Llanrwst United’s new manager has an impressive football CV!

Llanrwst United’s new manager Matt Sampson has a very impressive football CV.

The 35-year-old takes over at Parc Gwydir from Barry Owen, who stepped down last week after many successful years with the club as player and manager.

Matt was already part of Owen’s management team at the Tier 3 Ardal North West club, so is fully familiar with the set-up at the Conwy Valley outfit.

After being announced as new United boss, Matt said: “It’s a privilege to take the manager’s role of a community-driven club with huge potential and a fantastic squad of players, staff and volunteers.
“This seems to be a perfect fit for myself personally and professionally.”

Llanrwst are currently second in Ardal North West with just one defeat in nine matches, that being to current leaders CPD Y Rhyl 1879. The Rwsters are also into the last 64 of the FAW Amateur Trophy.

Matt’s experience in football coaching and co-ordinating is vast.

Between January 2012 and August 2015, he was head of Football in the Community at Colwyn Bay FC.

He later became development centre co-ordinator at Manchester City FC, part of his involvement with the club including a 10-month coaching spell in China.

Between 2017-2020, Matt was the scholars head coach at Connah’s Quay Nomads, working with head of phase and first team to progress players to full-time football.

He was coach and under-18’s manager at Nomads, and part of the successful 2019-20 season which saw the club lift the Welsh Premier title and the U-18’s and U-19’s also win their leagues.

Matt returned to Colwyn Bay in September 2020, becoming academy director and head of coaching.

He had previously played for and later helped manage the old Bay Reserve team which won two League Cup finals and finished runners-up in the Lock Stock Welsh Alliance Reserve League before taking his coaching badges.

Matt was appointed as part of the first team coaching set-up at the start of last season which ended with the Bay winning promotion to the Cymru Premier and completing a Cymru North League and Cup double.

This season, he moved on to Llanrwst United, where a new challenge now awaits as first team manager.

Holder of a UEFA A Licence Senior and UEFA A Elite Youth qualification, he is also an FAW coach educator and regional coach.