The Llanelli Star has issued a rallying call to get behind the area’s top soccer club.

The weekly newspaper has launched a campaign of support for Llanelli AFC.

Rally Round the Reds comes at a difficult time for the club. Adrift at the foot of the Welsh Premier League, they have slumped to nine defeats on the trot and have won just once. Their website coldly records the fact that their last home game attracted a crowd of 127.

This week they lost their manager Peter Nicholas.

The new campaign will run throughout this season, urging townsfolk to show their support for Llanelli AFC by attending games.

“We want businesses and organisations to come forward with ideas on how to generate support,” said editor Andy Pearson.

“It’s not money we’re after but a little time and a surge of goodwill from the community to the team. If the players know they’re wanted they may just find that much-needed hint of inspiration.

“We want to help in any way we can. We want the town to rally round the reds!”

The weekly also tackled the topic in its comment column, telling readers: “This is a club with a proud history. It was formed 106 years ago and has been through the whole range of pleasure and pain associated with most football clubs.

Only two years ago Llanelli finished a brilliant fifth in the League of Wales, triggering an FAW Premier Cup campaign which featured two narrow defeats by Welsh big boys Cardiff City.

Now, even though the season is young and it is right that much can happen before May, they find themselves facing a tough winter and the possibility of relegation to the Welsh League.

This means not only a lower profile for the club but also for the town. For Llanelli AFC is one of the many organisations which represent a town with great sporting heritage. Moreover, they do it at Welsh soccer’s highest level.

Were the club to fall from the top flight it would mean fewer mentions of their name in newspapers, on TV and on radio.

As any go-ahead community knows, you simply can’t buy that kind of publicity. The Llanelli Star does not want to see the club relegated. The higher the profile of our sports teams the more wealth-generating opportunities come along -and that can only be good for the community.”

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