A reminder of how North Wales’ football league system looks ahead of 21/22 season

COMPETITIVE football throughout Wales is now on track to return in July (Covid-19 permitting).

Training and friendlies can resume as of this week and clubs across the country can now begin to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Here is a quick look at how every league involving our North Wales-based clubs will look when official leagues do kick off later this year.

It has to be said – there’s so many great leagues here which could throw up some very interesting matches in months to come following the re-structure which took place last year.

JD CYMRU PREMIER (Top Flight, 12 teams)

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

Greg Draper scores for TNS v Flint Town United. PIC: Brian Jones

With the Football Association of Wales (FAW) announcing that no relegation from or promotion to the top-flight would take place come the end of its 20/21 campaign (as its the only league to go ahead with that season), there will be no changes to it next season either.

All 12 clubs in the JD Cymru Premier have recently secured their domestic licences required to play at the highest level in Wales too, so we will be seeing them all go head-to-head once again in 21/22.

As for the current top-flight campaign, which is due to come to a conclusion in the coming weeks, Connah’s Quay Nomads are on track to reclaim the title after beating rivals TNS 4-1 away last Saturday to open up a three-point gap.

JD CYMRU NORTH (Tier Two, 16 teams)

• Airbus UK Broughton
• 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

Hotspur will return to tier two football in 21/22. PIC: Chris Willz Photography.

A division which is shaping up to provide a truly fantastic season when 21/22 comes around with a great line-up of clubs. It’s down to 16 teams from the 17 it had in 19/20.

Llanidloes Town and Holyhead Hotspur have been promoted with Corwen, Porthmadog and Llanfair United all having gone down at the end of the 19/20 season – which was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Rhyl have been re-invented as Rhyl 1879 and placed into tier three and Flint Town went up to the top-flight for the 20/21 campaign.

Among favourites to win the division will be the likes of Bangor City, Colwyn Bay, last season’s surprise package Guislfield and, of course, 19/20 champions Prestatyn who – although they will be vastly changed due to many players leaving for top-flight clubs – will still pose a real threat.

I’m sure it will be a brilliant league for the neutral fan to follow.

ARDAL NORTH EAST (Tier Three, 15 teams)

• Berriew
• Bow Street
• Caersws
• Carno
• Cefn Albion
• Chirk AAA
• Corwen
• Four Crosses
• Kerry
• Llanfair United
• Machynlleth
• Penparcau
• Penycae
• Rhos Aelwyd
• Welshpool Town

Both this division and its Western equivalent have replaced the Welsh Alliance Leagues respectively but will now also include some teams from the Wrexham area following the pyramid shake-up. The FAW’s aim was to bring clubs closer together in terms of location, although this was not possible in all cases – as Saltney Town v Y Felinheli will showcase in the Western area!

Will Denbigh Town’s Jake Walker haunt defences again in 21/22?

ARDAL NORTH WEST (Tier Three, 16 teams)

• Blaenau Amateurs
• Brickfield Rangers
• Brymbo
• Denbigh Town
• Llandudno Albion
• Llanrwst United
• Llanuwchllyn
• Llay Welfare
• Mold Alexandra
• Nantlle Vale
• Porthmadog
• Rhostyllen
• Rhydymwyn
• Saltney Town
• St Asaph City
• Y Felinheli

NORTH WALES COAST WEST PREMIER (Tier Four, 17 teams)

• Aberffraw
• Amlwch Town
• Bangor 1876
• Bodedern Athletic
• Bro Goronwy
• Gaerwen
• Glantraeth
• Gwalchmai
• Llanberis
• Llanrug United
• Menai Tigers
• Mynydd Llandegai
• Nefyn United
• Penrhyndeudraeth
• Pentraeth
• Pwllheli
• Trearddur Bay Bulls

Asa Thomas (maroon and blue) will undoubtedly be one to watch for Trearddur Bay. PIC: Wynne Evans

Another newly-formed division which will see some great local derbies played out. From Llanberis v Llanrug United to Aberffraw v Glantraeth, there will be plenty of matches to keep an eye on here.

Tough one to call as to who will be favourites to win as there are so many great clubs here. Bangor 1876, who walked their way to the Gwynedd League title in 19/20, will no doubt and then you have the likes of Bodedern Athletic, Llanrug and Pwllheli who have years of Welsh Alliance experience between them.

One club to keep a close eye on in tier four is Penrhyndeudraeth FC who recently appointed former top-flight manager Iwan Williams as their boss. Some big name players could follow him there soon and he’ll no doubt have a huge influence on the club as a whole.

A league that should be wide open and could very much come down to who’s really up for it on the day when teams play each other. Really looking forward to seeing how it unfolds!

NORTH WALES COAST EAST PREMIER (Tier Four, 15 teams)

• Bro Cernyw
• Glan Conwy
• Kinmel Bay
• Llandudno Junction
• Llandyrnog United
• Llanfairfechan Town
• Llannefydd
• Llansannan
• Meliden
• Mochdre Sports
• NFA
• Penmaenmawr Phoenix
• Prestatyn Sports
• Rhuddlan Town
• Y Rhyl 1879

NORTH EAST WALES FOOTBALL LEAGUE PREMIER (Tier Four, 15 teams)

• Acton
• Brymbo Victoria
• Castell Alun Colts
• Cefn Mawr Rangers
• Chirk Town
• Coedpoeth United
• FC Queen’s Park
• Greenfield
• Halkyn & Flint Mountain
• Hawarden Rangers
• Lex XI
• Llangollen Town
• Mynydd Isa Spartans
• New Brighton Villa
• Overton Recreation

NORTH WALES COAST WEST DIVISION ONE (Tier Five, 17 teams)

• Arriva Bangor
• Bethesda Athletic
• Bodorgan
• Bontnewydd
• Caergybi
• Cemaes Bay
• Cefni
• Holyhead Town
• Llandegfan
• Llanfairpwll
• Llangoed
• Llanerchymedd
• Llanystumdwy
• Mountain Rangers
• Talysarn Celts
• Waunfawr
• Y Fali

Can Keenan Downey guide Cemaes Bay to league glory again in 21/22? PIC: Edryd Jones

This is effectively the new version of the Anglesey League which has officially come to an end after a 125-year existence.

Among the favourites for the title will be last season’s champions Cemaes Bay and runners-up Mountain Rangers, as well as Llanerchymedd who have brought back many a familiar face who have played higher league football (as high up as tier two) over the last few seasons.

The likes of Holyhead Town, Caergybi and an exciting young Bethesda Athletic side led by Mark Hughes will be clubs to keep an eye on also.

It could be a very closely fought battle outside of the top five or so.

NORTH WALES COAST EAST DIVISION ONE (Tier Five, 15 teams)

• Abergele
• Betws-Y-Coed
• Caer Clwyd
• Cerrigydrudion
• Denbigh Development
• Henllan
• Llandudno Amateurs
• Llanelwy Athletic
• Llysfaen
• Machno United
• Penrhyn Bay Dragons
• Rhos United
• Rhyl All Stars
• Rhyl Dragons
• Y Glannau

NORTH EAST WALES FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP (Tier Five, 11 teams)

• AFC Bagillt
• Bellevue
• Borras Park Albion
• Caerwys
• Connah’s Quay Town
• Deeside
• Johnstown Youth
• Penyffordd Lions
• Railway Rovers
• Ruabon Rovers
• Sychdyn

RESERVES LEAGUES

Reserve League North West

• Bala Town
• Conwy Borough
• CPD Porthmadog
• Denbigh Town
• Dyffryn Nantlle Vale
• Holyhead Hotspur
• Holywell Town
• Llandudno
• Llangefni Town
• Llanrwst United
• Prestatyn Town
• St Asaph City

Reserve League North East

• Airbus UK Broughton
• Brymbo
• Buckley Town
• Cefn Albion
• Cefn Druids
• Chirk AAA
• Connah’s Quay
• Gresford Athletic
• Llay Welfare
• Mold Alexandra
• Penycae
• Rhos Aelwyd
• Rhostyllen
• Rhydymwyn
• Ruthin Town
• The New Saints

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