Currently winning their first game of the season 5-2, Trundle has scored a few tonight. I predict they will walk the league this season and be back in the welsh premier by next march.
With Trundle being Swans ambassador and all that, and Llanelli being our closest club in the WPL, I think it would make a nice little partnership for our academy to help each other out. Maybe let them train with us and vice versa, can only be a positive thing.
Two weeks left til we kick off. I thought I'd start a thread to see how far and wide planet swans reaches our fans. I think we have a few American jacks on here, anyone else following us abroad? Be good to see where everyone is from in the UK too.
anyone know if there is any plans for Oli McBurnie for next season? or is it going to be another season with the academy and the odd 15 min appearance for the first team?
Loan him out I say. He wont go to league two I understand but by jove I would love to see him in a Newport County shirt. He would bang in a hat trick every week.
I usually do this at end of season, however I have drunk a lot of real ale over the last two months to get over the trauma of last season, and my high levels of anxiety after being in attendance at Rodney Parade to watch them rescue themselves at the death meant I had to undergo therapy for my sporadic spontaneous outbursts of PTSD.
So with no further adoo....
SWANSEA CITY - A season to forget for a large number of us. We certainly became a laughing stock when the American owners used us as their play thing appointing that clown. Thankfully someone somewhere had sense to appoint Clement when they did. Low point for me would be the 5-0 thrashing handed to us by Spurs, we looked completely lost. One other moment that was a right kick in the teeth for me was Man City's 93rd minute winner at the Etihad, I think a point there would have moved us up two places in the league aswell. Highest point for me was Palace 4-0 Hull, to ensure our mathematical safety. The most memorable game was when we beat palace 5-4. That game was mental and I think Bradleys first win. We came good at the end of season in our 5 match unbeaten run, Llorente's goals kept us up, Clements January signings kept us up, Sigurdsson kept us up, but Leon grabbing the team by their bootlaces and kicking them up the ass for the last 5 game run in is what saved us in the end, in my opinion. And to finish above Burnley and Watford after looking up at them all season was a good boost of confidence to roll into next season.
CARDIFF CITY - Finished 12th in the league. According to their Wikipedia "Trollope was sacked on 5 October, whilst Cardiff were in the relegation zone, their lowest position in 11 years," In comes Warnock and seemed to have steadied the ship. Not much dramas or ridicule coming out of that club last season compared to how it usually is at the CCS. The only thing I keep thinking of is how long Warnock will stay there. And whilst there, how far can he take them in a full season? Reaching the play offs would be an achievement but I cant see it myself.
NEWPORT COUNTY - The other love of my life. Near enough an identical season to the Swans. A season to forget however they are not likely to forget how it ended for a loooooonnnngg time. Same as us, County managed to work their way through 3 managers. They very sensibly gave the reigns to local lad Michael Flynn when Graham Westley was sacked after their horrific defeat against Leyton Orient losing 0-4 at home. I have recently seen footage of that game, the pitch was a mud swamp with the reflection of the sky on top of the puddles, home fans witnessing close relegation rivals Orient slam 4 goals past them, to make things worse their manager Westley with an ego as big as his head refusing to accept what was wrong. Life doesn't get much lower than that as a football fan ,at the very bottom of the football league. It takes great fight and determination to pull themselves out of that mire. Same as us though, made a crucial decision to change management, leave it any longer and neither the swans or county would have stayed in their leagues. Flynn took over with 11 points adrift from safety with 12 games to go. The fight was on. It boiled down to the last game of the season where County had to better Hartlepool's score. If Hartlepool won their game then County needed to win theirs to stay in the football league. Hartlepool finished 2-1 whilst County were 1-1 with Notts County only for Newport County defender O'Brien to slot home a terrific volley in the 89th minute to secure Newport County's football league status. Rodney Parade erupted. Scenes and emotions that will live on in County fans until they die. I was there. I also had the pleasure of sharing that day with our resident planet swans County contributor CountyJim. After 8 or so years of posting on the county forum it was nice to put names to faces. Next season I sincerely hope they don't find themselves down that side of the table again, after finishing 22nd for the past two seasons. They are currently in the process of laying a new pitch which I hear will be one of the best in the league once finished. The Swans u23 may be put in their group for the checkatrade trophy for the second year running, this will be announced on Wednesday. I certainly look forward to attending one or two county matches next season. Good Luck Newport County,
WREXHAM - Wrexham finished 14th in the conference under new manager Dean Keates. Forgive me for not having much to say about them but I only look out for their results each week hoping they go on some kind of winning streak and snatch a play off place. I'm all for welsh clubs playing in the football league and I hope Wrexham can join Newport in league 2 some day soon. Few months ago I wrote a article on the Wrexham message board regarding Newport County and how they would feel if they were to play each other if county were to be relegated that season. They responded with a 19 page thread on how much they hate each others guts. I wasn't aware of the rivalry being so strong between the two clubs. it sounded mental to be fair. I havn't paid much attention to rivalry between Welsh clubs apart from us and Cardiff of course. Anyway good luck Wrexham for next season, Keates is a likeable chap and I hope he does well for Wrexham. Good Luck Wrexham
MERTHYR TOWN - The Martyrs finished 3rd in the league which set up a nice home play off semi final against 4th placed Hitchin. I went to this game and never so much in my life witnessed a one sided game with Merthyr hammering every ball at Hitchin's keeper. How the hell he kept Hitchin in the game is beyond me. Play off semi finals at this level consist of only one leg, the higher finishing team in the league getting the home advantage. It was now or never for Merthyr as they finished the game 1-1 after 90 minutes. The following 30 minutes of added extra time was just one way traffic yet again. Hitchin keeper taking a right hammering and keeping every ball out. Finger tip saves over the cross bar the lot. It came down to penalties and Merthyr had no hope against Claudio Bravo Jnr in goals. And lost the game on pens. I hope they push on next season and reach the play offs again. Interestingly Hereford have now entered their league and seem to be lining up as promotion hopefuls already, especially after all their summer signings. Also worth noting, Swans youngster Oliver Davies impressed whilst being goalkeeper for Merthyr last season. only for Hereford to snap him up a few weeks ago leaving many Merthyr fans disappointed. Money talks. Hereford will be back in the football league in the next 4 years mark my words. But for Merthyr, a play off position should be within their reach if they go again like they did last season. Good luck Merthyr Town
COLWYN BAY- Colwyn Bay were playing in the conference north only a few seasons ago, only to face back to back relegations. They now play in Northern Premier League North, effectively step 4 of the non league set up. They were heading down the table to face yet again another relegation this season just gone, until they managed to start winning games and steadied themselves to a 15th place finish position. I visited their ground Llanelian Road last October to watch Colwyn Bay play a FA trophy game against Witton Albion. Another pilgrimage after following their results for the last 8 or so years. I'm glad they didn't get relegated again this season, even though their final position suggests they didn't struggle, it was looking quite grim yet again for the seagulls. Next season I hope they just consolidate their positon in this league and build on from that. Good Luck Colwyn Bay
Grounds I visited in 2016-17 season
- Liberty Stadium - Rodney Parade (Newport County) - Sincil Bank (Lincoln) - Penydarren Park (Merthyr Town) - Llanelian Road (Colwyn Bay)
SgorioFruits views on the Welsh Premier League
- TNS running the show yet again, (and breaking records along the way). I have no ill feeling towards them but it just seems unfair with the resources they have compared to other WPL teams. Great to see Cardiff Met holding their own in the league. And Carmarthen Town being my local WPL team also having a steady season. So that's all 3 welsh clubs out of the Europa league with TNS through to the next round of the champions league. Trundle signs on for another season at Llanelli in the division below, so I dare say they will join the Welsh prem next season too.
So, 4 weeks tomorrow until Newport County and the rest of them kick off their season. and 5 weeks until Swans kick off theirs.
And now I will leave you with a lovely little song from Dafydd Iwan - Yma o Hyd
at the liberty stadium our U23 will be playing Reading U23 in the premier league cup final Kick off 7pm tickets cost only a £1
no excuses ladies and gentlemen, after today, the pressure is off us fans to start enjoying life now. Lets make an effort to support our youngsters on tomorrow.
