RHYL FC PEN PICTURES 2009/10

PAUL PRITCHARD (GOALKEEPER)
Born: May 26, 1984.
Played for Anglesey clubs Holyhead Hotspur, Glantraeth, Llangefni Town and Llanfairpwll before joining Caernarfon Town in 2004/05.
Became first choice keeper at The Oval prior to switching to Connah's Quay Nomads in 2007/08.
A former Wales Under-18 international, he has represented Anglesey in the World Island Games and earned a call up to the Wales semi-pro squad in 2008.
Pritchard signed for Rhyl as cover for Lee Kendall in August 2008 but had a few first team run-outs last season, mainly in the League Cup, although he did play in WPL victories over Newtown and Neath Athletic.
Came on for the last four minutes of the Champions League second leg tie in Partizan Belgrade in July 2009.
With Kendall's departure in August, it remains to be seen how big a role Pritch will play for the Lilywhites this term.
Total WPL apps: 102. Rhyl WPL apps: 2.

GEORGE HORAN (DEFENDER)
Born: Chester, Feb 18, 1982
Very strong and experienced central defender who was with Connah's Quay Nomads for five seasons before signing for Rhyl at the start of the 2005/06 campaign.
Was a member of Rhyl's Welsh Cup winning team in his first season at Belle Vue and took over as first team captain from the departing Timmy Edwards the following term.
Equally adept in the air and on the deck, Horan is the highest appearance maker for the Lilies in Europe (13 matches) and is regularly named in annual Welsh Premier dream teams.
Total WPL apps: 273 (1) Goals: 32; Rhyl WPL apps: 124 (1) Goals: 12.

GREG STRONG (DEFENDER)
Born: Bolton, September 5, 1975
Appointed Lilywhites player manager on July 30, 2009.
Rhyl is the 17th club this much-travelled defender has played for in a distinguished career.
He started out at Wigan Athletic (1992-95) before moving to Bolton Wanderers (1995-2000) where he made his Premiership debut.
After loan moves to Blackpool and Stoke City, Strong signed for Scottish League club Motherwell for £150,000 in July 2000.
He returned to England in 2002 to join Hull City and subsequently went out on loan to Cheltenham Town, Scunthorpe United, Bury, Boston United and Macclesfield Town before moving north of the border again to sign for Livingston in 2005.
He moved on to Dundee but was released in late 2006 and dropped into non-league with Halifax, Northwich and Droylsden before committing himself to Rhyl in July 2008.
His first season at Belle Vue was a tremendous success as he formed part of a fearsome centre-back partnership with George Horan in a Lilywhites team which won the Welsh Premier League title.
Football League appearances: 89 (11) Goals: 6; Scottish League appearances: 121 (8) Goals: 5.
Total WPL apps: 32; Goals: 5. Total Rhyl apps: 32; Goals: 5.

MARK CONNOLLY (DEFENCE/MIDFIELD)
Born: Birkenhead, July 2, 1984
Conno has been an outstanding success for Rhyl since signing in 2005 from Bangor City.
His tremendous engine, superb crossing ability and lethalness from dead-ball situations make him the Lilies' very own answer to Steven Gerrard.
Has now made 100 Welsh Premier starts for Rhyl and was a key member of last season's title-winning squad, although his goals tally was down on previous campaigns.
Equally adaptable in defence or attack down the right and can operate centrally.
Total WPL apps: 126 (28) Goals: 20. Rhyl WPL apps: 100 (16) Goals: 16.

GREG STONES (DEFENCE/MIDFIELD)
Born: Birkenhead, May 4, 1982
Stones is in his second spell at Belle Vue, having been initially brought into the Welsh Premier in 2004/05 when he signed from West Cheshire League side Poulton Vics.
After two seasons under John Hulse, Greg went full-time with TNS in July 2006. He left the Saints at the end of 2006/07 for a trial with Crewe Alexandra, then played for Stafford Rangers and Cammell Laird before making a surprise return to Rhyl in January 2008.
Stones was outstanding in the attacking left-back/midfield position last season, scoring several vital goals as the Lilywhites were crowned champions.
Total WPL apps: 114 (16) Goals 15. Rhyl WPL apps: 92 (11) Goals: 11.

GARETH OWEN (MIDFIELD)
Born: Connah's Quay, October 21, 1971
Joined Rhyl in June 2008 at the age of 36 and went on to have a career-revitalising season in a championship winning side where he was so often the star. Was voted Welsh Premier Player of the Season and won the coveted Phil Stanley Daily Post Award.
Owen signed professional forms for Wrexham in 1990 and went on to make 350 appearances for the Robins, netting 36 goals. He left the Racecourse in 2001 to join Doncaster Rovers.
Won eight Under-21 and one B cap for Wales and returned to his home town club Connah's Quay Nomads in the summer of 2003 after helping Rovers back into the Football League. Appointed player/manager of Airbus UK in the 2005 close season, but made a surprise move to Rhyl as a player last term.
Total WPL apps: 182 (4) Goals 31. Rhyl WPL apps: 31 (2) Goals: 8.

NEIL ROBERTS (STRIKER)
Born: Wrexham, April 7, 1978
After just one season at Belle Vue, Neil is already established as one of the finest players ever to wear a Rhyl shirt - certainly in the Welsh Premier.
He netted 20 league goals for the Lilywhites - 23 in total - and brought a style of play up front a class above anything seen before at this level.
Full Wales international Roberts signed for Wrexham in 1994 and made 75 appearances, scoring 17 goals before a big money move to Wigan Athletic in 2000. He played in 125 matches for the Latics, netting 19 times, then followed loan stints at Hull City and Bradford City before he joined Doncaster Rovers in 2004. Roberts returned to Wrexham in 2006 and spent two years at the Racecourse before being released in summer 2008. In 227 full Football League appearances he scored 56 goals. He won the last of his four Wales caps against Norway in 2004.
Total WPL apps: 31 (0); Goals 20. Rhyl WPL apps: 31 (0) Goals: 20.

MATTHEW WILLIAMS (STRIKER)
Born: St Asaph, November 5, 1982
After missing the first few weeks of last season through injury, Williams soon established himself as a fans favourite at Belle Vue through his wholehearted performances up front.
He notched 14 goals in total during the campaign and was the only Rhyl player to register a hat-trick (in a 7-1 win over Technogroup Welshpool).
Wales Under-21 international Williams began his football career as a schoolboy at Manchester United where he was a regular in the reserves and also played in the youth team alongside the likes of Darren Fletcher and Kieran Richardson.
After spending six years at Old Trafford, Denbigh-based Matthew joined Notts County in 2004 where he made 26 appearances, but did not have the best of luck with injuries.
Spells at Tamworth and Burton Albion followed, going close to helping Nigel Clough's side reach the Football League, before he joined Rhyl last summer.
Total WPL apps: 18 (6); Goals: 9. Rhyl WPL apps: 18 (6); Goals: 9.

JOHN LEAH (MIDFIELD)
Born: August 3, 1978
Surprisingly released by The New Saints in April 2009 and was snapped up by Rhyl two months later.
A product of the Llansantffraid youth set-up who made his first-team debut in August 1996, but moved on to Darlington, for whom he made seven Football League appearances, and Newtown, rejoining the Saints in November 2001 where he was club captain in the 2004/5 double winning season.
Named in the Welsh Premier dream team for 2007/8 and 2008/9. Quality midfielder whose passing ability will suit Rhyl's style of play.
Total WPL apps: 237 (35); Goals: 33. Rhyl WPL apps: 0.

MARTYN NAYLOR (DEFENDER)
Born: August 2, 1977
Made two Football League appearances for Shrewsbury Town in 1997/98 and he also played for Greenock Morton, Bilston, Telford and Hereford before joining TNS in 2002/03 where he spent six successful years. Naylor then had a season at AFC Telford prior to switching to Rhyl in June 2009.
Has been impressive in pre-season friendlies and also performed well in the Champions League ties against Partizan Belgrade.
Total WPL apps: 101 (17); Goals: 13. Rhyl WPL apps: 0

LUKE HOLDEN (WINGER/FORWARD)
Born: November 24, 1987
From the moment he arrived at Rhyl in January 2009 Holden has been on-fire, producing a series of man of the match performances which suggest he can be one of the Welsh Premier's most influential players this term.
A left-sided forward who was a Liverpool youth and Tranmere Rovers trainee, he signed for TNS in August 2007.
Was released in April 2008 after making 22 first team starts, followed manager Ken McKenna to Cammell Laird and also played at Bradford Park Avenue before returning to the Welsh Premier with Rhyl.
Total WPL apps: 31 (5); Goals: 4. Rhyl WPL apps: 9; Goals: 4.

LEE HUNT (STRIKER)
Born: June 5, 1981
Made a surprise return to Belle Vue in the summer after a move to Blue Square Premier League club Barrow failed to work out.
Hunt was previously at Rhyl between December 2003 and May 2008 and in between won a host of trophies under the John Hulse regime.
A big hit with the fans, Hunt netted plenty of goals for the Lilies but side-by-side ran disciplinary problems which led to the player quitting Welsh football last year, claiming he was being targeted unfairly by WPL referees.
Nonetheless, the Liverpudlian front man is now back and keen to add to the 73 Welsh Premier goals he has netted for Rhyl which puts him second in the club's all-time list behind Andy Moran (99). Hunt has in total bagged a highly impressive 116 goals in 165 matches for the Lilywhites.
Total WPL apps: 153 (12); Goals: 92. Rhyl WPL apps: 115 (5); Goals: 73.

SHAUN DOWLING (DEFENDER)
Born: Whiston, Merseyside, Sept 9, 1990
After a two-year stint as a YTS trainee at Chester City ended this summer Shaun was snapped up by Rhyl FC.
This 18-year-old defender can play anywhere across the back, also left or right midfield.
He was previously a trainee at Liverpool for two years and also represented Knowsley Schoolboys, Merseyside Schoolboys and the Liverpool County FA.
Shaun is a natural right footer but has a very good left and also boasts a secret weapon in his long throw-in.

SAM HEENAN (MIDFIELD)
Born: Port Moresby, April 21, 1991
Former Shrewsbury Town youth midfielder who joined Rhyl in September 2008. Born in Papua New Guinea, but is a New Zealand national.
Began his career with Central United in New Zealand, but flew over here last year to initially join Shrewsbury, then was snapped up by the Lilywhites.
Heenan made his first team debut in the Loosemores Cup win over Airbus UK Broughton on September 23, 2008, as a late substitute, but spent the majority of his first season at Belle Vue with the reserves.
Total WPL apps: 0 (1); Goals: 0. Rhyl WPL apps: 0 (1); Goals 0.

DAVE CAMERON (STRIKER)
Born: Bangor, August 24, 1975
Began career in Scotland with East Stirling and St Mirren, where he made 11 first team appearances, before signing for Brighton in July 1999 and making 17 starts. Later joined Worthing, then Lincoln City, where he played from 2000-02 and featured in 60 games, and Chester City before switching to Droylsden.
Arrived at Rhyl in the summer of 2006 and went on to make 26 Welsh Premier appearances for the club (plus 12 as sub) notching 12 goals. Took over as manager of Bradford Park Avenue in March 2007, but returned to Belle Vue last season as a member of the management team.
Total WPL apps: 26 (12); Goals: 12. Rhyl WPL apps: 26 (12); Goals: 12.