What a year for Afan Lido. Having realised their dream of achieving a place in the FAW Premier Cup, they have now taken it one step further by qualifying for the knock-out stages and earning a lucrative home tie with English league giants Wrexham in the process.

Yet this is hardly new ground for the minnow Welsh club. In its short history – this is only the twenty sixth year of its existence – the club has progressed from the very bottom of the Welsh footballing pyramid and complete obscurity to the highest echelons currently possible. How grand a status for a club with a reputation only amongst its local community for it to be competing at the top levels of a national competition and playing English opposition who were giantkilling the likes of Arsenal and West Ham only a couple of seasons ago.

As recent as two seasons ago supporters were getting agitated. Chairman David Dale had set a target of reaching the FAW Premier Cup but Lido fell way short of the mark, finishing in 11th place in the league, three places below qualification. Manager Mark Robinson was under increasing pressure from numerous critics; a well-known official from a rival club even snorted that Lido had “the most unsackable manager in Europe” in jest at the club’s plight.

But how fickle football fans can be. It has only been two seasons but the management team of Robinson and assistant Stephen Llewellyn have completely transformed the club’s fortunes, elevating them to the top half of the table with a consistency matched only by their professional counterparts in the league.

They are currently in fourth position in the Welsh Premier, behind only TNS, Barry Town and Bangor City, three illustrious names in the history of Welsh football. Fourth position…gosh…that makes them…title contenders?
“I think it’s a bit far fetched to label us title contenders,” chuckles team manager Mark Robinson, “but maybe in a few years we’ll be there or thereabouts. It’s a great compliment nonetheless but I’d have to favour TNS this year. They have a crunch match on Saturday against Barry, and if they can win that then I don’t see anybody stopping them.”

Manager Mark Robinson is a modest and relaxed character, fully aware that the club’s position is currently bigger than the club itself, but expansion is top of its agenda, something Robinson has become fully committed to during this campaign.

“The Welsh pyramid is getting stronger, and we’re getting stronger with it. We keep on sampling the top levels of football in Wales, we’re on course for finishing in the top eight yet again. I don’t think Europe is on the cards this year but who knows? The only thing holding us and, of course, the league back at the moment are the financial and publicity incentives. Once these are resolved clubs like ours can go from strength to strength.” The Wrexham game signals Robinson’s biggest game in his managerial career at Lido, but the signs coming out of the Runtech Stadium are all positive. Home form may not have been the club’s strongest point this season, but Wrexham still face an unenviable task of overcoming the side that such league stars as Graham Evans stress as the most difficult to beat.

“We didn’t expect to come this far, so there’s no pressure on the players on Tuesday night. Obviously we’ll be going out there to win but we didn’t expect to earn this kind of tie so this is just a fantastic bonus.”

So what does the rest of the season hold for Afan Lido football club? Surely the Wrexham match will be the highlight of the campaign but league fortunes are just as important, and something which Robinson is all too keen to concentrate his efforts on.

“We have achieved our goals this season already in getting to the knockout stages of the FAW Premier Cup. In the league we’re in fourth position. Our home form has suffered a few little blips over the course of the season but we’ve yet to lose two games on the bounce, a tremendous feat, and we’ve worked as a team unit. We’ve also been scoring goals, something that has eluded us in previous years so we’re on track to consolidate last season’s position and, who knows, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

Many thanks to Richard for asking the questions, and to Mark for answering. Best of luck to Afan Lido this season!

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