Andrew Edwards joined Port Talbot as a goalkeeper in 1997 after a successful reign as Chairman at local rivals Afan Lido where he enjoyed domestic success and took the club into the UEFA Cup in 1995. After just a year between the sticks however Edwards was tempted back into taking the helm and became Chairman of Port Talbot in the summer of 1998. Now midway through his tenth season as Chairman, Andrew talks about the changes that the club has been through on and off the field during his time in charge and also what the future holds both for the club and the Welsh Premier League in an open and frank interview for the club’s official website.

Q: This is your tenth season as Chairman of Port Talbot Town Football Club and on and off the field the club is unrecognisable from when you took over the helm. What position did you think the club would be in after ten years when you took over in 1998?
A: When I accepted the job I didn’t think ten years ahead. I like to work to a three-year plan and set a strategy for that period. The plan for the first three years included getting promoted from the Welsh League to the League of Wales as it was then. Once that goal was achieved in 2000 future strategies just fell into place as the club developed on and off the field.

Q: During your ten years as Chairman, the club has and continues to demand a great deal of time, effort and financial support from yourself. What motivates you to remain so committed to the future success of this football club?
A: Seeing progress being made each season both on and off the field at the rate that our club enjoys it is enough keep me motivated. I also have a very supportive wife and family which is just as important.

Q: Progress on and off the field has been significant during your time as Chairman, what stand out as the most important developments?
A: On the playing side it has to be promotion to the League of Wales in 2000. The formation of our junior setup has also been huge for the club and was not in place when I arrived. Off the field it has to be the development of the ground, the place is unrecognisable from when I took over and the highlight of must be the completion of the Gerald McCreesh Stand which has now made the RE/MAX one of the best stadiums in the Welsh Premier League.

Q: As one of the premier sporting clubs in Neath Port Talbot, how do you rate the level of support from local businesses?
A: In general it is very good, we have some very supportive companies locally who have been very generous to the club over the years and we are extremely grateful to them. It is becoming increasingly difficult however with so many other local football and rugby clubs all chasing the same sponsors. The club has addressed this recently with the appointment of a full time commercial manager in Tony Bowen to keep us at the forefront in promoting the club to the local business community.

Q: To follow on from that last question, how frustrating is it that the club continues to have one of the lowest average attendance figures in the Welsh Premier League?
A: It is very disheartening that our attendance's are so poor, there is no reason why we should not be getting 400-500 people for home games given the local population of over 50,000 people. Whilst, as previously stated, there is a lot of local sport happening every weekend, we are nevertheless the premier football club in the area and our crowds should represent this.

Q: Looking at the present day, a number of new initiatives have been brought into the club such as the link-up with Swansea City, the appointment of a full-time commercial manager and formation of a board of directors. What further initiatives can we look forward to in the near future?
A: I think the first priority is to make the initiatives we have put in place work well for the club and give us a solid foundation to take the club forward. The formation of a board of directors was a major objective for myself as it will give the club financial stability for the long term, therefore allowing the club to introduce new initiatives in the future. One area where we must forge stronger links is with the local schools.

Q: On a less positive note, what do you find the most frustrating aspect of running the club today?
A: The lack of support from the local community.

Q: The introduction of the Academy has been a huge boost to the club, how important do you see youth development within the club given the increasing financial demands of playing in the Welsh Premier League?
A: Youth development is vital to this football club. The Academy is going from strength to strength under the direction of our Academy Director Huw Lloyd and his coaches. As Chairman of Port Talbot Town Football Club nothing would give me greater please than to see players come through our junior ranks and play for the club in the Welsh Premier League.

Q: In addition to being club Chairman you are also a member of the Welsh Premier League board. The league is often criticised by both clubs and outsides, what are your thoughts on the league today and how it supports its member clubs?
A: The league has had its fair share of criticism over the years but I personally believe the league is better now than it has ever been before but there is still a lot of room for improvement. Clubs facilities have improved and the playing standard is getting better all the time. Playing surfaces need to get better and media coverage must also improve which will then boost attendances. If we can improve in these areas it will give us a better product to sell which will then attract more investment.

Q: On a similar theme, with the introduction of the UEFA Licensing System and the continuous administrative demands being placed on the club, do you think it is only a matter of time before the club appoints full-time administrative staff?
A: With all the demands put on clubs in the Welsh Premier League I do believe that more clubs will follow The New Saints and Llanelli’s lead by appointing full-time administrative staff. Whilst we already have a full-time commercial manager, the next step will be a full-time secretary and full-time football development officer who's role it will be to forge better links with the local primary school's and oversee the Academy.

Q: Each season since the club's promotion to the top flight in 2000 we have improved, how far away do you think the club is from breaking into the top three and becoming regular competitors in European competition?
A: Since our promotion we have made steady progress on the field, especially in the last two seasons in which we have become far more consistent, allowing us to break into the top six. The hard part is to now sustain that level and move beyond it. Whilst it will be difficult to break the stranglehold of the professional clubs and Rhyl, we have to believe we can challenge for a European place to make all the hard work and effort worthwhile.

Q: To round off, complete the following from the last ten years -
Firstly, what are your top three most memorable games and why?
A: While there have been several memorable games over the years the one's that stand out are the following. I’l start with a 3-2 victory over Ton Pentre at Victoria Road back in 2000. It was the season that we clinched promotion and this was our final home game of the season. We had been undefeated at home thorughout the campaign but found ourselves 2-0 down at half-time. An amazing second half saw us then score three goals including a late winner to maintain our undefeated record. My second choice is an away match at Jenner Park against Barry Town during Mark Jones time as manager. Barry Town were formidable opponents back then who were dominating the league and gaining results in Europe. We were in second place and Barry were top when we faced each other in this Friday night match and win would see us take over at the top of the table. We won the match 1-0 thanks to a wonder strike from Mark Dodds that was also voted ‘Goal of the Season’ by TV viewers that year. The highlight however has to be last season’s FAW Premier Cup Quarter Final victory over Swansea City. We won the match 2-1 after extra time in front of almost 3,000 people at the RE/MAX Stadium. It was the first time the Gerald McCreesh Stand had been opened to the public and Andy Mumford’s last minute winner made me proud to be Chairman of Port Talbot Town.
Lastly, who are your top three players to play for the club and why?
A: There have been many talented players who have worn the blue shirt over the last ten years but here are my personal top three. Robert Cockings for me is one of the most talented and gifted players to wear the shirt. Over the last ten years he has been a wonderful servant to the club. Being an ex-goalkeeper I have to include Gary Wager in my top three. In the three seasons that ‘Wagey’ played for the club he was worth an extra 12-15 points each campaign. My last choice has to be striker Rhys Griffiths. His goal scoring record during his time at the club was phenomenal and earned him the Welsh Premier Leagues’ Golden Boot Award together with the Player of the Year Award in his final season with the Blues.

Thanks for your time Eddie, the future's bright, the future's blue!