IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR
Attending the Academy and progressing into the first team is a family affair for the Jones boys from Tredegar. GETHYN JONES has become a regular member of the first team squad this season, his third at the Academy. Two years ago, his 20 year-old brother Rhys made an impact on the first team while an
Academy member, making nine appearances and scoring one goal before leaving the club at the end of the season.
Gethyn said: “There has never been any rivalry between us. We always wanted to train and play together though he was two years ahead of me.
“He didn’t stay with the club when his time at the Academy was up. Tim Harris was manager then and he said that he didn’t think Rhys would get more than substitute appearances because he relied more on experienced players.
“In one sense this gave me the incentive to prove myself.”
Rhys now plays for Carmarthen Town in the Welsh Premier League which means that their parents Keith and Dwynwen have to share their support between two Welsh clubs.
Football has been a passion for Gethyn since he started playing at the age of eight for the junior teams of Tredegar Town. He began as a left-back but developed into a central midfield player, spending two years at Cardiff City before the disappointment of being told by Gavin Tate that he was being released, City
being blessed with competition for midfield places.
Gethyn attended Gwynllyw School in Pontypool where the accent was on rugby in the early years though he represented the school at football in year nine, playing with lads a couple of years older than him.
The move to the Academy was a natural progression and Gethyn joined Rhys at Hartridge in 2001. He is now approaching the end of a B Tec course in Sports Science and will soon have to decide about his academic and football future.
He already has plenty of memories, having played eight times for Wales Under-18 Schoolboys, representing his country in Scotland and Ireland.
He said: “My highlight was playing against England in a 1-1 draw here at Spytty Park though.”
Gethyn was also a member of the Academy squad who lifted the English Schools Under-19 championship with a win at Anfield against the Bluecoat School of Liverpool. Surprisingly perhaps this does not rank with the great occasions in the football life of the Manchester United loving teenager.
“I only came on for the last two minutes of that game and my brother was a non-playing substitute. I was so disappointed not to start that I thought of giving up the game.”
His love of football soon dispelled those thoughts and last season he made his debut for the first team, though it was perhaps something of an anti-climax as Peter and Glyn selected virtually the entire youth side for the final league game against Chelmsford City.
Gethyn was determined to make the breakthrough this season and he has succeeded in doing so.
He said: “Glyn Jones and Roger Skyrme made us train hard and with this season being my last at the Academy, I was determined to push for a first team place. I knew I was good enough and felt that if my chance came it would be up to me to prove it - you can’t progress on the bench - and Peter Nicholas has given me a great opportunity.”
Gethyn made his breakthrough in our win at Eastbourne, playing on the right side of midfield, and he has played there fairly regularly since. The Stafford home game encapsulated the peaks and troughs of football with Gethyn conceding a penalty to give the visitors an equaliser then scoring himself a few minutes later.
He said: “I went from villain to hero. I have always been told that when you play on the right and play goes down the left side, to take up a position at the back post. I did that and Jamie Moralee flicked the ball on for me to score. I was happy with that.”
The Manchester United game here last month was another highlight with Gethyn marvelling at the skills of his opponents. He also did well on the evening and he continues to impress with his consistent performances.
He said: “I’m not sure what I will be doing when I leave the Academy but I will speak to Peter and Glyn before deciding.”