Reds sign Llewellyn as Griffiths stays
Tuesday 08 June 2010
Chris LlewellynEX-Wales international and Football League frontman Chris Llewellyn has left Neath for Llanelli, where marksman Rhys Griffiths has renewed his contract.
The 30-year-old Llewellyn (pictured) made more than 350 Football League appearances for Norwich City, Bristol Rovers, Wrexham, Hartlepool and Grimsby Town, before joining Neath in May 2009 mid-way through a two-year deal with the Lincolnshire outfit.
He made his Welsh debut against Malta in 1998 and was capped a further five times by his country, scoring his first international goal against Liechtenstein in November 2006 alongside his ex-Norwich City strike partner Craig Bellamy.
Llewellyn scored on his Welsh Premier debut against Connah's Quay and went on to notch nine goals last season from 33 (+1) appearances in an Eagles' shirt.
After scoring five times in the opening five games of the season, Neath manager Andrew Dyer praised Llewellyn's performances and described him as "the best striker in the league", but he has now left The Gnoll "by mutual consent" and signed a two-year deal at Stebonheath Park.
Winner of the Welsh Premier's Golden Boot for the past five seasons - a league record - Griffiths has spent the last four seasons at Stebonheath Park since leaving Port Talbot Town and has also signed a two-year deal to remain with the club.
He gained his first domestic league experience with Carmarthen Town and Haverfordwest County but enjoyed a prolific first season with Talbot in 2005/6, notching 28 league goals to claim the Golden Boot award for the first time and selection for the Wales semi-professional squad.
Soon afterwards signed for Llanelli, where he broke the club's scoring record in his first season with 30 goals and increased his tally to 40 the following campaign as the Reds won the Welsh Premier title for the first time.
He has followed-up with another 61 goals in red to take his tally to 188 from 237 (+26) appearances, second only to Marc Lloyd Williams on the league's all-time list, and has been named in the Welsh Premier team of the season for the past five years.