Football: Air of mystery surrounds Caernarfon Town FC

Aug 14 2008 By Dave Jones

CAERNARFON Town supporters will probably have very little idea what to expect when the team embarks on their latest Welsh Premier League campaign this Saturday.

It’s been all change at The Oval in the summer with manager Steve O'Shaughnessy departing for pastures new at GAP Connah’s Quay and a new three-man Liverpool- based team taking over the Canaries.

David Rowe and Peter Smith, both coaches at the Liverpool Academy, and Aubrey Rogers, who has been responsible for bringing several talented players to Caernarfon over the past couple of seasons, will lead the Cofis in 2008/09.

Apart from a couple of low-key friendly victories over Bootle and Newton, the only match of note Caernarfon have been involved in so far was a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Blue Square Conference North side Fleetwood Town.

Their scheduled game against Prescot Cables on July 26 was called off as The Oval pitch was not ready and last Saturday’s tune-up at Nefyn United was also postponed due to torrential rain.

Last season's Canaries squad has been stripped bare with just a handful of players remaining. In their place have come a number of Merseyside footballers of differing ages and experience.

They include: Lee Furlong – an experienced goal-getter around non-league clubs in Merseyside area for many years including Marine, Vauxhall Motors and Witton Albion; Joseph Duncan – cousin of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard who plays in central midfield; Steve Johnson – right winger who has worn the colours of Prescot Cables, Skelmersdale and Vauxhall Motors; Ian Dawes – one-time Liverpool trialist who has represented Kidsgrove Athletic and Marine; Tom Grice – England Schoolboys international and Warren Warne – centre forward whose claim to fame is captaining John Fashanu’s amateur team assembled for reality TV show Fash’s Football Challenge.

"I’m not going to come out and say we’re going to qualify for the UEFA Cup, but the squad is coming together nicely. We’re just going to take every week as it comes," said manager Rowe.

Caernarfon begin on Saturday with a visit to Caersws where they won 1-0 on the final day of last season, thus helping ensure Porthmadog's survival. The Bluebirds have strengthened recently and are sure to test the Canaries. On Tuesday, August 19, Caernarfon visit Newtown for a League Cup tie then on August 23 Rhyl are visitors to The Oval.