A FORMER town council chairman has written a book dealing with life, football, and politics in a Gwynedd town.

In Cllr Simon Brooks’ latest book Adra, he explains his love for Porthmadog and north-west Wales.

“They say that the Traeth is the prettiest football ground in the whole of Wales, and it’s true. From the bypass, you can see the Cob, Cnicht and Snowdon. Such things will never be moved to Cardiff,” said Cllr Brooks, who finished his term as chair of Porthmadog council earlier this year.

“Standing on the Traeth football ground in Porthmadog is where I start my new book, Adra: Byw yn y Gorllewin Cymraeg (Home: Life in the Welsh West).

“The book describes Porthmadog and the area around – the people, way of life, and languages – honestly and without fear or favour.”

Adra does this by following Porthmadog Football Club for the 2017-18 season, going to every game both home (‘adra’) and away.

The book touches upon football but is really about what makes the club special – its supporters.

“I have tried to show through the lives of fans – old and young, male and female, Welsh and English – what is special and unique about our community in Gwynedd,” the author continued.

“Camaraderie, commitment, and years of effort to keep communities going.

“The 2017-18 football season coincided perfectly with the 12 months up to May when I was chair of Porthmadog Town Council.

“This gave me an overview of the town, but also a chance to discuss problems which face us in rural Wales today – the fight to keep services going, how to tackle austerity, and the need to halt the further centralisation of jobs in Cardiff which is sucking out our young people.

“I am a Plaid Cymru councillor, but I wanted to write too about respect for political opponents.

Adra is available through publisher Y Lolfa and through local bookshops and Amazon.

Read the full feature in this week’s north editions, on sale now