How the Cymru Premier, North and South Leagues will look in the 2020/21 season

PICTURE: Flint Town United will return to the Cymru Premier after a near 30 year absence.

FOLLOWING the Football Association of Wales’ (FAW) decision to implement both promotion and relegation in Wales top two divisions, despite a curtailed season, the top-flight’s structure has also been decided for the 2020/21 campaign and it will remain as a 12-club league.

Despite proposals to make the Cymru Premier a 14-team league, the FAW backtracked on those plans during a meeting on Tuesday and it will instead remain at its usual capacity of 12 teams with Airbus Broughton UK and Carmarthen Town relegated and Flint Town United and Haverfordwest County taking their place.

Although 2019-20 Cymru North champions Prestatyn Town finished a huge 16 points ahead of runners-up Flint, the Seasiders were twice refused the domestic Tier 1 licence essential to compete in the top league by the FAW on ground criteria issues – mainly a TV gantry deemed unsuitable for the latest broadcasting needs. As a result of this, Flint will go up and return to the top-flight for the first time since being relegated in 1997-98.

Therefore, the top flight will be as follows in 2020/21:

Aberystwyth Town
Bala Town
Barry Town United
Caernarfon Town
Cardiff Met University
Cefn Druids
Connah’s Quay Nomads
Flint Town United
Haverfordwest County
Newtown
Penybont
The New Saints (TNS)

In Cymru North (Division Two), Llanfair United, Corwen and Porthmadog will go down to tier three, while Holywell Town, Holyhead Hotspur and Llanidloes Town will take their place. Meanwhile, in Cymru South (Division Two for South Wales), Trefelin BGC, Risca United and Port Talbot Town will take the places of STM Sports (who failed to obtain a tier two licence), Cwmamman United and Caerau Ely.

These two divisions will look like this in 2020/21 …

CYMRU NORTH (16 teams)

Airbus Broughton UK
Bangor City
Buckley Town
Colwyn Bay
Conwy Borough
Gresford Athletic
Guilsfield
Holyhead Hotspur
Holywell Town
Llandudno
Llangefni Town
Llanidloes Town
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
Penrhyncoch
Prestatyn Town
Ruthin Town

CYMRU SOUTH (16 teams)

Afan Lido
Ammanford
Briton Ferry Llansawel
Cambrian and Clydach Vale
Carmarthen Town
Cwmbran Celtic
Goytre United
Llanelli Town
Llantwit Major
Pontypridd Town
Port Talbot Town
Risca United
Swansea University
Taffs Well
Trefelin BGC
Undy Athletic

The National Leagues Board will consider the reorganisation of Tier 3 clubs on July 10 following the Tier 3 Ground Criteria certification process. Tiers 4 and 5 will be controlled by their respective area associations.

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