The Newtown v Caersws rivalry makes its long-awaited return on Monday, but perhaps nobody will be anticipating the match more than Robins defensive stalwart Kieran Mills-Evans.
The 32-year-old, who has been at Latham Park since 2011, finds himself in contention to make his first start for the club in over 16 months as he finally looks to put an end to an injury nightmare that at one point jeopardised his playing career.
While Newtown were preparing for a play-off run at the end of the 2023/24 JD Cymru Premier season, a low-key practice match would turn Mills-Evans’ life upside down both on and off the pitch.
“It was the first week of May, the week before our play-off game against Penybont, the season before last, and we had a friendly against a college team,” he recalled.
“A few of the lads were on the touchline ready to come on, I knew I was coming off the next time play stopped, just as a ball came over the top. The keeper sort of hesitated as to whether to come out or not, so I tracked my runner, got across him and planted my leg on the floor, and my leg snapped. Yeah… it was crazy really.”
Surgery would reveal that the damage was worse than first thought. Mills-Evans had broken his fibula in two places.
“The doctor said to me I’d probably never, ever play football again and I just completely lost my head.
“Despite being told that, staff at the club and the physio aimed to get me back playing by Christmas. But by the first week of November, I couldn’t walk and had to come off work.”
Further x-rays then revealed that three bits of metal from the original operation had broken, with the metal now rubbing against a nerve. This meant he would have to go under the knife once more.
While Mills-Evans was battling to rescue his playing career, Newtown had their own battles to contend with as they endured their worst season in recent history, suffering their first ever relegation from the JD Cymru Premier.
“It made it so much worse,” said Mills-Evans. “I felt so helpless because we were so poor and, without wanting to sound big-headed, I really did feel I could have helped make a difference.
“I try to lead by example; I’ve been at the club a long time and I understand what it means to the people at the club.”
This summer has been a rebuilding process for both Mills-Evans and the Robins. The Powys side have turned to former Guilsfield boss Nathan Leonard to help navigate their first season in the second tier, while Mills-Evans himself has cautiously stepped up his return to first-team football on what is his 15th consecutive season at the club.
Two weeks ago, a brief 11-minute substitute appearance at Penrhyncoch finally saw Mills-Evans mark his competitive return to the game.
“Lenny said to me on the sideline, ‘Are you ready?’ I said, ‘Lenny, I’ve been ready for 12 months, put me on!’ I went on and the adrenaline was there and as soon as the referee blew the final whistle, I just started crying—not like sobbing crying, but it was so emotional.
“Lenny was crying, the physio was crying, my missus was crying, my dad was crying, the club chaplain was crying, the kit man was crying. It’s just given me that real drive again that I really want to do this again.”
A longer, half-hour, appearance off the bench followed in the next game against Flint Mountain, before Mills-Evans played another 10 minutes in Friday night’s thrilling 2-2 draw at Airbus UK Broughton.
Mills-Evans now feels ready to make his first league start since April 2024, as Newtown prepare for a first derby clash with Caersws in 15 years.
“I’m so excited for Monday, it’s a real weird feeling, it makes you feel like a kid again. Perhaps you take it for granted when you’re fit and healthy and long may it continue.
“I’m passionate about the club, I care about the club and I just want the best for Newtown. It broke my heart last year [getting relegated]. The fact I was out injured tortured me even more, I felt so helpless but I’m really, really excited for this season and getting back fully fit.
“We’ve got some young, exciting lads and since Lenny has come in, it’s been like a breath of fresh air and a clean slate. It’s so nice to talk to people about it because for so many months we’ve not had much to shout about and to beat Caersws would just be the icing on the cake.”
