Darren Thomas steps down as Cemaes manager – but leaves the team in very capable hands

Darren Thomas has stepped down as manager of Cemaes Bay and will be replaced by his assistant this season, Nick Dumbarton.

Long-serving Thomas will remain at School Lane as part of the committee and to assist in any way required on the managerial side.

Cemaes have just completed an impressive season which saw them finish fourth in the Tier 4 North Wales Coast West Premier Division and reach the Cwpan Snowdonia Final.

Thomas first joined Cemaes Bay in 2013, did one season in Bodedern as assistant-manager in 2018/19, then came back to Bay in 2019/20, won the last-ever Anglesey League title and has been there since.

He led the Anglesey club to NWCFA Junior Challenge Cup success in 2021-22, beating Talysarn Celts 4-2 in the final.

In 2022-23, Cemaes finished runners-up in North Wales Coast West Division One and earned promotion to the Premier, where they ended up fifth in their first season and fourth at the end of the current campaign.

Announcing his decision to stand down as manager, Thomas said on social media: “My time as manager of Cemaes Bay has come to an end. My assistant Nick Dumbarton will be taking over as manager, and he doesn’t need any introduction with his success already.

“I’d like to thank all the players that have played for me. I know I’ve been hard work😂😂. To all of the committee members past and present, thank you from the bottom of my heart you’ve been good with me. To my opposing managers it’s been a blast, to my assistants from the start Andrew Stewart, Alan Gray, Arron Fon Evans, Alex Philp a massive thank you.

“To Ricky Williams for letting me be his assistant-manager in Bodedern FC and making me ready to go back as manager in Cemaes, but the biggest thanks goes to my wife Clair Thomas, my mum and sister Michelle Thomas, my son Sam Thomas and step son Jamie Humphreys for always backing me.

“But one thing is I’ll make sure I’ll be part of the club to help Nick and the squad in any way possible and be a member of the committee to make sure we are successful.”

New Cemaes boss Dumbarton spent many seasons as a successful player and coach with Holyhead Hotspur before stepping into management and led Trearddur Bay to back-to-back titles – the North Wales Coast West Division One and Premier crowns – in 2022-23 and 2023-24 – before joining Thomas at School Lane this term.