A historic \u00a31 million stadium transformation is taking shape as Caernarfon Town FC prepares to host Under 19 European Championship games next summer.<\/p>\n
The club is currently playing at Llandudno\u2019s Go Goodwin Stadium while The Oval is being overhauled to meet Uefa standards for the tournament – a moment chairman Paul Evans says marks a \u201cnew era\u201d for the Cofis.<\/p>\n
Support from long-term backers Harlech Foodservice is proving crucial during the temporary move, helping offset lost matchday revenue and keeping the club on steady ground throughout the redevelopment.<\/p>\n
According to Paul, the opportunity to stage European championship fixtures has given fresh momentum to the club during their enforced exile.<\/p>\n
Paul, who has been chairman for six years, explained: \u201cThe FAW is hosting the Under 19s European Championships next summer and they asked us if we would like to be a part of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously we did, but the problem was that the field was not up to the standard required.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main problem was that there was a nine-foot slope in the field, and that would not have passed Uefa standards while the away dressing room was not big enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo they are levelling the pitch for us,\u00a0 extending the away dressing rooms and also giving us a new match officials room, new doping and physio rooms.<\/p>\n
“I have been supporting the club since about 1983 and nothing comes near this, this was a pipe dream, we would never have been able to do this in the past.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are also investing ourselves as a club in a new dugout, which costs more than \u00a330,000, and investing in new fences and surrounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the loss of revenue and the loss of some sponsorship because we\u2019re not playing at home, along with the investment we are doing, has cost us about \u00a3180,000.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul paid tribute to Harlech Foodservice for its long-standing support of the club as it enters a new era.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cHarlech over the years have been one of our main sponsors and in that time have sponsored different things such as the back of our shirts or the television gantry.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always been a substantial sponsorship from the company for the last seven or eight years, it\u2019s been a long-term thing, and that is continuing this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have become part of the club really with their sponsorship.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a club we want to be associated with good, professional companies who deliver quality such as Harlech. We would certainly not be where we are without Harlech.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harlech Foodservice Financial Director Mike Clishem said it was important for the company to invest in and support the local community and its sports clubs.<\/p>\n
He said one of the key reasons the firm supported the club was the work it does in the community, including the running of its successful football academy.<\/p>\n
The academy has 200 boys on its books and the club also has a girls\u2019 junior club with 120 youngsters.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe football club is a key part of our community here and it has a huge academy behind it as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cHarlech sponsoring the club helps to support the academy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe amount of kids involved in the academy is massive and in fact my boys, Hari and Dyfan, have been through the academy so I know how valuable it is to grassroots football.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving the academy is massive for us here if you think about the opportunity they are getting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe coaching is very good, all the coaches are accredited, and it\u2019s all about playing the game that they all love.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are delighted to have continued to support the club for so many years and make that commitment on an ongoing basis.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do a lot in the community because it is the right thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul Evans added that the regeneration of The Oval signalled fresh impetus to improve the club off and on the pitch.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe academy, for example, is really important to a club like ours.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe rely on the academy to bring players through to the first team.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if we have local players coming through, that brings in more local support too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe investment from sponsors such as Harlech feeds into what we are doing with the academy, we need that investment to continue to invest in the kids.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to continue to flourish and continue to give children in the area an opportunity to play at the highest level.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur aim is to be the best semi-professional team in Wales by 2030, that is our goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnother goal is to play a European tie here at The Oval, for that we need another 400 seats.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we want to be the flag-bearers for the Welsh language in Welsh football – about 95 per cent\u00a0 of the people at the club speak Welsh.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe history of the town is important to us, and the Welshness of the town is probably the most important thing to us.\u201d<\/p>\n