Aberystwyth Town are delighted to announce the double signing of Rhys Griffiths and Lee Surman, who both join from Port Talbot Town.
Rhys and Lee both signed Contracts with Club Chairman Tony Bates and Assistant Manager Wyn Thomas in Swansea this evening.
Manager Ian Hughes said: "I am delighted to bring Rhys to the club, his record speaks for itself and I am looking forward to working with him. His infectious winning attitude will be priceless in the dressing room as we push to sustain and improve on what has been a good two seasons. He offers a goal threat and will fit in well to the system we play."
"The defence has been somewhere I have needed to address, we conceded too many goals last season. However in Lee I believe we've got one of the best centre halves in the League, which will mean we will be in a better position to defend our box next season. He is a left footed Centre Half who will give us balance. Lee along with Rhys will give us a more physically capable team, which is another area I've wanted to address.
We look forward to welcoming them both for Pre Season training which starts in a couple of weeks."
Rhys is probably the best known Welsh Premier League Player, due to his astonishing strike rate. He is second in the all-time list of WPL scorers, having netted 262 goals from 368 appearances. He finished as top scorer in seven consecutive seasons and was included in the Welsh Premier League's team of the season six times. A three-time winner of the league's Player of the Year award, Griffiths was capped six times by Wales at semi-professional level.
Griffiths combines his role as a part-time footballer with being a firefighter in the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service. A Welsh speaker from North Cardiff, Rhys played for Cwmbrân Town, Haverfordwest County, Carmarthen Town, Port Talbot Town and Llanelli before joining Football League club Plymouth Argyle in 2012 on a one-year contract to become a professional footballer for the first time at the age of 32. Griffiths made 17 appearances in league and cup competitions for Argyle scoring 3 goals, then moved to Newport County in February 2013, where he made a further ten appearances before leaving the Exiles to return to Port Talbot Town.
Lee Surman is another key signing for the Black and Greens. An influential and inspirational Central Defender, he is sure to strengthen Town's defensive unit next season. A major figure at the Genquip, Lee re-joined Port Talbot Town in January 2013 after 18-months away from the club with Llanelli. He had joined Llanelli from Port Talbot Town in June 2011 after seven seasons at the GenQuip Stadium, and in his previous spell at Town, Surman became a leading figure in helping the club achieve European qualification and finish runner-up in the Welsh Cup.
He is widely regarded as one of the league's finest defenders and brings with him a wealth of experience and leadership skills. A former Swansea City apprentice , he is a Wales Under-23 and full semi-professional international, who skippered the Welsh team on several occasions. Aged 29, Lee has already made 304 WPL Appearances, scoring 9 times.
On behalf of everyone at Aberystwyth Town, Atfc.org.uk extends a very warm welcome to Rhys and Lee to Park Avenue.
Rhys and Lee both signed Contracts with Club Chairman Tony Bates and Assistant Manager Wyn Thomas in Swansea this evening.
Manager Ian Hughes said: "I am delighted to bring Rhys to the club, his record speaks for itself and I am looking forward to working with him. His infectious winning attitude will be priceless in the dressing room as we push to sustain and improve on what has been a good two seasons. He offers a goal threat and will fit in well to the system we play."
"The defence has been somewhere I have needed to address, we conceded too many goals last season. However in Lee I believe we've got one of the best centre halves in the League, which will mean we will be in a better position to defend our box next season. He is a left footed Centre Half who will give us balance. Lee along with Rhys will give us a more physically capable team, which is another area I've wanted to address.
We look forward to welcoming them both for Pre Season training which starts in a couple of weeks."
Rhys is probably the best known Welsh Premier League Player, due to his astonishing strike rate. He is second in the all-time list of WPL scorers, having netted 262 goals from 368 appearances. He finished as top scorer in seven consecutive seasons and was included in the Welsh Premier League's team of the season six times. A three-time winner of the league's Player of the Year award, Griffiths was capped six times by Wales at semi-professional level.
Griffiths combines his role as a part-time footballer with being a firefighter in the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service. A Welsh speaker from North Cardiff, Rhys played for Cwmbrân Town, Haverfordwest County, Carmarthen Town, Port Talbot Town and Llanelli before joining Football League club Plymouth Argyle in 2012 on a one-year contract to become a professional footballer for the first time at the age of 32. Griffiths made 17 appearances in league and cup competitions for Argyle scoring 3 goals, then moved to Newport County in February 2013, where he made a further ten appearances before leaving the Exiles to return to Port Talbot Town.
Lee Surman is another key signing for the Black and Greens. An influential and inspirational Central Defender, he is sure to strengthen Town's defensive unit next season. A major figure at the Genquip, Lee re-joined Port Talbot Town in January 2013 after 18-months away from the club with Llanelli. He had joined Llanelli from Port Talbot Town in June 2011 after seven seasons at the GenQuip Stadium, and in his previous spell at Town, Surman became a leading figure in helping the club achieve European qualification and finish runner-up in the Welsh Cup.
He is widely regarded as one of the league's finest defenders and brings with him a wealth of experience and leadership skills. A former Swansea City apprentice , he is a Wales Under-23 and full semi-professional international, who skippered the Welsh team on several occasions. Aged 29, Lee has already made 304 WPL Appearances, scoring 9 times.
On behalf of everyone at Aberystwyth Town, Atfc.org.uk extends a very warm welcome to Rhys and Lee to Park Avenue.
