 David "Dias" Williams remains Aberystwyth Town FC's greatest ever goalscorer. It is now 30 years since he was sadly lost, and in March this year he would have celebrated his 70th birthday.
In his memory Dias' widow Margery and his sons Owain and Sion have decided to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, by holding a sponsored 70 mile walk over 4 days, visiting the local Football clubs that were important to him during his football career. We are delighted to confirm that the walkers will complete their first day's walk on Friday 8th March by attending the Black and Greens' JD Welsh Premier League match at home to Carmarthen, as guests of the Club. Club Director Thomas Crockett said: "Dias was not just a superb footballer, but also a kind and generous man who had a huge impact on people he came into contact with, myself included. We are delighted to support the walk and encourage our followers to do likewise". Donations can be made on the walk's fundraising page here. More information about Dias is provided be the walk website as follows: "In November 1988 David Williams (Dias) passed away when he was 39 years old. At the time he was the headteacher at Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Primary school. Every one knew him as Dias, named after the famous Brazilian football player. Dias' football career began in his home village of Pontrhydfendigaid, in 1963. at the age of 14 and he scored a goal on his debut. He attracted the attention of Aberystwyth Football club and played his first game for the club in 1968. and continued playing until 1975. Dias then joined Llanidloes Football club and over 2 seasons scored 118 goals. He then returned to Aberystwyth F C in 1977 and played for them for another 5 years. During his time playing for Aberystwyth he scored 474 goals. He spent his final years playing for Penrhyncoch, Bont, Dewi Stars and lastly he established Trawscoed Football Club. Unfortunately he didn't play many games for the club due to ill health. Dias was a faithful supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers. One of his dreams was realised a few months before his death, when he had the opportunity to watch Wolves play in a final at Wembley, beating Burnley to win the ' Sherpa Vans Trophy. Unfortunately Dias died as a result of cancer leaving a void in so many lives. As a tribute to him, a new stand at Park Avenue was named in his memory. The Dias Stand was officially opened by the world- renowned striker John Charles." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- David "Dias" Williams yw'r sgoriwr gorau yn holl hanes CPD Tref Aberystwyth. Yn drist iawn bu farw Dias 30 mlynedd yn ol, ac ym mis Mawrth eleni byddai wedi dathlu ei benblwydd yn 70 oed. Mae gweddw Dias Margery, a'i feibion Owain a Sion wedi penderfynu codi arian tuag at Macmillan Cancer Support, drwy drefnu taith gerdded o 70 milltir dros 4 niwrnod, gan ymweld a'r Clybiau Peldroed oedd yn bwysig i Dias drwy ei yrfa peldroed.. Rydym yn falch iawn o gadarnhau y bydd y cerddwyr yn cwblhau'r diwrnod cyntaf o'u taith cerdded nos Wener 8fed o Fawrth yng Nghoedlan y Parc, i fynychu'r gem yng Nghyngrair JD Welsh Premier yn erbyn Caerfyrddin, fel gwesteuon o'r Clwb. Dywedodd Cyfarwyddwr y Clwb Thomas Crockett: "Roedd Dias yn fwy na pheldroediwr arbennig. Roedd e hefyd yn berson caredig a hwylus, a gafodd effaith arbenning ar bobl oedd yn ffodus iawn i'w adnabod, gan gynnwys fi fy hun. Fel Clwb rydym yn falch iawn i hybu'r taith gerdded ac rydym yn annog ein cefnogwyr i'w gefnogi hefyd". Gellir noddi'r cerddwyr ar safle we swyddogol y daith cerdded yma. Ceir mwy o wybodaeth am Dias ar safle we'r taith gerdded fel a ganlyn: "Ym mis Tachwedd 1988 bu farw David Williams (Dias) ac yntau ond yn 39 mlwydd oed. Roedd yn brifathro Ysgol Gynradd Llanfihangel y Creuddyn ar y pryd. Roedd pawb yn ei adnabod fel Dias, wedi ei enwi ar ol peldroediwr enwog Brazil. Cychwynodd gyrfa peldroed Dias yn ei bentref enedigol sef Pontrhydfendigaid yn y flwyddyn 1963 yn 14 mlwydd oed ac fe sgoriodd un gol yn ei gem gyntaf. Daeth i sylw clwb peldroed Aberystwyth a chwareuodd ei gem gyntaf iddynt yn 1968 gan chwarae tan 1975. Penderfynodd Dias ymuno a chlwb peldroed Llanidloes yn 1975 a dros gyfnod o ddwy flynedd llwyddodd i sgorio 118 gol. 1977 dychwelodd i glwb Aberystwyth am 5 mlynedd. Sgoriodd 474 o goliau yn ystod ei amser yn chwarae i Aberystwyth. Treuliodd Dias ei flynyddoedd olaf yn chwarae i glybiau Penrhyncoch, Bont, Ser Dewi ac yn olaf sefydlodd glwb peldroed yn Nhrawscoed. Yn anffodus ni chwareuodd lawer o gemau i'r clwb oherwydd salwch. Fel teyrnged iddo enwodd clwb Aberystwyth yr eisteddle newydd yn Eisteddle Dias ac agorwyd yn swyddogol gan y seren byd enwog John Charles. Roedd Dias yn gefnogwr fyddlon tim peldroed Wolves. Gwireddwyd un o'i freuddwydion ychydig fisoedd cyn ei farwolaeth, pan gafodd y cyfle i wylio Wolves yn chwarae yn Wembley yn erbyn Burnley ac ennill Cwpan Sherpa Vans. Yn anffodus collwyd Dias o ganlyniad i gancr gan adael bwlch rhyfeddol ar ei ol." JD Welsh Premier League
Saturday 23rd February Aberystwyth Town 2 Cardiff Met 0 A double from in form Marc Williams, allied to a defensive masterclass earned the Black and Greens a vital victory over Cardiff Met this afternoon at Park Avenue, which ensures the fight for a UEFA Europa League Play Off place will continue into March. Williams opened the scoring on 58 seconds, intercepting a clearance from Met keeper Alex Lang, and repeated the trick just after the hour with a low drive from further out. Town now stand just two points behind Met on 34 points with six matches of the regular season remaining. On a balmy day which heralded the start of Springtime, the hosts had a dream start when Williams chased down a Met back pass and keeper Alex Lang’s clearance deflected into the net off Town’s Super Sparky Striker, after just 58 seconds! A hectic period ensued as Met’s Adam Roscrow saw a shot blocked and Dylan Rees fired over. At the other end Paolo Mendes, who was having a super game snapping at Met’s heels and breaking up play, headed wide from Wes Baynes’ free kick. The ever dependable Ryan Wollacott denied Chris Baker a chance by clearing Roscrow’s dangerous cross, and back up the field Ash Ruane almost repeated Williams’ trick by chasing down another backpass, but to no avail. With Town sitting deep and allowing Met possession in their own half, livewire Geoff Kellaway was always a threat on the break, and when the imperious Williams won the ball and played him in he clipped the post agonisingly with a cute effort past Lang. Emlyn Lewis’ cross was easy for home keeper McCormick, and just before the break Elliott Evans’ was so close to equalising when his free kick from 30 yards brushed the top of the net, but disciplined Town held out for a deserved half time lead. Met tried to up the pace after the break but Wollacott did well to block Will Evans, before Kyle McCarthy’s testing right wing cross flashed across goal only for Elliott Evans to hit the outside of the post at the back stick. The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Aber defending deep, superbly, and Met struggling to find space in the final third to create opportunities. Town threatened as Ruane then found Williams, and his flying snapshot was somehow deflected to safety, Ryan Edwards’ effort flew wide, before Harry Owen responded for Met with a grass tickler which brought McCormick into play. Then Williams intercepted the ball on the half way line and broke down the right before firing a super second low down into Lang’s bottom right hand corner, to give Aber the real scent of victory. Aber had a penalty shout when Lewis, already on a yellow, tangled with Ruane in the box, but then McCormick pulled off a great save from Will Evans to safeguard the hosts’ clean sheet. Some late drizzle could not dampen the hosts’ ardour, and when Will Evans’ lob sailed over the bar with three minutes to go, the job was done, and Aber had a crucial victory. With Aber earning their first clean sheet since November top marks must go to the defensive six of McCormick, Declan Walker, Baynes, Wollacott, Steff Edwards and Matthew Jones, but Williams, Kellaway and Ruane also caught the eye going forward, and Mendes and Ryan Edwards did brilliantly at their job of breaking up play and moving Aber forward also. Two wins and a draw from their first four matches after the split has given Aber’s season a big boost and the Black and Greens will look forward with confidence now to their next assignment, when Carmarthen Town visit Park Avenue a week on Friday 8th March (ko 7.45pm). A UEFA Europa League Play Off Spot is still within grasp!  Aberystwyth Town face arguably their most important game of the season to date on Saturday, as they host Europa League Play Off rivals Cardiff Met at Park Avenue in the JD Welsh Premier League. Aber suffered a disappointing defeat away at Cefn Druids last Friday evening, but had previously picked up four points from their opening two games to kick off Phase 2 of the league season, and will be keen to return to winning ways in a key clash this weekend against the Archers.
Assistant Manager Gavin Allen took the positives from last weekend's defeat at the Rock, despite the 3-1 scoreline, stating; "The seventh placed league position is still up for grabs and we'll fight for it. We've produced another good performance tonight, but we're just lacking that little bit of confidence and letting ourselves down with split-second decisions in games at the moment". Indeed, Saturday provides the Seasiders with somewhat of a 'now or never' moment if they are to continue their chase for a seventh placed league finish and Play Off birth for Europa League qualification at the end of the season. Town currently lie five points behind Play Off Conference leaders Cardiff Met, with just seven league games remaining, and they must approach Saturday's clash with no fear as they return to action at Park Avenue. The Black and Greens need to look no further for inspiration than their last league clash with the Archers, when Ash Ruane completed a remarkable turnaround at Cyncoed Campus back in November to seal a 3-2 victory after trailing 2-0 at half time. They'll need to show similar fight and character at Park Avenue on Saturday if they are to prevail with an equally positive result. This weekend's visitors travel to Aber having found form recently themselves. Former Seasider Christian Edwards' side have won seven of their last eight games in all competitions, having won the Nathaniel MG Cup Final amidst that run. Their away form this season has been indifferent however, having won just one of their last eight JD Welsh Premier League fixtures on the road, with their sole victory coming against bottom outfit Llandudno. In what is another crunch clash, Aber will be seeking to get back on track with victory against the Archers as they continue their chase for that lucrative seventh placed finish. Kick off at Park Avenue on Saturday is at 2:30 p.m, and admission costs £8 adults, £5 concessions and £2 for u16's. With just four home games remaining this season, the Black and Greens need your support now more than ever as they enter the final stretch! The club would also like to announce the transfer of youngster Harri Rowe to Haverfordwest County, whilst retaining his youth registration with the Under 19's team, in order to enhance his career development.  Aberystwyth Town Ladies knocked out last season's CWFA Cup winners Llanfair United Ladies to progress to the Semi-Final and keep their hopes of regaining the trophy they lost in 2018 well and truly alive, writes Steven Brookes. LLANFAIR UTD LADIES 0-2 ABER TOWN LADIES: MATCH REPORT
Second half goals from Kelly Thomas and Tania Wylde were enough to give Aber a very hard fought victory against the Central Wales cup holders writes Steven Brookes. Aber were in very good form going into the match, top of their league and scoring plenty of goals, a total of thirteen from their previous two matches. Despite recent results, a trip to Llanfair United was always going to be a totally different challenge. The two sides know each other well and have met in the final of this competition on numerous occasions in recent years with the most recent being last season's edition with the team in blue coming out as winners on what was a disappointing night for Town. In Llanfair and on a difficult, bobbly pitch, it was the hosts that made the stronger start. Aber goalkeeper, Ffion Ashman happy to see a shot from the edge of the area deflected wide and later a powerful header fom a corner go over her crossbar. This may not have been the type of performance the Ceredigion side had hoped for but they were creating a few opportunities of their own. Ffiona Evans being one of the players in green who nearly found the net. Aber's captain nearly poking the ball past the keeper after a fantastic through ball from Tania Wylde. A frustrated Aber side were very close to going behind early in the second half when a lobbed effort from the home side came back off Ashman's post whilst just moments later the visitors had an opportunity too take the lead but Helen Evans was unable to hit the target with the difficult pitch largely to blame. Last season's runners-up did break the deadlock though ten minutes into the half. A Caroline Cooper freekick was poked in by Kelly Thomas at the back post. The goal seemed to give Aber the boost they needed and were now on top. Wylde came agonisingly close to doublining the lead at the back post but was unable to hit the taget after a superb ball from Helen Evans, The clubs top-scorer and regular goal of the month winner did find the back of the net later on though and yet again, what a goal! The winger cutting in on her right foot before her effort dipped at the perfect time to put the visitors two-up and in full-control. If anyone was going to get the games third goal it was Aber looking the most likely but the third wasn't needed as the Black and Greens progressed into the next round of the competition. LLANFAIR UTD v ABER MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
SEMI-FINAL FIXTURE INFORMATION
Aber Town Ladies will play Felinfach on Sunday 24th February in Felinfach. Kick off will be at 2pm and the winners of the tie will face Aberystwyth Uni or Lampeter in this seasons Central Wales Cup Final. NEXT FIXTURE: |
Gem Nesaf
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