I’m Loving Ferry Instead

Two years ago, I went to work at Briton Ferry Llansawel Ladies FC to manage and write content for their website. A good chance to get some club media work onto my CV was my original idea. Having to write edit and present my work with no other editors as back up seemed a good challenge for a relatively new journalist.

Fast forward to now and I have completely fallen in love with the club. Our recent play-off win to gain promotion to the Adran Premier being one of my highlights of watching football.

How did that happen? It wasn’t the plan. This was job to gain some exposure and experience.

Over the course of the last two seasons the club have drawn me in. Following the team week in week out you just can't help but form a bound to the club and the people around it. I walk around Old Road and see familiar faces its almost like being at home.

So to another playoff final we went to try and erase the heartbreak of the year before.

In the sunshine on the pitch at Latham Park Laura-May Walkley lead the Briton Ferry squad in our own special version of the Robbie Williams hit Angels. “I’m Loving Ferry Instead” has become an anthem for the Reds after back-to-back Adran South titles. That day in Newtown though it was sung with more gusto as we had just finished our journey back to the Adran Premier.

Briton Ferry were a comfortable mid table side when the FAW restricted the leagues back in 2021. We have sent the past three seasons fighting to regain the spot that was taken away from us. In our first Adran South season we missed out on the title to Abergavenny. The following year we won the South but missed out on promotion after a narrow loss to Wrexham in the playoff.

Last season however there was no mistake. Winning 12 out of 12 league matches we returned to Newtown to meet Adran North winners Llandudno. Players and supporters had to hold their nerve as despite dominating the first half Llandudno held firm to go into half time at 0-0.

This was eerily like a year before. A game against Wrexham that we dominated but just couldn’t score. Wrexham got the games only goal and went on to the Adran Premier, Disney+, and US tours.

But as the second half rolled on more chances went and Ferry could not break though the stubborn Llandudno defence. Big games require big players and in the 60’ minute Alison Witts put the Reds ahead. Her downward header met perfectly from a Meg Kearle corner. Walkley added a second before Witts hit the third. Fleur Jenkins added a fourth in added time to round off a stunning performance.

Cue celebrations from players, staff and supporters at the final whistle. All the heartbreak, hard work, the tension, the pressure all lifted in a moment. Walking around the pitch after the game I captured the scenes of joy as Mayo lead us all in the best rendition of Angels you’ll ever hear.

Now Briton Ferry Llansawel will take their place at the top table, and they will not be there to make up the numbers. Much of the squad have Premier league experience and with an excellent player pathway and lots of great talent across their age groups Ferry will test every side in the league.

So now the journey will continue into the topflight of Welsh football and we go again against old friends, foes and much more.

#ImlovingFerryInstead