Some fine players have represented Porthmadog FC over the years – including this group

Here’s a great photo of Porthmadog FC from 1998.

At this time the club was in the League of Wales under the management of Colin Hawkins and Chris Lawler.

They had won the NWCFA Challenge Cup the season before and this picture was taken before a friendly against Wrexham.

Manager Hawkins had strong connections with the Racecourse, having helped Mickey Thomas run Wrexham Reserves in the Midland Senior League in 1995/96.

Checking out some of the squad, Aled Owen was an energetic and creative midfielder who went on to manage Llanrug United for 10 years (2005-15), winning the FAW Trophy and Cookson Cup.

Mike Foster is a true CPD Porthmadog legend, a left-back and set-piece specialist who made a record 371 Welsh Premier League appearances (plus 6 as a sub) for the club. He played at Tranmere Rovers early in his career and represented Wales U-21’s.

Chris Banks and Geraint ‘Siop’ Jones were two awesome players in a Port shirt, both featuring prominently in the early League of Wales days, while the same can be said of proven goalscorer Steven Pugh.

Former Wrexham player Tony Merola has gone on to become a renowned football coach in Texas, USA.

Robert Williams went on to win the Cymru Alliance double with Glantraeth in 2005/06 and was a member of the team which famous knocked Bangor City out of the Welsh Cup in 2003/04.

Many thanks to Colin Hawkins for sharing this great photograph with Grassroots North Wales readers.