Special Feature:

 
PembrokeshireSport.co.uk thanks the great unsung heroes who shine for us

 
Gordon Thomas and I are very proud of the way that we provide unrivalled coverage of local rugby, both with scores and scorers, plus articles, and once again we would like to pay tribute to those members of the clubs, other than one club which sadly doesn’t co-operate,  who help us to provide that coverage by phoning us early on a Saturday evening, not only with their own scorers but their opponents too!
 
Not content with that effort however, a number of them also relay their teams for me after selection or send me a copy of their web-site details so that every player has a mention of some sort on our site!
 

Adrian Howells (Crymych RFC):

 
Adrian Howells has been a keen supporter of Crymych RFC since he was a nipper and watched them grow from a Junior Union club to a team playing near the top of the Welsh rugby pyramid and having a clubhouse and two-pitch ground that is the envy of so many other clubs.
 
Sadly, they have now made the ‘Dreaded Drop’ out of the Championship (West) Division and although he is as disappointed as anyone at the club he will be back there next campaign, serving the club as a committee man, taking on the role of first-aider and touch judge when needed, keeping the scoreboard up to date and, of most importance to me and PembrokeshireSport.co.uk  as their unofficial press officer.
 
Adrian took over the last role when their late, great coach Glyndwr Richards tragically died, a great character who always wanted to know every result, especially Narberth and Fishguard, after he had talked me through all that went on in matches.
 
Adrian’s contact has not only been welcome but innovative in the sense that has created a new scheme, especially for away matches, where he sends me a text at the end of the game with a picture of the programme, and then writes down the numbers of the scorers in the correct sequence.
 
Then, one he has finished his other roles, which have even included taking injured players to hospital, we have a chat and he tells me details of the action, man of the match, and even photographs he has taken off any details like debutants, youth players involved or even more like a good front or back row!
 
Adrian could not do a better job for us up in the Preseli Hills and long may he continue to be available to give us such great help!
 
 
 
 

Jonathan Evans (Tenby United RFC)

 
Jonathan Evans is a bit of a rarity, as a former player at Llandeilo and current head coach at Tenby United, who is an outstanding contact because he never misses his post-match phone call to give me not just the score and scorers, but with opposition details as well, plus an honest analysis of the way the game has gone.
 
Not content with that, he can turn his hand to photograph for me The Seasiders’ scorers, best performers, debut-makers or anything else he thinks will enhance what others know about his players.
 
My Saturday evening conversation is further enhanced by the fact that one of his assistant coaches in Ossie Boswell is often there and it is always good chat to a former legend of Pembroke Dock Quins, who was a junior team player (in short trousers) when I was in the first team at Pembroke Grammar School, so we go back a long way!
 
Jonathan can always be counted upon to provide me with the Tenby team selected, often on a Thursday evening, and always tells me on Saturday evening that if I want a further chat on a Sunday morning - and is my ‘go-to’ man if I need help with the computer as a real bonus!
 
I dread the day he decides to stop being The Seasiders’ unofficial press officer - and hopefully that won’t be before I have retired, because at 79 I have to accept that I am on a downhill slope now!


 

Meinir & Paul Walsh (Fishguard & Goodwick RFC):

 
Meinir Walsh is and ardent member of Fishguard and Goodwick RFC and in her time at The Moors she was a player and been on the committee for a number of years and became the First Lady President of any club in the county, which shows how much her work has been appreciated by The Seagulls.
 
Her husband Paul also played all of his rugby for F&G as well as helping his much better half in all that she has done - and been a great help in chats to me once Meinir has given me the relevant details of scorers, etc. They have children in Gavin and Natalie who have also been players with the club and Nat has also travelled the world playing at top-class sevens like Hong Kong and Dubai.
 
Known to all ‘Min’, Mrs Walsh has been a fantastic unofficial press office for many years who sends me the team sheet as soon as it is published, contacts me at half time with the score and scorers from both teams alongside any interesting facts - and then the same at full-time, with ‘Walshie’ in the background telling me about anything she has inadvertently missed out!
 
Family commitments have recently meant that she has been unable to travel to all the away matches but in typical fashion she has organised someone else to take on her role, with Steve Rowe, Darren Thomas and, more recently, Julie Jones, all of whom have sons playing well for the first team.
 
Min Walsh is an example of how to help the local press (ie Me!) and long may she continue to such a brilliant job for an old-timer who needs all the assistance he can get!