In a special preview interview for the upcoming Europa League play off final against Newtown AFC, Aber Town manager Ian Hughes spoke with the Aber Town YouTube channel and Marketing Officer Martin Smith.
“We’re confident of getting Cledan Davies back after he picked up a slight knock on Sunday and Antonio Corbisiero is in with a chance of being back as well, so we’re looking at being full strength on Sunday. We haven’t been full strength for quite a while now, but I think the better players are coming back into form at the right time and we’re getting everyone back fit which is important.”
After a long hard gruelling season, Hughes reflected upon the team’s targets set at the start of the season.
“I certainly hoped we’d be challenging (for European qualification) and thought we might do that because of the faith and trust that I have in the players. I think that the togetherness of the players, liked we demonstrated on Sunday to come back after being 2-1 down to win the game 3-2, demonstrates that there’s a togetherness and a belief in the squad. So I’m not surprised where we are, because I know of what we have in the dressing room, we have good players with good attitudes and that’s what will hopefully get us through on Sunday.”
With Aber duo Chris Venables and Geoff Kellaway named in the Welsh Premier League’s Team of the Season for the 2014/15 season, Ian Hughes spoke of his delight for the two Aber men but also of his surprise at the exclusion of club captain Stuart Jones in the team.
“It was great to get two in, Chris and Geoff are no brainers really. Stuart Jones was unlucky to miss out as I thought he deserved to be in there as did a couple of others as well. It’s great to know that other managers are looking at our players, because maybe 3 or 4 years ago when we were finishing 3rd or 4th from bottom maybe they (the players) didn’t get the accolades that they may have deserved. They are now putting in consistent performances week in week out, and it’s great that we’ve got them here."
The conversation then went onto another key Aber Town player, the ‘12th man’ in the starting line-up, the Aber Town supporters.
“We need their support, we need the fans support, it’s been a long season and they’ve supported us throughout. Hopefully we can do it, and if we can do it for anyone, it’ll be for the fans as they have been excellent all throughout the season. The atmosphere is usually better on a Friday night, but we need to create that Friday night atmosphere now on Sunday. The fans need to make sure that there’s plenty of atmosphere and that we create a hostile environment because our players do well when they're supported.”
When asked what a victory in Sunday’s game would mean to the club, Hughes replied “It’s not only a game for the club; it’s a game for the town and the community. This area is a hotbed of football, there are many good footballers that have come from this region in the past and will come from here again, we have a strong academy and it’s a game for everyone. If we can win the game and get through to Europe it’ll be an outstanding achievement. We need to get the job done, it’s been a long 12 months leading up to this game and we’ve given ourselves a great chance, but we take nothing for granted. Newtown are an excellent team and Chris Hughes has done a great job. He’s galvanised them and got some really good, strong physical players. We have to make sure that we’re at our best and hopefully if we are, we’ll be ok.”
Hughes revealed his emotions after Mark Jones' winning goal against Gap Connah's Quay on Sunday. “It was strange to score in the last minute, it felt like we had won the game but more than that. However, in the grand scheme of things it was a win in the semi-final of a cup, this is now the cup final and there’s a cup to win. There are some very good players in that dressing room, some very good players that have won things in the past and there are some other good players who haven’t quite won anything, me being one of those people, so we probably need to win something for our own good! We’re looking to win a cup and that’s what it is, it’s a cup final, it’s at Park Avenue. It’s great if we get into Europe, but it’s a cup final and we’re looking at winning it as a cup final.”
The full interview with manager Ian Hughes is available to watch on the Aberystwyth Town YouTube Channel here, by clicking on the "Videos" tab and the latest video.
Tickets for Sunday's game are available for free (limited at two per applicant) at the following locations and times around Aberystwyth.
Aberystwyth University Students Union Reception
(Wed, Thur, Fri 9.30am-4pm)
Aberystwyth Arts Centre Box Office
(Wed, Thur, Fri 9.30am-4pm)
Morris & Bates Solicitors, Alexandra Road
(Wed, Thur, Fri 9.30am-4pm)
Ruth's Kitchen, Park Avenue
(Wed 9am-2pm, Fri 8am-2pm, Sat 10am-2pm)
Admission on the day will cost £5 for Adults, £3 Concessions and £1 for Children.
“We’re confident of getting Cledan Davies back after he picked up a slight knock on Sunday and Antonio Corbisiero is in with a chance of being back as well, so we’re looking at being full strength on Sunday. We haven’t been full strength for quite a while now, but I think the better players are coming back into form at the right time and we’re getting everyone back fit which is important.”
After a long hard gruelling season, Hughes reflected upon the team’s targets set at the start of the season.
“I certainly hoped we’d be challenging (for European qualification) and thought we might do that because of the faith and trust that I have in the players. I think that the togetherness of the players, liked we demonstrated on Sunday to come back after being 2-1 down to win the game 3-2, demonstrates that there’s a togetherness and a belief in the squad. So I’m not surprised where we are, because I know of what we have in the dressing room, we have good players with good attitudes and that’s what will hopefully get us through on Sunday.”
With Aber duo Chris Venables and Geoff Kellaway named in the Welsh Premier League’s Team of the Season for the 2014/15 season, Ian Hughes spoke of his delight for the two Aber men but also of his surprise at the exclusion of club captain Stuart Jones in the team.
“It was great to get two in, Chris and Geoff are no brainers really. Stuart Jones was unlucky to miss out as I thought he deserved to be in there as did a couple of others as well. It’s great to know that other managers are looking at our players, because maybe 3 or 4 years ago when we were finishing 3rd or 4th from bottom maybe they (the players) didn’t get the accolades that they may have deserved. They are now putting in consistent performances week in week out, and it’s great that we’ve got them here."
The conversation then went onto another key Aber Town player, the ‘12th man’ in the starting line-up, the Aber Town supporters.
“We need their support, we need the fans support, it’s been a long season and they’ve supported us throughout. Hopefully we can do it, and if we can do it for anyone, it’ll be for the fans as they have been excellent all throughout the season. The atmosphere is usually better on a Friday night, but we need to create that Friday night atmosphere now on Sunday. The fans need to make sure that there’s plenty of atmosphere and that we create a hostile environment because our players do well when they're supported.”
When asked what a victory in Sunday’s game would mean to the club, Hughes replied “It’s not only a game for the club; it’s a game for the town and the community. This area is a hotbed of football, there are many good footballers that have come from this region in the past and will come from here again, we have a strong academy and it’s a game for everyone. If we can win the game and get through to Europe it’ll be an outstanding achievement. We need to get the job done, it’s been a long 12 months leading up to this game and we’ve given ourselves a great chance, but we take nothing for granted. Newtown are an excellent team and Chris Hughes has done a great job. He’s galvanised them and got some really good, strong physical players. We have to make sure that we’re at our best and hopefully if we are, we’ll be ok.”
Hughes revealed his emotions after Mark Jones' winning goal against Gap Connah's Quay on Sunday. “It was strange to score in the last minute, it felt like we had won the game but more than that. However, in the grand scheme of things it was a win in the semi-final of a cup, this is now the cup final and there’s a cup to win. There are some very good players in that dressing room, some very good players that have won things in the past and there are some other good players who haven’t quite won anything, me being one of those people, so we probably need to win something for our own good! We’re looking to win a cup and that’s what it is, it’s a cup final, it’s at Park Avenue. It’s great if we get into Europe, but it’s a cup final and we’re looking at winning it as a cup final.”
The full interview with manager Ian Hughes is available to watch on the Aberystwyth Town YouTube Channel here, by clicking on the "Videos" tab and the latest video.
Tickets for Sunday's game are available for free (limited at two per applicant) at the following locations and times around Aberystwyth.
Aberystwyth University Students Union Reception
(Wed, Thur, Fri 9.30am-4pm)
Aberystwyth Arts Centre Box Office
(Wed, Thur, Fri 9.30am-4pm)
Morris & Bates Solicitors, Alexandra Road
(Wed, Thur, Fri 9.30am-4pm)
Ruth's Kitchen, Park Avenue
(Wed 9am-2pm, Fri 8am-2pm, Sat 10am-2pm)
Admission on the day will cost £5 for Adults, £3 Concessions and £1 for Children.
