DEAKIN INFURIATES RHYL SUPPORTERS
WELSH Premier League chief John Deakin has infuriated Rhyl supporters over a disparaging comment he made about the town in an interview regarding summer football.
"Mention any kind of change in the Welsh Premier and there's rioting in the streets of Rhyl," Deakin told the Wales on Sunday.
Deakin insisted The Football Association of Wales is ready to switch Welsh football's top flight to summer in a bid to make their leading clubs successful in Europe.
Some Welsh clubs have blamed their poor showings in Europe on coming up against Eastern bloc and Scandinavian opponents who are fitter and sharper after summer campaigns.
Only Llanelli and Connah's Quay Nomads voted in favour of the summer football 18 months ago, but league secretary Deakin confirmed the FAW would go ahead with the change if the clubs changed their minds.
Deakin said: “Mention any kind of change in the Welsh Premier and there's rioting in the streets of Rhyl.
"But I'm an administrator, I can only make suggestions. My role is simply to implement what the clubs request me to do. If a majority of clubs want summer football, we'll make it happen.
"What annoys me is the Welsh clubs had a vote to switch to a summer season 18 months ago and it was overwhelmingly rejected 16 votes to two.
"Yet, whenever a Welsh club gets knocked out of Europe, which is frequent, they use the excuse that their opposition have the upper hand by playing summer football.
"If the people at Welsh football's sharp end want summer football, then it's worth giving it a go."
But the truth is, Deakin's claim that Welsh clubs use not having summer football as an excuse for losing in Europe certainly does NOT apply to Rhyl.
John Hulse has constantly maintained he accepts the situation as it is, stating the players simply get on with the job and do the best they can.
Hulse has regularly spoken out against summer football, insisting it is a non-starter with the vast majority of WPL clubs being part-time.
Although the Lilywhites were well beaten in their first foray into Europe - in the Champions League in 2004/05 - they have fared much better in the UEFA Cup since.
And Deakin's ill-founded words about Rhyl has led to several angry comments on thelilywhites.co.uk fans forum.
"Why pick on us?," asked one poster.
The fact is, many Lilywhites fans would rather the club not be part of the Welsh Premier at all.
And if that was the case, and Rhyl returned to the English pyramid, the vitriolic comments of Deakin would be a thing of the past.
Maybe then there would be DANCING in the streets of Rhyl.
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I have just read an article on www.welsh-premier.com.
In the article John Deakin was asked about the idea of the Welsh Premier League moving to summer football in order to try to level the 'playing field' when it comes to European competitions. Mr Deakin said "Mention any kind of change in the Welsh Premier and there's rioting in the streets in Rhyl".
In my view this is severely detrimental to the image of Rhyl as a football club, their passionate and fervant supporters, the town itself and the rest of the local area that have supported Rhyl as a club and town over the years.
Does Mr Deakin have any kind of idea what the effect of his comments has on the image of an area that is being regenerated and is trying to attract inward investment amounting to millions of pounds that is vital to the future of the town?
It is also a huge slur on the football club itself and can only show that the Secretary is severly biased against one of North Wales' most succesful teams and could also be seen as denegrating North Wales football as a whole. His comments are crass and show no insight whatsoever into his standing and the need to be even handed and fair when dealing with football matters.
Can he be trusted with dealing with football matters from the North in a non biased way? Why rioting in Rhyl, Mr Deakin? Can he inform me when was the last instance of rioting in Rhyl? I'm sure Merthyr has had more recent episodes of rioting than Rhyl!
In my view Mr Deakin needs to consider his position as he carries a certain responsibility and has to speak in considered language when making his views known. As Secretary of the League he has to carry the trust of all connected with Welsh football not just in the Valleys and West Wales. He has lost my trust and I'm sure that he has lost the trust of others as well. In the best interests of Welsh fotball he should go, and go NOW!.
This kind of bias against the North is prevalent in a lot of life within Wales and we need to stamp it out in Welsh football. Does it have racial overtones? Do the management at Porthmadog have a view on that?
Rae Hughes
Well said.
John Deakin always picks on North Wales clubs and has seemed to single us out once again,he has got something against us for no valid reason.
In recent years we have been the most successful club in Europe and have the best set up on and of the field, he and his 'mates' at the FAW should take notice of the way RHYL FC has raised the profile of football in Wales.
Most clubs in the WP do not want any change apart maybe in its management.
I am born and bred in Rhyl and although there are some areas that still need some improvement I am proud of my town.
DEAKIN OUT!
Whatever people may think of John Deakin (and I certainly don't agree with his views on many things, and certainly not on Summer football); knowing John as I do I think its quite obviously a tongue in cheek remark and wasn't meant to cause offence to us.
That's not to say that it hasn't caused offence to many people; but personally I found it quite amusing and I would guess thats how he intended it.
Send him a message saying that next time he comes to Rhyl not only will there be rioting in the streets but we will also withdraw every copy of The Racing Post from all newsagents in the area, and see how he likes that.
Not being funny but think this is out of order by Deakin. Why Rhyl???
I think this needs a strong worded letter sending from the Rhyl fans to Mr Deakin and a petition signing.
Obviously he doesnt like the north of the country!!!
if a club was to say something like that tthey would get handed a fine!!!
this is definitely NOT ACCEPTABLE
Unlike Mr Rae, I have never taken John Deakin THAT seriously. To be honest, I have never taken the Welsh Premier League that seriously, either. Hopefully, it will just turn out to be a fairly short-lived interruption to Rhyl FC's membership of the English pyramid system.
Any pronouncement by Deakin on any aspect of Welsh football would be more likely to result in hysterical laughter than rioting. He combines the football knowledge of a baked potato with the gravitas of Daffy Duck. Just think what an amazing double act he could have formed with the much-missed Alan Evans. A sort of Conman & Balls-up.
Summer football will never happen in the WPL. There isn't a vast army of closet WPL fans cowering in their houses waiting for the sun to pop out from behind the clouds. If a club pulls in 102 fans for the visit of, say, Cefn Druids in November, it is doubtful that there would be more than 102 if the same game took place in July. Having travelled to many WPL clubs in either May or August I have yet to see any increase in attendances at those times of year.