Talented Sporting Youngsters Feature - Ashley Watkins
Ashley Watkins - Doing well in football and cricket but eager to return after injury

Ashley Watkins is a talented sporting teenager who hails from Neyland, where at 17 years old he is already a member of the Neyland first team squad in cricket, having played in last season’s winning league and Duggie Morris Cup team.
But he is perhaps best-known as a very promising young footballer who plays for the Haverfordwest AFC Academy, and was also a very useful outside half with Neyland and Pembroke until inevitably he had to choose between football and rugby, which the former sport won.
He would also have been playing indoor cricket for Neyland A at the current time but has unfortunately sustained damage to his ankle ligaments whilst training with The Bluebirds’ first team squad and is out of action for between six and eight weeks - but he still watches Neyland CC indoor cricket and with old footballing pal Leo Power, also out of football with Hakin United because of injury, is prepared to take on the role of scorer for games involving the club’s two teams.
With Swansea City for three seasons
On the football front, Ashley began playing at Neyland when he was six years old and was soon impressing coaches up the line as he was invited to play for Swansea City until the end of the under nine campaign.
“It meant a lot of travel twice a week and then to matches, sometimes as far away as Southampton and Charlton, but my parents, Mike and Kerry, were brilliant support for me and my older brother Luke, who used to play football but then switched to rugby and is now assistant coach to Whitland RFC first XV.
Played for Neyland Nomads as well as The Bluebirds’ Academy
I enjoyed my time at Swansea until I was released at that age and started playing with Haverfordwest County, where I was immediately made welcome and have been involved ever since.
“I was disappointed but it meant I could play in central midfield for The Bluebirds and my home club Neyland at the same time, where I played up a year in a team coached by my father as we won the local league three times and the age-group cup - and also beat Sandfields FC by 1-0 in the West Wales’ Cup Final at Carmarthen Town.
“They were very tough and it was very physical so we were glad to win - and my dad is still involved now as he coaches Neyland FC alongside Gavin Rowlands and Simon Ellis.”
Disappointment at Swansea followed by success with The Bluebirds
After his promising start at Haverfordwest County, Ashley played through the junior age groups and has progressed so well that last season he was part of the team, coached by Ceri Phillips, which won the Academy League, beating closest rivals Briton Ferry/Llansawel to the silverware.
They have also made a great start to this season’s campaign and are top again, just ahead of Briton Ferry/Llansawel, with nine wins, two draws and two defeats from their 13 fixtures so far.
“We travel all along the M4 corridor and up into the valleys to take on some very experienced teams but with players like my old Neyland pal Sammy Vaughan-Parry, Jay Uddin, Seth Woodhouse, Will Hughes, Luke Owen and Dan John, to name just a few of them, we are doing well.
“We have also played the first two rounds in the Welsh Cup for our age group and beaten Canton (Cardiff) and Graig Village (Newport) so we are hopeful of a good run there two - and I can’t wait to get back into training, although I know my physio is right when he says the worst thing I could do is try and hurry it.”
Enjoyed Rugby with The All Blacks and The Scarlets
Going back to his rugby, Ashley set out with Neyland at the age of 13, in a team coached by Mark James, and he also played as a place-kicking outside half for a good Milford Haven School team before he left to take on his work as a process worker trainee with Welsh Water.
Ashley played for Neyland until they folded at under 15 level through lack of players and he joined Pembroke for a couple of seasons, where they finished second to Haverfordwest in the age-group finals - and gained revenge a year later when they beat Haverfordwest in the under 17 final at Heywood Lane, Tenby.
He also played for Pembrokeshire Schools’ team in the oval-ball game until he had to decide where his focus should be.
Cricket Success with his home club
Going back to his earlier cricketing days, Ashley would say that he has had great support at Neyland after joining his old friends Corey Riley, Leo Power and Korey Arran at the Athletic Field - and was part of their junior team that twice reached the plate final of the Ormond Youth Cup, losing under Charlie Malloy’s captaincy against Kilgetty and then beating Whitland last season, when he was captain.
“I started out in senior cricket with the third team, and had a season playing there but mostly in the seconds, and the season before last became a regular in the second team. Then in the season just gone I started to play for the firsts when I was needed and enjoyed my batting there when I had the chance - and always loved fielding with them because I’m known for my strong throw and enjoyed hurling the ball in to wicketkeepers Sean Hannon or Paul Murray from the deep boundary!
Double medal winner last season – and county involvement as a bonus
“I was really thrilled that I played enough games to qualify for a medal when we won division one - and the icing on the cake came in the Duggie Morris Final against Carew at Burton, where I was selected as 12th man.
“But Dai Davies had to drop out on the morning of the match and I was told I was playing; a great treat in such a big senior final for someone of my age.
“I wasn’t needed to bat in either innings because we did so well but I gave everything I had in fielding so I felt I had played my part and was congratulated by captain Sean Hannon and the rest of the players.
I also played for the county youth team under the coaching of Jonathan Willington and I learned a lot from him when we played the South Wales League team at Llandussul, and against Welsh champions Cowbridge, too.”
So now it’s a matter of waiting patiently for his chance to be back playing sport and PembrokeshireSport.co.uk can only wish him as speedy a recovery as possible because Ashley Watkins is a modest and unassuming young man who is credit to his family, his clubs and sport in general - and can hopefully steer clear of injury in the future!