Jamie Hulse’s first game as Cefn Albion boss will be against his former club!

Jamie Hulse will feel a distinct air of familiarity when he leads his new club Cefn Albion into a game for the first time next week.

For Albion manager Hulse’s first opponents will be Corwen – the club where he was previously boss.

Cefn take on Corwen next Wednesday, August 6, at The Muga in what promises to be a full-blooded Ardal North East fixture.

News of Hulse’s latest appointment was unveiled this week.

And he must have been delighted with his new club’s resounding 5-1 win over Lex XI in midweek.

The Cefners travel to Glantraeth in the FAW Amateur Trophy on Saturday and this will be followed by Hulse’s first official game at the helm four days later.

On being appointed new Cefn boss, Hulse said: “What a privilege it is to be appointed Cefn Albion manager. As soon as I spoke to Stew (Roberts  Chairman) I knew it was the place I wanted to be.

“Huge credit to Milly (Josh Millington), Tag (Tommy Evans) and Nudge (Jack Richards) during pre season and I’m delighted they will be staying on and working alongside me. I can’t wait to meet up with the players, commitee and supporters for my first game at The Muga.”

Hulse joins his new club from Corwen following a respectable 10th place finish last season in a competitive Ardal North West League.

He is no stranger to Cefn Mawr having spent a lot of his childhood in Trevor.

As a player, Hulse made over 200 appearances with the likes of Porthmadog, Denbigh Town, Buckley Town, Ruthin Town and Llandyrnog United, mainly in Tier 2.

He won the Welsh Alliance League and Cookson Cup double at Denbigh in 2013-14 as well as the NEWFA Challenge Cup twice, during his four year spell at Buckley Town.

Hulse has continued his success as a player into management. Having gained valuable experience as part of Phil Hudson’s first team backroom staff at Ruthin Town, he took over as that club’s reserve team manager in 2022/23, winning the league and cup double.

Following his immediate success at Ruthin, Hulse was offered the first team manager’s role at Corwen, where he won the 2023/24 North East Wales League Premier Division title, gaining promotion to the Ardal Northern Leagues.