Spotlight on...
Sporting hero: Glan Letheren
Dafen's Glan Letheren was age 15 and playing in the Welsh League when a talent scout brought the young goalkeeper to the attention of Don Revie and Leeds United football club. After over twenty years in the professional game as a player, Glan retired to become a talent scout and goal keeping coach of world renown .
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Don Revie gave Letheren his Leeds début at age 18, as an injury replacement during the return leg of a UEFA Cup tie against Hibernian in 1973. Since then, Letheren has played in the Football League for Leeds United, Scunthorpe United, Chesterfield and Swansea City, as well as representing Wales at all levels. He is also known as a successful cricketer in the South Wales Cricket Association, playing mainly for Dafen Welfare CC.
After his Leeds début, a game which they won on penalties, Letheren became an instant hero among the Leeds fans, but by the time he was next in the Leeds first team, Don Revie had moved on, Brian Clough had come and gone, and Letheren was handed his League début by Jimmy Armfield.
Letheren won caps at U21 and U23 level, and was included in the Leeds United squad in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich. He moved out on loan, had spells at Chelsea, Scunthorpe and Notts County, then signed for Chesterfield and later Swansea City football clubs. He later went on to play for Oxford City, Scarborough, and also played for Bangor City at Wembley in the FA Trophy final.
After his Leeds début, a game which they won on penalties, Letheren became an instant hero among the Leeds fans, but by the time he was next in the Leeds first team, Don Revie had moved on, Brian Clough had come and gone, and Letheren was handed his League début by Jimmy Armfield.
Letheren won caps at U21 and U23 level, and was included in the Leeds United squad in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich. He moved out on loan, had spells at Chelsea, Scunthorpe and Notts County, then signed for Chesterfield and later Swansea City football clubs. He later went on to play for Oxford City, Scarborough, and also played for Bangor City at Wembley in the FA Trophy final.
Glan and Kyle Letheren
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His years as a pro goalkeeper has given him a wealth of experience that has held him in good stead to become a key figure in the careers of many sporting heroes to come. Twenty tears after his Leeds début Glan Letheren retired at the age of 38, taking the route into coaching, and was soon involved in the Welsh FA’s development plan after earning his UEFA pro licence. He built his coaching experience and knowledge, working with Swansea City, Leicester City, Exeter City and as the Welsh Under 19 national goalkeeping coach. He consolidated his knowledge, skills and expertise in football as chief scout in Wales for renowned football clubs like Manchester United and Leeds United. And he has worked with international goalkeepers including Ian Walker of Tottenham & England, Kevin Pressman of Sheffield Wednesday & England and also Roger Freestone of Swansea & Wales. Glan's son Kyle now carries the Letheren name in professional football, after recently signing for Dundee Football Club after 12 appearances for Kilmarnock FC.
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Glan has become one of the most highly respected coaches in world football and his accomplishments have allowed him to coach all over the world including Australia, Haiti, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent. Glan's company ‘TopCatch Goalkeeping’ is a thriving concern and in addition to coaching British prospects, Glan finds the best young talent from the United States and brings them over to England.
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But Glan also keeps an eye on the young talent closer to home, and has used almost 20 years of black-tie dinners to raise around £40,000 to help Llanelli youngsters reach their potential. Every year he hosts an event, ‘The Glan Letheren Dinner’, with special Guest Speakers, which raises money to help young sportsmen and women in Wales realise their dreams. In the last few years, young Furnace squash champion Eleri Rowlands benefited from a £1,700 donation to help fund her career, and around £2,000 was raised at a dinner for Llanelli cyclist Joe Holt, who has been earmarked as an Olympic star of the future.
You can read more about Glan's story on his business website TopCatch Goalkeeping and on the Leeds Fan Blog Sheridan Dictates. |
Glan with Eleri Rowlands
Glan with Joe Holt
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