John Disney lifted the JD Welsh Cup as captain of Connah’s Quay Nomads last season and understands there can be no room for complacency from the holders as they take on Llanelli Town in this season’s semi-finals at Park Avenue in Aberystwyth on Saturday (KO 12:30).
Goals from Harry Franklin and Josh Williams sealed a famous 2-1 win for the Nomads over The New Saints in the final at Rodney Parade last season.
“Looking back was an amazing day from all angles,” Disney told FAW.cymru this week. “From a personal perspective, it was my first season as captain so to lift the Welsh Cup and have my family there too was amazing. It just rounded off a successful season in us finishing second in the league and then winning the Welsh Cup. It was brilliant.”
JD Welsh Cup semi-finals
The Nomads have avoided opposition from the JD Cymru Premier in every single round of the competition this season, a run that continues into the last four as they prepare to face JD Cymru South leaders Llanelli.
“It’s nice to play against teams that you know don’t normally come up against in the league,” Disney said. “You also find out that there are some good players in the lower leagues, and some good clubs that have really welcomed us and wished us well as we move forward into the next round.”
‘We know Llanelli will be difficult’
Having defeated Guilsfield, Trefelin, Mold Alexandra and Caerau Ely to book their place in the semi-finals, Disney, who scored the only goal in the 1-0 win over Mold in Round Four, is fully aware of their opponents’ strengths as they target a place in the final.
“Llanelli are a good club and they’ve got a good manager in Lee John too,” he added. “We’re expecting a close game, a tight game, and we know it’s going to be difficult.
“I’m sure they’re hoping that they can finish the job this season and get promoted. We’ve seen their games and we’ve seen how they play so we know that we’ve got to be right at it, but it’s the semi-final of the Welsh Cup, so if we’re not up for an occasion like this then there’s something wrong.
“We’re really looking forward to it, really excited. We know a lot about them, but we’re focusing on ourselves to make sure that we get through the tie.”
Despite reaching the last four of the JD Welsh Cup, it has been a challenging campaign for the Nomads as they missed out on a place in the Championship Conference at the mid-season split.
The departure of manager Neil Gibson early in the season and the arrival of Billy Paynter, combined with high player turnover, has made this something of a season of change for a club that won the JD Cymru Premier in 2020 and 2021, but their ambitions remain very much on a return to the top.
“It’s been a transitional year,” the captain explained. “A change of manager has brought a change in style and a change in the way we play. But the expectancy of this club is to get into Europe, and if that’s through winning the Welsh Cup then that’s what it needs to be.
“The league season hasn’t gone as we wanted it to and we’re all accountable for that. We’ve got a chance now though to try and finish the season strongly and we can still try and close down that seventh position.”
Becoming Connah’s Quay Nomads captain
Disney, 32, initially joined the club in January 2016 from Hednesford Town. Although he would temporarily depart for Altrincham and then JD Cymru Premier rivals Bala Town, he returned to the Nomads in the summer of 2018.
Despite missing their JD Welsh Cup triumph earlier that year, he has enjoyed consistent success since. Ever-present this season, Disney has won every domestic trophy and the Play-Off Final with the club, and his contribution was rewarded in 2023 when he replaced George Horan as club captain.
“I’ve had many memorable occasions with George who is a great person and a great player,” he explained. “When you’re taking over from a player like George, who has also won everything at the club, it’s a massive honour.
“The club has been brilliant for me, from the owner to every single manager that’s been there. I’ve given everything to Connah’s Quay and they’ve given everything to me as well, and long may that continue.
“The club has been amazing on this journey, it’s a real pleasure to be here and it’s been great to be a part of it. For all the people around the club, I’d like to think I’ve given my all to them as well.
“I’ve think I’ve shown my commitment to the club and they’ve been committed to me too. They’ve put me through my coaching badges and they’re now helping me on to the next transition through that because I’ve been coaching the youth team. It was definitely a good decision to come to the club, and definitely one I don’t take lightly.”
