More signings from a transfer-packed summer in North Wales football
Marc Evans (Gwalchmai to Llangefni Town)
This amazing goalscorer is back at the club with whom he won the Cymru Alliance League title in 2009/10 when Lee Dixon was Cefni manager.
This will be a third spell at Cae Bob Parry for the 33-year-old, who has played for 13 clubs in his goal-packed career.
His CV features spells with: Bodedern Athletic (twice), Holyhead Hotspur (x2), Porthmadog, Llangefni Town (x3), Glantraeth, Rhyl FC, Llandudno, Hamilton Wanderers (NZ), WaiBOP United (NZ), Melville United (NZ), Bangor City, Trearddur Bay and Gwalchmai (x3).
Evans has won the tier 2 Cymru Alliance title three times at Llangefni, Rhyl and Llandudno.
The striker has also plied his trade in New Zealand with Hamilton Wanderers and WaiBOP United, but his greatest success came at Melville United, where in 2017 he broke the club record for most goals in a season (36). He chalked up 92 goals in 88 games for Melville in total.
Nicknamed “Logs”, Evans finished top goalscorer in North Wales senior football in 2021-22 with a career best in a season 68 goals in all competitions for Bodedern Athletic, who ended up tier 4 North Wales Coast West Premier Division champions.
Kaine Bentley (Trearddur Bay to Gwalchmai)
Has just returned from the Island Games representing Ynys Môn. Kaine featured on the score sheet during the competition for the silver medal winners.
Considered one of Anglesey’s brightest young talents, Kaine hails from a well-known footballing family.
In a struggling Holyhead Town side in 2021-22, this 19-year-old livewire netted 17 times in 28 appearances.
He began the 2022-23 campaign with the Harbourmen, but joined Trearddur Bay in the August and scored a hat-trick on debut – against Holyhead Town!
In a double-winning season for Bay, Kaine registered 17 goals.
Now he tries his luck at Gwalchmai, where he will get a chance to play alongside the phenomenal goal scoring Connor Owen.
Osian Jones (Mynydd Llandegai to Llangefni Town)
Highly-rated 23 year old who returns to Llangefni after four very productive years with Mynydd Llandegai.
A Welsh Colleges international, he began his senior career with Glantraeth before switching to Llangefni, then was at Llandudno in 2018-19 prior to signing for Llandegai, where he really began to make his mark.
In 2019/20, he was Mynydd’s top scorer with 13 goals. He went one better in 2021-22, netting 14 times, then last season he notched six in his opening three games before going on to finish the campaign with 23, making it a nice round 50 goals in three seasons at the Penrhiw club.
Osian’s progression continued when he represented Ynys Môn at the 2023 Island Games in Guernsey where Anglesey won a silver medal in the football competition.
Morgan Jones (Porthmadog to Pwllheli)
A surprise departure in late pre-season as keeper Jones leaves Porthmadog to rejoin Pwllheli.
This 23-year-old, whose other former clubs include Penrhyndeudraeth and Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateurs, signed for Port last season, making 31 appearances as Craig Papirnyk’s side consolidated their Cymru North status.
Jones was last at Pwllheli in the 2019-20 season and his return coincides with the club’s promotion to the Tier 3 Ardal North West League.
Ryan Williams (Llandudno to Porthmadog)
Aged just 24 but brings a considerable amount of high-level experience to the Traeth, having played in the Cymru Premier with Caernarfon Town for more than five seasons.
Between 2017-18 and 2022-23 he made 147 first team appearances for the Canaries before moving to Llandudno.
He left Maesdu Park this month and joined Port.
The versatile defender can play anywhere across the back and also in midfield. A real natural talent with a hardworking ethic, he is a leader on the pitch. His other former clubs include Wrexham.
Meilir Ellis (to Porthmadog)
Returned to Y Traeth this month following the sudden exit of last season’s regular keeper Morgan Jones.
Ellis represented a number of other Gwynedd clubs which include Penrhyndeudraeth, Nefyn United and Barmouth and Dyffryn.
Port manager Craig Papirnyk describes him as commanding and vocal, a good shot stopper with impressive distribution.
Casey Gregg (Trearddur Bay to CPD Boded)
Exciting 21-year-old talent whose great potential first emerged with Holyhead Hotspur Reserves’ Megan Cup winning side of the 2018-19 season.
Later joined Bodedern Athletic where he was a part of the 2021-22 North Wales Coast West Premier Division title-lifting squad, scoring nine goals in all competitions.
Had a short spell at Holyhead Town at the start of 2022/23, rejoined Bodedern, but once that club folded in the December he finally settled at Trearddur Bay, making 20 appearances and netting twice for the North Wales Coast West Division One double winners.
Holyhead lad Casey this week decided he fancied a new challenge and signed for newly-formed CPD Boded.
SEVEN FROM CPD CAERWYS
Coby Amos (Saltney Town to Caerwys)
Central-midfielder/Winger.
Formerly with Flint Town United Development, NFA, Rhydymwyn and tier 3 club Saltney Town, where first team opportunities were limited last season for this 21-year-old.
Will now aim to make an impact in tier 4 with promoted Caerwys.
Dominic Howarth (Mold Alexandra to Caerwys)
Central defender who previously turned out for Mold Under-19s now looking to break through at Caerwys.
Tom Johnston (Rhydymwyn to Caerwys)
Central-midfield player hoping to catch the eye of new manager Daniel Sands.
Deiniol Bower (Caerwys)
Centre-mid previously at Caerwys, returns after a spell out of football.
Fantastic technical ability and a great attitude.
Adam Woosey (Rhydymwyn to Caerwys)
Striker aged 21 who arrives at Caerwys having previously served Rhydymwyn, Rhydymwyn Development and Connah’s Quay Nomads Reserves.
Brandon Jones (Sychdyn to Caerwys)
Striker who notched 11 goals for Sychdyn in the North East Wales League Championship Division last season, having had a stint with Hawarden Rangers Reserves at the start of the campaign.
Struck nine times for Sychdyn the season before. Hoping to repeat some of that form at Caerwys this term.
Nathan Large (Sychdyn to Caerwys)
Midfielder who joins former Sychdyn team-mate Brandon Jones at Lon-yr-Ysgol.
Large is an ex-Sychdyn captain who notched six goals in each of his last two seasons with the club.
Morgan Rowlands (Llanfairpwll to Trearddur Bay)
Industrious left-back with a tremendous left foot who always gives 100 percent for any team he represents.
Trearddur Bay are delighted to capture the 20-year-old from Llanfairpwll, having been impressed when he played against them in a cup semi-final last term.
Rowlands’ other former clubs include CPD Y Fali, Amlwch Town and Glantraeth.
Jos Lloyd-Jones (to CPD Pwllheli)
Naturally left-sided player from Pwllheli who first came to prominence in Bangor 1876’s debut season, netting six goals in that 2019-20 campaign which saw the fan-owned club win the Gwynedd League title with a 100 percent record.
Later signed for Llandudno Albion, who have now disbanded.
Jos now returns to hometown club Pwllheli, who are excited at the prospect of life in a higher division this season – the tier 3 Ardal North West.
Equally comfortable in a defensive or midfield role, Jos’ previous clubs include Nefyn United, Pwllheli and Porthmadog.
Jack Roberts (Saltney Town to Gresford Athletic)
Defender Roberts becomes Cymru North club Gresford’s fourth signing of the 2023/24 summer transfer window.
The new man began his career at Chester Nomads, before making the move to Wales early on by signing for Rhydymwyn.
He was at Rhyd for two years, then switched to Saltney Town in 2015, spending eight seasons at the club and becoming a reliable member of their back line.
The 28-year-old made 29 appearances in all competitions during the 2022/23 season, being part of eight clean sheets and also scoring three goals, with Saltney finishing 10th in tier 3 Lock Stock Ardal North West.
Gresford first-team manager Eddie Maurice-Jones says Roberts has been working hard during pre-season:
“Jack joined at the beginning of pre-season and already he has shown his qualities – honest, hardworking and he has a desire to learn.”
Osian Tomlinson (Caernarfon Town to Llangefni Town)
Good acquisition by Llangefni, a young talent with hopefully many good years ahead of him.
Osian is a winger who has played for the successful Caernarfon Town Development Team during the past couple of seasons.
Dylan Thomas (to Llangefni Town)
Defender, 26, who has had previous spells with Llandudno and Llandudno Junction and is now a welcome addition to the Llangefni squad for the 2023-24 campaign.
Dan Lloyd (Saltney Town to Llay Welfare)
A new face at Llay Welfare is midfielder Dan Lloyd.
He is shaping up well during pre-season and the Welfare are delighted to have him on board at The Ring.