David Hughes an inspirational leader

 
For the past six seasons David Hughes has undoubtedly been the key figure at the Bridge Meadow Stadium, taking on the role of chairman after a previous short stint of one season in 2020.
 
He would be the first to say that there was a number of other hard workers involved and that there have been a few ups and downs but whilst he is correct with the second premise he is only partially right with the first because over recent seasons he has had to treat the chairman’s role as a full time one, but without the payment it deserved!  
 
Those ups and downs would certainly include the night late on in the 2015/16 season when The Bluebirds travelled to Aberdare for their final match of the campaign needing to win by five clear goals and cane away – you guessed it – with a 5-0 victory.
 
It led to great celebrations and not much good grace from Cardiff Met, who missed promotion as a result   , and a memorable night for David for the wrong reason as his glasses he uses for driving broke at the nose piece and he was forced to drive almost 100 miles home with two makeshift monocles!
 
Disappointment followed a year later with relegation from the Welsh Premier League and since then David, alongside his hardy band of workers, has always focussed on more success.

“We had really set the target for promotion in the season just finished and again there have been more ups and downs, including ‘horror shows’ at Briton Ferry and STM Sports but “Wayne Jones and his staff deserve credit for sticking to the task as a bunch of very responsible players who always tried to give of their best in what was an interesting mix of youth/experience, home-grown/players from ‘up the line’!”
 
David did try hard to stimulate local involvement last Autumn when he announced, in an article written by Gordon Thomas, the sports editor of the ‘Western Telegraph’ that help was needed, but it fell on stony ground and so he set out to look for other outlets to boost The Bluebirds’ fortunes – and he found Rob Edwards looking to become involved in running a football club.
 
“Rob Edwards realised the opportunities that are in place for a successful Welsh Club in its own set-up because there are four guaranteed places in the European Cup and Europa League for the 12 clubs involved in the Welsh Premier – so that is a one in three chance of that route, unlike England, where there are so many top clubs vying for a place – and the amazing revenue that such success brings.”
 
David and Rob Davies were invited to act in an advisory capacity and David will still be heavily involved at the present time; especially on match days and prior to the start-up, where he will be looking to enhance sponsorship and the number of advertising boards situated around the perimeter of the playing area.
 
He is rightly proud of the fact that he steps down as chairman with all the club’s accounts in the black and it is already very clear that there is a mutual respect between old and new leaders – so we wish David Hughes every enjoyment in his new role and the chance to hopefully see his beloved club go on to greater things!