Brymbo FC’s new manager Dave Roberts talks to Grassroots North Wales

Grassroots North Wales: Dave, you have taken over a really prestigious club in Brymbo FC. How has the experience been so far?

Dave Roberts: Yeah obviously Brymbo is a huge club and a very daunting task but that’s what I wanted, a big project to work for that in the long run will be well worth the reward.

The experience has been fantastic so far but we haven’t started playing games and that’s the part we all look forward to.

The people here have been extremely welcoming and supportive, general manager Chris Parry has been a godsend and no request ever seems too big.

We understand each other and have very similar characters and we know what we’re building and what it’s going to take to do that.

GNW: You’ve moved on from New Brighton Villa and the split appeared very amicable. Did that help your decision to take on the Brymbo job, knowing NBV wished you well?

DR: Yes massively, from the first discussion I had with the New Brighton chairman Leigh Griffiths when the opportunity arose to come here I had nothing but excellent feedback and support from him.

I had been at the club for a long time going back to my playing days and I always gave everything I could to try and take the club forward year on year and with the support of a great committee and an extremely loyal playing staff I feel we did that.

To be honest, I always thought I would stay there forever but if I ever was to leave I wanted it to be in a better position than when I took it on and I 100% believe it is.

They have a very enthusiastic chairman who is NBV to the core and a very hard working secretary in Zoe and along with the new management team in Shaun (Antrobus) and my former assistant Liam and a great bunch of players I have every confidence that the club will only get stronger and I wish them the very best of success for the future.

GNW: How is training going? Everything is all very different in these times. You happy with progress so far?

DR: Yeah it’s definitely strange circumstances for everyone at the moment but I think we’ve adapted extremely well.

I’m extremely happy with the progress we’re making and we’re starting look like a real team, all the lads are willing to put the hard graft in that is required at this level and it’s superb to see.

The team spirit is there and everybody is pushing each other to be the best they can be and you can’t teach that.

GNW: You’ve made some good signings….any more to come in?

DR: I feel that we’ve done really good business so far and I’m really happy with how the squad is taking shape.

Some people will probably raise eyebrows about the players we’ve signed and see it as an easy choice but you’ve got to have people you know and trust and also these people don’t know what I know about these players.

As much as you’re signing footballers you’re also signing human beings and they have to be the right characters and people that want to buy into what we’re doing.

Obviously I said I’m happy with the squad so far but yes I have no doubt we will be making some more moves into the market because as good as things are there is always room for strengthening and healthy competition in the squad will keep everybody hungry.

We’ve got an extremely young squad so a bit of experience coming in wouldn’t hurt anybody would it.

GNW: Brymbo is a club full of tradition with many great past successes. I guess your ambition will be to replicate some of those successes?

DR: Yes like I said before the club is huge and has had a lot of success over the years and to replicate even a small portion of that would mean a very successful spell here.

GNW: You will be in Tier 3 Ardal North West in the season ahead. Happy with that? what do you think of the standard of teams you will be up against?

DR: Well, what can I say about this league and the teams in it that people don’t already know.

The quality of teams in it speaks for itself, but not just the quality of teams – there are some fantastically run clubs too.

There will be the usual suspects up around the top as usual and I hope we’re going to be within that group.

Obviously you have the likes of Cefn Albion who are always in the mix and they’re a club that always seem to do things the right way.

Rhostyllen were a team that probably surprised a few last year but it’s no surprise to me the season they had, when the players buy into a project that’s the outcome you get.

Llanuwchllyn have worked wonders at their home ground and it looks like a really good pitch to be playing on.

Then you have to factor in all the new sides coming in…Porthmadog, who are a massive club, Nantlle Vale, Blaenau Ffestiniog.

And that’s not mentioning all the teams but just as a little taster that really adds for an exciting league and season to come.

GNW: What are your aims for the season ahead?

DR: Winning trophies is obviously what everyone wants but we as a club are not daft and we know this is a project and success doesn’t come overnight it takes a lot of work and time.

Brymbo the past two seasons since returning to tier 3 have been a top 4/5 side so that’s got to be the first aim consolidating that and pushing on again from there.

My overall aim is to win leagues and cups but as the old saying goes it’s a marathon not a sprint and I know I have full support from the GM and the rest of the committee for us to push on and the possibilities here are limitless.

I cannot wait for the games to start and getting the lads out on the pitch together.

Tomorrow: Tune in for a chat with one of Brymbo’s potential young stars…..