Albion Rovers looking forward to challenge of Division Three says manager Warren Archer

They missed out on promotion last season due to a points deduction, but next season Albion Rovers will be playing Welsh League for the first time in fourteen years.

The Gwent County League side finished fifth last season but saw themselves deducted 18 points for fielding an ineligible player. If their points were to of stood, then they would have achieved promotion a year earlier, instead of Neuadd Wen.

Wen has since been relegated from the Welsh League, whilst Albion Rovers will take their place as the latest Gwent County League representative.

Archer said: “The message throughout the year was to just enjoy it and don’t let the league pass us by as we knew we had the squad to really challenge again this year. The club is going places on and off the field.” 

We had a great preseason this campaign playing some good stuff and it just felt like we were on the cusp of achieving something special.

We are looking forward to a new challenge in Division Three. we are confident we can do well in this league and not just make the numbers up.”

The promotion was secured on the final day of the season in front of a bumper crowd at Kimberley Park. They beat Malpas Civil Service 4-0, to pip Abertillery Bluebirds to the Gwent County League Division One title by a point.

“Going into the last game I had no nerves what so ever.

We were good enough to beat anyone on our day and we had five games to go knowing we had to win them all, so when it got to that last game it just felt like it was meant to be.

We said to the boys that if we were offered this scenario in pre-season we would have taken it, it was in our hands and was only ourselves to blame if we didn’t win them.

Archer has strong ties to Albion Rovers, having been involved as a five-year-old, all the way to 16, before he left to play for Newport County’s academy, as well as time with Cinderford Town.

But since being offered the job by chairman Terrence Wilkins, he and his assistant Richie Howells achieved Welsh League status in their second year of management, in their three-year plan.

“Having taken on the managers’ job at the age of 26 was a big ask for me but with Richie Howells and also 2nd team manager Malcolm blackbird supporting me, we’ve finally achieved what we set out to do.

“It was a great buzz on Tuesday night, not just for the team but the club as a whole,” said Archer.

Many ex-players come down to support us and we could see it meant a lot to them as well as all the committee and chairman.”

(Featured Image: Will Cheshire)