Local stars from past and present:

 

 
When Wales recently played North Macedonia in their vital last-match for qualification to the World Cup Finals there was a group of sixteen gentlemen there as special guests for the second time, comfortably ensconced in a hospitality suite as reward for achieving great things this year in a Welsh shirt, despite being past pensionable age.
 
Because they were the Welsh squad members of the Welsh Over 70s team which recently returned from Japan having won their age-group version of the World Cup for the second time on the trot, winning five and drawing their other pool match before beating one of the two teams from the USA by 2-0 in the final and in doing so made sure of an amazing 15 goals for and none against!
 
Micky is very much matter of fact about his current exploits and is quick to sing the praises of Bob Nelson, another Pembrokeshire man who plays for, amazingly, the Wales over 75 team. He also loves going to watch Haverfordwest County play Welsh Premier Games at the Bridge Meadow Stadium with his long-time mate and former playing colleague Gary ‘Sam’ Stephens.






 

Very much a one-club man in his younger days

 
Micky was very much a one-club man in his younger days as he joined Johnston at 18 because his brother Tony was playing at Glebelands and they were short one day – he reluctantly agreed to help out and never left the club because he loved it so much there.
 
“I was made welcome from the first day and played in the first team alongside the likes of Steve and Richard James, John and William Codd, Glyn Ruloff and other local boys, with the likes of Chris Walters, Gary Stephens and Dave Dickerson joining later.
 
“We soon became a top club with plenty of silverware and in 1980/81 we won the league, beat Tish at Marble Hall in the Senior Cup Final – but just missed out on the coveted treble as we lost 3-1 in the West Wales Cup final against St Josephs on the old Vetch Field.




 

Great times with the Pembrokeshire Vets

 
“I played for the seconds for a while but at 56 I was also playing for the Pembrokeshire Veterans team started by Bob Nelson and that involved Sunday matches and loads of travel. We used to travel as far afield at Barnstaple and Birmingham for our league games and actually won the Veterans’ Cup Final when we won at Lilleshall, then the home of English Football.
 
“The football was very combative for old timers but another great part of each away match was the banter on the long bus journeys both ways with genuine characters like the late Gerald Hicks and Bernie Armstrong leading the way alongside the likes of Steve James, Gary Stephens, Mark ‘Dabsie’ Davies, Gary Dawes and Brian Broome.
 
“But the huge amount of travel took its toll and we eventually stopped playing – and so I joined Swansea Veterans and am still involved there with the under 60s and under 65s teams, despite the fact that even home matches and training sessions need a 90-mile round trip.





 

Rightly proud of his special cap – and World Cup winners’ medals

 
“My play there saw me picked for the Welsh squad and I’ve played lots of games; winning the special cap that is awarded after 12 internationals, of which I am very proud indeed.
 
“Then last season I played in the over 70s World Cup, which was on home territory because all of the matchers were played at the Cardiff University Sports Fields on the outskirts of the capital at Llanrumney –
 
“We were thrilled to come away as champions. and were extremely well looked after, especially in terms of food and transport because this season in Japan, we were more or less left to our own devices by the organisers.





 

Great memories – and a swollen nose!

 
“We had flown out from Heathrow and stayed a week, during which time we played our five pool matches and the final on successive days and in terrific heat and with high humidity - and I played in midfield throughout all of them so I was pretty tired afterwards.
 
“There were 12 teams out there in total, split into two pools and we won our pool comfortably as we beat Germany, Austria, Japan, Australia and the other American team – I managed to score one goal and the only time I wasn’t on the field was when a team-mate accidentally blasted the ball straight at him and hit me on the nose!
 
“It was a bit of a shock and I had to go off so our first-aid staff could stop the bleeding – and I had to put up with the leg-pulls about my nose being even bigger than it normally is!”
 

Back in action – beating England again!

 
No sooner than he was back from Japan than he was refereeing a Welsh Schools Football game for Milford  Haven School in midweek than it was back out on the weekend, officiating Milford Juniors at under 15 and under 16 levels on Saturday morning and then in the afternoon taking charge of a league fixture between The Robins Thirds and Herbrandston 2nds.
 
All this is done on a purely voluntary basis, just to help a few clubs who call him regularly if their second teams don’t have a ref!
 
That takes us to his midweek, where he drove up to Osian Park, in Cardiff to again represent Wales over 70s against their opponents from England A, playing wide in midfield on the left side.
 
“We maintained our winning run against them – and another clean sheet as we won 1-0 in a tough tussle, where I had me heels clipped from behind  and had to go off at half time, as a precaution.





 

And finally . . .

 
Micky and Co were again busy the day after their Cardiff City Stadium treat because they were again taking on their old rivals from England, who are determined to find a way of beating Wales after this run of defeats.
 
But Wales drew to maintain their unbeaten record and Mickie enjoyed the game, win, draw or lose, as he has always done.
 
He really does fly the Pembrokeshire Flag with distinction and is a pleasure to meet up with him, as I do on a regular basis at the Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium when Haverfordwest County are playing at home.
 
He always has a kind word for everyone and regularly brings a chocolate treat for me and Gary Stephens, with whom he played football for Johnston over many years – and he is blessed with the ability to make everyone he comes across feel brighter, even in times of personal worry for him.
 
I believe that all of us in football who know Mr Micky Algieri would agree that he is as charming a man as anyone they know – and long may he grace the game, both for Wales Veterans but locally as well!