LINNETS LEGENDS
#3 CLIVE AYRES
Clive Ayres' career at Barry Town began in the summer
of 1972, in what was to be yet another poor season for Barry Town (bouncing along the bottom of
the Southern League had now been going on for a decade), Barry had at least got a goalscorer in their side,
scoring almost a third of Barry Town's league goals. Clive's debut goal came pretty early on in the season, the second game in fact, in the 1-1 draw away at Rugby Town. Clive's debut home goal being against Spencer Works
in the 4-1 Welsh Cup Secnd Round win in October. He finished the season brightly too, signing off his first season with a Jenner Park hat-trick on the last day of the season against Bury.
Another shocking season followed in 1973-74, and although Barry Town finished a few places higher in 18th position from 22 clubs, the club actually recorded less points than the year before - there
just so happened to a few more poorer sides than Barry Town that season. The season started excellently though, with a 3-0 home win over eventual 5th placed Enderby Town in which Clive Ayres scored a brace. Town flattred to deceive though, and it would be another
12 matches before the club recorded another victory. Clive Ayres' efforts though ensured he would Barry Town's top scorer of the season, scoring twice as much as second placed man, Jan Bekker.
Ayres again top-scored in 1974-75, and his personal league tally of 22 goals in a season when Barry Town scored just 49 goals was impressive - if a little enfuriating. Imagine what damage he could have done in a better side. As it was, Town had to apply for re-election at the end of the season.
Fortunately, for 1975-76 Clive Ayres was initially joined up front by Keith Stimpson and Steve Evans and Barry Town enjoyed their best placed Southern League position for decades; 6th position. A far better defence, the fourth meanest in the League also helped Barry Town of course.
For Ayres though, it was a frustrating season blighted by suspension and injury, and then a move to Cheltenham Town for the majority of the season. He came back though at the end of the season on non-contract terms, and would stay to enjoy a vintage season that was the 1976-77 season.
Barry Town had turned years
of depressingly poor league positions on their head and actually went one place better than the previous season to finish a highly creditable 5th position, with Clive Ayres undoubtedely the star of the show in what was his best season for the Linnets.
The season started slowly, the inevitable early exit to Bath City in the Southern League Cup, and then two losses in the league itself. Ayres scored twice in the 2-0 Welsh Cup win over Cwmbran in a result which finally jump-started Town's season. Two league draws were followed by a 3-2 win over Ton Pentre
in the FA Trophy, with Ayres scoring a hat-trick. Ayres scored eight times in the following six matches.
Barry Town kept on getting good results throughout December and January without the help of
Ayres, but after that Ayres turned into a one man goal machine. He scored four goals in the
6-1 thrashing of Garw in the South Wales Senior Cup, goals in the following two League
fixtures and then two back-to-back hat-tricks with 3-1 and 3-2 wins over Cambridge and Oswestry
repectively. It was now the end of March, but incredibly, Clive Ayres had another four
hat-tricks hidden in his boots. Wellingborough, and then Tamworth were despatched 3-0 each -
all by Ayres, and his third hat-trick in three games came against Pontlottyn in the 5-1 mauling
in the Semi Final of the South Wales Senior Cup. The final hat-trick of a memorable season
came against Milton Keynes City who beaten at Jenner Park 4-1. Clive Ayres had just enjoyed his best Barry Town season to date, netting
46 goals in all competitions, with Dickie Batt netting 13 times. Ayres then, was head and shoulders above the rest.
It was always going to be difficult to top such a tremendous season, and so it proved for 1977-78 when Town sat in 10th place, comfortable in mid-table mediocrity by the end of the season. Clive Ayres again
top-scored for the Linnets, including a hat-trick in the 4-0 stuffing of eventual league runners-up Bridgend Town - the club he would join for 1978-79.
| SEASON
| S.LEAGUE APPS
| S.LEAGUE GOALS
| CUP APPS
| CUP GOALS
| TOTAL APPS
| TOTAL GOALS
|
|
1972-73
| 32
| 13
| 10
| 03
| 42
| 16
|
| 1973-74
| 37
| 15
| 10
| 05
| 47
| 20
|
| 1974-75
| 37
| 22
| 09
| 06
| 46
| 28
|
| 1975-76
| 13
| 07
| 05
| 02
| 18
| 9
|
| 1976-77
| 34
| 27
| 13
| 19
| 47
| 46
|
| 1977-78
| 30
| 23
| 16
| 03
| 46
| 26
|
| TOTALS
| 183
| 107
| 63
| 38
| 246
| 145
|
BARRY TOWN AFC's SOUTHERN LEAGUE & CUP TOP SCORER
1972-73, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1976-77, 1977-78
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