Sport

Dai Williams: A Personal Tribute

Published

4 years ago

August 25, 2021

James Hemingray

Written by Jon Coles

DAVID WILLIAMS, known universally as Dai, the President of Pembroke Cricket Club, died earlier this week.

Although he had been in declining health for some time, his death followed a short admission to Withybush.

To the end of his life, his conversation would become animated when he spoke about cricket: a sport he loved and he served over the course of a long life, well-lived.

David – Dai – taught at the Coronation School in Pembroke Dock before it closed and merged with Pembroke Grammar School at Bush.

There, he had the chance to influence young lives and to encourage his students to make the best of his talents.

But his contribution to Pembrokeshire sport – particularly junior sport – spread that influence across Pembrokeshire.

He really was Mr Pembroke Cricket.

He had a distinguished playing career himself, captaining a First XI containing strong characters such as Eifion Powell, George and Keith Hulbert, Derek Skone, and his great friend Johnny Jones.

I first met Dai when I turned up at the nets at Pembroke when I was around sixteen years old. I wanted to be a quick bowler and propelled a few deliveries down the concrete strip under his eagle eye.

He gave me a few words of encouragement in a Pembrokeshire accent as broad as the Cleddau that turned into more than a few laughs when I tried batting.

There was, he barked, a lot to work on.

Back then, Pembroke were ever-present in Division One and the Second team were a strong and experienced time. There was, however, still a midweek league, and I got my first taste of senior cricket in it.

There would be Dai, watching at the side.

Vee-neck jumper, baggy trousers, argyle socks and open toed sandals. His eyes scanning the play while he gossiped with other spectators.

He’d offer his opinions if you asked him. And you’d better be prepared for him to tell you if you’d mucked up or made a silly mistake.

One of my fondest memories of those years is from 1984, when Pembroke fielded a Third XI against a Saundersfoot Second XI at a time when neither team was in the league.

It was a baking hot Sunday afternoon at Saundersfoot, and we bowled out the home team for not many over a hundred.

Dai opened the batting with Eifion Powell.

Both had retired from playing and the young players watching didn’t have much of an idea what to expect. Our number three batsman was padded up and practising his shots in expectation of an early trip to the crease.

He waited.

And waited.

We saw a masterclass in manoeuvring the ball around the field, between the fielders, and the art of ‘quiet tap’, where the bowler leaks runs without realising what’s going on.

Both Dai and Eifion never gave Saundersfoot a sniff and we won the game by ten wickets.

And that was the last time I saw him play.

But years later, when I returned to Pembroke, there he was at every home game.

Vee neck jumper, baggy trousers, argyle socks, open-toed sandals. His eyes scanning the play while he gossiped with other spectators.

He’d kept on coaching Pembroke’s juniors and was one of the pioneers of junior cricket in Pembrokeshire.

His love for the game was exceeded only by his love of coaching young players to be better, to do more, to play cricket hard but to enjoy the experience.

His hair was a little greyer around the temples, but he was still keen for his young charges to do well.

Come tea, there he’d be, walking across the outfield from his usual seat near the gate, ready for a cup of tea, a sandwich, and a cake.

He’d chat away with the older players, his friends among the opposition, and remind those he’d coached that he had an eye on them.

By damn, there were a lot of them.

There still are.

After the game, he’d be in the rugby club over the road carefully counting out his money for each beer and happily accepting any free drinks offered to him.

He was, for such a short man, larger than life in every respect.

Dai Williams was one of those people you could imagine going on forever.

I saw him for the last time a couple of years ago.

His hair was grey and still swept back from the brows.

Vee neck jumper, baggy trousers, argyle socks, open-toed sandals. His eyes scanning the play while he gossiped with other spectators.

There are many who will remember him far better as a man, as a coach, and as a rock on which junior cricket could depend for so many years.

But when I remember him, it’ll be the familiar bark of his voice and his love for cricket and imparting his knowledge of the game that will linger longest.

Sport

Bluebirds’ European Journey Continues in Season Four of You Can Have It All

Published

19 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Herald Sport

Club documentary series returns to document Haverfordwest County’s historic UEFA Conference League campaign

HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY has confirmed the return of their club documentary series, You Can Have It All (YCHIA), later this month, showcasing the thrilling journey of last summer’s European adventure.

YCHIA first began filming in 2021, with Season One covering a rollercoaster 2021-22 campaign for the Bluebirds. The season ended with a dramatic top-flight survival, following a challenging period. Season Two shifted focus to the 2022-23 season, which saw the club qualify for Europe for the first time since 2004. The Bluebirds’ stunning play-off victory, which included back-to-back penalty shoot-out wins against Cardiff Met and Newtown, marked manager Tony Pennock’s first season in charge as a major success.

The excitement intensified as the series continued to cover their historic European campaign, which began with a trip to North Macedonia to face KF Shkëndija. Returning to Cardiff City Stadium for the second leg, the Bluebirds made club history by winning their first-ever European tie on penalties. The drama then took them to the Faroe Islands to face B36 Tórshavn, where they were controversially edged out by a single goal in the return leg.

Now, with further continental success under their belts, YCHIA returns for its fourth season, documenting last summer’s European adventure. This season follows Haverfordwest County’s journey through the qualifying rounds of the newly rebranded UEFA Conference League (UECL).

Providing exclusive behind-the-scenes access, the series tracks the Bluebirds’ travels to Malta for the first leg of their UECL first qualifying round tie against Floriana, and the return leg at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli a week later. The season also covers the build-up to the competition, including a visit to Geneva for the UEFA draw and a match against reigning Northern Ireland champions Linfield at Windsor Park, the national stadium.

Season Four will be released in three episodes on December 18, December 23, and January 2. You can watch You Can Have It All on Haverfordwest County’s YouTube channel by following this link. The club will also share highlights and snippets of the documentary across their social media platforms, so be sure to follow them on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter)!

News

Pembroke Dock coach helped steer Lando Norris to F1 world title

Published

3 days ago

December 11, 2025

Seren Baker

Local mentor recalls seven-year-old Norris as “one to watch from day one”

A FORMER Pembroke Dock man has been revealed as one of the earliest influences behind newly-crowned Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris – adding an unexpected Pembrokeshire chapter to one of the biggest sporting stories of the year.

Robert Dodds, who grew up in Pembroke Dock before later moving to Poole, was Norris’s first coach at BKC Racing. He began mentoring the future McLaren star when he was just seven years old, helping shape the early foundations of a career that reached its peak on Sunday (Dec 7) when Norris secured the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to The Herald, Mr Dodds said Norris’s talent was obvious from the very first outing.

“There was something special about him from day one,” he said. “By the time he was eight, he was already as quick as the 10–12-year-olds. He just had this will about him – he wanted it.”

Pembrokeshire link to a global success story

Dodds coached Norris for four years, guiding him through kart setup, technique, and competitive racecraft. He says he remains “immensely proud” that his own Pembrokeshire roots now form a small part of the world champion’s rise.

“Ten or fifteen years ago he was sat in the front of my van as we drove to tracks,” he said. “Now he’s flying around the world racing in Monaco. It’s incredible how far he’s come.”

That early development included a fierce sibling rivalry with Norris’s older brother, Oliver – something Dodds believes accelerated his progress.

“Because of that rivalry, his pace shot up. He wanted to beat his brother – and then he wanted to beat everyone.”

BKC Racing has produced other top talents too, including 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Phil Hanson, further underlining the pedigree of the team that helped launch Norris’s career.

The moment a champion first stood out

Dodds still recalls an early test at Clay Pigeon Raceway, where a seven-year-old Norris completed a lap in 39 seconds – a benchmark usually achieved only by much older cadet racers.

“He came past me with his thumb up – this tiny kid doing senior cadet times. That was the moment we knew.”

Norris seals his first world title

Norris made his Formula 1 debut in 2019, claimed his first podium in 2020, took pole position in 2021 and secured his first Grand Prix win in Miami in 2024. His 2025 campaign saw him take multiple victories before clinching the world championship in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first British driver since Lewis Hamilton to lift the title.

Pride back home in Pembrokeshire

Motorsport fans across the county followed Sunday’s title decider closely, with many celebrating the unexpected local connection.

A local F1 fan who watched the race in a Haverfordwest pub told The Herald:
“Everyone here was proud of Lando – and hearing that one of his early coaches came from Pembroke Dock makes it feel like Pembrokeshire had a tiny part in his journey.”

Dodds, who continues to mentor young racers today, says Norris’s success is already inspiring the next generation.

“It’s like something out of a film. I’m proud of what he’s achieved – and proud to have been part of the journey.”

For Pembrokeshire, the story adds a local footnote to a global sporting triumph – and a reminder that world champions sometimes start out much closer to home than anyone realises.

Cover image:

Proud mentor: Pembroke Dock’s Robert Dodds helped shape Norris’s early racing career (Pic: Robert Dodds)

Sport

South Pembs Short Mat Bowls: East Williamston strengthen lead after Week 11

Published

5 days ago

December 9, 2025

Herald Sport

EAST Williamston tightened their grip at the top of the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association’s Friendly League table following another strong set of results in Week 11.

The week’s fixtures saw Lamphey beat Hundleton 8–2, St Johns defeat Badgers 8–2, Carew overcome Reynalton 7–3, and East Williamston record an impressive 8–2 win over Kilgetty.

The match between Llanteg and Cosheston was postponed, while St Twynnells had the bye. A catch-up fixture was also completed, ending St Twynnells 5–5 Cosheston.

Updated league table – Week 11

(Played – Won – Drawn – Lost – Shot Difference – Points)

East Williamston: 9–8–1–0 | +136 | 70 points
Reynalton: 9–5–1–3 | +54 | 53 points
St Johns: 9–4–1–4 | +14 | 46 points
Lamphey: 10–5–0–5 | +5 | 44 points
Hundleton: 9–4–1–4 | –17 | 44 points
St Twynnells: 9–4–1–4 | –34 | 43 points
Badgers: 10–3–1–6 | –41 | 43 points
Llanteg: 8–4–0–4 | –5 | 41 points
Cosheston: 9–3–1–5 | –13 | 40 points
Carew: 8–4–0–4 | –44 | 39 points
Kilgetty: 10–4–0–6 | –55 | 38 points

East Williamston remain clear leaders with a substantial shot-difference advantage, while the battle for the mid-table positions continues to tighten as the season progresses.

The South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association thanked teams for their cooperation with rearranged fixtures as the league moves toward the final stages.

Report courtesy of League Fixtures Secretary Steve Cox.