Aberystwyth captain Kelly Thomas reflects on rollercoaster season
Carmarthen, Wales - 19th February, 2023: Aberystwyth Town team photo ahead of kick off. Aberystwyth Town v Briton Ferry Llansawel in the FAW Women’s Cup Semi Final at Richmond Park on the 19th February 2023. (Pic by Lewis Mitchell/FAW)
It’s hard to comprehend what Aberystwyth Town have been through in this second part of the season.
In January, it was announced that former coach and father of forward Amy Jenkins, Kevin ‘Bones’ Jenkins had passed away.
Bones was a much loved and cherished member of the Aber family, and for veteran players, like captain Kelly Thomas, the passing was a tough time.
“It was such a huge loss, especially for Amy, how she got through the second half of the season is just beyond me.
“That Wrexham game the day after he passed was the worst and best day ever for us. For her to score the opener and the rainbow coming out was amazing, but emotionally, it was so draining.
“We’re such a tight-knit group here, and we’ve all been here for so long, and known him for so long, and for a lot of us it was like losing a second dad.
“But what has come from it, is that, as a group, we are a lot tighter and a lot closer and we’ve all looked after each other.”
Victory over Wrexham booked Aber a place in the FAW Cup semi-final against second tier Briton Ferry.
With the game pitting the Adran Premier team against one from the Adran South, confidence was high going into the contest.
However, it was Ferry who came out with a 3-0 win, a game that affected many members of the Aber team.
“It was really hard. It knocked me harder than anyone else in the team. We waited for so long, I played in the last final we were at 12 years ago against Caernarfon.
“There was so much hype, everyone was talking about it, and fans that don’t really watch us at Park Avenue came all the way down to Carmarthen to watch that game, and we felt we let everyone down.
“We were so poor, and it wasn’t just the fact that we lost, it was the way we lost.”
Away from the cup, the Seasiders have had a strong finish to the league, especially after a sketchy phase one.
In phase two, Aber went on a run of four games without conceding, the joint longest run of anyone in the league, along with Cardiff City.
Defence has always been a strong attribute of Aberystwyth, and to do it without their standout centre-back highlights how good they’ve been in the second half of the season.
“Defending is something we’ve always done well. Last season and even the season before that, we could still defend.
“When we lost Elin Jones, that was a massive blow for us, and it took us a long time to get it right again.”
Jones had been one of the young players of the season before an ACL injury curtailed her season.
Her absence left a big hole to fill, but Aber found an unlikely replacement, a replacement Thomas has hailed as their player of the season.
“We transformed Libby Isaac from being a forward to a central defender, and she was phenomenal there.
“It’s ridiculous how well she’s transitioned from one end of the pitch to the other.
“If you asked her now, although she wants to be up top, you can tell by looking at her that she does enjoy playing at the back.
“She is feisty, and she has got a green heart, she loves the club, and she has such a big impact at centre-back.”
The reputation and support within the league has grown exponentially this year, but Aber have their own trump card when it comes to their support.
The Aber Sole Crew follow the team across Wales, and Thomas was keen to praise the group for their dedication this past season.
“They are phenomenal. Massive shout out to Gwilym Hughes. He’s the one who nags all the boys to get in the car and go to the grounds.
“Sometimes they get the train, and it takes them hours to get there and back.
“I know they love it and it’s a great day out for them, but we appreciate it more than they will know.
“The one game I’ll never forget is away to Cardiff City. We walked out and they were chanting all game and made Leckwith feel like home for us.”
Reflecting on the season, the captain hailed the strength and family atmosphere within the team.
“One thing I’ve learned about myself and the squad this season is I don’t have to shoulder all the responsibility, because my team will always be there to pick up the pieces when it all falls down.”
