Bangor 1876 manager Mel Jones discusses what it means to manage the club, and what it means to the local area. He also talks about his highlights of the season so far and outlines his hopes for the future.

What was it that made you want to become manager of Bangor 1876?
When this opportunity came along to manage Bangor 1876, I thought it was too good an opportunity to turn down and I relished the challenge of developing a new team here in Bangor. I was well aware of the wealth of young talent in the area and it’s been great to provide them with a pathway into first team adult football. I look forward to seeing how our young players develop as our club develops.

How important do you think it is that Bangor 1876 is a fan-owned team?
The excitement of being manager of a team owned and led by its supporters was a massive factor in me taking on the role of manager. Being a local Bangor lad, it was a real honour to be asked to take on this responsibility. I knew the fan base would be there and that people would get behind the project. We have a long term vision for securing the future of football in the Bangor area, and I think that’s really important.

Were there any particular challenges you faced due to the way in which the club was created from scratch in a relatively short period?
My first challenge was to appoint a suitable assistant manager, and Dylan Williams fitted the bill. Once we knew we had been placed in the Gwynedd League, the hard work for Dylan and myself began by recruiting young local players that fitted our criteria along with the experienced players to guide the younger players on and off the pitch. Securing the signatures of Michael Johnston, Les Davies, Jamie Petrie and Iwan Williams was a massive boost. I knew that their personality and playing experience would help us attract many local players, which would play a significant role in taking the club forward.

What would you say have been the main highlights of the season so far?
Signing the four experienced players I’ve just mentioned was fantastic, as was the excitement of the Penycae game in the Welsh Cup that finished with the extra time and penalties. The Gwynedd League match at home to Nefyn was also particularly satisfying as it was a game where the players turned in precisely the sort of performance we’ve been asking of them in order to try to reach our goals.

How have the players been coping with the lack of football recently due to the Coronavirus situation?
Management and players have a WhatsApp group that allows us to keep in contact, and there’s plenty of humour, banter and a few quizzes between the management and the players. The management always end up winning the quizzes!

What are your ambitions for Bangor 1876?
Hopefully for Bangor 1876 to gain promotion through the leagues and eventually gain a place in the Welsh Premier League, which would then enable the club to move forward with its plans to apply for our Development Centre to gain Academy status.

Do you have a final message for Bangor 1876 fans?
On behalf of myself and the management team, we would like to take this opportunity to ask all the players and supporters to take care and keep safe.

Photo credit: Dafydd Hughes

We also recently interviewed Jamie Petrie, to see this interview please click here.