Found a nice little paywalled article on The Athletic about the ventures of Haverfordwest County and their European escapade. Covers a little bit on Zac Jones and his hopes of pursuing a professional deal in the game. So there are promising signs in that regard that he's on the hunt, and hoping to further his footballing career. The way he's been going of late you wouldn't bet against him achieving that over the next little while either.
Every player has a story behind a journey to this Welsh footballing outpost and then on to the capital of Macedonia. None, though, included a leap of faith as big as the one taken by Zac Jones.
Every player has a story behind a journey to this Welsh footballing outpost and then on to the capital of Macedonia. None, though, included a leap of faith as big as the one taken by Zac Jones.
Haverfordwest’s goalkeeper had grown up on the books of A-League club Wellington Phoenix as a youngster and, soon after his 21st birthday, flew 12,000 miles to the UK in the vague hope of finding fresh opportunities. The only people he knew were his father’s cousins, who offered temporary accommodation at their home in Swansea.
“I spent my first week in quarantine,” he laughs. “I’d thought about coming over for a long time but because of Covid it was difficult. That delayed the trip but as soon as the borders opened up I was on the first flight out.
“Through a connection I had through the old manager at Haverfordwest I got invited for a trial down there. A week later I was signed and I’ve been here for a year and a half. I’ve loved every bit of it.”
And with good reason.
Jones was Haverfordwest’s hero in qualifying for Europe at the end of last season, not once but twice. His saves were pivotal in the penalty shoot-out wins over Cardiff Metropolitan University and Newtown, teeing up this trip to Skopje. “It was pretty surreal,” he says, shortly after the team walk had ended with an impromptu first glimpse inside the Tose Proeski Arena. “It didn’t sink in for a long time what had happened. I can’t really explain what I was feeling but it was cool to play my part in a bit of history.
“My family were all up watching at home (in New Zealand). They were up at 4am for kick-off and then it went to extra-time and penalties. They’d expected to go back to bed after the game but when I called them in the morning they’d not slept one bit. They were buzzing for me.
“They’ve always given me support and I just decided to give this a crack when I was young. If it didn’t work out then I’ve lost nothing. But while I’m young and ambitious I wanted to see how far I could take my football.”
Jones’ aim is for all this to end with a professional contract and, to that end, Haverfordwest is another stop on the line.
Pennock has no problem with that. The opposite, in fact. It is part of his sales pitch during recruitment, the promise that bigger moves will come if successful in the Cymru Premier.
Pennock has no problem with that. The opposite, in fact. It is part of his sales pitch during recruitment, the promise that bigger moves will come if successful in the Cymru Premier.
So some promising signs out of that if he can keep up his form and get noticed. Big move to make to go and play in Wales to go and try get noticed, but hopefully it works out for him.
Just a bit more on the prize money for the club too - They also get €100,000 for each Home/Away tie. So as it stands, they'll be taking home about €550,000 from their European sojourn so far (well, after the trip to the Faroes that is).
Not a bad payday for a club that turns over approximately €400,000 (£350,000) annually.