Llay Miners Welfare manager leaves club

Phil Hudson has departed as Llay Miners Welfare manager by mutual consent after less than four months in the hot seat.

Hudson, previously manager of Brymbo and Ruthin Town, had originally joined Denbigh Town in pre-season, but quickly moved to Llay when the first team role became available.

Last season, Llay earned a magnificent promotion from Ardal North West to enter the Tier 2 Cymru North for the first time.

Hudson jumped at the opportunity to take over at the second-tier new boys.

Joining management team Mike Gadie and Steven Halliwell at The Ring, Hudson enjoyed a good start with Llay when they won their opening match of the 2024-25 season 3-1 – ironically against Denbigh Town – in the Nathaniel MG Cup.

However, the Welly went winless for their next seven matches before grabbing a 2-1 triumph at Buckley Town in the Welsh Blood Service League Cup.

Two losses followed prior to wins against Caersws – their first in the Cymru North – then Corwen in the Welsh Cup.

However, a weekend 2-1 loss at Bangor 1876 in the Welsh Cup meant the Wrexham area side had gone four without a win.

Llay are currently one place off the Cymru North basement with just a single victory in 11 outings.

Under Hudson, Welfare had won only four of their 17 matches in all competitions.

The club was already reeling from the blow of having three points deducted last week over a player eligibility issue.

The FAW released the following statement last Friday:

An appeals panel of the Football Association of Wales (FAW) recently met to consider the charges against Llay for the Disciplinary Offences for a breach of FAW Rule 84, Cymru North Rule 14.1 and Nathaniel MG Cup Rule 23c.
FAW Rule 84 states that: ‘Any Player participating in an Official Match in a Professional Competition must have the right to work unrestricted in the United Kingdom in accordance with applicable law and applicable Regulations (including the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) Criteria Regulations.’
Cymru North Rule 14.1 states: ‘No Club may play an ineligible Player in any Match. Any Club which plays an ineligible player in a Match, or Matches, will have three (3) points deducted from its League record for that Playing Season up to a maximum of 18 points and will also be liable to a fine. If the Player is a nominated but unused substitute for a Match, he shall be deemed as not having played for the Club in that Match.’
Nathaniel MG Cup Rule 23c states: ‘The players shall also be duly qualified according to the Rules of the Association.’
It was alleged that tLlay Miners Welfare FC fielded an ineligible player, who did not have the right to work unrestricted in the United Kingdom in accordance with applicable law and applicable Regulations, in the following matches:
Gresford Athletic FC v Llay Welfare FC (2024/25 JD Cymru North) – 26 July 2024
Holywell Town FC v Llay Welfare FC (2024/25 Nathaniel MG Cup) – 3 August 2024.
All charges were found proven. In line with Cymru North Rule 14.1, the Club has received a deduction of three (3) points, effective immediately in the JD Cymru North 2024/25 season.
The Club has also received two monetary fines.
The first fine is suspended for the duration for the 2024/25 season that the Club shall not be required to pay unless any further breach of the FAW Rules concerning player eligibility is proved against, or admitted by the Club, before the end of the season.
The second fine is suspended for a period of 12 calendar months (up to and including 15 October 2025) that the Club shall not be required to pay unless any further breach of the Nathaniel MG Cup Rules concerning player eligibility is proved against, or admitted by the Club, in that period.
Llay Miners Welfare FC has the right to appeal the matter to Independent Arbitration.

Llay Miners Welfare issued the following response

Following the departure of Phil Hudson, the club said: “Regrettably, the club has mutually agreed to part ways with Phil Hudson today.

“We sincerely thank Philly for all his contributions this season and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”