Anglesey/Ynys Môn football greats past and present – No3 Steven Humphreys

Steven Humphreys was undoubtedly one of the stars of North Wales coast football in the 1990s.

Twice a League of Wales title winner with Bangor City during the decade, Humphreys was also a vital figure in Anglesey’s best performing team in the top flight, Cemaes Bay.

Born on March 2, 1971, Humphreys came to prominence with Bangor in the 1993/94 season when the all-blues were crowned LoW champions for the first time under player-boss Nigel Adkins, current manager of Championship club Hull City.

Right-sided attacker Humphreys played in 24 matches during the campaign, notching six goals.

The following season saw him grab another six goals, featuring in 34 games as the Citizens made it back-to-back titles.

Humphreys left Farrar Road early in 1995/96 to join Cemaes Bay, newly-promoted to the LoW and the first club from his native Anglesey to appear in the national league.

Cemaes held their own for two seasons, Humphreys impressing in making 69 appearances and bagging 18 goals.

The following campaign did not go so well for the island club, who ended up relegated and Humphreys briefly returned to Bangor.

His overall LoW record read: 118 starts, plus 23 substitute appearances and 30 goals.

A speed merchant down the right wing, Humphreys was always exciting to watch and proved as consistent a provider as he was a goal-getter.

Dangerous and skillful, at Bangor he was renowned for being able to beat his man and send over crosses for the likes of Frank Mottram or cut inside and score himself. 

He was described as a consistent, popular team player who always gave of his best and played with a smile on his face.

Humphreys also played in two European campaigns with City, taking the field in the 1994/95 and 1995/96 Uefa Cup competitions.

He featured in both legs of Bangor’s 4-1 aggregate loss to IK Akranes of Iceland in the first season, laying on City’s goal for Mottram in the 2-1 home reverse, and then the following term was a starter in the home leg against Widzew Lodz of Poland, which resulted in a 4-0 defeat, the Citizens eliminated 5-0 overall across the two games.

Another claim to fame for Humphreys is the fact he scored the winning goal when the Ynys Môn men’s football squad won gold at the Island Games for the only time in 1999 when the tournament was held in Gotland, Sweden.

Anglesey only drew their first two matches – 1-1 with both Rhodos and Guernsey – Darren Pritchard scoring in the first game where Mervyn Williams saved a penalty – and Richard Hughes on the mark in the second.

Môn qualified for the semis, where Aled Rowlands and Kyle Hazelaar shared the goals in a 3-1 win against the Isle of Wight.

The final saw Humphreys net the winner in a 1-0 victory over Isle of Man.

Humphreys continued to serve as player and manager for Cemaes Bay into the 2000s.