Barry can look back on 70 years at the Bridge Meadow!
As part of our ‘Sporting Memories’ features we asked Barry Vaughan to tell us about his fascinating early days watching Haverfordwest County from the time he was four when dad Josh took him from Clarbeston Road to watch The Bluebirds.
Barry will also tell us in other articles over the next couple of weeks about his days refereeing in our county and then about his work as Hon Secretary and Director up to today at the Bridge Meadow Stadium . . .
“I can still smell the heat rub put on by the players on cold winter days at the old Bridge Meadow Ground in Haverfordwest,” said Barry Vaughan,” which reminds me of horse liniment even today.”
So said Barry Vaughan about one of his first memories of watching Haverfordwest County play Welsh League football 70 years ago when his father Josh took him to watch The Bluebirds play, standing on ‘The Bank’ where most of the huge crowds gathered, having paid a shilling (5p today) or six pence (2.5 pence for kids and pensioners!)
Hooked after first match - at four!
“I couldn’t have been more than four when we drove in from Clarbeston Road, always with a full car, and I was hooked from the start as Newport County were the opposition – with dad warning me and brother Alan that if we ran around (he called it messing about) then we wouldn’t be allowed to go again.
“I couldn’t take my eyes off the players, especially the goalkeepers diving in the goalmouth mud, but Alan found it harder because he was livelier than I was – although I was then told off by mum because I tried to do the same at home and she had to wash my dirty clothes!”
That version of the Bridge Meadow was on the site of the current Morrison’s Car Park and ‘The Bank’ ran where Bridge Meadow Lane is now, alongside the river as a bulwark against the tides – and afforded a brilliant eagle-eyed view of play below.
Old facilities recalled
“The players changed in two black sheds at the back of where Wilkinson’s store now stands and I can remember the ropes around the pitch being replaced by wooden posts – very posh!
There was also a PA system of sorts, which was a huge bull horn speaker owned by Mr Blythe the electrician and used by Eric Smart, who at one time was the mayor of Haverfordwest.
“I was also fascinated by the referee’s blast on the whistle and caused great amusement when I asked what that funny noise was!”
“We used to stand alongside other Clarbie supporters in Ivor Rowlands (who later became chairman of the club) and his son Mostyn, who started playing up front for Haverfordwest County before eventually becoming a superb full back and captain, playing alongside former Welsh internationals Mel Charles and Ivor Allchurch.”
Top teams were regular visitors
Matches in those days were against the reserve teams from Cardiff City, Swansea Town (as it was in those days) and Newport County, plus the likes of Aberystwyth, Merthyr Tydfil and Lovell’s Athletic (who were known as ‘The Toffee Men’ because of the sweet factory that supported them).
“There were great players like Des Roberts, a goal-scoring local boy, and Dai James, my dad’s favourite, who used to set up Des’s goals. Many of the players came from ‘up the line’ because Swansea had so many professional players in the area – and there was no manager in those dim and distant days, with the team chosen by the committee!
“They included Tom Thomas as secretary (he ran Tom’s Sports), John Williams as chairman (deputy head of Barn Street School) and Freddie Nicholas (the local barber). Kenny Roberts is still a great Bluebirds supporter in his mid-80s and his father was also involved, as were Walter Rowlands and Lesley Ellis.
Memorable matches . . .
Some of the most memorable matches were the twice-yearly local derbies against Pembroke Borough and Milford United, where it was said 30 buses from Green’s Motors brought supporters into the county town.
“There were no floodlights, of course, and these games were often played on a Thursday afternoon because it was half-closing day, or early evening kick-offs where more than 1,000 were in attendance, with ‘huge’ gates of over £100!”
But ask Barry about the most memorable time of all came in 1956 when The Bluebirds became Welsh League Champions.
In fact, he can still roll off the names of that terrific team, with John Thomas (ex-Llanelli) in goal, with full backs Johnny and Alan Williams (respectively from Morriston and Barry), plus half backs Bernard Ross, John Foxton and Gwilym Cain, who had a superb left-foot shot.
Up front (there were five forwards in those days) were Charlie Dyke on the right wing, with local hero Cliff Pawlett on the other flank and the idol of all the youngsters with his close control and short shorts!
Ralph Baker and Ray Chennard were the inside forwards as they were known then – whilst Stan Richards was the pin-up player who had represented Cardiff City and Wales.
Ask Barry about sad moments and he would highlight the time in 1954 when they were playing against a strong Newport County side.
“Llywelyn James hailed from Prendergast and was another local favourite with unique playing skills but he accidently collided with an opponent and was stretchered off with a badly twisted knee – and he was never the same great player afterwards!”
. . . And a memorable moment!
1956 also brought about another memorable moment for Barry and about 300 other pupils at Haverfordwest Boys Grammar School because The Bluebirds were drawn against Cardiff City in the Welsh Cup and the rumours that the City Bluebirds were going to bring their full senior side – and they did as it included Graham Vernecombe in goal and was skippered by tough as teak centre half and skipper Danny Malloy, originally from Brechin in Scotland.
Other famous names included centre forward Gerry Hitchins, just back from Italy, Ron Stitfall, Derek Sullivan, Alan Harrington and Harry Kirtley.
“The only problem was the fact that since the match was played on a Thursday afternoon we were stuck in school and daren’t go AWOL – but when the final school bell rang there was a speedy mass exodus through town to The Bridge Meadow.
“When we arrived I raced behind the Cardiff goal with Haverfordwest trailing 3-2 but can still recall the equaliser as Charlie Dyke took a corner and Ray Chennard crashed a header into the roof of the net!
“So the game ended all square and it was back to Ninian Park for the replay – but there was no fairytale ending as we lost the replay 8-0 and I was back in school whilst dad travelled to Cardiff!”
Moving away – but always keeping in touch
And Barry stayed watching Haverfordwest County at every chance until he went off to study history at Swansea University from 1964 to 1967 but he watched as often as possible when he came home on holiday – and when he went for two years to Manchester University to study hospital management.
“I got my first job in hospital management in Cardiff and during my fours there I refereed in the Pontypridd League, where I believe Bill Carne started out his footballing days.
“Then I was delighted to get the job as the Hospital Administrator at the old County Hospital alongside being the Commissioning Officer for the new Withybush Hospital, and in my ten years there I started refereeing in the Pembrokeshire League when Joe Vernon was the secretary.
It meant I couldn’t attend Haverfordwest County’s games as much as I would like and I saw even fewer matches after that because I moved for five years to take charge of a hospital in Saudi Arabia. But my dad kept me informed and theirs was the first result I looked up every weekend because the Bridge Meadow was still very much in my blood.”
Taking over from an ace administrator in gentleman Cliff
Cliff Saies had been an excellent secretary with The Bluebirds for many years but Barry’s return to Pembrokeshire more or less coincided with Cliff becoming ill and so Barry took over the reins at the Bridge Meadow from the smashing Mr Saies.
And after looking at Barry’s refereeing memories in our next chat we will spend a great third episode where we chat to Barry Vaughan about his long time as the club’s Hon Secretary which saw them play in the Welsh Premier and Welsh League, the only time that The Bluebirds reached the European Cup and travelled to Iceland – some of his favourite players of the time and lots, lots more!