Joe Hopkins has been with the Reds since the summer of 2022 and most recently captained the side to the JD Cymru South title back in April.
Having made over 100 appearances for the club, Joe has not only become a key part of what the Reds have achieved on the pitch but he has also become a favourite amongst our supporters.
A new challenge awaits the whole squad this season as the Reds return to the top flight of Welsh football for the first time since 2019. We spoke to Joe about the upcoming campaign but first we asked him about the success of last season.
Reflecting on the Cymru South title win, Joe said;
“It was a great feeling to finally get our hands on the trophy but it also came as a massive relief after finishing as runners up in the two previous seasons.”
Attention then turned to discussing pre season, with preparations concluding last week ahead of our Nathaniel MG Cup victory last Saturday, Joe summarised by saying;
“We have had quite a busy pre-season schedule with plenty of training sessions and numerous friendlies. We had some mixed results throughout but proved that we are ready with a convincing win in the cup last weekend.”
Throughout the summer the Reds welcomed a number of new signings to the club, adding to the core squad that had already committed to the Reds for the 2025/26 season. Speaking about our new arrivals, Joe said;
“The new lads have settled in well both on and off the field to be fair. We already had a close-knit squad from last season and the lads have all made them feel welcome.”
With the challenge of the Cymru Premier ahead, we wanted to know what the feeling amongst the dressing room was ahead of the new season. Giving us insight into the feelings amongst the squad, Joe said;
“There’s definitely a lot of excitement to finally have a crack at the Cymru Premier. We know that we’re in for a difficult season against some really established top flight sides with us having just been promoted but we’re determined to show that we can compete.”
Looking ahead to our first game of the season, we welcome Barry Town United to Stebonheath Park this weekend, a side that the Reds have plenty of history with – discussing the upcoming game, Joe stated;
“Barry Town are a very decent team and are now well established in the top flight since their promotion to the Cymru Premier a few years ago. We did most recently play against them last year in the Nathaniel MG Cup and narrowly lost on penalties – so we know we have a chance to cause an upset.”
Finally, we spoke to Joe about our fantastic supporters and the impact they’ve had on not only him as a player but also the squad during last season’s success.
Joe concluded with;
“The supporters have been excellent ever since I joined the club and were especially important last season, really pushing us at the business end of the season.
We’re going to need their help more than ever this year and we hope to see them turn up in their numbers as always!”
