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Following the announcement that the Aberbargoed Buds will merge with treble-winning Aberbargoed Town, manager Ricky Vaughan is excited about the future.

Speaking to Caerphilly Observer in February, Vaughan, who co-founded Aberbargoed Town back in 2017, said he’d brought the “atmosphere back within the club” after a period away.

That atmosphere certainly led to wins on the pitch, with the Town securing an historic cup treble this season – lifting the Roly Parfitt Cup, the Bob Annett Cup, and the Intermediate Cup all in the space of a few weeks.

On the club’s success, Vaughan said: “Since we last spoke I managed to sign a few quality players and it really helped us towards the end of the season.

“The cup runs were incredible. We’d won two of them in the past but it was our first time lifting the Intermediate Cup against an Alway side who had just been promoted.”

It wasn’t to be in the league for the Town unfortunately, just falling short of the Gwent Premier title after losing out to a “superb” Brynmawr side.

“It was a great year and I have to thank our supporters who turned-up to every game and all three finals,” Vaughan added.

It was a very different story for the Aberbargoed Buds this season, who came into the year as the “team to beat” in the Ardal South East.

However, it proved to be a difficult campaign for the Buds, who released manager Sean Wharton after just seven games, and went on to finish a disappointing ninth.

Despite not finishing in the relegation zone, the merger with the Town means there will be no Buds or Town in the Ardal South East next season.

Vaughan explained how the club still doesn’t know which league they’ll be in this upcoming season: “I think the league meet to decide in June, then we’ll find out.

“I feel confident no matter where we get placed, we’ve got a great group of lads and are ready to build on our success.

“I don’t expect many of the Buds boys to play for us given the drop in leagues, but I have spoken to a few and a couple have been in contact with me.”

Vaughan went on to say how the Buds committee are not expected to be a part of the Town.