Football

Opinion: Huw Griffiths more than worthy of extended stay at Caernarfon Town

Huw Griffiths has earned a two-and-a-half year extension to his contract as manager of Caernarfon Town. Picture: Paul Evans

Caernarfon Town manager Huw Griffiths has proved he is more than worthy of a new contract.

The club announced yesterday that Griffiths has signed a two-and-a-half year deal to continue in his role as first team boss at The Oval.

The 43-year-old joined the club in January 2020 and was appointed first team manager to work in tandem with Sean Eardley.

Town ended up fifth in the Cymru Premier at the end of the curtailed 2019-20 campaign.

Having had to rebuild the squad, with a much reduced budget, the manager and his staff have in this disrupted 2020-21 season managed to keep the team in the top half of the Cymru Premier League.

Up until the league was suspended before Christmas due to coronavirus, the Canaries occupied a very respectable fifth place.

Things looked grim for Caernarfon in early December when they crashed 6-0 at Penybont.

But since that forgettable day, the Cofis are unbeaten in the league, recording three wins and a draw to rise into the top six.

Griffiths and his management team have shown they have what it takes to fight back from adversity – something which has gone down very well with the fans.

Town chairman, Paul Evans, said the extension to Griffiths’ tenure is great news for the club:
“As a board, we are all delighted to secure Huw’s services for the next two and a half years. We have been very impressed with how he has dealt with such a very difficult season due to the pandemic and believe he can push the club towards European football.

“From a personal point of view, I really enjoy working with Huw. He is hugely experienced and very professional in the way he goes about the job and I believe he has already proved that he’s a perfect fit for us.

“The way he has kept us competitive this season, despite a hugely reduced budget and the many player departures last summer, has been extremely impressive.

“Having spoken to him often over the past months of the clubs’ hopes for the future, of qualifying for Europe and breaking the monopoly at the top of the Cymru Premier League. I know Huw has the same aspirations as we do and so securing his services is the first step towards us reaching our goals.”

Huw Griffiths’ managerial record at Caernarfon Town to date

Feb 7, 2020: Bala Town (h – Cymru Premier League) 1-2
Feb 14, 2020: Connah’s Quay Nomads (a – CPL) 0-4
Feb 22, 2020: Barry Town United (a – CPL) 1-1
Feb 28, 2020: Cefn Druids (h – Welsh Cup) 4-0
Mar 6, 2020: Newtown (h – CPL) 3-1

2020-21 (all Cymru Premier League matches)
Sep 12, 2020: Penybont (h) 1-1
Sep 15, 2020: Newtown (a) 3-2
Sep 19, 2020: Barry Town United (a) 1-3
Sep 27, 2020: The New Saints (h) 0-4
Sep 30, 2020: Flint Town United (h) 2-1
Oct 3, 2020: Cardiff Metropolitan (a) 3-0
Oct 6, 2020: Connah’s Quay Nomads (a) 1-3
Oct 9, 2020: Cefn Druids (h) 1-2
Oct 17, 2020: Haverfordwest County (a) 1-1
Nov 13, 2020: Connah’s Quay Nomads (h) 1-2
Nov 28, 2020: Haverfordwest County (h) 1-4
Dec 1, 2020: Bala Town (h) 1-1
Dec 5, 2020: Penybont (a) 0-6
Dec 8, 2020: Cefn Druids (a) 2-1
Dec 12, 2020: Barry Town United (h) 2-0
Dec 15, 2020: Aberystwyth Town (a) 2-1
Dec 18, 2020: Newtown (a) 1-1

Match record

League: Played 21 Won 7 Drawn 5 Lost 9 Goals For 28 Goals Against 41
Cup: Played 1 Won 1 Goals For 4 Goals Against 0
Total competitive games: Played 22 Won 8 Drawn 5 Lost 9 Goals For 32 Goals Against 41