END OF AN ERA
LEE Hunt's departure for Barrow and manager John Hulse's resignation means very little playing or management personnel remain at Rhyl from that unforgettable quadruple winning 2003/04 season.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Paul Smith: goalkeeper for Bangor City.
Mark Powell: joined NEWI Cefn Druids last season.
Stuart Graves: Bradford PA bound.
Timmy Edwards: now with NEWI Cefn Druids.
Andy Moran: signed for Fleetwood Town in 2007/08.
Marc Limbert: now captain of Bangor City.
Lee Hunt: joined Barrow last week.
Gary Powell: still on Rhyl's management team, rarely plays.
Steve Walters: midfield genius now player manager at Welsh National League club Rhos Aelwyd.
James Brewerton: subject of transfer speculation - bound for Bangor City?
Gareth Wilson: still at Rhyl, believed to have signed on for Europe.
Chris McGinn: had spells at Bangor City, Cammell Laird, Colwyn Bay and Connah's Quay Nomads before retiring and then returning to the game with NEWI Cefn Druids last season.
Lee Atherton: part of the Cammell Laird squad which won promotion to the Unibond Premier last season.
Chris Adamson: same as Atherton.
Michael Jackson: Moved to TNS in April 2005 and played in both legs of the Champions League ties against Liverpool and MyPa-47. Joined Icelandic outfit Prottur in May 2007.
John Hulse: resigned as Rhyl manager on May 24 after six years at the helm.
Lee Coathup: assistant to Hulse in 2003/04 season continued on his nomadic travels. Left Bradford Park Avenue in February 2008 as part of managerial shake-up which saw Benny Phillips sacked.
Laurie McGuinness: coach is now part of Prestatyn Town set-up.
* This feature first appeared in this week's Rhyl and Prestatyn Visitor. The situation at Belle Vue is changing regularly, Lilywhites Online will do its best to update you on the latest news.
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Dave Jones - For all the latest news from Rhyl Football Club, including match reports, news, views and features log on to Lilywhites On-Line hosted by Visitor sports editor Dave Jones.
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Very interesting...how many of those went on to better things?
Andy Moran won the Unibond Premier with Fleetwood and he's got a contract for next season but from reports I've had he's been nothing special.
The Bangor pair Limbert and Smith have just won the Welsh Cup, but have they gone on to better things? Doubt it, Bangor finished 14 points behind Rhyl in the league, they had a good cup run but otherwise have been a bit overrated and their fans say it all really, obsessed with always trying to be better than Rhyl but knowing they come up short.
Looking at Atherton and Adamson at Lairds it does seem those players who return to the English pyramid do better after leaving Rhyl, certainly a message there - come on Mr Parry let's quit the tinpot Welsh Premier and rejoin the English system.
Jacko also went on to do well, but Timmy and Powelly definitely not.
Wonder what happened to Robbie Wood? He was a fringe player that season.
Those comments about Bangor could come back to haunt us at the end of the season! Nev Powell has really got them going and their fans and team will be buoyed by their Cup win. The Nevolution (I'll get me coat). I've always been fairly ambivalent about them, but all this "smackhead" stuff irritates me (in the same way the Chuckle Brothers irritate me). Rhyl fans are far from innocent. A particularly odious chant about Blackmore springs to mind.
Welsh system, English system. Need a bit of perspective here. Rhyl were top non-league banana in the 1950s, Sir Don Spendlove, 1971 FA Cup, er...that's about it. We hardly set the English pyramid (always reminds me of camels & pharaohs and not the reality of wet nights in Atherton Colleries etc) alight. Then enter PP and JH (not on camels I hasten to add). I am very keen - as it happens - to see Rhyl back in the English system. The recent success has highlighted the club's potential. I think the draw of European football has worn off to be frank.
Its a shame the era has come to an end but it had to sometime. Lets hope the new era is as good but JH will be a difficult act to follow by whoever gets the job.
As for Bangor, who cares about them? They are still faffing about with their ground, at least we have that sorted.
I just hope the new boss is installed asap and they can sort out the playing staff, I hate all this rumour stuff, in fact i hate close season full stop !!!
I rcoekn you are quite dead on with that.