Bowen: 'I wouldn't quit Pooler' (From Free Press Series)

Bowen: 'I wouldn't quit Pooler'

10:27am Wednesday 27th May 2009

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DOUBLE player of the season Rhys Bowen would not have quit "the biggest club in Gwent" even if Pooler had been relegated.

Bowen, 30, scooped both the supporters’ player of the year and the club player of the year awards at Pontypool’s end-of-season presentations. There was plenty to celebrate after a nail-biting Premiership survival bid.

But Friday night was especially sweet for Bowen who, since joining from Newbridge last summer, has proven an instant fans’ favourite.

Speaking to the Free Press, he said: "I’m the sort of player who just does a job so it’s good to be recognised for that effort. It’s always nice to win awards although it was a real team effort in those last eight games, so anyone could have won it.

"I came here because of the history of the club, it’s probably the biggest in Gwent. There are more fans than at Newport and definitely more than Cross Keys or Bedwas.

"This is probably the most community-centred team I’ve ever played with. Everyone clubbed together and gave their all in those last eight weeks – from the owners and the coaches to the backroom staff right, the players and fans.

"In the position we were in we could have thought ‘we can’t be bothered’ but instead there were 25 people at training every Tuesday and Thursday.

"We didn’t even moan about the physio bills – all those players having scans isn’t cheap and some clubs might have ripped up the contracts and said pay yourselves. But they take good care of you here and most of us had committed to stay even before we knew if we were safe."

Bowen continued: "We had so many injuries, 18 I think at one point, and that takes its toll.

"The coaches took a lot of stick at the time because we weren’t getting the results. We were 10 points adrift then in February and March our season really got going and we beat the champions Cardiff on the last day.

"What we need now is to bring in a few more players so that when we do get injuries we’ve got the players there to cope."

And on Pooler’s future prospects, he added: "On the first day we nearly beat the champions Neath so we’ve proved that if we can stay injury-free we can mix with the big boys. With the new Anglo-Welsh competition there’s more reason than ever to do well and I don’t see why we can’t."

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