Even the most optimistic Martyrs fan wouldn’t have predicted the start to our time within National League North, as we finish the year with a draw at home to Hereford in front of a sell out crowd. In sport it’s easy to pick out stats that you can manipulate, but 2025 has produced some impressive stats for Merthyr;
46 games played (NLN/SPS/FAC/FAT)
25 wins (24 league & 1 FAT)
10 Draws
11 loses (9 league, 1 FAC & 1 FAT)
99 goals scored (56 NLN, 37 SPS, 4 FAC & 2 FAT)
67 goals conceded (41 NLN, 22 SPS, 1 FAC & 3 FAT)
12 Clean Sheets (5 NLN, 6 SPS & 1 FAC)
129 points on offer for 2025 with a points return of 82 (63.57%). Not bad considering 24 of the games have been at the much stronger NLN level & could be at 70%+ if we look back at a few loses which were uncharacteristic, such as the 4 – 0 loss to Basingstoke at the end of last season, or the two losses from comfortable winning positions against Scarborough & Marine at home.
Hello National League North
Like most I was excited for the season to start and to see how we fared against a number of “big full time” clubs who I have watched in the football league over the years. Number one priority for the season was (and still is) consolidation in the league. Over the past 4 years the average points total to stay up has been around 48 – that is the magic number and one I thought would be achievable. To be a couple of points off that number by the halfway mark of the season is a testament to how the management, players & staff have taken the step up in their stride, which has probably surprised them as much as us fans!
Wins over Southport & Peterborough to kickstart the season was the platform to show what we were about. I will always remember a comment on social media from a Southport fan after our late goals from Twamley & Lewis of “judging by that game you will definitely lose more than you win” – a bit of sour grapes maybe but one that made me wonder what the standard of the league was actually like.
Wins against Curzon, Macclesfield (hold tight dead ball specialist Tommy Handley) & Worksop were welcome against losses against Marine, Scarborough (2 games I personally think got away), Kings Lynn & a drubbing from Radcliffe.
Following a weekend of FA Cup action, we secured a point away to Chester following an injury time equaliser from Jarvis in atrocious conditions, before losing a 10 goal thriller to Spennymoor & a narrow loss to Kidderminster.
It was from here that the boys went on an eight(!) game winning run, with wins against Chorley, Darlington, Telford, Bedford, South Shields, Alfreton, Leamington & Buxton. I can’t mention those games without highlighting both of the wins at Telford (a) & South Shields (h).
A Tuesday night in torrential rain at Telford, a 4 goal salvo from Ricardo backed by around 100 fans in what I will say is probably the best away end atmosphere of the season. A week later, another Tuesday night in torrential rain (a coincidence!?) at Penydarren Park where the league big hitters South Shields came to visit. A 3 – 1 win which culminated with Jarvis firing in a 98th minute screamer to seal the game. The loudest PP has been for many a year I am sure. This run was enough for Paul & Ric to both be deservedly awarded the MoTM & PoTM respectively for November, with Ric scoring 12 goals in the month.
A narrow 1-0 loss away from home to title challengers Fylde ended the winning run, but we have immediately bounced back with wins over Curzon and Oxford, followed by our first home draw of the season against Hereford.
At the halfway point of the season and the end of 2025 we are currently on 47 points in the lofty position of 3rd in the league. A fantastic debut in the NLN so far – who knows what 2026 can bring!?
Quality Management & Thoughts on the League
Ask any football fan and they will obviously want their team to win, but being able to win whilst playing attractive football is probably the dream – and this is a dream that has been realised at PP. This stems from the top and Paul, Smudge & Craig can deservedly take the credit for assembling a squad that is hard working, technically gifted, comfortable on the ball and know their roles. We are certainly benefiting from being a close knit squad who have been together for a number of years and this shows week in week out. Patience, Movement and being Clinical is our game and the management have the squad doing this down to a tee.
We have stepped into the “unknown” in the NLN, which has worked in our favour where teams haven’t had an idea what to expect from the Martyrs, but has also been a steep learning curve for the team against opposition sides. Take a handful of teams out and the majority of football on offer has surprisingly been Sam Allardyce-esqe – big physical players with the ball lumped forward at any opportunity and look to bully their way to victory. That isn’t a dig at the teams, but is the complete opposite of Paul Michael ball we are used to and our brand of slick passing and fluid attacking has ripped some of these teams apart.
Yes it has caused us to concede some goals, particularly whilst wanting to play out from the back 99% of the time but it has been refreshing to see us stick to our principles, rather than panic when it isn’t going as well and revert to a system(s) that would potentially cause even more issues. We play how we play, win or lose – and it seems to be working pretty well at the moment……
Stepping Up & Ricardo
I couldn’t write this article without mentioning the most talked about striker in the league – our “Prince of the Park” Ricardo Rees. After back to back Golden Boots I think most of Martyr fans were surprised but relieved/excited/delighted to get the news Ric had resigned for this season. The question then was can he continue his goal scoring form? He has answered that and some more with 25 goals by December which is incredible. Some of his finishes have been absolutely quality and teams cannot handle him – best goal so far this season? I know he said on the Dial M Podcast recently it was his header against Telford (his 1st of 4 goals that night), but for me it might be his lob finish against Alfreton, where he composed himself and put it back over the keeper into the far corner.
Despite his goalscoring ability, it cannot be underestimated as to how much the system and team play into this, consistently providing multiple opportunities every game. I wish I had kept a tally of assists as Twamley must be leading the league!
Quite rightly he has taken the plaudits and was the speculation of transfer news and rumours as January rolled around again (like always), and the fears have been realised as the club announced on New Years Eve that it had reached an agreement with Forest Green Rovers for his transfer from 1st January for an undisclosed fee. A huge blow to us but it shows how much he is revered at Penydarren Park by the amount of well wishes from fans who wish him all the best on his step up the ladder and into full time football. Focus now shifts to his replacement and I am confident Paul and his staff have a number of targets that they can move quickly for.
Goal scorers always get the credit but every single player in the squad has played their part and stepped up this season with fantastic performances. Whilst I haven’t put this together to highlight individuals as I could be here all day highlighting things like Handley’s attacking improvement, Cox’s work rate or Evans’ passing, I can’t not mention;
Cogman – his performances have kept us in numerous games and some of his saves have been top top draw. An absolute rock for us at the back.
Jarvis – Mr Versatile. Put him anywhere on the pitch and he does the job and does it well. Has played all over the pitch for us but his performances in the middle of the park have been outstanding.
Twamley – Yeovil must be kicking themselves. He has settled back in on his return and is ripping the league apart. 6 goals and something like 15 assists. The Merthyr Messi.
Looking Forward
3rd place at the end of the year and eight points off the top surely puts us in the “title/promotion challengers” bracket whether we like it or not. How nice is it to say that!? Paul put a tweet up a few weeks ago with the #AgainstAllOdds and he couldn’t have summed it up any better. One of the lowest wage budgets, coming into a league with a number of big hitters and continuing to punch above our weight.
Regardless of what happens over the second half of the season, I think we can all say our first adventure into National League North has been a success – and who is to say it can’t get even better?
Up The Town ⚫️⚪️
Gavin Burns
