Bangor football hero calls time on a great career

One of the finest footballers to emerge from the North Wales city of Bangor has called time on his career.

Flying winger Sion Edwards last week announced he is retiring after a 20-year stint in senior football.

His final game saw him play 71 minutes for Bangor 1876 in the fan-owned club’s 6-0 Cymru North debut win over Llanidloes Town at Nantporth Stadium on July 29, three days before his 36th birthday.

Sion will best be remembered for his major role in the Bangor City ‘Nevillution’, the amazing period between 2007-11 when led by manager Neville Powell, the Citizens won three Welsh Cups in succession, lifted the Welsh Premier League title and experienced success in Europe.

Local lad Sion was a product of the renowned Bangor-area Penrhosgarnedd youth system before gaining reserve team experience at Wrexham.

He was released from the Racecourse in 2006 and had a spell at Cemaes Bay before joining Bangor City that same year when former Wales and Manchester United star Clayton Blackmore was manager. Sion scored twice on his debut after coming on as a substitute in a 6-0 thrashing of Cefn Druids.

Blackmore left Farrar Road in November 2006 and was replaced by Steve Bleasdale, who stayed on until the end of the season. He was then replaced by Powell and a golden era was born with the likes of Sion, Les Davies and the soon-to-be-signed Michael Johnston at the forefront.

Edwards went on to become a Citizens legend, making 231 Welsh Premier starts (plus 92 substitute appearances) and netting 58 goals for the club.

His total in all competitions for Bangor was 73 (league 58, North Wales Coast Challenge Cup 6, Welsh Cup 4, League Cup 4 and FAW Premier Cup 1)

Sion won back-to-back Welsh Cups with Bangor in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10, Llanelli, Aberystwyth Town and Port Talbot Town the beaten opponents in the finals.

He was also in the squad which lifted the Welsh Premier title in 2010-11, City’s first national league crown in 16 years.

Sion also made 13 appearances in Europe for the all-blues (8 starts, 5 as sub), which included the magnificent two-leg victory over Honka of Finland in the Europa League in 2010.

The Wales semi-professional international also landed the NWCFA Challenge Cup with City and won a Europa League play-off final with the club.

He received the WPL Clubman of the Year title in October 2015 and was rewarded with a testimonial match in recognition of his dedication, loyalty and exemplary services to Bangor City in August 2016.

The left-sided specialist joined Rhyl on loan in 2016-17 before returning to Bangor City in summer 2017, featuring in the club’s Europa League matches against Lyngby of Denmark.

Sion was unable to command a regular place in the ensuing Welsh Premier campaign and left the club in November 2017 as a free agent.

He landed at Porthmadog, where his father Kevin formerly played, in December 2017 and went on to play for a season-and-a-half at Y Traeth, making 41 starts (plus six sub appearances) and scoring seven goals, helping the club finish third in the Huws Gray Cymru Alliance in 2018-19.

May 2019 saw Sion transfer to Colwyn Bay, where he played a total of 35 matches, notching five goals.

The popular wide-man joined former City team-mates Davies and Johnston when he signed for Bangor 1876 in November 2021, scoring on his debut in a 10-0 victory against Amlwch Town.

He netted in his first three games for the then tier 4 club and featured in 36 matches in all, scoring 11 goals, before deciding to hang up his boots.

Sion Edwards is not just a Bangor legend, but a legend of North Wales football.

Thanks for everything Sion.