THE CLUB is sorry to learn of the death of former player John Winder, who died recently at the age of 80.
A wing-half, John was a member of the Bay side which won the Welsh League North title in 1965. He also played for Rhyl, Penmaenmawr, Prestatyn and Llandudno Swifts.
John, along with his team-mate Idris Pryce, was among a crowd of over 900 at the Bay’s game against Chorley at Llanelian Road in January 2006 to mark the club’s 125th anniversary.
We send our condolences to his family and friends.
From Arthur Holden – John, from Rhyl, was a significant figure in the history of Colwyn Bay through the 1960s and as such his football career is most definitely worth noting. As a Rhyl youth player and a youth international John had a spell at Stoke City, before playing for Rhyl’s Welsh League team from 1961 to ’63 before he joined Colwyn Bay, going on to win the Welsh League title in 1965. When the club had its financial crash in 1966 John took over as player-manager from Ken Jones in December ’66. Most people expected the club to fold, but John made some very difficult decisions in order to reduce the club’s debts and outgoings. As such he gave first team starts to many talented local young footballers such as Gordon Roberts, John Carmichael, David Williams, Ian Livings, Peter Suddaby, Mark Duncalf and many more. Under John the team could have had a disastrous season but finished in a comfortable mid table spot and with debts already reduced. John went on to play for Penmaenmawr for the 1967/68 season, then returned to Colwyn Bay, before moving on to Prestatyn in the early 70s then Llandudno Swifts where he played until the mid 1970s.
