Cymru Premier: Dad watches son Jonathan Evans score for Aberystwyth - from open-top bus
- Published
Jonathan Evans' shot flies into the net during Aberystwyth's win over Flint with dad Mel - and friends - watching on from an open-top bus behind the goal
What do you do when your son is playing football but you cannot get into the ground because of Covid-19?
You park an open-top bus outside and watch from the top deck of course.
Mel Evans came up with the idea because he wanted to see son Jonathan in action for Aberystwyth Town.
He has watched both the Cymru Premier club's games at their Park Avenue home so far this season from his mobile stand - and Jonathan has scored in each of them.
"I can probably count one on hand the number of games dad has missed in my career," former Wales Under-19 forward Jonathan tells 大象传媒 Sport Wales.
"He has travelled around the world to watch me play. To see him turning up on the bus was the icing on the cake."
Mel is the owner of coach company Mid Wales Travel, and the open-top bus is part of the fleet.
It is usually used to ferry tourists around Aberystwyth, but had not come out of the garage this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
That changed when the Cymru Premier season began last weekend.
Jonathan Evans (left) celebrates his goal against Flint Town United
"Because of coronavirus we can't get into the games, so I had the idea of taking the double decker," Mel explains.
"We had to take the sheets off it because it hasn't had any use this summer.
"We kept it to a maximum of 10 on board and we all had masks. I think we could have had 50 people on it if we were allowed. We've got the best view at Park Avenue."
Jonathan had spells at Cardiff City and Accrington Stanley as a teenager, and played alongside the likes of Jonny Williams and Adam Matthews in Wales' age-group sides.
"My phone has gone mad this week," says the 27-year-old, who works for his dad's company as a bus driver.
"Everyone is talking about it - everyone is saying they want to come on the bus.
"I think it's brilliant. It's making the most of circumstances I suppose, with nobody being able to come and watch the games. That's my dad - he is very different!"
Mel and friends saw Jonathan score in Aberystwyth's 3-2 home defeat to Cardiff Met on the opening day of the 2020-21 campaign, then again in Friday night's 3-1 win over Flint Town United.
The bus did not make it to the midweek draw at Penybont, but may yet turn up when Aberystwyth go to Newtown next weekend.
"I am going to give Newtown a ring to see if we can do it," says Mel, 63.
"The problem is it might not work at every ground. There might be too many trees."