By James Dow

Ahead of today’s JD Cymru Premier MD22 encounter at the Ogi Bridge Meadow, we’ve taken a closer look at Briton Ferry Llansawel with Meet the Opposition!

History

Briton Ferry Llansawel were founded in 2009, after the merger between Briton Ferry Athletic and Llansawel. Their first season saw them join division three of the Welsh Football League, before being promoted to division two during the 2011-12 season. Ferry spent two seasons in Division Two before being promoted to Division One as runners-up during the 2013-14 season. The club spent two seasons in the top division before finishing in the bottom four on goal difference.

The Reds made a quick return to the top division a season later, finishing second behind undefeated Llanelli Town. Ferry had two seasons in Division One before becoming founding members of the JD Cymru South in 2019-20. They enjoyed four strong seasons, finishing third three years in a row before winning the league in 2023-24, securing promotion to the JD Cymru Premier for the first time in their history. In their debut top-flight campaign, the club finished 10th, six points clear of relegated Newtown.

Form

Briton Ferry Llansawel have experienced mixed fortunes in recent weeks. While they are unbeaten in their last two matches, they have won just two of their previous seven, although only suffering two defeats in that run. Ferry do, however, come into the fixture on the back of a 2–1 victory over Barry Town United on New Year’s Eve.

The Reds currently sit ninth in the table on 22 points – two points above the relegation zone and two behind the Bluebirds in eighth. Both sides will be eager to end Phase One on a high, with three points proving crucial in the battle for the final European play-off place during the second phase of the season.

Manager

Andy Dyer was appointed manager of Briton Ferry Llansawel in October 2023, replacing Andy Hill. The 48-year-old had previously managed Neath, Afan Lido and Port Talbot Town over a 10-year spell, before taking a break from management in 2016. Dyer had a four-year break from football before taking over as sporting director at Briton Ferry in January 2020.

Since Dyer became manager, Ferry have won 35 of his 84 games in charge, with a points-per-game average of 1.40. He also guided Ferry to the Welsh Blood Service League Cup final in 2023-24, where his side lost 4-2 to JD Cymru North outfit Mold Alexandra.

Captain

Central defender Alex Gammond was appointed club captain in 2022. The 31-year-old started his career at Afan Lido, where he made 82 appearances for the then-Welsh Premier League side. During his time there, he also had a one-month loan spell with the Bluebirds in 2015. Gammond also had a loan spell with Icelandic side KF Aegir, where he made a single appearance over a six-month period.

The defender’s contract was up at the end of this loan spell, which is when he decided to move west and join Briton Ferry Llansawel. Gammond has made 140 appearances for the Ferry, scoring 15 goals. He was also named as the Supporters Player of the Season in their promotion-winning campaign in 2023-24. He has 14 league appearances for the Reds so far this season, scoring three times, most recently in a 1-1 draw with Penybont on Boxing Day.

Key player

Jack Fanning, on loan from Swansea City, has enjoyed a successful spell with Ferry so far, making 13 league appearances and scoring once — netting in a 2–2 draw against Cardiff Metropolitan in December.

The 19-year-old came through the ranks at Exeter City, where he spent eight years before moving into non-league football with Tiverton Town of the Southern League Premier Division South. He marked his debut by scoring against Poole Town in 2022.

Fanning joined the Swans the following year after a successful trial period and went on to captain the under-18 side that reached the final of the Professional Development Cup, where they were narrowly beaten 3-1 after extra time by Millwall at The Den.

The defender has been on loan with the JD Cymru Premier side in recent months, and his parent club have also exercised a one-year extension option on his contract, keeping him at Swansea until 2027.