Ryan Jewell looks at the impact of Joe Ledley joining Newport County, both on and off the field.
Joe Ledley and his beard has officially arrived in Newport as the Euro 2016 veteran signs for the Exiles!
The 34-year-old from Cardiff has signed for County until the end of the season. Ledley will provide much needed fuel to a promotion train that is in danger of running out of stream.
The signing itself nearly didn’t happen, a collapsed move to Bristol Rovers meant that the Exiles were able to grab onto an opportunity gifted to them by fate. After signing for the Exiles, Ledley justified his choice as payback for the club, after they had allowed him to train with the team last January whilst he was in-between clubs. The announcement came as a welcome surprise to many County fans who had long given up on the constant rumours of Ledley’s signing.
In times of excitement, bizarre things can happen and this was a perfect example. The club announced shortly after Ledley’s signing that a fan had successfully sponsored the midfielder’s famous beard. How someone can sponsor a beard is a mystery to me. However in the far from normal times we live in, maybe a beard sponsorship isn’t that strange. And for anyone wondering, my beard is also available to sponsor.
Embed from Getty ImagesCymru Internationals
Ledley undeniable adds further quality to an already talented midfield, including fellow Cymru international Josh Sheehan. Ledley’s presence will hopefully provide sufficient defensive cover to give Sheehan enough freedom to play higher up the pitch. Thereby utilising his passing skills in a more forward position then he is currently used to playing in.
Gêm Y Wlad link
Alongside the potential on-pitch benefits, there are also positives for the dressing room. With Ledley carrying a wealth of experience from a 17-year long career. The players will undeniably experience a massive boost in confidence from playing alongside a player of such significance to Welsh football.
The importance of this signing is hard to put into words. But to sign someone who played such a key role in the historic 2016 Euro campaign whilst simultaneously cementing himself as a household name across Wales for his performances in that tournament, is an impressive feat for a club with such a turbulent history.
Not so long ago….
This month also marked 11 years since the Exiles historic 2009-10 Conference South campaign. The run saw them secure a record breaking 103 points on route to promotion to the Conference. The final resting place for the original club before bankruptcy in 1989. If you were to travel back to either of these times and told people about this signing, they would not only dismiss you but would also most likely question your sanity.
Alongside a now 9-year residency in the Football League and the call-ups of players like Tom King and Josh Sheehan to the national team, this signing could be the final piece to end a period filled with self-doubt, fear and questions of “why are we doing this?” and “what’s the point?” from the many fans who have helped to rebuild the club from the rubble of 1989.
Maybe I am simply being dramatic, and my excitement has blinded my sense of reality. For this may simply be a brief romance cut short by the summer. But if so then I hope it will be a romance cherished by many.
Embed from Getty ImagesI, like many, may not get the opportunity to see Joe Ledley play live in Rodney Parade. From the distance of a screen, a dream carried over months of ifs, buts and maybes may seem a little less rosy. But the undeniable pride of witnessing a player of such importance to Welsh football play in the colours of my club, will conjure up some beautiful memories.
Together Stronger
Like many Wales fans, the memories of Euro 2016 exist as a dreamland in my mind. Back then I was a pale faced 15-year-old struggling with the loss of someone dear to my heart which had left me in a severe depression. But that summer, that tournament and most importantly that team gave me a distraction and a reminder that life can be better.
Now as a 19-year-old, I can watch one of the heroes from that time play for my club. And be reminded of the memories from that summer and how far I have come since then. For me, this signing is about more than on-field matters, it is about remembering the past and enjoying the future.
Photo credit: First photo, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons