Popular pair Dix and Cavanagh return to Llandudno FC

Llandudno FC manager Sean Eardley has welcomed back two former Maesdu Park favourites in his first transfer dealings of the new year.

Ex-Seasiders skipper Tom Dix returns to football after a long spell out through injury, while forward Shaun Cavanagh rejoins Tudno following a stint at Prestatyn Town, where he never got to play a first-team game.

A Chester-born product of the Shrewsbury Town youth system, Dix joined Bangor City in the summer of 2010 and was a bit-part member of a Welsh Premier title-winning squad before moving to Llandudno.

The inspirational midfielder helped Tudno win the Cymru Alliance League title, scoring seven goals in the 2014-15 season, and then their first three campaigns in the Welsh Premier, making 88 starts, before joining Flint Town United in summer 2018.

Unfortunately, just 10 minutes into his debut of a friendly against Brymbo, the midfielder suffered an horrific double leg-break.

Now begins the comeback trail.

Eardley revealed: “Even during my time at Caernarfon we’d speak every week about all things football, I’d ask how his rehab was going and it seemed a gradual process.

“Once we started pre-season, I cleared it with PD for him to come in and do some work and he got stronger and stronger as the sessions passed.

“We were buzzing as a group when he played 25 minutes of a friendly as all his hard work had paid off but then sadly another lockdown hit.

“He knows what it takes to win a league, he has experience and offers a lot of discipline in the middle of the park and I’m sure the fans will welcome him back with open arms.”

Cavanagh, 23, made his senior debut for Bangor City as a late substitute in a 1-0 Word Cup defeat at Prestatyn on September 23, 2014, at the age of 16.

He went on to appear in 34 first-team games for Bangor, 26 of them as a substitute, and scored four goals.

His best spell came in 2015-16, when he made eight starts for the firsts having impressed in the WPL Development League.

One of his best Citizens moments came in a Boxing Day derby in 2016-17 when he scored a late winner after coming on as sub in a 2-1 victory over Llandudno.

He joined Llandudno at the start of 2017-18, but by January 2018 had moved on to Cymru Alliance high-flyers Caernarfon Town, becoming Sean Eardley’s second signing at The Oval.

The season ended in joy for Shaun and his team-mates as the Cofis landed the Cymru Alliance League title to secure a much-awaited return to the Welsh Premier.

However, first-team chances had been limited for the Canaries and in 2018-19 Shaun signed for Porthmadog, where he finished top-scorer with 12 goals in 22 starts as the Traeth men finished third in the Cymru Alliance.

Shaun rejoined now Welsh Premier club Caernarfon in 2019-20, but was back at Porthmadog in January 2020 where he again made a big impact, scoring six times in four matches, including a cracking double in a 2-2 draw at champions-to-be Prestatyn.

And Prestatyn was his next stop as he signed for the Cymru North title-holders in June 2020, but due to the coronavirus pandemic all but wiping out North Wales football over the past 10 months, he did not kick a ball for the Seasiders.