Big changes at Berriew

There are big changes happening on the pitch at Berriew with manager David Jones announcing a number of departures and an injection of local youngsters.

“As we welcome in the new year there have been some changes on the pitch at Berriew, with some well-known faces departing,” said Jones.

“Outgoing are forward Karl Seliaerts, who moves to Llanfair Utd and midfielder Chris Carroll who joins Kerry. Matt Mumford is also leaving the club with Kerry expected to be his next destination.

“I would personally like to thank the departing trio for their contributions over the last two and a half years which has been a very successful period seeing us win the Spar Division Two league and cup double, and of course finishing thuird in Spar Division One and winning the Spar Mid Wales League Cup last season.

“The lads leave on good terms and I wish them all the best at their new clubs, and the door is always open for them should they ever wish to return,” he added.

“I think it is fair to say that the league season so far has not gone as we would have hoped or as well as some would have predicted at the start of the season.

“In addition to this over the past 4-6 weeks in particular things have gone a bit flat and a bit stale, and it was becoming increasingly clear that the team needed freshening up and that some of the lads themselves needed a fresh challenge and wanted to leave.

“I am fortunate that we have some very promising local teenagers around in Dewi Hughes, Sam Bowers, Jake Mann, Harry Watkins and Calum Greatorex and in mid-December I decided that instead of stumbling along as we had been, now seemed the ideal time and opportunity to give these young lads more regular game time and look to the future.

“I am hopeful that with the help of the remaining older players in the squad, many of whom have been at the club themselves since they were teenagers, we will improve both individually and as a side over the next few years.”