DYLAN, CALVIN AND DESEAN GO WEST!

Aberystwyth Town Football Club is delighted to welcome trio Dylan Downs, Calvin Smith, and Desean Martin for the upcoming JD Cymru South season, joining from Mid Wales rivals Newtown AFC.

21-year-old centre-back Dylan came through the youth ranks at Shrewsbury Town before joining The Robins ahead of the 2020/21 season, where he featured regularly for the Club’s Development side as a youngster.

A six-month loan with JD Cymru North side Llanidloes Town for the first half of the 2023/24 campaign gave Dylan his first consistent taste of senior football, making 10 appearances in all competitions, before returning to Latham Park.

The following season, Dylan again spent the first half of the season on loan in the Cymru North, this time with Caersws, making 21 total appearances in all competitions before being recalled in January 2025.

First-Team Manager Callum McKenzie commented:

"Dyl is someone that I have know for a long time, through his time with Shrewsbury Town's Academy and then with Newtown. He possesses a great range of passing, is comfortable on the ball, and he reads the game well.

Dyl has shown previously that he is capable of playing at Cymru Premier level and had a really positive loan period at Caersws last season which was important for him at that stage. He's fantastic character, an excellent technician, and someone I know will give everything for Aber next season".

Youngster Calvin joined The Robins from Telford United at the beginning of the 2023/24 season and made an immediate impression with the Club’s Development side, tallying 23 goals and assists in 24 games.

Heading into the 2024/25 JD Cymru Premier campaign, Calvin earned himself a regular spot in the senior side from the outset and went on to make 24 appearances in all competitions with 15 starts—predominantly at left-back and left-wing—impressing with his pace, trickery, and confidence on the pitch.

McKenzie told us:

"Calvin had an excellent debut season in the Cymru Premier last season and will have only developed further from the experience. He' a dynamic player with good athletic qualities and can turn defence into attack very quickly.

Calvin can play anywhere on the left hand side and will provide us with excellent balance from that area of the pitch, both in and out of possession which is important - and sometimes difficult to find. A really talented player who I'm looking forward to working with again next season".

28-year-old combative midfielder Desean, fondly known as 'Dish', joins the Black and Greens with spells across several Clubs in the English pyramid, including Market Drayton, Sutton Coldfield Town, Hednesford, and Bedworth Town.

Most recently, he gained his first experience in Wales having joined Newtown AFC in January 2025 where he made 10 appearances in Phase 2, scoring once against Connah's Quay Nomads in March.

McKenzie commented:

"Dish is someone I signed in January for Newtown who was arguably our most consistent performer. He's an athletic player who works tirelessly, has a good habit of anticipating where the ball is going to be, breaks play up, and is excellent in transition.

Dish will also add dynamism going forward, is capable of breaking lines with his movement, and I would expect him to contribute with goals and assists next season. He's is the type of player every team needs and he will be really important for us both home and away where games might be a little more of a battle. I believe he will become a firm fan favourite'.

"I'm delighted that all three players have agreed to join us. They're not only good players, but great characters as well which is extremely important in the dressing room - welcome to Aber, lads!"