Merthyr Town commended for memorable away day experience

Sportsbeat
·2-min read
Merthyr Town scooped the SA Away Day Experience of the Year award at the Non-League Paper’s National Game Awards, in association with Isuzu.

By Ben Hart, Sportsbeat

Fans up and down the country aspire to make their ground the best to visit but Merthyr Town have trumped the lot.

A Football Supporters Association members’ vote saw the Martyrs come out on top and scoop the FSA Away Day Experience of the Year award at the Non-League Paper’s National Game Awards, in association with Isuzu.

Chairman of the Southern Football League, Anthony Hughes, grew up watching matches at Penydarren Park and believes the experience for visiting supporters has been transformed in recent years.

“I’m absolutely delighted and really pleased because a lot of hard work has gone in to make the club a welcoming place and they thoroughly deserve it,” he said.

“For the first time in my life, I see the club as a genuine hub of the community in Merthyr and it’s something that’s long been overdue.

“It will always be my football club. It fills me with huge pride, especially to see them recognised with this kind of award.

“It’s a place where people are welcomed and looked after, they put a tremendous effort into welcoming away fans and that is what is unique about non-league football.”

A noisy and colourful away following often helps turn even a mediocre game into more of an event, while also having a significant impact on the financial viability of Non-League clubs.

Merthyr are no different and with the problems posed to clubs by Covid-19 firmly in the rear-view mirror, they have established themselves as the beating heart of the community.

“Going back many years, you only played at Penydarren Park if you were in the first team, occasionally in the reserves or if you won the schools cup,” added Hughes.

“It sat empty for over two thirds of the year. Now, we are in the situation where numerous teams are attached to the club of all age groups and all parts of the community use the other facilities within the club.

“I think that’s probably the biggest sea change in the last 10 years and it’s credit to the people running the club.”

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