MCMLXXXIV

Barry Town Supporters News, Saturday 17th November 1984

Barry Town v Reading (FA Cup 1st Round)

Barry Town FC are the talk of Welsh football on this final day of the Town's Centenary week. We play an FA Cup 1st Round match for the first time in 23 years and for only the 5th time ever (behind 1929-30, 1934-35, 1951-52, and 1961-62).  With the whole of Wales egging us on, wishing us on to a famous victory as Canon League side Reading are visitors to Jenner Park.

Today's game should see the biggest crowd at Jenner Park since the 1961 clash with QPR when 7,000 watched the game.  It'll certainly beat the big crowds at recent games against Worcester (1977), Swansea (1983) and Merthyr within the last month. 

The tie today comes as a result of the epic battles with Merthyr in the 4th qualifying round, 3 games out of a run of 6 successive Cup-ties for Barry.  In fact, we're currently taking a very, very long break from Abacus Welsh League action, a break that's being prolonged by another three weeks.  Even our next scheduled League fixture (with Port Talbot on 8 Dec) is in doubt, as it falls on the day of the FA Cup 2nd Round, which we'll hopefully be involved in.

Belated congratulations to Paul and Sheryl Preece, and Bobby and Anne Smith, as second babies are due, both in February, and special congratulations go to Mike and Joanne Cosslett, as their baby due in April will be their first.

The first winners of the new 'Player of the month' award were Bobby Smith (for August and September) and Trevor Nott (for October).  Man of the match slips are available today, so don't forget to register your vote.

Publicity surrounding Barry has been at its greatest this week.  In fact, today's result will receive as much coverage, due to the fact that it will be the first to come through this afternoon.  With our game kicking off three quarters of an hour before all of the other 1st Round ties, our result will be announced at the half-time stage of other matches.  It's for that reason that there is an advantage in not having lights, but frankly, it is the only 'argument' in favour. 

For Barry to have 1,600 in each of the Merthyr replays and 3,000 for the Welsh cup tie with Swansea, all three being 2 or 2.25pm kick offs, Jenner Park is crying out for floodlights.  Just imagine how many would come to a good looking game at 7 o'clock in the evening.  It would be an investment to get lights.

One of the best stories seen in the newspapers this week was one that appeared in the Daily Express.  Our manager, Les 'Gold Top' Dickerson is apparently 'ready to sour Reading's chances', according to an article by a reporter amazed that our Manager is a milkman, while our three strikers are green-grocers. 

Barry Town : Trevor Nott; Mel Donovan; Derek Redwood; Ashley Griffiths; Mike Cosslett, Phil McNeil; Bobby Smith; Alan Sullivan; Ian Love; Phil Green; Paul Preece; Steve Williams.

Reading : Gary Westwood; Jerry Williams; Steve Richardson; Stuart Beavon; Martin Hicks; Steve Wood; Colin Duncan; Dean Horrix; Trevor Senior, Lawrie Sanchez, David Crown, Derrick Christie.

Saturday 8th December 1984

Barry Town 1 Reading 2

This is the first opportunity to congratulate all of the players on a tremendous display against the professionals, Canon League side Reading (was it really 3 weeks ago?!).  The performance, though excellent, still brings back bitter memories as everybody must still have a disappointed feeling when recalling the late, late winning goal from Reading's Trevor Senior.  Reading were completely outplayed, but all of that is history now, and we wish them every success in today's 2nd Round tie with Bognor Regis at Elm Park.

The Reading Cup tie produced the biggest crowd for football matches in Wales that day.  FA Cup crowds at Bangor City (2,130), Newport (2,452), Swansea (2,434) and Wrexham (2,527) were all lower than Barry Town's 3,839, while Cardiff v Carlisle in the Canon League Division Two, was watched by only 3,005 - their lowest League Division Two crowd since the Second World War.

Another troubled League Club is Swansea City, who this week sacked manager Colin Appleton.  It is the 3rd managerial change around this year -  a year in which Swansea have also had three different chairmen. Swansea are currently struggling in 23rd place in Division Three - 2 years after losing their First Division status.