Rhyl 1879 mourn departure of tenacious twins

Sad news for CPD Y Rhyl 1879 – twin brothers Alex and James Jones have left the club, with Prestatyn Town favourites to be their next port of call..

Both were on the substitutes bench in 1879’s 6-0 beating of CPD Y Felinheli at the Hops and Barley Stadium yesterday. The pair both came on in the second half, with Alex finding the net.

Midfielder Alex, 30, joined 1879 at the start of 2022-23 from Flint Town United.

He got off to a flyer in the tier 3 Ardal North West, scoring eight goals in his first eight matches.

In all, he made 67 appearances for 1879, netting 28 goals.

Defender James was part of Prestatyn Town’s Cymru North tirle-winning side of 2019-20, but was a Rhyl 1879 player from day one when the club launched at the start of 2021-22.

He featured in 114 matches across all competitions for the Lilywhites, scoring twice in 2023-24.

Rhyl 1879 released the following statement this evening: “We are devastated to announce the departure of both James and Alex Jones from the Hops & Barley Community Stadium. Both lads have made the decision to move onto pastures new.

“James has been our vice-captain since the club’s inception 4 years ago. He has been a leader both on and off the pitch, making time for everyone involved with the club whether it be fans, volunteers or committee members.

“James has been a fantastic relentless defender for 1879, who will be sorely missed by everyone at the club.

“Alex is certainly a fans and committee favourite as his dedication and loyalty to the club has been second to none, rejecting approaches from a variety of teams higher up the Welsh pyramid with regularity opting to stay loyal to 1879 as we looked to secure promotion to tier 2.

“Alex will be fondly remembered by all at the club for his hard work, passion, desire and commitment during every game whilst in a white shirt.

“We wish you both the very best of luck as you move onto the next challenge in your football journey.”

Both Alex and James have strong past links with Prestatyn Town, whose new manager Gareth Thomas was the twins’ boss at Rhyl 1879 until recently.