Kilgetty AFC

It is with very deep regret that we report of the passing of our Club President, Mr. George Edwards, who has died in Cardiff at the age of 87.

George, who’s parents owned the Kilgetty Stores in the village (now the Spar), began his footballing career at Kilgetty AFC and whilst he went on to play for Swansea Town, Coventry City, Birmingham City and Cardiff City, he never lost his passion for his village team, often travelling back from Birmingham to get a game for Kilgetty, whenever City didn’t have a fixture.  Something that would be unheard of in the modern game.

George’s talents as a youngster did not go un-noticed for long, and whilst studying at University in Swansea, he was soon picked up by Swansea Town, which lead to him winning his first cap as a Welsh Amateur International before the Second World War broke out. During the 1939-45 War he was stationed in the Midlands with the R.A.F. and played for Coventry City as an amateur.

At the end of the War the Coventry manager Harry Storer joined Birmingham City and signed George as a professional, George gaining a place at Birmingham University to continue his studies. He later went on to join Cardiff City in December 1948 for a then-substantial fee of £12,000,  by which time he was a full Wales International.

George was with Cardiff for the rest of his playing career, until the end of 1954/55 when he retired at the age of 35, having played in the 1951/52 side that gained promotion to the top level (the original First Division). He won twelve senior peacetime caps for Wales, and made 222 League and Cup appearances for Cardiff, scoring 46 goals.

A University graduate who gained his B.A. and then his M.A. degree whilst still a player, he went into the oil retail industry towards the end of his career, working for Mobil Oil in South Wales and the West. The managing-director of that company was John Gridley who was the son-in-law of Cardiff City Chairman Sir Herbert Merrett. George’s thesis on the Pembrokeshire coalfield had impressed Sir Herbert who was a major coal-exporter in South Wales, and the Chairman was keen to have George involved in business after his playing-career. George was also a football columnist with the now-defunct Sunday newspaper Wales Empire News after his playing-days, and also reported on Cardiff City matches for the BBC (radio and television) in their mid-1950s regional reports on Saturday evenings.

In May 1957 George was invited by Sir Herbert Merrett to join the Cardiff City Board, and he served as a Director from 1957 until 1976, and then from December 1981 until June 1986. He always maintained a close interest in the game, particularly in Cardiff, Birmingham City, and of course Kilgetty AFC. He had a remarkable memory for matches and players that he had been involved with.

He was also a Cardiff magistrate for many years, was a member of the Sports Council of Wales, and often sat on tribunals for the F.A. of Wales. George was a widower, his wife Pat, a great support to him throughout his career in the game as player and director, having died just two years ago.  George and Pat regularily attended end of season functions at Kilgetty, Geoge still able to captivate with his after dinner speaking. 

George Edwards, a true Kilgetty boy.  You will be sorely missed.

Ollie Gamble and Zac Rowell travalled to Pontardawe for their first match for Swansea City.  Asked to play in unfamiliar positions, Ollie wide on the right, and Zac at Centre Half, both boys gave good accounts of themselves.  However, when the coach switched Ollie’s position to striker, he flourished.

Nearing the end of the period, Ollie drifted in from the left and picked up the ball about 18 yards out, beat two defenders as he worked the ball out to the right, and then drilled his shot back across the face of the goal into the bottom left corner of the net. A quite superb finish.

Zac Rowell was soon to get his opportunity as well.  After a man-of-the-match performance in defence, the coach allowed Zac to switch with the other striker.  Before the end of the game, Zac had scored an incredible four goals!  The best of which saw him pick up a long pass through the middle, drop his shoulder to send the defender the wrong way, slalom past the next, then slide the ball neatly past the goalkeeper.

The boys done good, as they say.  Kilgetty can be proud.

Kilgetty were made to fight back from two goals down, after the manager admitedly made a mistake by leaving both Oliver Gamble and Zac Rowell on the bench.  With both Ollie and Zac in action for Swansea City the following day, it was thought best to preserve their energies, but within 5 minutes of the start, Kilgetty were two goals down to a very strong and well drilled team.

The susbstitutions were made almost immediately, and Kilgetty began the fight back.  Now the game was much more evenly matched.  It was tough going, but by half-time, parity was restored, thanks to the goal-scoring talisman Zac Rowell.

The second half was a bitterly fought, and very physical duel with neither team conceding any ground. The game went end to end, delicately poised, but with two minutes left on the clock, Hundleton manged to finally get through the Kilgetty defence, and slide a goal past Dazy.  It was a heart-breaking moment for the players who had worked so tirelessly. 

Lessons will have been learned, not least by the manager, but the players soon picked themselves up.  The rematch at Hundleton should be a very interesting affair.

Kilgetty U8s were fired up for this match.  Last season’s derby encounters had seen Kilgetty hold on to a draw away at Tenby, but were then soundly beaten at home.  So, with many of the players in both teams knowing each other well, the  playground bragging rights were up for grabs.

The tactic to frustrate Tenby in the first half, playing four across the middle,  with Zac up front on his own, worked out as the target of 0-0 at half time was achieved. Then, the little fellas, Tom Mansbridge & Robson Evans, made way for our experienced wingers, Oliver Griffin and Oliver Wheeler, to come on and raise the tempo of the game.

In the second half, Kilgetty dominated. as the two Ollie wingers made surging runs down the flanks - coming inside, shooting, and setting up the strikers.  Goals rained down on the Tenby goal, whilst Dazy Lloyd, between the sticks for Kilgetty became merely a spectator.

The deadlock was finally broken when the captain for the day, Oliver Gamble, slid a perfect past that split the Tenby defence, for Zac Rowell to run on to.  Zac took one touch with the outside of his boot, then drilled it confidently past the Tenby keeper.

Tenby are not a team to lie down though, and there was always the danger of a counter attack, especially with their star player, Elliot Wherret,  continually striving to break down the Kilgetty attack in the centre of midfield.  Were it not for the resolute and calm defending of Ryan Scourfield and Jack Rees at the back, Tenby might easily have gotten back into the game.  However, with a minute left to go, John Mansbridge forced a goal, his first for the club, that put the game beyond reach for Tenby.

This was a match that the players wanted to win more than any other, and for now, the playground bragging rights are theirs.

We can confirm that the West Wales Cup 1st Round match will be played at Llansamlet, on the 18th October.

Due to there being no replays in this competition (match must be decided on the day), the abandoned match must be fulfilled at the original venue, as per the cup draw.

Kilgetty’s first round match of the West Wales Cup only lasted 45 minutes on Saturday, after persistent, torrential rain forced the referee to abandon the match as the playing surface became dangerously unplayable.

This means the match will have to be replayed, but the venue has yet to be clarified.  The manager will be hoping for a return to the Kingsmoor Ground, seeing another trip up the M4 as a distraction to the League Campaign which has started so well.

Whilst the venue is still in doubt, we understand the fixture will be replayed on 11th October, meaning that the scheduled Cup match for that day will now be pushed into November.