Dial M for Merthyr

When you're sitting on a bench overlooking Mountain Hare football pitch staring at your watch because your lift to Salisbury is 45 minutes late and it's already half past twelve, you begin to question your own sanity. This is what mobile phones were made for, a couple of phone calls later it transpires that our driver was stuck in McDonalds at Dowlais Top, our navigator was waiting at Blaen Dowlais, the catering manager was walking up Twyn Hill and I was on this bench. Was it worth setting out ? Salisbury's not far from Southampton, the car arrives at 12.40 and off we set, no stops, all for a football match. Bath really could do with a bypass road, lovely scenery there to be fair but slow progress for us, then we hit the miles and miles of speed cameras, it must be a dangerous road that A36, anyway with our trusty programme directions in hand we arrive at Salisbury's ground with five minutes to spare. No time for booze, it could be a long afternoon. I'd never been...

The scene was set, Forest Green had beaten Salisbury with three late goals....We could only manage a draw at Dorchester....Rovers held a two point lead, and on 13.04.98 we just had to win! A large crowd gathered at Penydarren Park.. Tension was all around, and the crowd eagerly awaited the kick-off. Both teams took the field to a rapturous applause. Game on! With just over a minute gone, euphoria erupts in the ground....A corner to the Martyrs....Chapple floats in a dangerous cross....From amongst the confusion, Nobby rises above the crowd and powers an unstoppable header into the back of Rovers net....1-0. The perfect start. Rovers, obviously rattled, try to get the equaliser. The longer the half goes, the stronger they get. However, we hold. firm, and keep our 1-0 interval lead. Now it was up to Addo' to steady the ship. The second half was to prove to be a little bit special. After 66 minutes, Nobby was dismissed for a second yellow....We were down to ten men! Enter Evo...

It's time for teams, dreams and schemes. This fanzine wasn't planned at all but after the great performances at Worcester and home against Forest Green, the Dial M For Merthyr crew had to put together another issue for the cognoscenti amongst you on the Penydarren Park terraces. It's been a long haul from Nuneaton Borough to Ashford Town but along the way the Martyrs faithful have put in the mileage to come through hopefully as champions. The Merthyr juggernaut is speeding down the promotion highway with the Conference on the horizon but only for Peter Hunter to intervene, can he be serious ? The only team in Wales with the support to carry a Conference team denied access to the promised land ? What can he mean ? This publication is 100% behind the club's bid for promotion. Easy words, you may say. But no, there's plenty still to reconcile surrounding Penydarren Park, however, the new regime must be applauded for getting the club back on the promotion agenda. The...

After two draws and two defeats the omens weren't looking good for a trip to Jenner Park in the quarter-final of the BBC Sports Department Flagship Tournament.   Barry Town, about to retain their League of Wales title by a another massive margin, had scored 100+ league goals with Eifion Williams and Darren Ryan regularly on the score sheet. They had experienced players running through their squad. Recently though there had been a few hiccups: draws against Ebbw Vale and Rhayader Town had sown the seeds of doubt in the professional players minds, would they cope with Mitchell and Cohen’s pace? Could they penetrate the mean defending machine, marshalled by the revelation of the season - Neil O’Brien?  The match, being screened live by BBC Wales, turned into a cracker. The Dial "M" Party Posse assembled at the now customary Twynyrodyn watering hole, The Baili Glas Inn, landlady Marilyn promised the boys curry and chips on return from the game. Quick pints, minibus arrives,...