Caernarfon Town host their first European game at The Oval this week – and club chairman Paul Evans could not be more proud

Paul Evans (right) and Caernarfon Town manager Richard Davies with the Welsh Cup. Picture: FAW

INTERVIEW: faw.cymru

The Oval will host UEFA Conference League football on Thursday 9 July (KO 18:30) as Caernarfon Town take Estonian outfit Levadia Tallinn, and for club chairman Paul Evans, it marks another milestone for a club making huge strides forward.

“The club is in a very good place,” explained Evans this week. “It’s an exciting time for us and an exciting time to be a part of the club. I’m honoured to be chairman of the club, but I’m a supporter first and foremost. We’re home for the 1st leg and we’re going to really go for it. It’s going to be amazing.”

Evans’ connection to the club and the area is unmistakable. “I’m from a village called Rhosgadfan,” he explained. “I can actually see the village from here. We represent the town of Caernarfon, that’s natural to us, but we want to represent all the villages in the area as well.

“We want to bring people from these villages to the club. We have the facilities now that can host festivals and invite junior teams from the area to take part. We’re excited about the redevelopments that have taken place here and what that will mean for us moving forward and building a real community vibe.

“That’s one of the most important things for us at this club. When we came here in 2010 we there was a feeling that we didn’t have enough local players to have that connection, so we tried to build a more local team to bring us closer to the community. The supporters have stuck with us, and the next aim for us now is to have a women’s team in the top division as well.”

Caernarfon Town are one of the best supported teams in the domestic game – and the Cofi Army will have a huge part to play against Levadia Tallinn.

“It’s a tough test, but no match is going to be easy in Europe,” Evans added. “You want to play against really good teams, that’s why you qualify, and we’ll have 1,200 fans here making plenty of noise and putting plenty of pressure on them. I’m confident we can do something.”

Caernarfon Town are heading into Europe for just the second time in their history. Their first UEFA Conference League campaign took place in 2024/25 as they claimed a memorable penalty shoot-out victory over Irish side Crusaders before being eliminated by

Polish giants Legia Warsaw. However, this is the first time that the club will be able to host their home fixture following a major investment into their facilities.

Over £1m has recently been spent to upgrade the playing surface, changing rooms and supporter facilities with the club also hosting matches at the UEFA U19 EURO Finals this summer.

“The work carried out has transformed the stadium,” said Evans. “It’s now amongst the best in Wales. The project has given the club a huge boost and I believe it will do the same to Caernarfon as a town.”

Qualification for the UEFA Conference League was achieved back in April when the club claimed the Welsh Cup for the first time with a 3-0 victory over Flint Town United at Rodney Parade, Newport. It was an emotional day for Evans as the fans travelled down in huge numbers, lining the streets to the stadium as the team arrived.

“It’s emotional for me because I’ve supported this club for the last forty or so years and it’s always been about the Welsh Cup and how far we can go in the competition,” Evans added. “It’s amazing that we’ve never won it before. For me it’s the best cup in the world because it’s our national cup, you can’t beat it. In the lead up to the final everyone in town was talking about it.

“We knew that we would take over a thousand fans there, but when we arrived and saw them all waiting for the bus to pass through the streets, it was one of the highlights of my life. You could really sense the size of the occasion, and it was such a proud day to go on and bring the cup back to the Oval. We’ve started taking it around the local schools and villages so everyone can feel a part of our success.”

Manager Richard ‘Fish’ Davies has been at the club for a decade and took charge of the side in April 2023. Since his appointment he has delivered two European campaigns and the Welsh Cup. “Rich just gets it,” explained Evans. “He’s been brilliant as a coach over the years, and we’ve seen him develop as a person during that time as well.

“He’s from the area and he gets what we’re about, he shows his emotions and you can see his passion for the club. He’s a proper club legend and the best manager I’ve worked with since I’ve been involved. I love him as a person and as a manager, and I think most people here feel the same way.”

Now established as a leading club in the domestic game, Caernarfon Town will now look to extend their success onto the European stage. “The whole experience of being at UEFA in Nyon for the draw was surreal,” Evans added. “You have to pinch yourself when the draw is made, to be there representing the club I love and have supported since I was a kid. But we deserve it.”