Paul Rowlands has served football on Ynys Môn magnificently well

If ever there has been a fantastic servant to Anglesey football it is Paul Rowlands.

Since beginning his senior career around 20 years ago, Paul has represented Llangefni Town, Glantraeth, Bodedern, Holyhead Hotspur, Gwalchmai, Gaerwen and his latest club Menai Bridge Tigers.

Having signed for the Tigers last July and the 2020-21 season being cancelled for leagues below tier 1 because of coronavirus, he is yet to play a competitive game for the club.

Yesterday was Paul’s 37th birthday, having been born on May 23, 1984.

Aside from his mini-tour of Ynys Môn clubs, Paul also spent time with Bangor City as a youngster and won the Welsh Alliance League title with the all-conquering Bethesda Athletic in 2008-09.

Usually a winger, a quick and direct runner with close ball control, Paul is also noted for his ability to get stuck in and give 100% to every cause.

One of his most successful experiences came at Glantraeth under Kev O’Neill and Chris Roberts.

Paul began 2010-11 at Holyhead Hotspur and made a fine impression, but later that season switched to a Glantraeth outfit in a process of rebuild.

Having been in the tier 2 Cymru Alliance before taking an enforced break from football, Traeth were placed in the level four Gwynedd League and landed a quadruple – Gwynedd Shield, Bob Owen Shield, Gwynedd League Cup and North Wales Coast Intermediate Cup.

They were also promoted to the Welsh Alliance as Gwynedd runners-up and in 2011-12 lifted the Division Two title and cup double, with Paul again a key man.

He remained at Glantraeth for the next two seasons in Division One, but in 2014-15 signed for Llangefni.

Paul left Lon Talwrn and returned, spending the early part of the 2018-19 season at Welsh Alliance champions-to-be Cefni before being released on loan to Gwalchmai for the rest of the campaign.

Menai Tigers is his seventh island club.

Happy birthday for yesterday Paul, here’s hoping you get to be involved in plenty of action in the 2021-22 season.