A tribute to Chris Venables – A true Cymru Premier custodian and Bala’s newly found goal-getter

Traditionally the upper reaches of all-time goal scoring charts in any division are dominated by strikers, the goal-getters, the poachers.

Rarely do you see a box to box midfielder; the engine room of the side, infiltrate that list and continue to trouble the scorers season in season for years on end.

That is what the ever green Chris Venables has done in the Cymru Premier for years and this year he is showing absolutely zero signs of stopping.

The 34-year-old, who sits in sixth on the all-time top scorer list behind some first class centre forwards reached the milestone of 450 league appearances last week.

It was fitting he capped it with another brace against Caernarfon Town, taking him to 20 strikes for the current campaign.

Venables, who has now moved into a more advanced role as a striker after Steven Tames departure in the summer, has been a regular contributor of 20 plus goals during his time with both Aberystwyth and Bala Town.

The older the midfielder has got, the more goals he seems to scored, almost like a fine wine some might say.

The majority of those 450 appearances have been starts, he’s rarely had to settle for a position on the bench in his career, justified in most part by his goals return.

It isn’t just his goals though that put him in the elite club of Cymru Premier talent, as his current boss Colin Caton explains.

‘He is an outstanding player and has always been first class ever since he was at Welshpool,’ explained the long serving Bala manager.

‘He was a massive part of Llanelli’s success and when they beat is in the play-offs he dictated the game, scored, and he was always someone I wanted to try and sign.

‘He has that football brain, the movement and his link up play that sets him aside. We couldn’t sign a striker in the summer and converted him to a number nine.

‘He’s a box to box midfield usually and we thought it would take him some time to bed in, but it hasn’t, he has been brilliant.’

2013 to 2016 was arguably Venables’ most fruitful period, scoring 24, 28 and 20 goals in consecutive seasons to scoop three golden boot awards on the trot.

And in the last decade only Greg Draper, the TNS goal machine has found the net more times than the former Shrewsbury Town trainee from Mid Wales.

The stats are impressive, and they have been since his Welsh career began in 2003, first at Caersws and then to Welshpool.

Another young star coming through at that time, who too has gone on to make himself a legend at his club, insists there hasn’t been many better than the Bala 25.

Newtown skipper Craig Williams said: ‘He’s one of the toughest opponents I’ve played against, in terms of the habit he has of popping up with goals from nowhere. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time, he has the intensity to keep going to the 95^th minute.

‘That shows in the amount of late goals he scores. And now he’s adapted that to become a number nine, which isn’t easy to do so fair play to him. Being top scorer shows how much work he puts in on and off the pitch.’

 

One of the Wales C international’s first honours came in the form of the 2011 Welsh Cup, as he scored in a 4-1 demolition of Bangor in the final.

Three years later and Venables turned in arguably one of his best performances in his career, scoring a double as Aber raced into a shock 2-0 lead against TNS at the Racecourse Ground in the Welsh Cup Final.

It looked as if they were going to pip the unstoppable champions to an unlikely win, but for a late turn around which saw the Saints score three in the final 15 minutes.

It was a cruel blow to Aber but more to their talisman Venables.

Another moved followed to Bala though, and in his first season he showed just why boss Caton had always wanted his signature, guiding them to Europe and their first ever Welsh Cup victory on his first season.

Venables set up the winning goal for Kieran Smith that day, who believes his record shows he is arguably the best ever in the Cymru Premier.

‘He’s brilliant to play alongside and having experienced both, I’d definitely rather play with him than against him’ said Smith.

‘I might be a little biased being a good friend of his and having played with him for a few years now, but for me he is right up there and has to be considered one, if not the best player the WPL has seen.

‘I think his stats say a lot but the consistency in his performances along with the trophies he’s won both personally and with teams not right at the top of the league puts him as the frontrunner for me.

‘In his first season he came in and captained the team to arguably Bala’s most successful season to date – qualifying for Europe and winning the welsh cup, and I think he might have provided an assist for someone to score the winner in the final too!

‘I’ve been quite lucky I think at Bala having played with some brilliant players over the years. Venners for me is right up there and if he carries on doing what he’s done so far this season I think he’ll be remembered for many years to come at Bala Town.’

Until Friday’s live Sgorio game the man himself admitted he didn’t enough know he’d reached such a significant milestone.

He prefers to look at the goals scored column rather than the games played.

‘I wasn’t aware on Friday, I normally keep an eye on how many starts I have made more so than appearances in total so it was after the match before I realised,’ explained the leading goal scorer.

‘I haven’t really put much thought to how big an achievement it is, I usually concentrate on goals scored and keep more of an eye on that these days, but when I look at some of the names I’m in the company of in terms of total appearances in the WPL then yes it is a great achievement for me.

‘I do look back with pride on what I’ve achieved so far yes, but I try and look forward more than backwards to be honest, there will come a day when I finish playing and then I’ll probably sit down and have a good think about it and reflect.’

When players do well in the Welsh domestic league it is almost inevitable they will attract the attention of professional English clubs.

Rumours have circled Venables at points in his career about interest from across the border. There may be a time that a Football League may have made a move for him, like clubs, have more recently for the likes of Adam Roscrow.

Despite never having received an offer from a full time club in England, Venables admitted it is something he would have liked to have done.

He added: ‘I have been linked with moves in the past but nothing ever came of anything. I never received any offers to go full time in the English system, however if I had of then I certainly would of been interested.

‘I would love to be able to train and play every day now, to be able to work on things on a daily basis both individually and as a team would be great.’

At the age of 34 most players have one eye on finishing the game as they wind down the final years of their career.

The born again striker has no plans for that and with his current employers always sniffing around the league’s top two, he’d love to add a league title to his trophy haul before he has to hang up the boots.‘

“I’m enjoying playing and feeling good physically so providing that continues I’ll keep playing at as high a level as possible.

‘The title is something that has eluded me. I’ve been playing in the league now since 2003 so it would be a shame to play all those years and not lift the title, there’s still time yet though.”

(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)