Nev Powell announced his departure after 14 yrs in charge as Manager and left the club in a state of shock and turmoil. Despite this Chairman John Gray and Secretary Bobby Hunter who were backed by a six man Board, launched into the task of finding a new Manager with a promise of informing everyone of developments as they happened, via this website. Hopeful of maintaining some continuity and persuading some of the Nomads players to remain with the club, the post was quickly offered to Assistant Manager Alan Morgan who had expressed his interest and enthusiasm for the post. He subsequently turned the offer down, preferring to go as Nev Powell's Assistant at Bangor. Undaunted, the Club advertised the Managers post and announced Jim Hacketts appointment to the post 21 days after Powell's departure. Every one connected with Nomads were kept fully informed of all these events, though a mass exodus of players was widely anticipated, with most known to be wanting to follow Nev Powell to Bangor City (my Son being one of them).

On appointment to the post, Jim Hackett publicly committed to do everything he could to persuade players to remain with Nomads and keep the squad together, but within 2 weeks it was evident that his efforts had failed. The majority of players failed to attend meetings arranged for them and some even refused to talk to him. Subsequently, 8 senior players followed Powell to Bangor City and 3 others quickly signed for other clubs. This left behind 2 players on contract who also wanted to go to Bangor and 2 others who later signed on again for Nomads. Matters weren't improved by Nev Powell's efforts to sign our contracted players being conducted through the press. This continued to unsettle them well into the closed season. In the meantime Hackett set about addressing the Clubs stated priorities:-

1. To keep Nomads place in the Welsh Premier League:- by recruiting players thought to be good enough to achieve the objective, by Jim and his newly appointed Assistant Manager Andy Lee.

2. To secure Nomads future in terms playing resources and commitment to the local Connah's Quay Community:- by rebuilding the Clubs Academy, Youth and Community schemes, through a series of meeting with parents, relevant bodies and the appointment of suitable Coaches at all levels of the club. Also by starting a Nomads Reserve Team to ensure continuity and an avenue for upward mobility, thus enabling a supply of young players to graduate to the first team.

The rest is history ! So what progress has been made since Neville Powell's departure and where are we up to now 12 months later ?

We have a Manager, his staff and Coaches, who despite achieving what was asked of them, have had no communication from the club for four and a half weeks and three weeks after the season has ended, they still have no idea whether their services are required by the Club. 

It has been widely rumoured throughout this period that the Manager Jim Hackett will be dismissed, but the Club has failed to comment or make a statement on this.

We have a playing squad who have secured our place in the Welsh Premier League and with the addition of 3 or 4 signings are thought to be good enough to secure a top ten place next season. They have no idea if the Club has any interest in any them for the forthcoming season and in any case will probably leave, if the Manager is not re-appointed.

We have a Board of Directors that have been reduced from 8 to 3 since a year ago, through bereavement and resignation.

There hasn't been a single statement from the Club for over 12 months about the plan for a new stadium.

Bobby Hunter is the Club Secretary, Media Officer and also the Chairman. His commitment to open communication a year ago and his efforts to ensure everyone was kept fully up to date with all the developments that took place up to the point of Jim Hacketts appointment, was commendable. Since then, communication with the website and media has been almost non-existent.

Despite holding virtually all the executive decision making powers with-in the Club, Bobby Hunter has only made made one short statement to the press for months. Two and a half weeks ago in The Flintshire Chronicle "he asked for two weeks to put his off-the-field team in place before presenting his manager with a budget for the 2008/09 campaign".

Jim Hackett, the Manager has still not heard from him and Bobby's only other known communication with anyone connected with the club, has been to tell former Chairman and benefactor John Gray that his help is no longer wanted and he also told him "from now on, I want to do things my way" 

Bobby, The Club and its supporters, anxiously await your statement of plans for the future of our Club with great interest and hopefully very soon. We also look forward to a speedy return to the excellent communication that you ensured with-in the club, during our turmoils of this time last year.