| Budget cuts force Legg to turn to youth |
| Wednesday 16 June 2010 |
 CUTS in the playing budget at Stebonheath Park have forced Llanelli manager Andy Legg to omit six senior players from his Europa League squad. The Reds' 21-man party for Europe includes several members of the successful Under-19 side, but Stephen Evans, Michael Howard, Lee Jarman, Andrew Mumford (pictured), Lee Phillips and Owain Warlow are all omitted. Keeper Craig Richards, full-back Jordan Davies, defender Ryan Batley, midfielders Declan John and Ross Jones and striker Rikki Evans all make the step-up to the first team along with Jordan Follows, who impressed at the tail end of last season. "In the current economic climate, we have had to cut our playing budget which has resulted in me having to release some senior players," says Legg. "I am confident though, that the boys that we have brought through from our youth team are more than capable after having a successful period over the past few seasons. "It is our club’s policy to develop from within and by bringing six of the youngsters through in time for Europe and possibly one or two others by the start of the Welsh Premier season, it proves that we are sticking to our policy.” Also in the squad are striker Chris Llewellyn, who has been signed from Neath, defender Martyn Giles from Newport County, and midfielder Kris Thomas, who joins from Carmarthen. Wales Under-21 international Stephen Evans rejoined Llanelli in November as a replacement for Rory Smitham, having been released a few months earlier, and scored 10 goals from 34 (+10) Welsh Premier appearances. Birkenhead-born defender Howard made 222 Football League appearances for Swansea City and spent six years at Morecambe, joining Llanelli last year and featuring 11 (+2) times in the league. Jarman, who scored 10 goals from 99 appearances for Barry, Haverfordwest and the Reds after representing Wales at all ages up to Under-21, making a total of 122 Football League appearances for Exeter City and Oxford United, was Legg's first signing after being appointed manager. Midfielder Mumford made 62 Football League appearances for Swansea City, where he was voted player of the season 2002/3, having previously played at Llanelli and Haverfordwest, and was a member of the Welsh Premier title winning squad in 2008/9, making a total of 78 appearances in red. Defender Phillips is a Welsh semi-pro international who spent five years at Cardiff City and made 207 appearances for Barry Town and Llanelli, while wingman Warlow joined last summer from Lincoln City, appearing on 18 (+1) occasions in the league. Photo: Andrew Mumford has appeared 78 times for Llanelli. |