JUVENTUS are coming to Belle Vue!
Rhyl Journal, 1/5/2001

Thatıs the mouth-watering coup Rhyl managing director Peter Parry has clinched following a trip to Turin.

The Italian giants have agreed to come to North Wales from August 8-13 and will compete in a four-club tournament with Wrexham, Aston Villa, Liverpool or Manchester Cty.

The premiership clubs and Juventus are sending their reserve team squads that are loaded with internationals. Games are being split between Rhyl and Wrexham but Juventus will definitely play Liverpool or Manchester City at Belle Vue on Saturday August 11.

The exciting prospect of one of the worldıs biggest clubs coming to Rhyl was clinched by managing director Peter Parry during a recent trip to Turin where Wrexhamıs under 12 academy side under the direction of assistant directors Lee Congerton, from Rhyl, and Jamie Digwood beat Juventus 5-0 as well as beating Atalanta 5-3.

Peter Parry said: ³The academy at Wrexham has been forging links with Juventus over the last three seasons. Lee Congerton and Jamie Digwood have laid the foundations for what is now a very solid relationship between Wrexham and Juventus who donıt normally open their doors to other clubs.

³We spoke to one or two of their directors and asked if there was any chance of them coming over on tour. They gave us the dates and, of course, we jumped at the chance. Juventus are sending their reserves which is their under 21 side and is packed with internationals.

³I canıt undervalue the work done by Lee and Jamie at Wrexhamıs academy on this. They are responsible for much of the groundwork of forging wonderful links. And this is the result.²

Other games at Belle Vue will be: Aston Villa v Wrexham on Wednesday, August 8 (kick off 7.30pm) and Aston Villa v Liverpool or Manchester City on Sunday August 12 (kick off 7.30pm).

Courtesy of the Rhyl Journal

Fisher Cooke scores his first from close-range

Entertaining finish to season!
CWMBRAN 3 RHYL 2
Lee Williams gave starts to Jon Fisher-Cooke and Karl Evans in the final match of the season, and both did well in an exciting end-to-end affair. With only pride to play for, it was Rhyl who went closest to scoring when Mark Antrobus hit the upright from a corner. Rhyl then lost possession on one of their attacks and Cwmbran promptly raced up the field and went ahead through a blaster from  Welsh on 13 minutes.   Moore added another after 25 mins but Rhyl never gave up. A Dave Fuller header from a free kick came back off the crossbar for Fisher-Cooke to poke home four minutes before the break.

A serious mix-up between Dave Williams and his defence saw Jodie Jenkins regain the two goal advantage three minutes into the break, but the makeshift Rhyl team continued to press and a Gary Curtis free kick deceived everyone before being knocked over the line by Fisher-Cooke to make it 3-2.

Steve Jones and Fisher-Cooke came close to levelling matters, and Cwmbran hit the crossbar themselves at the other end, but there was to be no more scoring.

Rhyl brought on Phil Owens, Sean Morgan and Simon Wallis before the end.

Attendance: 113

Thirds  News
Rhyl 3 Bagillt 2 (report by Billy Harrison)
The venue was changed at the last moment from Rhyl Sports centre to the Coronation Gardens due too the lack of markings. This delay in starting the game just added to the atmosphere and expectation brought on by the loss last Thursday night at Rhuddlan Town. This game started off at a charge as Rhyl put Bagillt under pressure from the kick off with 7 missed chances in the first 9 minutes. It was in the 12th minute when the first goal came and it was Bagillt that took the lead through Declan Beeby after a hashed clearance from Phil Goodwin that fell to Beeby to put it past the keeper.It did not take Rhyl long to level the scores, this came from Dean Billingsley who scored his 22nd goal this season with a low drive past the Bagillt keeper. From this moment on Rhyl pressed forward and missed so many chances that you began to think that it was going to be one of those days. Billingsley had different ideas on this matter and restored calm with his second in this game and his 23rd of the season to round off the first half.

The second half started off as the first with both teams missing chances that on another day they would have put away. Again Rhyl let things slip and Bagillt took advantage of the lack of concentration to put them back in the game through Declan Beeby for his second goal of the game. After this the game reverted to what can only be called a war, with some very nasty challenges from the away side who were feeling the pressure far more than Rhyl. With 7 minutes left on the clock a late substitution by Rhyl proved correct with Neil Jones scoring his 23rd goal of this season to clinch the points and keep the pressure on the leading pack, making sure that the season will go right to the final game.

Squad: D Rowlands, H Farrell, D Ross, G Sumner, J Hall, P Goodwin, J Gurney, J Callaghan, M Trigg, D Billingsley, M Passmore, M Rosse, N Jones, D Jones, S Scott-lee.

Tuesday Result (8/5/01)
Rhyl Thirds 5 Llanefydd 1
Another win keeps Rhyl up with the leading pack, goals from P Goodwin, J Maguire, S Scott-lee and D Billingsley with two secured the victory.

Manager Billy Harrison's Man of the Match award went to Joe Maguire.

Team: D Rowlands, D Ross, J Hall, P Owens Gurney, M Trigg, P Goodwin, S Scott-lee, D Jones, J Maguire, J Callaghan, M Roose, G Sumner, M Passmore

Reserves crash out of cup
Rhyl Res 1 Llanfair PG 2
Rhyl went down to Welsh Alliance champions Llanfairpwll in this Cookson Cup semi-final tie at Conwy. Having giving up home advantage due to maintenance at Belle Vue, Rhyl stormed into a one goal lead courtesy of a Sean Morgan belter from 40 yards. Some dubious defending after the break allowed Llanfair to score two and go on to win. They now play Glan Conwy in the final.

Results in the Welsh Alliance went Llanfair's way tonight, and they are now officially crowned Champions of the Welsh Alliance. Our heartiest congratulations go to them on their achievement.

The Reserves' last game of the season will take place at Amlwch on Saturday, 26 May, 2001. Kick-Off time to be advised.

Rhyl FC Soccer Sevens Tournament 2001 at the Ffordd Derwen Playing Fields, Rhyl. Sunday, May 27, 2001 Rhyl Football Club would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the inaugural seven-a-side football tournament   organised by Rhyl Football Club, supported by Wrexham Football Club. The Competition caters for under 9's, under 10's, under 11's, under 12's and under 13's. The Entrance fee is £20 per team. Each squad should not exceed ten players. Players names to be included with application. Cheques should be made payable to Rhyl Football Club 91 Ltd. Please reply to : Rhyl Football Club 91 Ltd FREEPOST NWW4147A RHYL LL18 4ZZ Nefyn Luke, Tournament Director.

Thirds Round-Up
with Billy Harrison

19\05\01 Prestatyn T v Rhyl 3rds. 4-3 (aet) R.E.M. Jones Cup semi Final.

Rhyl Thirds meeting with Prestatyn Town Reserves in this Cup semi was to be a 1st division derby, but Prestatyn Town felt the need to play 5 first Team players in the starting line up and 2 on the bench. Rhyl could have taken this same approach but as this was meant to be a division one game, the players deserved to have the chance to progress to the final. As it is, Prestatyn will progress, but only after a very competitive game in which Rhyl more than accounted for themselves after going two goals behind in the first 20 minutes from Barnett and Hargreaves. It was 23 goal top marksman Billingsley who ran through a group players in the Town's box to be taken down by McVitie in the nets for Town, and Billingsley picked himself up too slot home to bring it back to 2-1. This was the score line for the rest of the half with both sides having chances to change it.

After the break, the Prestatyn defence were under much pressure with some desperate defending, but they managed to keep Rhyl out until the dying minutes. Rhyl's second top scorer N Jones put the ball through a crowded box to level things at 2-2.

From the start of the first period Rhyl were again stunned when 2 minutes had passed Town went further ahead through Gilmore after a mix up at the back. Rhyl then gained their composure to put Town under pressure. Hargreaves was then left too much space and not being asked twice he made sure that Town kept one hand on the trophy and put the ball in the back of the net for his second of the game making it 4-2. Again Rhyl came back to make a fight of it, and a direct free kick from 20 yards outside the box was bent around the wall and a stunned keeper by Dean Jones to put Rhyl right back in it at 4-3. There was no further scoring however, and Prestatyn progress to the final.

Squad. D Rowlands, G Sumner, H Farrell, M Trigg, S Scott-lee, A Hoyle, J Gurney, P Goodwin, A Davies, N Jones, D Jones, J Callaghan, D Billingsley, M Passmore, P Smith, J Hall, D Ross.