PHOTOS:
Dai at his beloved Phoenix Park
Dai Hayes today

 

 
Dai Hayes played football for Goodwick United for well over 25 years and quite rightly earned the reputation of being one of the best players in the county throughout that time with his aerial skills, determined tackling and natural flair.
Dai started out at under 13 level and, apart from half a season where Goodwick didn’t have an under 15 team so he was persuaded by Arwel Howells to play for Fishguard Sports, wore the Goodwick United shirt with pride until he was 40 – and in the intervening five years has been involved in coaching the club’s juniors to help ensure the well-being of the Phoenix Park club for future decades. He coached his most recent crop of players from under 11s to under 16s and he has high hopes that players of the calibre of Jake Palmer, Keegan Summers and Dai’s son Stefan will serve Goodwick well for many years to come at senior level.
 

Sporting family

 
Stefan also plays rugby for Crymych and Pembrokeshire for his age group as an outside half and in a sport-orientated family his wife Beverley (who played full back in ladies’ football and is the daughter of well-known former player Joe Payne) gives total support. Their daughter Zoe also plays hockey as a defender with Fishguard – and there is, of course, his younger brother Barry who played alongside Dai for a long time in midfield.
“Barry could run all day and was a real terrier while I liked to stroll around a bit more – but still say I could use the ball far better once I had it!”
Dai was also very strong in the air and told us, again with a chuckle,
“There has been a lot of debate about whether myself or Bernie Armstrong was the better header of the ball and I tend to agree with our old friend Bill Carne because he has always said I held the edge – but try telling that to Mr Armstrong!”

 
County recognition and a league championship medal    

 
Dai played his first senior game at 17, turning out for the Goodwick United 2nds playing in the second division, with Davo Hughes and Mike Robb there to give him good advice. Then it was on into the first team coached by Eifion John and Kevin Merry, and he also played for the county a number of times in the SB Williams trophy against Carmarthenshire, Neath and the Swansea Senior League. It was great experience as he played alongside excellent players of the calibre of Mark Ashman, Micky Ellis, Bernie Armstrong and Steve Summers.
Another highlight was winning the Pembrokeshire League Championship after grabbing the necessary draw against fellow hopefuls Monkton Swifts in the last game of the season. They also came second more than enough to the great Hakin United side run by Chris Tansey and Colin Fawcett.
 

Senior Cup success

 
He also had a senior Cup winners’ medal after a draw against Milford Athletic at Milford Athletic but winning in a replay at Marble Hall – but the edge was taken off the victory a little because Ian Phillips broke his leg. He was in the team that lost at Marble Hall by 2-1 against Pennar Robins in another Senior Cup Final but one of his memorable days came when they won the trophy again by beating Hakin United by 3-1 at the Bridge Meadow Stadium. They started as underdogs but Dai scored the opening goal, followed by others from little brother Barry and James Dean before Karl Rhead scored a Hakin goal from almost 30 yards that perhaps Duggie Bowen should have saved!
 

West Wales disappointment

 
Dai will also remember the club’s appearance in the West Wales Cup Final because it was a dream realised just to play on the old Vetch Field in Swansea. They had high hopes of victory against a team from the second division of the Swansea Senior League but lost 1-0, with Bernie Armstrong and brother Barry hitting the woodwork.
“It was an amazing feeling just to walk out on the Vetch Field because it had an air of history about it – and we were joining some great players who had turned out there before we did.
“We had a wonderful crowd following us from Goodwick and we were desperate to earn the cup for them, but it seemed we didn’t get the rub of the green, and that’s how football goes, I suppose.”
It was hugely disappointing for everyone at the club and particularly so for Dai because it was the only success missing from Dai’s footballing CV.
 

Memorable players

 
Ask Dai about players he came up against who impressed him and he would list Mickie Ellis and Dickie Thomas (Merlins Bridge) as clear choices, along with Gary Dawes. Paul Jones and Karl Rhead (all Hakin United) and Mark Ashman. Playing alongside him he would nominate Alan Davies, Steve Summers, Bernie Armstrong and Brian Morris amongst too many to mention at Phoenix Park.
“They were not only very good players but real characters and it was a pleasure to be involved at a time when the club was going so well.
“I still enjoy watching but it definitely isn’t the same as being involved,” admitted Brian.
He played at Phoenix Park until he was 40, when he was starting to feel the injuries, particularly to his hip, so he decided enough was enough.
 

And finally . . .

 
He still misses playing but not as much as he used to – and still watches the team play whenever he can. One only has to chat to Dai Hayes for a short time to see that he is a Goodwick United footballer through and through. We at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk did just that and we can only say that he represents all that is good in Pembrokeshire Football, a very talented player who also put something back into a club he clearly loves!