It’s been a massive week off the field for Mardy Football Club starting with the Gwent Premier League annual dinner when the team were presented with last season’s Division Two champions trophy and joint managers James Copeland and Huw Llewellyn received one of the manager of the month awards, reports CLIVE HARRY.

The Club’s AGM followed on Wednesday when officers were elected, including Chairman Chris Price, and plans were outlined for the coming season. A number of new members were also welcomed on the playing and non-playing side.

Finally, the Club’s own awards night was held on Friday and presentations were made as follows -

First team managers’ award joint winners - Ben Jones and Brad Daniels.

Top scorer - Craig Norman

Players’ player - Ellis French

Goal of the season - Ben Jones

Managers’ Special Award - Alex ‘Gino’ Cavalli.

Second team awards were made to -

Manager’s player and players’ player of the season - Gary Hopkins.

Top scorer - Mark Hughes.

Manager’s Special Award - Rhys Evans.

On the field, a number of pre-season friendlies are already in the pipeline and training has commenced at Mardy Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 6.30pm

• THE Football Association of Wales have hit back at allegations of favouritism after the shock decision of Abergavennny Women FC to fold last week.

The club were controversially kicked out of the Wales top flight two seasons ago, despite finishing fourth, with the FAW claiming they didn’t match the requirements and facilities of clubs in the new look Adran Premier League, with other lower finishing and second tier clubs parachuted in above them.

After winning promotion in 2021/22, the first team were relegated again last month from the top flight following the deducation of six points for missing a postponed and hastily rescheduled fixture at TNS in Mid Wales, and fined £2,000.

That proved the final straw for Abergavenny WFC, whose U16s reached two cup finals during the season, with the club announcing its decision to close and blasting that “the cards are stacked against us” and “we are not all playing under the same rules”.

Now the FAW has hit back, saying: “The Football Association of Wales is aware of the statement posted to social media by the official Abergavenny Women Football Club accounts.

“The FAW is awaiting official correspondence from Abergavenny Women FC on their intention to withdraw from official competitions for the 2023/24 season.

“The FAW strongly refutes the allegations made in the Club’s statement towards the association.

The club have been required to adhere to the same FAW and Adran Premier Rules & Regulations as other clubs playing within the same competitions.”