Second winding-up case linked to Rob Edwards and Morley Sports Management adds to concern after Bluebirds’ High Court drama

SUPPORTERS of Haverfordwest County AFC have fresh reason to be concerned after a new winding-up petition emerged in Scotland involving another football business linked to Haverfordwest Chairman, Rob Edwards, and Morley Sports Management.

The latest case is against 1874 Holdings Limited, the company in the ownership chain above Hamilton Academical.

That matters in Pembrokeshire because Haverfordwest County AFC Ltd was only just taken to the High Court in London by HM Revenue & Customs. That case was dismissed, but only after reaching a live hearing, with costs ordered against the club.

Now another football-linked company in the same orbit is facing winding-up action in Scotland.

For Haverfordwest fans, the question is obvious: was the Bluebirds’ court case a one-off, or part of a bigger pattern around the same people and businesses?

A notice published in The Gazette states that a petition was presented at Hamilton Sheriff Court on April 2 seeking to wind up 1874 Holdings and appoint an interim liquidator. The petitioner is Zenith Legal Services Group Limited.

Hamilton has previously said that Morley Sports Management owns 100 per cent of 1874 Holdings, which in turn owns 97.5 per cent of Hamilton Academical FC.

The Scottish club’s latest statement does not deny the petition exists. Instead, it says the claim is disputed, says lawyers are dealing with it, and argues that a winding-up petition is not the right forum for the dispute.

That line is likely to sound familiar to many in west Wales.

During the Haverfordwest case, Rob Edwards described the HMRC petition as “a non-story”, said it related to “a VAT offset against PAYE that wasn’t recorded”, and insisted no debt was owed to HMRC.

But the Haverfordwest matter still remained live until it came before the High Court on April 15, where it was dismissed only after a hearing, with costs payable by the company.

That is why the latest Scottish petition is relevant here. It suggests the recent High Court case involving Haverfordwest may not have been an isolated scare, but part of a broader picture around the same football ownership circle.

There are also growing links between the two clubs at senior level. Earlier this month, Rebecca Nuttall was credited by Haverfordwest for key work behind the scenes in the club’s successful licensing process, while Hamilton also announced she had been appointed chief executive there in a dual role.

Hours after The Herald first reported the HMRC winding-up petition against Haverfordwest County A.F.C. Ltd, the club published a call for additional members to join its Board of Directors, saying it was entering “an exciting new chapter” and looking for commercially experienced people to help drive transition and growth.

Then, on April 8, Haverfordwest announced it had been awarded both its UEFA licence and FAW Tier 1 licence for the 2026-27 season, even though the HMRC petition was still live in the court system at that point and was not disposed of until a week later.

The Herald contacted the Football Association of Wales for comment last week, asking about the licensing position and the live HMRC petition, but no response had been received by the time of publication.

A petition is not the same as a winding-up order, and liquidation is not inevitable in the Hamilton case. But it is a serious legal step.

And when two football-linked companies in the same ownership network face winding-up petitions in the same month, supporters are entitled to ask hard questions.

St Johns finish runners-up as final catch-up matches bring the 2025/26 short mat bowls season to a close

THE SOUTH PEMBROKESHIRE SHORT MAT BOWLS ASSOCIATION’S Friendly League season has officially concluded following the final catch-up matches played over recent weeks.

East Williamston were confirmed as league champions after finishing top of the final table with 126 points from their 20 matches. St Johns took second place with 118 points, while Hundleton finished third on 107.

The final catch-up results saw Hundleton beat East Williamston 10-0, Kilgetty defeat Carew 10-0, Llanteg overcome St Twynnells 8-2, and Cosheston record an 8-2 win over Llanteg.

Despite that final defeat, East Williamston had already done enough over the course of the campaign to secure the title, with St Johns ending the season as runners-up after another strong year in the competition.

Llanteg finished fourth on 105 points, just ahead of St Twynnells on 101, while Reynalton ended the season on 99. Carew were close behind on 98, followed by Cosheston on 96, Badgers on 89, Kilgetty on 83 and Lamphey on 80.

League Fixtures Secretary Steve Cox congratulated the top two clubs and also confirmed that this was his final report in the role.

In his closing message to clubs, he said he hoped whoever takes over the position would enjoy it as much as he had.

Dan Hawkins hits hat-trick as Bluebirds overwhelm Llanelli at Bridge Meadow

HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY secured their place in the JD Cymru Premier European play-offs with a crushing 6-0 victory over Llanelli Town at the Ogi Bridge Meadow.

The Bluebirds were far too strong for the visitors and had the game under control early on, turning sustained pressure into a commanding first-half lead before finishing the job in emphatic style after the break.

Dan Hawkins was the star of the show with a hat-trick, while Ben Ahmun, Rhys Abbruzzese and Panashe Makwiramiti also got on the scoresheet in a one-sided contest.

Tony Pennock’s side wasted little time in stamping their authority on the game. Haverfordwest moved the ball sharply, created openings from the outset and were rewarded with an early breakthrough which set the tone for the afternoon.

Llanelli struggled to cope with the pace and movement of the home side, who looked dangerous whenever they went forward. Ahmun added a second as the pressure told, and although the visitors tried to stay in touch, Haverfordwest always looked the more likely to score again.

Even a missed penalty did little to slow the Bluebirds’ momentum. They continued to push forward, and a third goal before the break effectively ended the contest, giving the hosts a deserved cushion at half-time.

Any hopes of a Llanelli response disappeared quickly in the second half as Haverfordwest stepped up another gear.

Hawkins completed his hat-trick in style, underlining an impressive individual display, before Abbruzzese added a fifth as the home side carved open the visitors once again.

There was also a welcome moment for Jack Wilson, who made his return after a long spell out with injury, as the Bluebirds continued to dominate in front of their home support.

Makwiramiti rounded things off with a superb long-range strike late on to complete a memorable afternoon for the hosts, who rarely looked troubled and could have scored even more.

The result keeps the momentum firmly with Haverfordwest heading into their final outing before the play-offs, and the manner of the victory will only add to belief that they can extend their season further.