109 appearances. 39 goals. Multiple goal of the season contenders. A five time National League North Team of the Week selection. Probably one of (if not the) best highlight reel in Merthyr’s history. Oh and the casual honour of being voted into the National League North Team of the Season 2025/26. Just a few of the accolades that can be thrown at Merthyr’s midfield maestro, Lewys Twamley.
In any footballing circles where Merthyr has been discussed, Twammers has always come into conversation (and rightly so), yet it is hard to even contemplate that 3 years ago he had spent the off season as a free agent.
Rewind to summer 2023 and Lewys had been released by Newport County, despite making 4 appearances for the Exiles, with a couple of loan spells thrown in at Pontypridd United and Salisbury. A surprise no doubt for the former Wales u19 international, but one he seems to have taken in his stride.
Destination Merthyr Town
A summer without a club saw him land at Penydarren Park, clearly with a point to prove as he took the next step of his career. The 2023/24 season saw him make 42 appearances for the Martyrs, scoring 8 goals as he settled into the new system under Paul Michael. He quickly made a name for himself with the fans due to his attacking flair and built up a solid relationship with a certain Ricardo Rees – one that would continue to grow as the months went on.
His return for the 2024/25 season was met with excitement as the Martyrs went on the hunt for automatic promotion. 15 goals in 21 appearances saw him fly in the Southern Premier South with Merthyr sat at the top of the table, before the opportunity of full time football at Yeovil Town came calling which he couldn’t turn down.
The move coincided with the Martyrs finishing the Southern League campaign as champions, which he unfortunately missed out on. “I’m not going to lie, that was tough for me, going from playing week in week out and enjoying myself to sitting on the bench [at Yeovil]. After every game I would check the results and I was buzzing that they [Merthyr] got the job done – I’m proud to have played my part” reflected Twamley.
Unfortunately for Lewys (but fortunately for us), the move to Huish Park didn’t work out as planned, making 9 appearances for the Glovers before mutually ending his time and moving back to Penydarren Park. A huge statement of intent from the club ahead of its first campaign in the National League North but the saying “never get back with your ex” did spring to mind. “The move to Yeovil, it was something I couldn’t turn down – since I was a little boy all I’ve wanted to be is a professional footballer and have a career in the game. After hearing that news [not being in Yeovil’s plans], the only thing I wanted to do was come back to Merthyr Town and play football with a smile on my face.” he says.
Life in National League North
Any slight concerns that anyone had were banished instantly, with him lighting up the National League North this season for fun, finishing with 16 goals and 17 assists – a superb return for the tricky winger who I dare say has surprised himself with the ease he has stepped up, supported week in week out by his parents, sister and grandparents. He is also the only player to have started every game this season.
Take a look at some of his highlights and whilst goals like his 30 yard wonder strike against Buxton (a), his drag back and top bins finish against Peterborough Sports (h) or his length of the field effort against Oxford (a) will always stand out, it is his creativity and link up play that is the difference.
“I love scoring goals, so who doesn’t love a worldie. That Buxton goal is the best goal I’ve scored in my career so far. The positions I find myself on the pitch allows me to shoot from distance and score those goals. My second favourite has to be the one at home against Basingstoke two seasons ago when I ran from my own half.”
Scoring 16 goals at this level is impressive, but it is the magnitude of some of these goals this season which kept Merthyr in the hunt for playoffs (albeit just falling short). He single handedly earned the Martyrs 13 points, with 10 of those coming on the road which is even more remarkable (and that’s even excluding his assists!)
- The winner in a 4 – 3 away win at Bedford in November 2025
- The winner in a 2 – 1 away win at Buxton in November 2025
- The fourth and decisive goal in a 5 – 3 away win at Worksop in January 2026
- Both goals in a 2 – 0 home win against Peterborough Sports in January 2026
- The opener in a hard fought 2 – 1 away win at Leamington in February 2026
- A double in a 3 – 1 away win at Radcliffe in March 2026
Without these goals Merthyr would have finished the season on 57 points and in 15th place, only 5 points off the drop – a sobering thought and shows the reliance from the team on him in a post January transfer window world.
He is one of those players that when he has the ball, you expect something to happen – a real ‘get you out of your seat’ kind of player. A player who we are lucky to have and one that opposition fans look at with envy. But with the plaudits comes expectation, an added pressure particularly when Ricardo and Cole left in January “there has been a little bit of pressure after they left, so knowing the boys needed me made me thrive even more than before. I like that feeling in football”.
I think we can certainly say he has thrived this season and who knows what next season brings. More of the same as the Martyrs go on the hunt for promotion? Another opportunity at full time football? Time will tell but one thing is for certain, the name Lewys Twamley won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
I caught up with Lewys to chat about playoff heartbreak, managing pressure, goals and everything in between.
16 goals, 17 assists and selected in the National League North Team of the season in your first campaign at this level – you must be pleased with that return? How have you found the step up from SPS (and step down from NL) this season into what has been a very physical league? From the outside, it has looked pretty easy…….
“Ha, thank you. Yeah hitting those numbers and getting myself into the team of the season, I would say that’s been a successful season for myself personally. The step up from the Southern Premier I would say is a bigger difference than from the step down from the NL (even though I didn’t play many games haha) it’s a lot more physical than step 2 and you have a lot of ex pros and experienced players that have played the game and know the ins & out to win a football match.
For me personally, I just treat every game the same so that makes step ups & step downs a lot easier to deal with. As a team I think it’s fair to say we settled in and more than held our own in that league.“
Dropping out of the playoffs on the last game of the season after spending the majority of the campaign in the top 3 / 4 must have been a blow – what is the feeling in the dressing room from yourself and the lads? *From a fan point of view, whilst we were gutted to have been pushing for promotion for so long and to not make the playoffs, this season has been unbelievable successful with so many stand out moments*
“Yeah, listen dropping out of the play offs on the last game of the season was devastating and every single player in the dressing room was gutted, we worked our socks off all season and every player can be proud of themselves for that. We started the season unbelievable and I don’t think anyone involved with the football club or anyone who lives in Merthyr knew how we were going to do in that league, we were going into the unknown but to start so well and go on the unbeaten run that we went on, is an achievement in itself.
Losing Ric up front made a massive difference [losing all those goals] and if I’m honest I think everybody knows that was one of the main reasons for our drop in form then leading to missing out on play offs.“
Your parents have reliably told me that you are the only player this season to start in every game, which is a hell of a stat. How have you kept yourself fit and healthy outside of football? What does your recovery look like?
“Yeah they won’t ever miss a stat haha. I am very proud to say I am the only player to have started every single game all season. I pride myself on keeping fit outside of the training and games as we are only part time so I have to keep on top of that side of things myself. I go to the gym regularly but also have rest days which is important, recovery will be 1 day after games and then a light workout on the Monday ahead of training on the Tuesday. Team training on Tuesday evening followed by a solo workout on Wednesday. Light team session on Thursday ready for Saturday’s game.“
The Star Man. The Merthyr Messi. The fans have coined numerous nicknames and chants for you over the years. How has it been to play in front of such support (including your family) that have followed you both home and across the country?
“Yeah the fans are undeniably the best thing about the football club. The numbers they bring at home and away is never unnoticed and goes a long way, the whole squad very much appreciates them. To have my own chants is also very nice to hear, on the terraces singing my name is a great feeling. When things are going good and when things aren’t going so good, it’s very much appreciated.“
At points this season there has been a lot of pressure on you to deliver, especially after Ric and Cole left in January. How have you managed this and has it affected you at all? Has it spurred you on even more, particularly in terms of the team’s wider goals but also your own personal goals?
“Yeah there has been a little bit of pressure on me this season after Ric and Cole left but I think you’re right, it’s spurred me on to help the lads even more. I like to score goals and create goals in whatever way, so knowing the boys need me to do so made me thrive even more than before. I like that feeling in football. It’s what brings the best out of me. In terms of goals, I’ve said this in an interview before, I didn’t like to set goals and stuff before because I felt if I didn’t make them I felt like I had failed but then I realised, by setting them it makes me thrive more to reach them and hit them.
I set myself a goal at the start of the season to achieve 15 goals and 15 assists so I can proudly say I have reached that goal.“
The move to Yeovil – we were saddened to see you go but it was a well deserved move that you had to make. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out – do you feel you came back a better player from your stint at Huish park? And was it an easy decision to return to Penydarren Park and work under Paul, Smudge & Craig again?
“The move to Yeovil, it was something I couldn’t turn down – since I was a little boy all I’ve wanted to be is a professional footballer and have a career in the game. Since I came out of Newport, I wanted to make sure I could get myself back into that set up and play professional football again, which I did. Looking back now, it definitely made me a better player and even more so a better person by learning the other side of the game which was not playing week in week out. It was tough, very tough, I didn’t know what to do with myself, I was on my own a lot, away from home and all sorts were going through my mind. Am I good enough? Why am I not playing?
Questions I didn’t have the answer to and questions that couldn’t be answered as I wasn’t given enough of a chance to prove so. In the summer then I was told I wasn’t in the gaffers plans at Yeovil, which was even harder to take in as I thought I would go back to pre-season and hit hard, but I guess that’s football, you never know what’s around the corner.
After hearing that news, the only thing I wanted to do was come back to Merthyr Town and play football with a smile on my face. Thanks to Paul he allowed me to do so and I hope I have repaid him.“
Looking back on your time with Merthyr across two stints – what has been the most enjoyable moment/memory? And is there anything you would have changed?
“Tough question, I’ve had a lot of good memories at the football club, on and off the pitch. I think scoring a hat trick at home against Walton & Hersham is one that sticks in my mind. And the Chester away match, Cole’s last minute equaliser right in front of the away end. But I’ve had a lot of good memories with the boys over the years, an unbelievable group.
I like to live life with no regrets so there is nothing I would change at my time with Merthyr, it’s all happened for a reason and I wouldn’t change the way anything happened because it has made me the player and person I am now.“
When you initially signed back in September 2023, did you ever think you would have had the success you have had over the past 3 years?
“Yeah 100%. I always believe in my ability and I know what I can do so there was no doubt in my mind that I could have hit the numbers that I have hit over those 3 seasons. That is also down to the great players that I have been playing with though, none of it would have been possible without them.“
Moving on in the January unfortunately meant you missed the last few months of the title winning season – was that gutting to miss out on the run in and celebration with the lads, particularly as you had such a key role up until January?
“I’m not going to lie, that was tough for me, going from playing week in week out and enjoying myself to sitting on the bench seeing the lads getting closer & closer to the goal was not easy. After every game the first thing I would do was check my phone and check the result and then to see them lift the trophy I was a very happy man. I was buzzing that they got the job done and I’m proud to have played my part in it. But yeah, for sure it wasn’t easy watching from afar with my situation.
The celebrations looked class after the Hungerford game and I had an away game so I couldn’t pop down but we went to Ibiza as a team and I made up for the celebrations then!“
Where does Lewys Twamley see himself in 5 years?
“Good question! As I don’t have a crystal ball I don’t have the perfect answer haha! I would like to think playing in the football league, reaching my potential, playing as high up a level as possible and making a name for myself.“
A big shout out to Lewys for his time and hopefully we will see him gracing Penydarren Park again next season.
UP THE TOWN
Gavin Burns
