Prestatyn Struggling To Attract Top Players

by Dave Jones, Rhyl Visitor
ATTRACTING top quality players is proving a difficult task for Prestatyn Town player manager Neil Gibson as he prepares for an assault on the Welsh Premier League.
Gibson was speaking after failing in his bid to bring former Rhyl defender James Brewerton to Bastion Road.
Local lad Brewerton decided to join Bangor City after taking part in Rhyl’s two recent Intertoto Cup ties against Irish club Bohemian.
Prestatyn are believed to have made an attractive offer to the central defender, but they could not match Bangor’s terms.
“We tried very hard to sign Brewerton but in the end we couldn’t compete with Bangor,” said Gibson. “He (Brewerton) knows Laurie McGuinness (Prestatyn coach) very well and we were hopeful, but his heart was set on Bangor and had been for some time.
“Attracting new players isn’t proving that easy because of demands at this level; it’s a problem a lot of promoted clubs come across.”
Gibson reports that all of last season’s squad have signed with the exception of chief goalscorer Steve Bowes, who is still in discussions with his player-boss but fully intends to play in pre-season friendlies.
Bevan Humphries, a South Wales-based teacher who last played for Prestatyn three seasons ago and is a Wales youth international, has rejoined the Bastion Road outfit.
Prestatyn kicked off their close-season schedule this Saturday with a home match against Unibond League outfit Prescot Cables recording a 3-1 win and follow this up in seven days time (Saturday July 19) with an attractive match against one of football’s oldest and most famous names, Corinthian Casuals.
The Casuals, famed for their exploits in the Amateur Cup at the turn of the 20th century and based in Tolworth, Surrey, will be travelling up on the day so the match will kick off at 4pm which also allows locals to enjoy the town’s annual carnival procession before the game.
The Seasiders are also inviting all former players to come down and enjoy the occasion free of charge.
“It would be great if as many ex-players as possible could make it down to the game,” said press officer Mark Jones. “There must be a lot of lads who have yet to come down to the ground since its redevelopment and we hope as many as possible will come and see what’s been achieved. It doesn’t matter if they played five years or fifty years ago, first team or reserves, we welcome them all.”