Just discovered that Gerwyn Price is from Markham, one of my old #CommunitiesFirst patches. Apparently used to compete for the Miners' Welfare there, a building I knew well (top quality snooker tables)

It's also the hometown of Joe Calzaghe's mam, Ryan Jones's dad and where ex- @CardiffCityFC and @NewportCounty full back John Lewis grew up

He used to be my parents' next door neighbour in Dinas Powys when I was a kid

Arthur Hughes, former @newbridgerfc back rower, lived (lives?) there too. His brother Dennis played for Wales but Arthur never achieved that honour.

Not a bad sporting pedigree for a small Gwent village

To the south of Markham is the village of Argoed which hosted several Wales-England #quoits internationals and was the home of Jack Price, a many time Welsh quoits champion either side of WWII @sportinghistory

More info via @GwaliaMedia https://twitter.com/GwaliaMedia/status/1277540190438010885?s=19

#Argoed was also the birthplace of Chartist Zephaniah Williams, and to the north of Markham is Hollybush | Llwyncelyn where James James, composer of the music of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, was born in 1832

We used to have community meetings in the Sirhywi Arms Hotel in Argoed (now sadly shut and with a more infamous recent history) as well as The Hollybush Inn, now also shut @valleysaletrail @PubsCymru