North Wales Blogs - Lilywhites Online with Dave Jones

HOLA REF!

2009-07-08T15:39:41Z

THE match officials for next Tuesday's Champions League tie at Belle Vue between Rhyl and Partizan Belgrade are Spanish. The referee is Cesar Muniz Fernandez.
The Partizan team will train on Belle Vue on Monday evening, starting at 7pm. Their coach, Slavisa Jokanovic, will hold a press conference at 6.30pm.

RESERVES REBORN IN CLWYD LEAGUE

2009-07-08T15:39:41Z

RHYL Reserves will play in the new Clwyd Reserve Premier League next season.
The league will comprise the Reserve teams from Rhyl, Flint, Denbigh, Connah's Quay, Halkyn, Glan Conwy, Llandudno, Llandudno Junction, Llandyrnog and Prestatyn. John Wright will manage the team.
Rhyl Reserves resigned from the Welsh Alliance League at the end of last season.

MORE SIGNINGS UNLIKELY AT RHYL

2009-07-08T15:39:41Z

WELSH Premier League champions Rhyl are unlikely to make many more additions to their squad this summer, says head coach Allan Bickerstaff.
Former TNS pairing John Leah and Martyn Naylor, plus returning striker Lee Hunt, are the only three major signings made by the Belle Vue outfit, who have already stated they will operate with a trimmed budget in 2009/10.
Jamie Reed, Craig Jones, Josh Johnson, Paul O'Neill, Gareth Wilson, Chris Roberts, Carl Owen and Michael Jones have already departed from last season's title-winning squad, with Danny Williams seemingly also gone.
The shortfall in the Rhyl ranks looks set to be made up by youngsters released from Football League clubs and some of the more promising reserve players from last term.
Former Wales and Nottingham Forest midfielder Paul Evans has come on board for the Champions League second qualifying round ties against Partizan Belgrade on July 14 and 21, but it remains to be seen if he is retained.
"We are planning to talk to a couple more players ahead of Europe, but that's about it," said Bickerstaff, who led Rhyl to the title in his first season at the helm.
Meanwhile, Bickerstaff has confirmed he will not be available for either of the Lilywhites' matches against Partizan.
FAW technical director Osian Roberts will be in charge for the home and away legs with Bickerstaff absent due to a long-standing family commitment.
"I'm very disappointed I won't be there, but this commitment was made a long time ago," said Bickerstaff.
"There is no-one better than Osian to take the helm for Europe; he has a wealth of experience and the players know and respect him."
Roberts began last season as head coach at Belle Vue, but a few games into the campaign he was forced to take a back-seat due to his responsibilities within the FAW. Bickerstaff took on the head coach mantle and led the Lilywhites to the league championship.
On Saturday both Bickerstaff and Roberts were on the bench as Rhyl romped to a 4-1 tune-up victory over Cymru Alliance club Denbigh Town.
Neil Roberts broke the deadlock on 15 minutes when he took on a fine through ball from Matty Williams and rounded keeper Gary Higham to score. Five minutes later Roberts fired into the roof of the net after the Town defence failed to deal with a Hunt cross from the right.
Luke Holden made it 3-0, scoring with a deadly left foot finish after Luke Sherbon picked him out with a slide-rule delivery.
Denbigh hit back when home keeper Lee Kendall was adjudged to have picked up a back-pass and Lee Craven thundered the resulting free-kick in off the bar.
On the stroke of half time, though, the Welsh Premier champions added a fourth when Roberts and Naylor combined to set up Williams to steer in left-footed from 10 yards.
In the second half Rhyl made seven changes, giving a number of young trialists their opportunity. No further goals were scored, the closest call a Holden effort which crashed off the underside of the bar, while Kendall was forced to make a smart save from Paul Edwards.
"I felt things went really well," said Bickerstaff. "The players gave their all and we got out of it what we wanted.
"In the second half we completely changed the way we played. We fully understand we're not going to get a lot of the ball against Partizan Belgrade, so dropped off a bit, played more on the counter and made sure we broke well."

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS......

2009-07-08T15:39:41Z

RHYL v PARTIZAN BELGRADE
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND FIRST LEG
TUESDAY, JULY 14, 7.45pm
PEOPLE can argue whether next week's Champions League clash at Belle Vue is the biggest game in Rhyl's history but surely it cannot be disputed that it will be the most prestigious.
Never in the Welsh Premier League club's 126-year existence has it faced a team of the stature of Partizan Belgrade in a competitive match.
In many ways, it is a pity Rhyl have drawn such difficult opponents as a first hurdle.
Meeting a lesser foe would have given the Lilywhites a better chance of progression, thus offering potential of increased financial reward, a possible massive name in the third qualifying round, plus the opportunity to enter the lower-regarded Europa League on elimination from the Champions League.
So how good are Partizan Belgrade? Like many of Europe's best known names, the Serbians live more on past reputation than current ability.
They may have once been European Cup finalists, but that was back in 1966 in the year England won the World Cup.
More worrying, though, is the fact they dumped former Premiership giants Newcastle United out of the Champions League as recently as 2003/04.
That put them into the group stages where they went undefeated at home, drawing 0-0 with mighty Real Madrid and 1-1 against Olympique de Marseille and eventual competition winners FC Porto.
But FK Partizan are not among Europe's current elite by any means, otherwise they would not find themselves put into the second qualifying round draw, albeit as third seeds.
Serbia are not the strongest of footballing nations either, although Partizan do draw their players from other countries.
Serbian Superliga title winners for the past two seasons, they have been crowned national league champions 21 times in their history
The big draw in their current squad is attacking midfielder Adem Ljajic, who is due to join Manchester United in January 2010. His former team-mate at Partizan, Zoran Tosic, is already with the Premiership champions.
Partizan also boast two Brazilian strikers named Washington da Silva and Cleverson Gabriel Cordova (better known as Cleo).
The recent signing of Cleo from arch-rivals Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) has proved controversial as he is the first player to switch Belgrade clubs in 21 years.
Just the name Brazil is enough to strike fear into the opposition, but neither of these players has represented their country, so how good are they?
In terms of history, success, resources and, it has to be said, ability there is no comparison between Rhyl and Partizan.
The Serbians are vastly more experienced in Europe.
Their UEFA club competition record reads: Played 155 Won 62 Drawn 30 Lost 63, whereas Rhyl's is: Played 12, Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 9.
So everything points to a comfortable Partizan victory over two legs, but as Llanelli proved in recently beating Scottish Premier League favourites Motherwell in the Europa League, anything is possible.
If Rhyl can succeed in keeping the tie alive going into next week's return in Belgrade, then that will be some achievement.
* This preview also appears in the latest edition of the Denbighshire Visitor.

ROBBO ON THE MARK TWICE IN COMFORTABLE VICTORY

2009-07-04T16:29:54Z

RHYL 4 (N Roberts 15, 20; Holden 28; M Williams 45)
DENBIGH TOWN 1 (Craven 38)
ALL the goals came in the first half as Rhyl coasted to a comfortable win in this afternoon's friendly at Belle Vue.
Cymru Alliance team Denbigh, managed by ex-Lilywhites legend Steve Jones and former Rhyl boss Dean Martin, provided a decent workout for the Welsh Premier hosts although overall it was a one-sided affair.
The Lilies were on top from the start, Luke Holden heading over from six yards and then blasting off target after Matty Williams was unable to loop the ball into an empty net.
The breakthrough came on 15 minutes when Williams' through ball picked out Neil Roberts in space, and the ex-Wales and Wrexham front man rounded keeper Gary Higham before stroking into an empty goal.
Roberts, Rhyl's top marksman last season, added a second on 20 minutes when he lashed into the roof of the net from 10 yards after a low Lee Hunt cross from the right eventually came to him.
Luke Sherbon's header looked goalbound but a back-pedalling Higham made a save he did not receive credit for as the assistant pointed for a goal-kick.
Rhyl went 3-0 up on 28 minutes when a lovely chip from Sherbon was taken on by Holden who fired home powerfully left-footed from the edge of the box.
Miles Todd cleared a George Horan header off the line as Denbigh looked to keep the score down, but on 38 minutes the visitors were gifted a goal they nonetheless took extremely well.
Keeper Lee Kendall was adjudged to have picked up a back-pass, much to the home side's fury and from the edge of the area Paul Edwards touched the ball to Lee Craven whose thunderbolt went in off the bar.
Rhyl restored their three-goal lead right on half time when Martin Naylor and Roberts did well to exchange passes under pressure and find Williams whose instant left-foot shot on the turn made it 4-1.
After the break, the Lilywhites made several substitutions and this affected the flow of the game.
It was the home goal which was under pressure first when Kendall pulled off a great point blank stop from Edwards.
The hosts were producing some good passing moves but the finishing was lacking, Hunt firing straight at Town replacement keeper Jamie Roberts after slick build-up.
Greg Stones' 20-yarder was well kept out by Roberts, then Holden somehow smacked the underside of the bar from close range.
That was the end of the action and Rhyl were left to reflect on a job satisfactorily done, with their final friendly at Colwyn Bay coming up next Friday (July 10) ahead of the home leg against Partizan Belgrade on July 14..
RHYL: Lee Kendall, Martin Naylor (Mark Connolly 57), Greg Stones (Craig Darwin 79), George Horan, Greg Stones, John Leah (Gareth Owen 57), Luke Sherbon (Ashley New 79), Luke Holden (Sam Heenan 90), Neil Roberts (Jack Higgins 79), Matty Williams (Paul Evans 59), Lee Hunt.
ATT: 200.

ROBERTS TAKES CHARGE FOR EUROPE

2009-07-04T16:29:54Z

OSIAN Roberts will be in charge of Rhyl for their forthcoming Champions League ties against Partizan Belgrade.
Head coach Allan Bickerstaff will be unable to lead the side in either the home or away leg due to a long-standing family commitment.
"I'm very disappointed I won't be there, but this commitment was made a long time ago," said Bickerstaff, who also claimed incorrect dates had been given to him regarding the Champions League schedule.
"There is no-one better than Osian to take the helm for Europe; he has a wealth of experience and the players know and respect him."
Roberts began last season as the head coach at Belle Vue, but a few games into the campaign he was forced to take a back-seat due to his high standing within the FAW allowing him little time to commit to Rhyl.
Bickerstaff took on the head coach mantle and led the Lilywhites to the Welsh Premier League title.
Roberts and Bickerstaff were together on the bench for this afternoon's friendly against Denbigh Town for which a report will follow.

RHYL v DENBIGH TOWN FRIENDLY

2009-06-30T21:35:41Z

RHYL will take on Cymru Alliance League club Denbigh Town in a pre-season friendly at Belle Vue this Saturday, kick-off 2.30pm.

LILYWHITES PAIRED WITH PRESTATYN IN LEAGUE CUP

2009-06-29T22:26:01Z

WELSH Premier champions Rhyl and neighbours Prestatyn Town have the prospect of two bumper gates after being paired with each other in this season's Loosemores League Cup competition.
The Lilywhites and the Seasiders have been drawn together in Group Four, along with Airbus UK Broughton.
In the last competition to be played in the current format before the introduction of Super 12 next year, the six group winners and the two best runners-up will qualify for the last eight. The league will release fixtures today.
Group One: Carmarthen Town, Neath FC, Port Talbot Town
Group Two: Aberystwyth Town, Haverfordwest County, Llanelli AFC
Group Three: Caersws FC, Gap Connahs Quay, CPD Porthmadog
Group Four: Airbus UK Broughton, Prestatyn Town, Rhyl FC
Group Five: Bala Town, Elements Cefn Druids, Technogroup Welshpool
Group Six: Bangor City, Newtown AFC, The New Saints (holders).

OMENS GOOD FOR RHYL FOR SEASON'S OPENER

2009-06-29T22:26:01Z

HISTORY will certainly be on Rhyl's side when they start their Welsh Premier League campaign on August 15.
The champions will entertain a Carmarthen Town side they have beaten nine times in a row at Belle Vue. The Lilywhites also boast a 15-match undefeated run against the Old Gold in the league.

RHYL FC - WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES 2009/10
Sat 15 Aug 2009 - Carmarthen Town H
Fri 21 Aug 2009 - Airbus UK Broughton A
Sat 29 Aug 2009 - Port Talbot Town H
Sat 5 Sep 2009 - Gap Connah's Quay A
Fri 11 Sep 2009 - Bangor City H
Sat 19 Sep 2009 - Newtown AFC A
Sat 26 Sep 2009 - Porthmadog FC H
Fri 9 Oct 2009 - Bala Town A
Sat 17 Oct 2009 - Neath FC H
Fri 23 Oct 2009 - Elements Cefn Druids A
Sat 7 Nov 2009 - Llanelli AFC H
Sat 14 Nov 2009 - Caersws FC H
Sun 22 Nov 2009 - The New Saints A
Sat 28 Nov 2009 - Haverfordwest County H
Sat 5 Dec 2009 - Aberystwyth Town A
Sat 12 Dec 2009 - Technogroup Welshpool H
Sat 19 Dec 2009 - Carmarthen Town A
Sat 26 Dec 2009 - Prestatyn Town A
Fri 1 Jan 2010 - Prestatyn Town H
Sat 9 Jan 2010 - Airbus UK Broughton H
Sat 16 Jan 2010 - Port Talbot Town A
Sat 23 Jan 2010 - Gap Connah's Quay H
Sun 7 Feb 2010 - Bangor City A
Sun 14 Feb 2010 - Newtown AFC H
Sat 20 Feb 2010 - Porthmadog FC A
Fri 26 Feb 2010 - Bala Town H
Sat 6 Mar 2010 - Neath FC A
Fri 12 Mar 2010 - Elements Cefn Druids H
Sun 21 Mar 2010 - Llanelli AFC A
Sat 27 Mar 2010 - Caersws FC A
Sat 3 Apr 2010 - The New Saints H
Sat 10 Apr 2010 - Haverfordwest County A
Sat 17 Apr 2010 - Aberystwyth Town H
Sat 24 Apr 2010 - Technogroup Welshpool A

CHESTER CITY YOUNGSTER JOINS RHYL

2009-06-29T22:26:01Z

RHYL have signed young defender Shaun Dowling, an 18-year-old from Huyton who has been released by Chester City.
Head coach Allan Bickerstaff said Dowling was part of the squad which travelled to Motherwell on Saturday.
"He can play anywhere across the defence," said Bickerstaff. "We're hoping to bring quite a few youngsters through this year. The way things are, we haven't got a massive budget and that means making the most of some of the younger talent."
Bickerstaff was unable to make the trip to Scotland, but said he was delighted with the result and reports he has received on the performance.
"The lads are buzzing after that result, now it's all systems go for Europe," added the coach.

EXCLUSIVE - S4C TO SHOW RHYL v PARTIZAN LIVE

2009-06-29T12:03:30Z

WELSH language TV channel S4C will show the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round clash between Rhyl and Partizan Belgrade on Tuesday, July 14, live from Belle Vue.
Station bosses confirmed the news today. The match will kick off at 7.45pm, but confirmation on the date and timings for the second leg in Serbia are still awaited.

MOTHERWELL 1 RHYL 3

2009-06-27T15:11:06Z

APPARENTLY Rhyl travelled to Motherwell this afternoon to play a pre-season friendly and won 3-1.
No-one from the club contacted Lilywhites Online to inform us the match was on, somewhat disappointing considering the years of dedication that have been put into publicising Rhyl FC.
Matty Williams put Rhyl into the lead and the returning Lee Hunt scored a double - all inside the first 11 minutes.
Hunt later went off injured before Ross Forbes grabbed a consolation for the Scottish Premier League side early in the second half.
All other details are on the club's wonderful official website.

EXPERIENCED EVANS SET TO JOIN RHYL

2009-06-22T15:53:24Z

ALLAN Bickerstaff has revealed he is set to bring in experienced midfielder Paul Evans for Rhyl's European campaign.
Oswestry-born Evans, 34, has won two caps for Wales and was last registered with Unibond League club Halifax Town.
The midfield man has made well over 400 Football League appearances since beginning his career with Shrewsbury Town in 1993. He made nearly 200 starts for the Shrews before leaving Gay Meadow after six years' service.
West London club Brentford signed him for £110,000 in 1999 and it was while there that he gained his first Welsh cap.
It was also while at Brentford that Evans famously scored goals in consecutive games from the half way line, first at home to Preston North End, then at Burnley.
After three years with the Bees, for whom he scored 31 goals in 130 matches, he had stints at Bradford City and Blackpool before signing for Nottingham Forest on loan in 2004.
After a month at the City Ground, Forest paid £25,000 for his services on a permanent basis. He proved to be a bargain buy as he was one of the best performers in Joe Kinnear's side that was relegated at the end of the 2004-05 season.
Evans will be remembered at the City Ground for his goal against West Ham shortly after Brian Clough had died. This goal set Forest on the way to victory. Shortly before their relegation, Gary Megson took charge of Forest, and in the 2005-06 season he was frozen out of Megson's plans.
After 45 appearances and four goals in his first season with Forest, Evans was not allowed to play reserve-team football and lost his fitness as a result.
Then-Rotherham United boss and former Forest caretaker chief Mick Harford took him on loan to help regain his fitness. After only four appearances with the Millers, he suffered a knee injury.
When Megson left Forest and Ian McParland and Frank Barlow took charge, Evans continued training with Forest again and played a few reserve games; however, he was released at the end of the season.
In July 2006, Evans was given a trial by Swindon Town boss Dennis Wise. He made his first appearance for the Town in a 1-1 draw against Reading and was subsequently offered a one-year deal, which he accepted. Evans soon became an integral part of Swindon's midfield, scoring a number of vital goals including a 40-yard free kick against Wrexham.
Short stays at Rotherham and Bradford followed before Evans dropped out of the Football League and joined Oxford United in 2008.
He played just three games for the Conference National squad before joining Halifax.
"We've got him on board for Europe and will assess things after that after having a good look at him," said Bickerstaff.
The Rhyl coach is also in the process of signing a young defender from Chester City.

RHYL DRAW PARTIZAN BELGRADE

2009-06-22T10:31:11Z

RHYL head coach Allan Bickerstaff admitted his team could hardly landed a tougher draw in the UEFA Champions League after the Welsh Premier champions were paired with crack Serbian outfit Partizan Belgrade.
The Lilywhites will be at home in the first leg of the second qualifying round tie next month against a club with a long and proud history in European competition.
"We could have done with an easier one," said Bickerstaff, following today's draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
"But whoever we'd have drawn it would have been tough and we've got to get on with it and prepare as best we can.
"We want the players to go out and enjoy themselves; for some it will be their first experience at this level and I know they'll be looking forward to it.
"We'll get as much information on them (Partizan) as we can; we'll do our homework and be as ready as we can."
Bickerstaff was in charge of the Rhyl side thrashed over two legs by Bohemian of Dublin in the Inter-Toto Cup last season, but he had only just taken over from John Hulse.
"That was someone else's squad I worked with last year; this time it will be our team and I'm sure we'll give a good account of ourselves." he added.
The Serbians were the third highest-rated opponents that the Welsh Premier champions could have drawn and Bickerstaff's side will face a tough task, both at Belle Vue and at the 32,000-capacity Partisan Stadium.
Champions for the past two seasons, the Serbians have a long history of playing in European competition and participated in the first-ever Champions Cup match that took place on 3 September 1955 in Lisbon against Sporting.
Partizan also became the first club from Eastern Europe to have played in a European Cup final against Real Madrid, after eliminating Manchester United in the semi-finals.
In more recent years, the club played in the 2003-04 UEFA Champions League, after eliminating Newcastle United in the last qualifying round.
The current squad includes two Brazilians, Cleo and Washington.

RHYL SQUAD STANDINGS 2009/10

2009-06-18T01:25:45Z

GOALKEEPERS
Lee Kendall
Paul Pritchard

DEFENDERS
George Horan
Greg Stones
Greg Strong
Mark Connolly
Martyn Naylor

MIDFIELD
John Leah (pictured)
Luke Sherbon
Gareth Owen
Luke Holden

STRIKERS
Neil Roberts
Matty Williams
Lee Hunt

UNDECIDED
Danny Williams

That's 14 players (including a substitute keeper).
How many more are needed and in what positions?