DON’T WRITE US OFF
After defeat last night at this moment in time we might well need to win at Newcastle on Saturday. I don't think we should be to despondent as we currently have six players out injured and five of them are senior players which any club would miss.  Hopefully I will have at least two back for the weekend which will give the squad a boost and our aim is to go to Newcastle and try and win the game.

For the first time since I have been at the club, last night (and since) I have felt a sense of pessimism around the club.  I am well aware with good results comes added expectation, but we must also remember that
this group of players have been in very difficult positions throughout the season, no more than when we first arrived and the squad have always come back fighting with great professionalism and commitment.  We all must realise that unfortunately serious injuries to senior players will, and have caused us problems because we don't have the biggest squad in the world and also a lot of our players have never played at this level before.

We have not put ourselves in the playoffs to make up the numbers, we are there on merit and although it is a difficult task for all the teams, our objective is and will always be to get promoted. I think some people have already written us off for a home play off tie but if someone would have said to me in October you will be in the playoffs I certainly would have taken it, so to be going to Newcastle requiring a win to finish third is a challenge I am looking forward to and so is my team.


Neil Young.

WELSH SCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL COMES TO COLWYN BAY
Welsh Schools Under 18’s will face their counterparts from Northern Ireland in a Carnegie Centenary Shield Fixture on Monday, 20th April, Kick-off is 7.00pm at Colwyn Bay Football Club, Llanelian Road, Old Colwyn.

In a game that is being hosted by Colwyn Bay Football Club with support from Conwy Borough County Council it represents the first international to be played in the town for over 12 years when Wales played Holland at Eirias Park in 1996. Being selected to host the match is an honor for the club and town and also provides a great opportunity for the football fans of North Wales to come along and watch potential stars of the future. Previous schoolboy internationals include Ian Rush, Mark Hughes, Kevin Ratcliffe and more recently Robbie Savage & Craig Bellamy who have all gone on to become full internationals and enjoyed very successful careers.

In spite losing their opening two matches, Wales beat Scotland 1-0 in their last fixture in Port Talbot and will be looking to add to that victory in North Wales.

Cllr Glyn Jones, Chairman of Conwy County Borough Council comments “Conwy County Borough Council is delighted to support this event and would like to thank Colwyn Bay Football Club for hosting the game and providing their excellent facilities. The game will provide these exceptional young players with an opportunity to showcase their skills.”

The game will also feature a half time display from Conwy Schools representative teams and there will also be a raffle with the opportunity of winning a football signed by the full Welsh International side.

Admission is £5 for Adults and £1 for children (Under 16).

Further Information on the fixture can also be found on www.colwynbayfc.co.uk

WELSH SCHOOLBOYS – MANAGERS COMMENTS:

The Welsh Schools’ F.A. have this season put into place a  new management team for their Under Eighteen Squad under the guidance of Martin Evans who was the former Manager of the Welsh Under-16 Squad. 

Martin Evans comments ahead of the game:

“The results in the first two games against the Republic of Ireland and England were somewhat disappointing with defensive errors at set pieces proving to be costly. We dominated the first half against England with a much improved performance. This improvement was continued against Scotland and resulted in a well deserved win by one goal to nil.”

“The Northern Ireland team deserve great respect, by virtue of the results that they have achieved, but following a number of team changes that were made for the Scotland game, we hope to be able to continue to cause the Irish a number of problems.”  

> Press contact:- email: contact@colwynbayfc.co.uk

COLWYN BAY FOOTBALL CLUB VISIT CHILDRENS HOSPICE
Colwyn Bay Football Club officials recently took time out of their work commitments to pay a visit to Children’s Hospice, Ty Gobaith.

On arrival Carol Beard (CBFC Commercial Manager), Neil Young (First Team Manager), Gary Jones (Assistant Manager) and Jim Soul (Kit Manager) were met by Ty Gobaith representatives Sarah Kearsley-Wooller (Appeals Manager) and Beverley Bradley (Area Fundraiser).

The Colwyn Bay Football Club officials presented Ty Gobaith with a Framed Team Photograph and a club pennant. Neil Young, the Colwyn Bay FC manager, also handed over a cheque for money that was raised by the players and management team.

The Colwyn Bay FC officials were given a guided tour of the hospice and gained an insight into the work that is being done as well as the efforts that are required in order to raise vital funds needed to continue caring for terminally ill children.

Colwyn Bay Football Club decided to forgo revenue from shirt sponsorship this season in order to help promote the charity in a similar move also adopted by Barcelona and Aston Villa who bear the Unicef and Acorns Children’s Hospice logos on their kits respectively.

Carol Beard, Colwyn Bay FC, Commercial Manager said: “Colwyn Bay FC are very proud to have formed a partnership with Ty Gobaith which has included the Ty Gobaith logo featuring on the teams shirts this season. This has given the club an opportunity to give something back to the local community which supports the club and at the same time raising the profile of a wonderful charity. “

COLWYN BAY FC AT PROM DAY
The club have this year decided to support the Colwyn Bay Prom Day on the 4th May 2009.  There will be a exhibit in a strategic position on the prom which will have a facility to sell club merchandise and also a stand to inform visitors of our youth football programme, this will be enhanced by a professional “on screen” rolling information facility detailing the clubs success and youth football involvement.

We will also be running, on the beach, a fun “beat the keeper penalty shots” competition with a unique T-Shirt as a prize for scoring 3 penalties.

The day is attended by thousands of visitors and to ensure that it runs smoothly we need volunteers to help with the various events.  The day runs from 8.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m. (this includes erecting the exhibits), but does not necessitate being there all day as we intend to run a rotation system
Please support the club in anyway you can by emailing on contact@colwynbayfc.co.uk to put your name forward.

Mal Jackson, Colwyn Bay’s Community Development Director commented “This is an excellent opportunity to show the local people of Conwy and outside visitors, that we are serious about our community engagement. It is also a tremendous branding exercise for the club, given the tens of thousands people who have attended in previous years. We have had great support all season from loyal fans, we are asking for them to just give a few hours of their time to come and help out and make certain the Bay project a professional image, and the day is successful for us”.

BAY SUPPORT COLWYN & ABERGELE SCHOOLS FOOTBALL SHIELD
As part of the continuing engagement with the local community, the club recently sponsored the Colwyn Bay & Abergele Schools Football Shield, which is an annual event and attracts many primary schools within Conwy.

Mal Jackson our Community Development Director attended the tournament and spoke to pupils and teachers about the community initiatives that the club are embarking on. The tournament was competitively contested with the eventual winners being:

• Boys – St.Elfod, Abergele.
• Girls – Maes Owen Towyn.

Both teams have been given the opportunity to lead out the first team on a convenient match day.

Mal commented “We very much see these types of initiatives as an important link to working closely with local schools. We already hold soccer coaching for under 8’s at the club every Saturday morning, but supporting events like this gives us the opportunity to re-affirm our intentions to work closely with the young people of Conwy. I would like to thank Darren Dentith – teacher at Ysgol Pen Y Bryn, Colwyn Bay for inviting us to support the tournament, and look forward to working closely with Darren and his colleagues in the future.”

HEAD STEWARD STANDS DOWN
Colwyn Bay Football Club regret to announce that owing to personal circumstances Steven Ransley, the clubs Head Steward, has had to relinquish his duties and step down. The club would like to thank Steve for all his hard work and the professional way that he conducted himself and led his team on Matchdays.

Matchday Operations Director Martin Cartwright commented, “It is with the deepest regret that I have had to formally accept Steve’s resignation today. His professionalism and dedication to his duties on matchdays has been noticed by many and he will be sorely missed by everyone at the club. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for all his hard work, especially the support that he has given me during his tenure as Head Steward, and wish him every success in his future endeavours.”

The club would like to make an appeal for any volunteers who wish to become part of the Matchday Operations Stewarding Team to contact Martin Cartwright via email: mcartwright@precom.co.uk

YOUNGS SEAGULLS FLYING HIGH
Neil Young and his squad have been rewarded for their continued hard work and efforts on the field by collecting the Club of the Month Award for the second month in a row after winning six of their eight matches throughout the month of March.  This is after Neil Young’s squad picked up the same award for February after the squad put in a faultless display week in week out, dropping only two points on the road at FC Halifax. 

‘The Bay’ have certainly hit form at the right time of the season and all credit must go to the manager, backroom staff and players for their committed push to finish in the play-offs. 

Neil Young said “It’s an unbelievable achievement and all the credit has to go to the players for their effort and hard work.”

Young went on to say “It’s not easy winning this award just the once, so to outperform your rivals consistently over a two month period is an unbelievable achievement.  The whole squad have been fantastic and they deserve all the applause.”
Colwyn Bay’s Club Secretary Grant McIndoe echoed “This is a fantastic achievement and Thanks must be given to everyone concerned with the club for their sterling efforts throughout the season”