League – and two years later our clubhouse was ready for use.
 

Full WRU Membership – and welcomed into District H

 
“Then we were awarded full membership of the WRU at the second attempt (our kitchen was adjudged to be too small first time!) – and we were delighted to join District H (Pembrokeshire), especially when we gained promotion behind our old friends from Fishguard.”
 
Ask Glyndwr about some of the highlights and he would be quick to nominate the time when Dafydd Jones played five times for Wales in 2002, the only full international player so far to start at the club – and hosting the final of the Pembrokeshire KO Cup in 2009 as another great moment for the club, when Crymych and Aberystwyth did battle in front of arguably the biggest gate to be taken at the ground.
 

And finally . . .

 
Since then, Aberaeron have continued to grow in stature and are currently in contention from Division Three (West) A with players of the calibre of skipper Morgan Llewellyn, Steff Rees and Hefin Lewis (both grandsons of first skipper Glyn Rees) and lots of others.
 
Talk to him for even a short time and he is quick to talk about all the hard work that others have done for Aberaeron RFC but there is no doubt that Glyndwr has been involved at the club since its inception and his 40 years as Hon Secretary is a remarkable tribute his loyal service which is rarely matched by anyone else in Wales, let alone at the club he has served so well!
 
We at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk have huge respect for Glyndwr Evans and it has been a pleasure to know a genuine character of rugby – and that is why we are pleased to include him in our ‘Around the Touchline’ feature.