Services to North Wales football award – Corey Sinnott

This year’s GNW Services to North Wales Football award goes to Anglesey-based striker Corey Sinnott.

Technically, I suppose Services to Ynys Môn Football would be a more apt title, but Corey is respected far and wide across Gogledd Cymru.

A senior football career which commenced in the late 1990’s has seen Corey wear the colours of Llangefni Town, Glantraeth, Bodedern and Gwalchmai, where he has spent the most time.

Since being a key part of Gwalch’s 2009-10 treble-winning squad, which scooped the Gwynedd League title, Gwynedd Cup and President’s Cup, as well as reaching the NWCFA Intermediate Cup and Barritt Cup finals, Corey has been a one-club man apart from in 2016-17, when the Maes Meurig side folded for a season and striker Sinnott rejoined Llangefni. He got to the FAW Trophy semi-finals with Cefni that campaign.

Born on June 4, 1982, Corey started his career with a Llangefni side which went close to winning the Cymru Alliance League some years before they twice achieved that feat in 2006-07 and 2009-10.

In 2004-05, he was in the superb Bodedern squad crowned Welsh Alliance League champions – a magnificent achievement for a small village club.

A spell at Glantraeth followed, when the club was in the Cymru Alliance, before Corey began his long association with Gwalchmai.

He has netted well in excess of 100 goals for Gwalch, including an impressive 24 in 2011-12 and 21 in 2012-13.

Last season he was flying on 16 goals before Covid-19 brought an end to things in March.

Corey is a well decorated player, having won Gwynedd and Welsh Alliance league titles and a host of cup medals.

He has also scored in two separate NWCFA Intermediate Cup Finals that Gwalch lost – against Greenfield in 2009 and Prestatyn Town Reserves the following year, when his stunning long-range chip at Farrar Road put his team ahead.

Corey is not just a goal-scorer but also a prolific provider of goals. It has been said if he had more of a selfish streak he would have netted many more times, but he is very much a team player.

Asking Corey who his toughest opponent has been and he will recall playing for Llangefni against Wolves where his marker was a certain Mr Joleon Lescott!

His most talented team-mate ever is someone a lot closer to home. Paul Bryant – aka The Guvnor. An absolute inspiration on the pitch.

And his most memorable game?

“I’ve played in a lot of memorable games but probably the best was when I played for Bodedern against Llangefni,” he said.

“We won 3-2, I scored a hat-trick. It was my first time playing against my home team as I had played for them all my life so was a bittersweet moment.”

Corey is dad to Roman and husband to Kelly. Family life is suiting him very nicely.

He has announced his retirement once or twice, but has so far always succumbed to the temptation to come back.

No doubt he can do a good job for Gwalchmai for some time to come. The club have received two five-figure transfer bids from Home Bargains FC, but turned both down flat.

Add to all this he is a great guy who has always been extremely helpful to me in my job and is a tremendous ambassador for Anglesey football, and you have a very worthy 2020 Services to North Wales Football recipient.

Nadolig Llawen Corey.