Dark Times at Merthyr

A few weeks ago Merthyr Tydfil were close to having the electric and water cut off at their ground. Then after negotiations they were able to play a couple of games until last Tuesday when BGB cut off the electricity to Penydarren Park.

That evening they were due to play Farnborough. The game, which would in any case probably have been called off because of the wet weather, was postponed well in time to prevent the opposition from setting out to South Wales.

This afternoon Merthyr are away at Gloucester. That game will go ahead. But next Tuesday they have a home game against Clevedon and that is in doubt.

There is a supporters trust at Merthyr which has offered to take over the club but despite talks with chairman Wyn Holloway no solution has emerged.

“We have given the club £40,000 in the last 18 months,” said John Strand from the Trust.

“Our board have unanimously decided we are not going to offer more money.

“We want to own and run the Merthyr Tydfil as a democratic, community club.

“We have offered to take the club and the debts over and run it, but that was not agreed.”

On Thursday long-standing club secretary Anthony Hughes said he was quitting after today's game.

"The only thing that has kept me here this long is the commitment of the management, the team and the players who have been fantastic and worked without any pay and just got on with it for the club’s sake," he said.

"My biggest fear is the club will go into liquidation."

According to the South Wales Echo, Merthyr are said to have debts of about £300,000 and the players have not been paid for nearly two months.

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