Port Talbot Town releases statement on club’s current plight
Port Talbot, Wales, UK. 12th Dec, 2020. General View of Victoria Road. Port Talbot Town v Cambrian & Clydach Vale at Victoria Road in the Nathanial MG Cup on the 12th December 2020 Credit: Lewis Mitchell/YCPD
Port Talbot Town have issued a statement regarding the current plight the club finds themselves in.
Currently second from bottom in the Cymru South, only due to Carmarthen Town’s three-point deduction, the club are winless, without a manager, and are playing with a side with an average age of less than 21-years-old.
On the eve of the new domestic season, manager Mark Pike stood down from his role. Their game with Swansea University in the Nathaniel MG Cup was postponed and they were later expelled from the competition.
Since then a number of their first-team players have followed Pike out of the club, joining clubs such as local rivals Afan Lido and other teams in the area.
As a result, the Steelmen have had to field players mainly from their youth side, resulting in hammerings across the league and in the Welsh Cup.
Their most recent result was a 6-0 defeat to town rivals Afan Lido, in which former player Jordan Edwards scored a goal.
Posted on their Facebook page, the club said: “As a club, we have kept quiet while there has been a lot of untruths said about us. We haven’t got into tit for tat out of respect for previous players and the efforts Mark, and his family have done over the years for this football club.
“We are proud of the players who are putting on the shirt at this time, for us, they have the utmost respect and we’ll do anything we can to accommodate them.
There is a positive update for the Victoria Road club, however. The Port Talbot board has been in discussions with a number of managers over the possibility of taking the reins, which would see new players join.
Paul Barrow has taken interim charge whilst the club seeks to find a successor, working alongside Morrys Scott and Gavin Nicholas.
“Over the last month or so we have spoken to some experienced managers and players about joining this great football club.
“Some talks are ongoing, some new talks started. We can assure every supporter that everything is being done to bring a core of experienced personnel in to help our young superstars.
“With your support and with the determination of everyone at this club, from Paul and his coaching staff to the hardworking boys you see wearing the shirt. We will get there, stick with us.”
In response to the current issues, ‘Save Port Talbot Town FC’ has been set up by a section of Port Talbot Town supporters with the main objective of ousting the current club committee.
They are aggrieved that there is branding relating to Northport Rovers, a fictional team in the CBBC series ‘Jamie Johnson’ around the stadium and not fully of Port Talbot Town.
