PHOTOS:
Ryan Davies
Ryan Davies shows close control playing for Fishguard Sports Juniors

 
Fishguard Sports AFC have long been known for having ace strikers and it seems that the latest on that particular conveyor belt will be Ryan Harley Davies, who at 16 years of age is banging in the goals for the Sports’ first team.
Ryan is the elder son of Nigel Davies, who is currently the Hon Treasurer at the club and someone else who was himself a proven goal-grabber at St Mary’s Field, as well as playing for Goodwick United and Lamphey.
 

Young Ryan played much of his early football at Clarbeston Road and received every encouragement from Huw Bevan and Co as he started playing with Clarbie at U8’s level for two years, the second with dad as one of his coaches. Whilst in Year Five, Ryan and his Ysgol Glannau Gwaun team mates were finalists at the Urdd Seven Aside Competition held in Aberystwyth, which they won with a 1-0 scoreline in the final courtesy of Ryan’s goal.

 

Great praise from Angie

 
He was knocking in the goals season after season and was put forward for trials for the Tom Yeoman Welsh Schools and proved himself as a member of the team.  With Angie Nichols as a coach Ryan’s confidence grew and she told us,

“Ryan was a smashing young player in our squad and a great lad to have in the team because he was always eager to learn in training, was totally committed and scored loads of goals.

“His parents were a great support and I enjoyed having him in our squad.”
Praise indeed for Ryan, plus parents Nigel and Julie, who are great chauffeurs!
 

 Trials with top teams

 

 
Ryan was then offered a place to train at the Cardiff City Training School, based in Johnstown with Dave Rayson once a week.  At under 12 level he once again showed that he was a skilful player by scoring 30 goals in his first season on a full pitch. The team went on to be finalists in the Cup Final, winning 4-1 against St Clears and they also came runners up in the U12’s League. At this stage he also went for trials at Llandarcy for Swansea City AFC, whom he follows alongside Liverpool, the whole family’s favourite team, and with Steve Gerrard as his top player.
 

Goal machine Ryan

 

Moving on to under 13s football, Ryan scored 59 goals and his team came runners-up in the League and once again got through to the Cup Final, only to lose on penalties against Tenby.

It was a similar story in the under 14s because Clarbie were crowned League Champions but after a thrilling 4-4 draw with Tenby in the Cup Final they once again lost on penalties.  But they played the whole of this season without losing a single game!
 
Ryan unfortunately experienced an injury which hindered his ability to play for a while but he has come back to football this season with a high level of determination and has joined Fishguard Sports AFC as part of the senior team. 
 

Ryan impresses with his work rate and goals

 
He is a valued member of the Fishguard Sports set-up since joining and has had to put a lot of work in to prove himself to his manager, Owen Duggan.  Ryan started out in the seconds but scored goals that earned him a place in the first team – and he has continued his goal-scoring form at the higher level with five goals already. He set off in style as he scored a goal on debut that gave the Sports a 1-0 league win over Kilgetty – and followed up in his first West Wales Cup game with a first-minute goal against Ynystawe. The Sports lost 4-3 in the league against Johnston 2nds but he claimed two goals, using the speed off the mark and his nose for a gap with two of the goals, and he’s also useful in the air, as an added bonus!.
 
In more recent weeks, Ryan also played for the Sports first team against Letterston in the Senior Cup and, you’ve guessed it, made it a third successful debut this campaign as he again found the back of the net!
 

Full support from Sports’ manager Owen

 
So what of the future for this talented young footballer? He is hoping to gain work in a sports centre and on his own sporting front is currently happy to keep banging in the goals at a local level.

Owen Duggan, the manager at Fishguard Sports, said,

“We have been very lucky to have Ryan playing for us this season because he has got the knack of scoring goals – and is young enough to go further if he gets the right breaks.

“He really is a good footballer and has fitted in well with older players in our side, as an added bonus.”
 
We at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk could pay Ryan Harley Davies no higher compliment and we firmly believe that we are sure to hear a great deal more about him in football in the future!