Wayne Hughes left an indelible mark as manager of Rhuddlan Town FC

In three seasons as manager Wayne Hughes wrote a major chapter in Rhuddlan Town’s history and laid foundations for a prosperous future for the club.

The 40-year-old recently stepped down as first team boss of last season’s Vale of Clwyd and Conwy League Premier Division champions due to work and family commitments.

He will be replaced by Keiran Evans, who in turn calls it a day as a player to concentrate fully on management.

Evans has acted quickly in making Liam Handy the new club captain and Josh Parry vice-skipper.

Departing manager Hughes, meanwhile, says he will still remain involved with the club behind the scenes.

Although Rhuddlan Town has a proud past, the present club was restarted as recently as 2017-18, with Wayne key in the launch.

In his first season at the helm, Rhuddlan lifted the REM Jones Cup and finished fourth in Vale of Clwyd and Conwy Division One.

Town were promoted to the Premier Division and finished sixth in 2018-19.

Things got a lot better last season, with Rhuddlan scooping the Premier title, as they had when the league was first born in 2011-12 after replacing the Clwyd League.

In the Welsh football pyramid shake up for the present 2020-21 season, Rhuddlan were placed in the 15-team tier 4 North Wales Coast East Premier Division.

Unfortunately, due to coronavirus, the league is yet to kick off, as is the case at all levels below tier 1. Many believe 2020-21 is a goner for most clubs.

Wayne said: “I’ve absolutely loved being the manager of Rhuddlan Town and made some great friends along the way.

“It’s (stepping down) something that has been on my mind for a while and I decided it was the right time with no football being played.

“When I started the club my aim was to get us into the Welsh Alliance and in theory we won the league that would have taken us up to that level, but the league system changed.

“I’m massively proud of what we have all achieved together as a club while I was the manager and would like to thank every single player who played for me.

“I’ll still be massively involved with the club helping our chairman move the club forward off the pitch.

“Keiran Evans is 100% the best man for the job and I have no doubt he will be a successful manager.”

Father-of-three Wayne began his football career playing for Abergele Under-10’s in the same team as former Welsh international David Vaughan.

He played mostly for Abergele up until he was about 30 then moved to Sunday League because of work commitments.

Wayne mainly represented Rhuddlan team Burke’s 11, named in honour of a young man who was sadly taken away too soon.

After the club folded he decided to set his own team up called FC Pengwern, who won two trophies in two seasons.

He restarted Rhuddlan Town in 2017-18 and led the team to great success.

Wayne Hughes’ league stats as Rhuddlan manager

2017-18
Vale of Clwyd and Conwy Division One: Played 22 Won 14 Drawn 6 Lost 6 Goals For 94 Goals Against 52 – position 4th
2018-19
Vale of Clwyd and Conwy Premier Division: Played 16 Won 6 Drawn 2 Lost 8 Goals For 44 Goals Against 59 – position 6th
2019-20 (season curtailed because of coronavirus pandemic)
Vale of Clwyd and Conwy Premier Division: Played 16 Won 13 Drawn 2 Lost 1 Goals For 70 Goals Against 24 – position 1st

Complete league record
Played 54
Won 33 (win % 61.11)
Drawn 6
Lost 15
Goals For 208
Goals Against 135