Today we start out a new feature on characters that Gordon Thomas and I enjoy meeting who have served Pembrokeshire Football well and are a pleasure to talk to and write about – and who better to start with than our first ‘victim’, whose colourful times before the old legs got too tired are well worth a read . . .
 

Danny Thomas – from football poacher to gamekeeper

 
When Danny Thomas was a footballer in his much younger days he was a bit of a firebrand player who wasn’t afraid to quietly express his opinions to match officials - but after a nasty injury which eventually forced him to call a halt to his playing days it became a case of poacher turned gamekeeper.
 
Because he became a referee and it is fair to say he was widely known, and respected, not only in Pembrokeshire but right across the M4 corridor in the old Welsh League.
 
One facet of his officiating was his ability to speak the same language as players and enjoyed a pint or two in the clubhouse with them afterwards, other than with one exception, but more of that later.
 
Long-time president of the Pembrokeshire Referees’ Society
 
And that respect is continued even today because he is the long-time President of the Pembrokeshire Referees’ Society: a role that a is normally awarded on a three-year basis but he has been in office for 15 years, and jokingly says it is because no-one else wants the job!
 
For a similar length of time, he was also the Society’s representative on the West Wales’ Management Committee, which governs the game up as far as Neath, but he used to travel to meetings in Swansea with the late Brian Hawkins, who did such a great job as Hon Secretary of the Pembrokeshire League, but Danny decided it was time to give someone else a chance when Brian so sadly passed away.
 
He still enjoys attending some of the monthly meetings of our local referees’ society, however, and is held in high regard by those who have followed him into the game.
 

A Taffs Well boy who played locally for Manorbier and Monkton Swifts

 
Danny started his own playing days in his home town of Taffs Well, who played in the JD Cymru (South Division) this season at their Rhiw Dda’r headquarters, and when he arrived in our county with his work as a plumber, he first played for Manorbier, where he scored his fair share of goals.
 
Then when he moved to Pembroke he joined Monkton Swifts and did equally well - until he sustained his nasty head injury and was advised it was time to call a halt
 

One of the ‘Three Musketeers’ along the South Wales Corridor

 
Some friends roped him in to referee and it wasn’t long before he had his black kit, stop-watch and whistle - and making a name for himself in local football before joining Graham Shepard and Pedr McMullen on the Welsh League circuit and were soon dubbed ‘The Three Musketeers from Pembrokeshire’.
 
Stories about their exploits, especially after matches, became legend and they regularly featured in the ‘Sporting Snippets’ written in local newspapers by this correspondent.
 
Danny and ‘Shep’ still meet several times a week at the Kings Arms in Pembroke for morning coffee, and although Pedr is now unable to join them because of illness he is often in their thoughts about those ‘Golden Days of Yesteryear’.
 

West Wales Final an honour – and an awful evening for poor Danny

 
Danny’s refereeing was acknowledged when he was chosen as the referee, alongside two assistants from Neath to officiate the West Wales Intermediate Cup at the old Vetch Field, Swansea City’s Ground, in a match involving rivals from Swansea and Llanelli.
 
With little help from his assistants, Danny did well to maintain control until a terrible tackle in the shadow of the stands saw chaos break out with fighting from players, officials and spectators of both clubs.
 
Danny tried to intervene but got caught up in the huge melee and was rendered unconscious. It was an awful moment as he was taken off to Morristown Hospital, where Pedr, Danny’s then-lovely fiancée June and I were finally allowed to take him home around midnight.
 
Both clubs were rightly banned from the competition for ten years and Danny missed out on a good finish to the match, which he had really deserved.
 

Senior Cup Selection and more bad lucky for Danny after a great start

 
In his time as a referee, he officiated at almost every cup final in Pembrokeshire, including the Senior Cup between Merlins Bridge and Goodwick. They drew in the first match where Danny had, in my humble opinion was one of the best refereeing performances I have seen in the county, and going just as well in the replay until he pulled a calf muscle and had to be replaced by linesman Dai Griffiths.
 
Again, the game was drawn and equally as tight in the second replay, with the late Mr Griffiths in the middle, before our own Gordon Thomas netted one of the goals for The Bridge to end the longest final in the county’s history!
 

Still watches the Senior Cup Finals

 
Danny still maintains his interest in local football but doesn’t go to games as much as he used to because of driving, but he still attends the annual Senior Cup Final in support of the chosen officials - and it is a racing certainty that he will be at the Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium, and perhaps at the pre-match lunch that demonstrates support from other whistlers in the county, alongside a fun quiz organised by Sean O’Connor,
 
Danny might say that he has had his ups and downs in football, but there is still an air of enjoyment whenever he talks about the players he respected; far too many to mention here.
 

And finally . . .

 
When he finished reffing he became an assessor and every ref from that time would have a story to tell about his support when they set out – and former Society chairman Chris Stapleton is one such as he told us,
“Danny was assessing me in a match on an awful day at Kilgetty where Letterston were the visitors and it didn’t stop raining, but I agreed to go ahead on the understanding that I would have to abandon it if conditions became dangerous.
 
“With 25 minutes to go there was that moment where it became evident that such a moment had arrived and he told both captains of his decision.
 
“Kilgetty didn’t mind because they were trailing 2-0 but Letterston asked my why I thought it was that bad not to carry on – whereupon Danny arrived on the pitch, looking pretty bedraggled, took off his welly and poured a heap of water out of it and quietly said ‘That’s why’ before both teams trooped off without another word!
“I still owe him a pint for that one!”
 
We couldn’t beat that story but we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk can say with certainty that he is one of the most genuine characters we have ever spoken to - and we are already looking forward to a chat behind the clubhouse goal at The Senior Cup Final, because we know it will be great fun with one of Pembrokeshire Football’s biggest characters!