Tansey takes over reins - but forgets club kit

In our recent feature on Hakin United managers we reported that Chris Tansey had set The Vikings on the road to long-term success but right at the start of that magic time he certainly put an early blot on his copybook . . .

When work commitments took Hakin United manager Dave Brown away from the county he found it impossible to get home every week and so he decided to give the job to long-serving left back Chris Tansey, who quite rightly always regarded it as an honour.

His first game in charge was at Milford United and after calling in the players to the Marble Hall changing room named his team for the match and told them to get changed.

Very impressive so far you might say but when the players looked for their shirts, shorts and socks they weren’t there – because ‘Tans’ had been so busy thinking about his first team talk that he had forgotten to pick it up from the laundry!

Using his new-found managerial skills, however, he ordered one of his subs to trot across to the nearby laundry and the game eventually went well for Chris and his team because they won 3-1 with goals from Ian Aldred, and Colin Fawcett alongside an Andrew Rees own goal.

But Chris will never be allowed by his players that day to forget his error because ever since when managerial skills are discussed they ask him if he’s been to a laundry recently!


 

Right county – wrong team!

We’ve previously mentioned some gentle rugby refereeing in our county but this one caused the referee Alun Wade to get a team’s name wrong – and, good sport that he was, was able to chuckle about it when it was pointed out to him from the touchline . . .

When Tenby United entertained Mountain Ash in Division Two of the Heineken League the visitors brought three coach loads of very vociferous supporters who were at the ref every time he dared give a decision to The Seasiders.

They were particularly rowdy in the bottom corner as their team pushed for a close-range score so the official twice asked them to go back behind the railing and so he stopped the game and made a big show of calling for a NARBERTH committee man to patrol the area.

Both sets of supporters laughed at his geographical error whereby he got Tenby mixed up with The Otters, who were The Seasiders’ closest rivals at the time – and one supporter asked Mr Wade if he had been drinking on the way down from Pontypridd.

Good sport that he was, Mr Wade, also gave a smile and it somehow seemed to clear the tension for a while as both teams settled to play entertaining rugby!

Mackie grabs a goal four-timer

Mackie Harts is rightly known as a genuine character around the football and cricket fields of Pembrokeshire and I loved this story which features him as a referee who could score goals . . .

Mackie Harts loves his sport and in cricket featured on the national news after he had skippered Lawrenny Seconds to three tied Alec Colley Cup ties before a narrow defeat in the fourth tussle against their counterparts from Burton.

But this little saga features Mackie after he had stepped down as a football player to take up refereeing and played for the men in black in a friendly at Angle which was designed to promote their new kit

Now Mackie had scored the odd goal in playing for St Florence, Lawrenny and other clubs but on this occasion he scored all four of the ref’s goals in a 4-4 draw, after slotting a penalty before half time and then adding three more after the interval.

Understandably, he did mention it once or twice in the bar afterwards and hinted that perhaps he had retired from playing too early and should put away his whistle for a while.

Now several of his pals at the Jeffreyston Inn, his village local, have got a bit fed up of hearing about his goal quartet and suggested it was a cunning plan by the Angle lads to try and make sure he was too busy playing to referee then again!

I’m glad to report that Mackie is still going to continue as an excellent referee – but if you bump into him be prepared to hear about his four-goal blast at Angle!

A kind act brings about a smashing time

Sometimes the kindest acts can bring less-than-happy consequences and one such befell a smashing fellow (who we have decided should remain nameless because he was so young) . . .

There was laughter galore from both teams at Llanddewi Velfrey when they had a cricket team in the village that included some useful players like Geraint Bowen, Mike Williams and others.

This teenager suffered a nasty set-back after it was discovered that there was no milk for tea when Neyland Seconds were the visitors at LV and he offered to pop across to the nearby garage to fetch a few pintas.

But as he drove towards the exit gate he skidded just enough in an unseen wet patch and he not only collided with the nearby heavy roller but he also made contact with the village hall!

Luckily he was unhurt but there was damage aplenty to his car – but there was little sympathy from his team mates who said it was the most expensive milk they had come across.

Never mind young feller – at least you won’t be asked to go on any errands again!

Gary’s from Haverfordwest – not Hollywood!

Gary Stevens was a top Pembrokeshire footballer in his time but when he finished off a distinguished playing career with Haverfordwest Cricket Club he showed his sense of humour as he found a novel way of reminding manager Tudor Walters what his name was . . .

Perhaps Tudor Walters was the only person involved in Pembrokeshire Football who didn’t seem to know the name of his veteran left back, or perhaps he had been watching too many old cowboy films, because when he filled in the team sheet for Haverfordwest Cricket Club’s football team he had put down Gary Cooper at left back, instead of the Gary Stevens, who is known to all in football as ‘Sam’.

The following week saw The Cricket Club travel to play at Monkton Lane against Monkton Swifts and when Sam arrived at the ground he had a piece of cardboard around his neck, held there by some nice white cord, on which was written:

‘My name is Gary Stevens AND NOT Gary Cooper!’

When he arrived in the changing room there were huge guffaws of laughter from his team mates at the 46 year old’s unique way of getting himself known after 30 years in the game.

I’m pleased to report that Tudor took the jest in his usual nice way – but I bet it will be some time again before he mixes up a cowboy legend with his veteran star again!