Keeper Paul Pritchard rejoins Holyhead Hotspur

Top class goalkeeper Paul Pritchard has decided to leave Porthmadog and rejoin Holyhead Hotspur.

Port will play in tier 3 Ardal Northern in the 2021-22 season, while Hotspur remain a tier 2 Cymru North side.

Porthmadog manager Craig Papirnyk said: “Holyhead have come in for Paul and he has decided to leave. Although I am gutted Pritch is leaving I am thankful to him for joining us a few seasons ago.

“Paul is a great keeper but a better person, who has been honest with me from day one and I completely respect and understand his decision to play closer to home and give more time to his family.”

A key signing in 2018, Paul has served Porthmadog well and will be remembered by the Traeth faithful for some truly memorable saves and his outstanding achievement in keeping 16 league and cup clean sheets in 2018/19.

Back in February, Pritchard, 36, signed for Llangefni Town on loan from Port, whose campaign ended before it started with the news that all North Wales football from tiers 3-5 was cancelled due to coronavirus.

The tier 2 Cymru North, where Llangefni play, was due to restart in March, but never did because of the pandemic.

In a long and distinguished career, Pritch has also represented Holyhead Hotspur, Bangor City, Glantraeth, Llanfairpwll, Caernarfon Town, Connah’s Quay Nomads, Rhyl, Warrington Town and Porthmadog.

With more than 100 Welsh Premier appearances to his credit for Caernarfon, Nomads and Rhyl, Pritchard has also kept goal for numerous Cymru Alliance sides, including Hotspur, Glantraeth, Llangefni and Llanfairpwll (the latter three when they competed in the second-tier league).

Renowned for his ability to save penalties, perhaps his most famous spot-kick stop came in the 2019 Inter-Island Games Final, where he was man of the match as Ynys Môn defeated Guernsey 2-1 at Holyhead.

The highly-respected keeper has made more than 550 career appearances and is closing in on 200 clean sheets.

Paul has also represented Wales Under-18’s and the national semi-professional side.