For the first time in 16-years, Barry will play a European game again.
The Vale of Glamorgan club take on NIFL Premiership side Cliftonville, six miles from their Jenner Park Stadium home at Leckwith Stadium.
The former Barry were European regulars after winning back to back league titles.
But after a dramatic fall, Gavin Chesterfield who has managed more than 400 games for the club, has taken them back to where they feel they belong.
However, in 2007, Barry’s story as we know it now almost didn’t pan out like that.
“I do believe in fate. When I first went for the job in 2007, I didn’t get the job,” revealed Chesterfield.
“I was the second choice. The first person who got awarded the job couldn’t take up the position.
“All of a sudden you get given an opportunity you hoped to get but weren’t chosen for. Sometimes fate intervenes and it gives you an opportunity.
“When you come into the job as a manager you have loads of hopes and expectations and you do have some fears as some things can go wrong.
“For me, the hopes were to try and get the club back on its feet, add a little bit of our own history to what is a magnificent history. We also had hopes to get promoted in the first year, which we did.
“There’s been many successes along the way which we’ve been privileged to be a part of. To now qualify for Europe is an absolute privilege and an honour.”
“We know we’re representing our club but we’re also representing our league and country. We intend to take that responsibility very seriously.”
Since taking the job in 2007, Chesterfield has been a key figure in the revival of a proud football club.
Despite their record being expunged and their demotion to the fourth tier of Welsh football, Chesterfield remained at the club.
In 2013, they became a fan owned club and since then the success has returned to Jenner Park.
They won back to back promotions to the fourth tier and almost returned to the Welsh Premier League, narrowly missing out on promotion.
Winning the league title in each Welsh League division, Barry Town United’s trophy cabinet has been filled with the achievements of Gavin Chesterfield and his side.
In a documentary on the club, released by club photographer Rhys Skinner, Chesterfield was quoted that “I’ve not seen it all until I’ve got this club into Europe.”
Now after a 16-year absence, Gavin Chesterfield can proudly say he’s taken the club back into Europe. However he still remains hungry.
“I’m immensely proud to be a part of what we’ve achieved. Europe is something I’m really excited to be part of.
“I’m infused by the challenge and my players are exactly the same.
“There’s a part of you as a manager, that is no matter what you achieve you always want more.”
“I always want to keep growing and learning, whilst trying to keep becoming a better manager and try to improve players. Hopefully, it’ll bring us even more awards.”
Since Chesterfield’s arrival at Jenner Park, a number of players have gone in and out of the door at Barry.
The beliefs that he brought into the club have remained the same, despite his evolvement as a coach.
The former Cardiff Met forward began his managerial career at a young age but has since developed into a key figure of Welsh football.
Chesterfield is now a FAW Trust coach and Coach Educator. He has also learned alongside some big names in the professional football world. Just last year Tim Cahill was delivering a training session at Jenner Park.
“I looked at my CV the other day and at the top, it had my playing philosophy from 2007.
“Compared to what it was then to what it is now, whilst there are similar tones to it, it’s very different. I think that’s an essential thing.
“We’ve got our beliefs, we’ve got our philosophies and our ideas but I try and build it about being a decent person, working with decent people and treating people with respect and getting that back.
“It gives you a good platform to build your football then. That isn’t going to change whatever happens to me further on down the line or in life.
“The style has evolved slightly over time as I’ve learned new things.
“I’ve sort of seen things other ways of playing and see other opportunities. I think it’s always been built about respect.
“Whilst I’ve evolved in that kind of part, it’s still a key part.
I’ve worked with a lot of great people. The FAW Coaching Education has helped me no end in that regard.
“It’s like a wealth of talent, as well as wealth of information and knowledge to draw on.”
Live updates of Barry’s game with Cliftonville can be read on our live blog.
Leave a Reply